I spent a bit over two weeks in Mongolia during the summer of 2015. It turned out to be not nearly enough time. I spent roughly one week in the furthest west end of the country, driving around in an unstoppable Russian van on roads that wouldn't even be designated trails in most other countries in the world. The people are among the most welcoming on the planet, and nomadic families are thrilled to offer you a mat on which to sleep in their traditional gers (yurts). The scenery is generally barren, and has something of an apocalyptic vibe to it. But this is not to say it isn't beautiful. Far from it. It just takes more effort to find the magical spots in this wonderful country.