As Mongolia’s sprawling capital city, Ulaanbaatar is the gateway to the country’s great outdoors. The city has gone into overdrive as the money floods in, leading to a quirky architectural mix of glass skyscrapers, Soviet-style Socialist blocks, ger tents and traditional Buddhist monasteries. Chaotic and increasingly cosmopolitan, here you’ll find all the trappings of modern life, but it can still be easily escaped – enjoy the wide-open space of Chinggis Khan Square at the city’s heart, and find some tranquillity at Ganden Khiid, one of Mongolia’s most important Buddhist monasteries.