Mongolia tented luxury

Premium tourism in Mongolia built around yurt camps (called ger in Mongolian) fitted to five-star hotel standard: ensuite bathroom, wood-burning stove for heat, custom furniture, solar electricity. The benchmark is Three Camel Lodge in the Gobi Desert, founded in 2002 by Jalsa Urubshurow and accredited as a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World. Other names include Yolyn Am Tourist Camp, Tugarisuu Camp and the recent Nomadic Expeditions Premium Ger Camp. Rates run USD 400 to 1,200 per night, including horseback excursions and wildlife observation (wolf, gazelle, cashmere goat). The season is June to September only; winters are too brutal for canvas accommodation.