It is thanks to the Himalaya that the vast and empty Gobi Desert exists, the soaring mountains blocking the rain clouds that would sweep in from the Indian Ocean. Stretching across the whole of southern Mongolia, this is a bleak and isolated land for those with an adventurous heart. From the towering dunes of Khongoryn Els to ice-filled canyons and some of the world’s best preserved dinosaur fossils, you’ll also need to keep an eye out for the large and shaggy Bactrian (two-humped) camels that roam the area – you can even ride one if you fancy! One of the last places where you can truly escape the modern world, exploring the Gobi is a series of otherworldly landscapes after another, unique to Mongolia.