Beyond the Great Wall of China, spreading out across the Gobi Desert and the vast steppes of Inner Asia stands legendary Mongolia.

Its mere name conjures visions of camel-borne nomads, stampeding columns of wild horses and orange sunsets plunging into the grasslands.

As the least densely populated country on earth, it's also a place of magnificent silence and Arctic-like emptiness.

But Mongolia is changing. Nomads flock to the city to seek out new opportunities. Businesses are springing up and foreign investment pouring in. And while tourists were a novelty a decade ago, they have become a regular spectacle each summer.

Mongolia is a great place for adventurers, lovers of the outdoors and camping enthusiasts. There is no privately-held land, the entire country is in effect one enormous camp ground and you can pitch your tent wherever you please.

Without super-highways or even fences, it's entirely possible to ride a horse clear across the country, which is what some travelers attempt to do. (A few years ago one eccentric American tried golfing his way across Mongolia with a 3-iron - and he succeeded).

Travel here requires a little imagination as you won't find information booths and gargantuan tourist sites every step of the way. The main attractions are the mountain and steppe scenery, wildlife, evenings in a ger (yurt), and the Mongolians themselves, a welcoming people whose generosity is beyond compare.

Survival guide to Mongolia