The Mongolian Meta

written by @ kommu # 0807

translated by dylan2dank (nazadd on Discord)

Ulaanbaatar, December 2020. The first time I discovered Mongolian soil.

The black charcoal smokes above the yurts contrasting with the white that covers a thin layer of these cold-dried herbs.I did not know it yet, but this ground on which I am, will become my home for the following months.

After more than 1000 games played in this country, each place still amazes me just as much. This has been the homeland during my long days of confinement. So I have decided to pass on all my knowledge so that you too will no longer be afraid of going to meet the endless steppes.

I am far from being a good teacher, but I will try to make this guide as fun as possible. There will be challenges to better understand the map. From my point of view, I find Mongolia to be an extremely fun country to play in Geoguessr, and I will try to pass this on to you.

For the occasion, I created a Mongolia map with only 5kable points. :

A better Mongolia: https://www.geoguessr.com/maps/607491237d8fdc00012993cb

But I still encourage you to play the Geoguessr map or the Mapper map, because you will be given more locations (not 5kables) but in super beautiful places.

Summary ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Knowing about StreetView (SV) coverage 5

The Google Car 5

2.1. Spare tire 6

2.1.1. With a net 6

2.1.2. With Green / Orange Strip 7

2.1.3. Present but without color 8

2.1.4. Without spare tire 8

2.1.5. Conclusion and exercises 9

2.2. The roof rack/bars 10

2.2.1. Blurred 10

2.2.2. Without straps 11

2.2.3. Strap on both sides 12

2.2.4. Strap on both sides + Diagonally at the bottom left 12

2.2.5. Strap on both sides (two on the right) 13

2.2.6. Strap on both sides (two on the left) 14

2.2.7. Strap on the right 14

2.2.8. Strap on both sides + Diagonal at the bottom left + Knot on the right 15

2.2.9. Other Metas 16

2.2.10. Conclusion and exercises 17

2.3. The tent 18

2.3.1. No tent 18

2.3.2. Tent 19

2.3.3. Tent with a dent on the right 20

2.3.4. Tent with red tensioners 21

2.3.5. Gray tent 22

2.3.6. Other metas tries rares 23

2.3.7. Conclusion and exercises 26

Biomes / Weather / Landscapes 28

3.1. The biomes 28

3.1.1. Desert 29

3.1.2. Desert Steppe 30

3.1.3. Steppe 31

3.1.4. Winter steppe 32

3.1.5. Forest steppe (Presence of Conifers) 33

3.1.6. Forest steppe (winter) 34

3.1.8. Taiga (winter) 35

3.1.9. Taiga (mainly birch) 36

3.1.10. Conclusion 37

3.2. “Weather” 37

3.2.1 Sunset zone 38

3.2.2 Cloudy zones 39

3.2.3 Conclusion 39

3.3. The landscapes 40

3.3.1 Mountains 40

3.3.1.1. Southwest of Dalanzagdad. 40

3.3.1.2. Sutay Uul 41

3.3.1.3. North of Burenkhairkhan 42

3.3.1.4. Potanine Glacier 43

3.3.1.5. Conclusion 44

3.3.2 Lakes 45

3.3.2.1. Tolbo Lake 45

3.3.2.2. Khurgan Lake 46

3.3.2.3. Achit Lake 47

3.3.2.4. Shaazgai Lake 48

3.3.2.5. Uvs Lake 49

3.3.2.6. Bayan Lake 50

3.3.2.7. Khyargas Lake 51

3.3.2.8. Therkhiin Tsagaan Lake 52

3.3.2.9. Khuvsgul Lake 53

3.3.2.10. Ganga Lake 54

3.3.2.11. Tsoukhiin Lake 55

3.3.2.12. Conclusion 56

3.3.3 Rivers 57

3.3.3.1. Altai Uyench 57

3.3.3.2. Hovd River 58

3.3.3.3. Zavkhan River 59

3.3.3.4. Ider River 60

3.3.3.5. Solongotiin River 61

3.3.3.6. Tuul River 62

3.3.3.7. Conclusion 63

4.8. Chinggis (Öndörhaan) 81

Secondary Cities (Optional) 108

5.1. Nalaikh 108

5.2. Gachuurt 111

5.3. Zuunmod 112

5.4. Bayartayn Hiid 116

5.10. Erdenetsagaan 126

5.11. Bayandun 128

5.12. Dashbalbar 130

5.13. Sukhbaatar 132

5.14. Altanboulag 135

5.21. Uyench (khukh-Uzuur) 147

5.22. Burenkhairkhan 148

5.23. Tugrug 148

5.24. Telmen 150

5.25. Tosontsengel 152

5.26. Ikh-Uul 154

5.27. Zaankotchou 155

5.36. Gurvansaikhan 170

5.37. Khatgal 171

Conclusion 173

**Note from Dylan2Dank, translator.** 173

Knowing about StreetView (SV) coverage

The first essential thing to know is SV coverage. Without this it will be difficult for you to determine the different areas. Don't worry, the next chapters and exercises will teach you how to spot areas more easily. There is no secret, you have to play!

The Google Car

Here is the Google Car which was used for the coverage of Mongolia: A Toyota Tacoma.

There are 3 elements to rely on in No Move and Move.

The Spare Wheel (Narrows down Mongolia to 4 zones)
The roof rack/bars (Narrows down Mongolia to approximately to 8 zones)
The tent (Narrows down Mongolia to approximately 6 zones)

Obviously the three combined this can already narrow down your search area well .

2.1. Spare tire

You only need to look at the rear right-hand side of the car to observe the spare tire.

2.1.1. With a net

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where the net is found:

2.1.2. With Green / Orange Strip

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Tips

This should be taken with a grain of salt: (Brightness may mess with this).

The Green strip can be found in zone 3, in the north zone of zone 1 and on the main road to the left of zone 2.
The Orange strip can be found in the deserted part of zone 2 and south of zone 1.

Below is the area where the strip is found:

2.1.3. Present but without color

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.1.4. Without spare tire

The spare tire is not present around UlaanBaatar and Erdenet.

Caution 1

Around Ulaanbaatar, there can be a bit of all the metas for the spare tire.

Attention 2

The road which connects Ulaanbaatar to Erdenet is also rich in different meta, the only spare tire meta not present is the net.

Below is the area where we find these metas:

2.1.5. Conclusion and exercises

In conclusion, this first meta allows you to narrow down Mongolia to 4 zones.

Here are 4 challenges for practice. You do not need to find the exact place, just the right area using the spare tire meta (Nothing prevents you from using the diagrams above if you do not remember them anymore. ):

Well done !

You have just finished the first stage of your long adventure in Mongolia.

Feel free to run NM on Mongolia maps to train this meta :)

2.2. The roof rack/bars

The roof rack is a classic, from Ghana to Guatemala to Reunion, everyone knows about it. It also allows you to find Mongolia (along with the tent of course). At the end of this chapter, it will allow you to clutch in Mongolia, as these bars can sometimes limit you to very specific areas.

2.2.1. Blurred

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Attention

In Ulaanbaatar, there can be a mix of all the meta for the roof rack/bars, even if a great majority of the time, we find this one. (And a little bit the 2.2.2 and 2.2.3).

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.2.2. Without straps

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.2.3. Strap on both sides

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.2.4. Strap on both sides + Diagonally at the bottom left

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.2.5. Strap on both sides (two on the right)

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.2.6. Strap on both sides (two on the left)

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.2.7. Strap on the right

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.2.8. Strap on both sides + Diagonal at the bottom left + Knot on the right

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.2.9. Other Metas

The remaining two metas are found in eastern Mongolia.

This meta is found in this small area.

It is very recognizable without this meta, thanks to the snow-capped mountains that surround us.

Similarly to the above area, this location is very recognizable even without the meta present, as you can see Lake Khurgan from almost everywhere

2.2.10. Conclusion and exercises

In conclusion, the roof racks/bars take a little longer to learn. But first, do not hesitate to learn the 4 main zones which are Orange, Green water, Fuchsia, and Blue. Secondly, integrate the others (that comes up less often).

For the following exercises, you don't need to find the exact location, just the right area using the roof rack/bar meta (Nothing prevents you from looking at the diagrams above if you can’t remember them).

Of course, do not hesitate to use the spare tire meta that you have learned.

Here are 2 challenges to train in the 4 main areas :

Here are 2 challenges to train in the other areas :

Here are 3 challenges to train in all areas :

Well done !

You just finished the second step.

Feel free to run NM on Mongolia maps to train this meta :))

2.3. The tent

There aren't many hotels in the middle of the steppes. This is why the tent is very common.

2.3.1. No tent

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.3.2. Tent

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Caution

The tent looks mostly bluish in the area below, but the boundary between what I call the "gray tent" and "blue tent" is sometimes very difficult to differentiate (see 2.3.5). Use at your own risk, as this meta depends on the brightness of the location.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.3.3. Tent with a dent on the right

The presence of this pictogram in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

The left area differs from the right area because on the left the tent is lighter than in the right area (moreover, the roof rack/bars and spare tire are different).

In the image above the tent comes from the right area.

Below, the tent comes from the left area.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.3.4. Tent with red tensioners

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.3.5. Gray tent

The presence of this symbol in the rest of this guide will indicate the presence of this meta.

Attention

As said in 2.3.1, The line between “gray tent” and “blue tent” is delicate. Pay attention!! However, the image above with a very white color, which is very characteristic of what can be seen in the northern area in the map below.

Below is the area where we find this meta:

2.3.6. Other metas tries rares

The blue sleeping bag.
The loose tent on the left side.
The unit in black on the right.
The “flat” tent.
The tent with a green sleeping bag.
The cage for the tent is empty. It may also have snow in it.
The left side of the tent forms a double bump.
Here there is a little hook on the left side of the tent.

2.3.7. Conclusion and exercises

In conclusion, the roof rack/bars meta takes a little longer to understand when the tent is included. But first, do not hesitate to learn the 4 main zones indicated in Orange, Aqua Green, Fuchsia, and Blue. Secondly, integrate the others (that come up less often).

For the following exercises, you don't need to find the exact spot, just the right area using the tent meta (Nothing prevents you from taking advantage of the diagrams above if you don't remember them).

Of course do not hesitate to mix with what you learned with the spare tire and the roof rack/bar meta :)

Here are 2 challenges to train in the 5 main areas :

Here are 2 challenges to train in the other areas :

Here are 3 challenges to train in all areas :

The hardest part is done!!

You have just completed the third step, and can now find where you are in very specific areas of Mongolia. The following chapters will allow you to further refine your zones depending on the weather, the landscape, but also other small meta.

Personally, I started to play a lot of games with these metas and I learned to differentiate between landscapes and weather as I went along.

Do not hesitate to play NM on Mongolia maps to train this meta :)

Biomes / Weather / Landscapes

3.1. The biomes

I will approach the zones in a non-exhaustive way. Also, I won't go into biomes in the strict sense. Some areas are taiga, but I will differentiate the taiga photographed in the summer and the taiga photographed in the winter. But above all, I rely on the streetview coverage.

In order to introduce quickly, here is a map below that I find generally up to date!

Warning

I am far from being an expert, but I will introduce you to the way I interpret biomes. So there may be errors.

3.1.1. Desert

There is a part in the desert section that includes part of desert steppe (but as the streetview cover was made in winter, the grass is yellowed.

3.1.2. Desert Steppe

Here we find grass that is often short and sparse, as well as small bushes like the second photo above.

3.1.3. Steppe

We find the grass of the 1st photo with the white/yellow strands mainly in the right area and the grass in the second photo to the south de Khalkghol (which is in the far right of the right area)

3.1.4. Winter steppe

1ʳᵉ photo: The road south of Ulaanbataar mainly.
2ᵉ photo: The surroundings of Erdenet.

3ᵉ photo: The southwest of Ulaanbataar and a a little bit on the road which goes up towards Darkhan (the one north of Ulaanbataar). We can recognize it from the overexposure.

3.1.5. Forest steppe (Presence of Conifers)

We are rarely among the trees, but it can happen like in the examples. From the roads one can see the surrounding hills relatively well supplied with conifers as in photo 2.

3.1.6. Forest steppe (winter)

Not to be confused with desert steppes. Here the grass is still taller and like the previous point, there is a presence of yellowed conifers on the hills.

3.1.8. Taiga (winter)

Around Lake Khuvsgul, and it is a very recognizable place. Still looks like the winter forest steppe. But the grass is generally very short.

3.1.9. Taiga (mainly birch)

My favorite place! Very recognizable from the presence of birch trees.

3.1.10. Conclusion

**hiver is the french word for winter**

Here are 2 challenges to train yourself:

A first step towards expertise

We continue with metas that are anchored in reality. They are very useful for allowing you to play NMPZ more easily.

3.2. “Weather”

Weather is an important word. At the beginning of my apprenticeship in Mongolia, I studied the areas a lot by their weather. What is really interesting about Mongolia is that it is often sunny, so there is not too much street view coverage where it is cloudy/rainy. It is not for nothing that Mongolia is called the land of the eternal blue sky.

3.2.1 Sunset zone

It is important to know that in Ulaanbaatar there are several sunsets. But I will go into further detail on that in the chapter dedicated to Ulaanbaatar.

I will use this symbol when I approach cities with a sunset.

3.2.2 Cloudy zones

I define a cloudy zone as an area in which we see very little of the sun, or the clouds are really thick. So not all the sun / cloudy areas are included.

I will use this symbol when I approach cities with cloud cover.

3.2.3 Conclusion

Phew, a chapter that was not too long

This chapter is one of the shortest, but it is mainly to add a little more knowledge to narrowing down an area.

3.3. The landscapes

The landscapes are what allows you to find your way around the map.

3.3.1 Mountains

3.3.1.1. Southwest of Dalanzagdad.

There is a large mountain range with slightly snow-capped peaks.

https://goo.gl/maps/bjBw2j7UmxZMfwU48

3.3.1.2. Sutay Uul

This is a very rare location. But it exists, and we can recognize it by its very rounded mountains with snow on the peaks.

https://goo.gl/maps/NjKQZw8nWTKrQTzk7

3.3.1.3. North of Burenkhairkhan

This mountain chain is located north of this road, it is very recognizable, it is almost one of the only points on the map where there is a mountain like that on the north.

https://goo.gl/maps/DCUQqs1V8YdHEk9v5

3.3.1.4. Potanine Glacier

A magnificent location, and normally with the roof rack/bar meta, making it easily identifiable.

https://goo.gl/maps/q3UGPNRRyqd1YPb48

3.3.1.5. Conclusion

Here is 1 challenge to train yourself:

https://www.geoguessr.com/challenge/xlDArbht92TG6g3K

Well done !

I am not talking about all the mountains. Others will be covered during the explanations of each of the cities.
Would you like a little hike in these mountains?

3.3.2 Lakes

3.3.2.1. Tolbo Lake

This lake is recognizable by the very specific tent meta (two growths on the side).

https://goo.gl/maps/qsGJJzqYSn5CoGAm7

3.3.2.2. Khurgan Lake

This is a very recognizable lake, with the metas listed below and a low sun.

https://goo.gl/maps/5iMdVeEuTxAxnz9o7

3.3.2.3. Achit Lake

This is a small lake that appears from time to time, you need to know the two sides as you can see in the image below.

https://goo.gl/maps/xLxvhbeYhmtfLqgv8

3.3.2.4. Shaazgai Lake

This lake is extremely rare, make sure you note the presence of red vegetation around the lake to make it identifiable.

https://goo.gl/maps/jQV9uNNGNKjwovpL8

3.3.2.5. Uvs Lake

This lake is quite similar to the previous one with this red vegetation around it. The lake is very large however, and contains a presence of clouds.

https://goo.gl/maps/uYHocjb21zmB4A6g6

3.3.2.6. Bayan Lake

This is a small lake that does not come up often. There is a sunset zone to the north of it, and a black vehicle following the Google Car on the right of the lake.

https://goo.gl/maps/zutaxPRZ4Rkc5r688

3.3.2.7. Khyargas Lake

This is quite a large lake. There is a little glitch on the camera, a road north of the lake, and an area in the steppes, which is on the right of the lake.

https://goo.gl/maps/ayts2eHjxutyV6fu5

3.3.2.8. Therkhiin Tsagaan Lake

This lake appears from time to time.. It is in a very cloudy area in the Steppe forest, with hills/rocky mountains around.

https://goo.gl/maps/rME6MKm4hPyu3Phf7

3.3.2.9. Khuvsgul Lake

This is the most famous lake in Mongolia. You can't go wrong with this yellowed winter taiga.

https://goo.gl/maps/pz2jp2CuY9wJK5QQ9

3.3.2.10. Ganga Lake

This is a small lake that rarely comes up. There is a presence of drinking horses.

https://goo.gl/maps/8F4w5QogGTkLb9at9

3.3.2.11. Tsoukhiin Lake

This is a lake which still comes up often despite its small size. We can recognize it above all thanks to the tourist complex made up of small triangular huts.

https://goo.gl/maps/d7zUVAUGDnL3BqaQ7

3.3.2.12. Conclusion

Here are 2 challenges to train yourself:

https://www.geoguessr.com/challenge/HG2dj2fT6wxysL7x

https://www.geoguessr.com/challenge/BCwHXANz7xz7Httb

Well done !

The lakes are a very good landmark. I hope this will help you.

You are now ready to spend afternoons fishing accompanied by wild horses.

3.3.3 Rivers

3.3.3.1. Altai Uyench

There is a small stream not visible on the Google map which is located:

on the right in the southern part of the road
on the left of the road the rest of the time

This stream allows you to recognize this road, in addition to the presence of small cliffs around the road.

https://goo.gl/maps/TfJ386SW8HhFAYzX6

3.3.3.2. Hovd River

The Hovd river begins in the Khurgan Lake. It is very recognizable, containing a little greenery on the banks, but otherwise a very desert steppe, positioned on the west side of the road.

https://goo.gl/maps/2xCnaug8Vj2QcUK5A

3.3.3.3. Zavkhan River

The Zhavkan river is the river that crosses the city of Uliastai. The spring comes from the north, the further north it goes from Uliastai the more it becomes a stream.

https://goo.gl/maps/SGwueyQaNgYFZg698

3.3.3.4. Ider River

The Ider river begins in the village of Ider (which does not contain streetview) and it is mainly found between Telmen and Ikh-Uul. It is rather wide and we pass over it when entering the city of Ikh-Uul and Tosontsengel.

https://goo.gl/maps/5QDxtfSxyW8suaAa6

3.3.3.5. Solongotiin River

This is not the river’s official name, but it is not named on google maps, so I named it from the only point of interest in the area. We can not see it on the map, but a strong presence of conifers surrounding it suggests that is where we are. So if you have something similar to the images below, it's probably here.

https://goo.gl/maps/rnGVf31rAYgDqmWZ7

3.3.3.6. Tuul River

This is the river north of Ulaanbataar, and we cross it in several places. We can see very dense vegetation around it.

https://goo.gl/maps/qg6yGbE3u2gF5txU9

3.3.3.7. Conclusion

Here is 1 challenge to train yourself:

https://www.geoguessr.com/challenge/2t7H3Z0MTADkC8ES

Well done!

You have completed the last chapter on landscapes. All that remains is to face urbanization.

3.3.4 Conclusion

Here are 3 challenges to train you on the whole chapter:

You go so fast! Congratulations!!!

It's great to have come this far. (I might have already given up on my side, page 63 and we still don't see the end)

A bit of a longer chapter, but very useful, and will help you get by in most situations, especially in NMPZ.
Cheer up! You only have one step left to obtain your diploma in knowledge of Mongolian territories.

The main cities

Here, I put the main cities that often come up in the official geoguessr maps and that of Mapper. It is obviously advisable to know the Google Car and its metas to approach this chapter.

**Click here for a bigger view of the Administrative Map of Mongolia**

Certain names on the cities of the Google Map are clearly not the correct ones. I will write the name of the city Google contains first and add the real name in brackets. (In case Google corrects the wrong name.)

4.1. Ulaanbaatar

Capital of Mongolia. Everyone usually knows about it already.

It is overall sunny across the entire Streetview. Some areas still have a Cloudy Streetview, which can be confused with Erdenet.

The Blue Sky Tower and Sukhbaatar Square.

You can't miss them, it's in the center of town.

Here are some landmarks.

(I know a lot more, but maybe I'll update the document someday. I still have all the cities to do)

Coal-fired power plants.

There are two:

The first is to the far west of town.

We can see them very well from a distance, especially the smoke. it can help you position yourself in the city, the search area.

The second is much closer to the city. Compared to the first one, there is also one of the cooling towers which is much larger than the other.

Tips

As in all the towns of Geoguessr, the rivers, and railway lines are very good haunts.

The roundabouts with statues:

The slums mostly to the north and east of the city.

Other landmarks:

Amusement Park. With its big wheel.

A large park to the south-east

There is a structure to the south of where you can see the whole city.

Info:

There are plenty of other landmarks, but then it would be necessary to write another document only for Ulaanbaatar.

If you wish I made a polygonal map to train:

https://www.geoguessr.com/maps/6090468c93574a0001e0e0e4

4.2. Erdenet

Town northwest of Ulaanbaatar.

Bad weather.

Slight hills north of town.

Attention

This is a large city, not to be confused with Ulaanbaatar.

In Erdenet the weather is gray and there are no mountains south of the city.

4.3. Dalanzadgad

City in the south of Mongolia (At the gateway to the Gobi desert).

This city has sunset coverage, and you can see the mountain range to the south almost the entire time.Personally, I have a hard time getting a 5k in this city, a lot of information is missing.

A landmark that can be seen from a bit far away is the Khan Uul (a Hotel). We find the blurry spot to the right of the Google Car.

Streetlights.

4.4. Choibalsan

City in eastern Mongolia.

Very cloudy, it rained not long ago.

Some roads in concrete slabs.

Puddles of water.

You can use the coal-fired power station as a landmark to position yourself in the city.

A Military structure to the west of the city.

The lake in the city.

To the north, probably a coal quarry.

4.5. Tsetserleg

A city in central Mongolia. (One of my favorites)

Very sunny.. There are large mountains to the north, and it is very rocky. (very characteristic of this city) I often spot it at first glance thanks to that. It is also very green, and there’s lots of trees.

The monastery north of the city.

The view from the monastery.

Streetlights.

4.6. Uliastai

City in west-central Mongolia.

There are two different Streetviews. The first where it is very sunny (in most of the city), and the second which is cloudy, which occurs mainly north of the city. There is also a large mountain range to the north, very close to the city. The city is very green, and has a lot of trees.

The roundabout often comes up. It allows you to recognize the city at a glance.

There is a kind of double bridge.

4.7. Buruun-Urt

City in eastern Mongolia.

Here it is sunny, in a desert steppe, with no mountains around. It is the only big city with the roof rack/bar meta.

There is a large tower under construction that can be seen from all over the city.

The street lights have a yellow top on the main street. We can find the same lights as in Mörön

4.8. Chinggis (Öndörhaan)

This is a city in eastern Mongolia. The name displayed by Google does not appear to be the correct one. For me, the city is supposed to be called Öndörhaan.

It is quite cloudy, and the city is easily identifiable with the unique meta tent. There are also no mountains around.

These are the main streetlights. For me, the 1ᵉʳ and the 3ᵉ are unique to this city.

4.9. Baganuur

City east of Ulaanbaatar.

Streetview with a low sun. It is also slightly snowy.

Warning

Do not confuse this town with Ulaanbaatar or Nalaikh. Here the ground around is really flat.

The lampposts are rather white with original shapes at the top.

4.10. Kalkhgol

This is the easternmost city in Mongolia.

There are the two Streetviews here. One has a beautiful sun and a few clouds, while the other is almost always in the rain.

The pink supermarket. It is very conspicuous and it is a good landmark.

There is this ruined building also with trees around it.

Above all there is this gigantic wooden sword. It is visible from a great distance.

4.11. Bayanhongor

City in central Mongolia.

Very bright sun, with a little vegetation, and large mountains to the east.

There is a bridge east of town.

There is also a park with fake dinosaurs. (This is the historical land of these dinosaurs, and a lot of archaeological sites have shown that many species of dinosaurs lived in Mongolian land).

There is this hill in the center west of the city. It is visible from the whole city (unless hidden by a building).

There is a blurry spot on the right of the vehicle.

The light pole in the first picture is unique to the city. The other more classic ones are not, but are still another clue.

4.12. Arvayheer

This is a city in central Mongolia.

The city can be confused with Bayanhongor by the blurry spot to the right of the vehicle. There is a light sunset in this coverage, and no big mountains around.

These are the streetlights, some in the city are more standard. The second picture shows the Mongolian wrestling stadium.

4.13. Zamiin-Uud

Town in southern Mongolia, on the border with China.

Very dry, clearly in the desert, not to be confused with Sainshand. There is also a border post to the south of the city.

This is also the only place where we have major roads in the desert.

The first two examples are located north of the city. (there is always this little yellow cone in the middle). The last three examples are in the city center, and there is always a blue, red or green sign with Chinese writing on it.

4.14. Sainshand

This is a city in southern Mongolia.

The city is in the desert, with a perfect blue sky. There are streetlights with a green base, which are unique to this city.

The pink Eiffel Tower of Mongolia

A religious place south of Sainshand.

4.15. Kharkhorin

This is a city in central Mongolia

The main roads are asphalt. The weather is nice, but there are a lot of puddles. There are also mountains to the south and west

There are also these grain silos. They are not visible from the whole city as the city is flat, but can be used as a clue anyway. The streetlights have a blue base with a small red stripe.

There is also a Tibetan monastery, with winter coverage in the northeast of the city.

4.16. Kovhd

This is a city in western Mongolia

There is a bridge to the west. (you can still observe the massive mountain here).

The top of the streetlights are the same, but sometimes they are blue, and other times they are green.

4.17. Ulgii

This is the most western city in Mongolia

There is sun and a few clouds in the coverage for this city. There are also mountains that surround the city, and very dry (a little sandy) earth on the sidewalks.

This is the main town square.

These are the streetlights. The first one is rather unique, and I don’t think I have seen it anywhere else.

We also find this large antenna, which can be seen practically from all over the city.

4.18. Ulaangom

This is the most northwestern town in Mongolia, and is located under the Uvs Lake.

The weather is fine, but there are a lot of clouds to the south. There is also a large mountain range to the south, and yellow and white sidewalk edges.

Here are the different types of streetlights. The last one is present on only one of the covered roads.

On the main east-west road there is a roundabout to the west with the statue in the first image. To the east, there is the arch in the second image

The Ulaangom Mongolian wrestling stadium.

4.19. Mörön

The main town within the area of Lake Khuvsgul.

There are two types of coverage, one with cloudy weather and the other with a sunset. The city is surrounded by rather distant mountains, and there are two roads that have markings on the ground including the several dotted lines. (this also exists in Tsetserleg, but the surrounding landscape makes it possible to differentiate them)

We find these streetlights in this town. The first and the last examples are unique to here.

On the main road next to the roundabout we have the Mongolian wrestling stadium. The second picture is right next to the main town roundabout.

4.20. Darkhan

This is a large city north of Ulaanbaatar and south of Sukhbaatar.

There are two types of coverage. One under cloudy weather and one under a sunset. What sets this city apart from others is the good amount of snow on the ground.

On the main road there is a pedestrian bridge which is included in streetview.

There is also the presence of this buddha to the west of the bridge.

Secondary Cities (Optional)

There are other cities that we can cover. You can come back here when you can’t differentiate between two cities, for example. Furthermore, if you have arrived at this chapter, it is because you have come a long way, so why not get to know these small towns :).

5.1. Nalaikh

This is a town south of Ulaanbataar.

This is a city with streetview coverage with a low sun in winter. The main road is is made of concrete blocks in the center.

When you are far from the city you can easily spot three Khrushchevka (HLM buildings) at the top of a hill.

Attention

This is not to be confused with Baganuur, Gachuurt, and eastern Ulaanbaatar, which have fairly similar coverage when it comes to appearance.

The streetlights:

You can find these mainly in the north of the city (newer)

You can find these mainly in the south of town (older) where there are more shops.

5.2. Gachuurt

This is a town east of Ulaanbaatar. With the expansion of Ulaanbaatar in recent years, Gachuurt has become its suburb.

There is a great overexposure to the south amplified by pollution, i think..

To the north there is the presence of hills. A temple on one is quite visible.

To the south you can see trees. In a certain part of the town, there is a frozen river.

There are not really any streetlights in this city.

5.3. Zuunmod

Zuunmod is located south of Ulaanbaatar on the other side of the mountain range. There are three Google Car metas to remember for this town:

Car without tent
Car without a tent, but with an empty cage (south of town)
Car with a tent, but with an orange strip (most of the city)

(see above message)

It is winter too, but the trees are a little less yellowed than what we have seen before.

This white writing in the hill is visible from the city (when there are no buildings in front)

There is a billboard in the city (please note this is not the only city with this type of sign).

To the north of the city, there is this monastery to visit.

The streetlights

These streetlights with the gray base can be found throughout the city.

These streetlights are on the streets coming into the city.

5.4. Bayartayn Hiid

This is a very small town.

You can find a good amount of snow, it is clearly winter here, and the sun creates an overexposure in the south. Note that there is a small mountain range to the west, otherwise it is a very flat environment.

5.5. Zuunkhara

This is a city that comes up regularly. It is located north of Ulaanbataar.

Here is a mountain that is located to the east of the city (or noth when you are south east of the city). The roads here are made of concrete slabs, with no sidewalks. The city also contains very green vegetation, and an interesting drawing in the mountain (example shown below).

The streetlights:

This streetlight has a base of blue with a small red tab. Found mainly on the north-south roads of the city.

This streetlight has a base of green and is mainly found on the east-west streets of the city.

5.6. Khuder

This is a city in northern Mongolia

This is what the city looks like. There is a large presence of trees south of the city, and the city only consists of dirt roads.

This structure is visible from the whole city.

This is the bridge to the west of the city.

5.7. Terelj

This is a very touristy town northeast of Ulaanbaatar.

The town consists of mainly dirt roads, and it is slightly snowy.

This is the luxury hotel in Terelj. The blue roofs can be seen from the whole city.

This is what the streetlights look like on the main road.

5.8. Munkhaan

This town does not have coverage, only the road that passes around it does.

Everything is unique here. There is a new, unmarked road, it is very cloudy, almost rainy weather, with a slight glimmer of sunshine through the clouds.

5.9. Dariganga

This is a village in south-eastern Mongolia

This is the main building in the city with a small “park” in front. This villiage only contains dirt roads.

These white and black towers are visible from the whole village.

There is a small tourist complex in the south of the city.

Attention

Do not confuse Erdenetsagaan and Barun-Urt. Unlike these two cities, it is cloudy in Dariganga.

5.10. Erdenetsagaan

This is a village in southeastern Mongolia.

This village consists of dirt roads, bright sun, and very few hills. There are also very few large buildings in sight.

This wind turbine can be seen from all over the city. Other than thatm there is also a crane, but I think that is in another city.

5.11. Bayandun

This is a village in northeastern Mongolia

Here is the general view of the village. It is very green, and once again we have dirt roads.

This village has a black and white tower similar to the one in Dariganga, but this one has a small flag at the top to differentiate. There are streetlights with a green top and three green lines at the base in this village as well.

5.12. Dashbalbar

This is a village in northeastern Mongolia

This is the general look of the city. It is very green, with dirt roads.

There is a telephone tower that can be a clue (use this only if in doubt), and a few streetlights that have a blue base.

With the different metas, you just have to differentiate this village from Bayadun.

5.13. Sukhbaatar

This is a city in northern Mongolia, near the Russian border.

It is very cloudy here, and it clearly has recently rained.

These silos are to the south of the city, and they are relatively visible from much of the city.

Here are the streetlights used on the main street of the city.

There is also trekker coverage with a magnificent view north of the city.

5.14. Altanboulag

Another Russian border town.

It is very cloudy here.

This is the border with Russia.

These are the streetlights on the main road.

These are the streetlights on the secondary roads.

5.15. Jargalant

This is a town to the right of Erdenet, in the north of Mongolia. Only the main street has coverage.

Similarly to the area around Erdenet, there is a very gray sky, and very dry land. There are some mountains visible in the distance.

5.16. Kotol

This is a town between Darkhain and Erdenet. It is rather large, but only the main road has coverage.

It is very cloudy here. (There is also the same Streetview coverage but with sun and the car without the tent. The entrance sign to the city is here.

There is the presence of a temple on one of the hills.

There is the presence of large silos on the south east of the city.

5.17. Mandalgovi

Main town between Dalanzagdad and Ulaanbaatar

This town is slightly cloudy, with asphalt roads, and a desert-like area. There are not too many landmarks besides this big pink building, which is a theatre.

The streetlights here have many attributes from other cities, so you shouldn’t base your guess on that unles you can see that on each street there are different types of streetlights.

Attention

Personally, I often confuse this city with the cities on the road between Ulaanbaatar and Zamiin-Uud. It is important to note Mandalgovi occurs less often than the aforementioned cities.

5.18. Choir

This is a small village on the famous road that joins Ulaanbaatar to Zamiin-Uud (and the Chinese border).

The desert is very prominent, with the village’s coverage including good weather, asphalt roads, and streetlights that are quite distinct.

To the right of the city, one can see these Khrushchevka (Soviet “slum” type apartment buildings).

5.19. Altaï

This is a city in west-central Mongolia.

This is a rather large city. You can find mountains in the south, with partly cloudy coverage, and asphalt roads.

The streetlights:

These are the most common streetlights. The first two are unique to this city.

5.20. Tonkhil

This is a small town at the base of Sutay Uul.

You can really recognize this city because of these mountains to the north. The roads are all dirt, and it is partly cloudy.

5.21. Uyench (khukh-Uzuur)

This is a small village in southwestern Mongolia.

We can see a mountain chain north of Burenkhairkhan.

5.22. Burenkhairkhan

This is a small village in southwestern Mongolia.

The first thing I use to memorize this city is: “It looks like these mountains are in the garden”. The village has sunset coverage and mountains to the north.

There are solar panels in the streetlights.

5.23. Tugrug

This is a small village in southwestern Mongolia

There is a large mountain to the east, with mostly sunny coverage and a main road made of asphalt.

5.24. Telmen

This is a city in west-central Mogolia.

This is the general appearance, with slight brightness. The roads are dirt, and mountains/hills surround the village.

The streetlights are quite distinct with the small design at the top. There is an electric plant south of the town.

5.25. Tosontsengel

This is a city in west-central Mongolia.

The weather in this coverage is really bad. There are mountains all around.

The streetlights are similar to those you get in Telmen but the blue base is just larger. There is a bridge south of town that crosses over the Ider River.

5.26. Ikh-Uul

This is yet another small village in west-central Mongolia.

Only the main road is covered in streetview. The coverage is cloudy, the road is dirt, and the Ider river is to the south, along with a good concentration of conifers.

There is a bridge south of town with the remains of an old bridge to the left.

5.27. Zaankotchou

This is a village in central Mongolia.

This village mainly contains dirt roads, there is a concentration of trees in the south, and the coverage is of pretty good weather. It is important to note that there is the presence of puddles (which allows me to differentiate this city from others in the same area).

To the east of the city we can find Taikhar Rock, an easy to notice landmark.

5.28. Altan-Ovoo

This is a small village which really very rarely shows up.

This village is very similar to Zaankotchou. The village consists of mainly dirt roads, with a concentration of trees to the west (useful to differentiate from Zaankotchou). The coverage contains pretty good weather, and once again has a presence of puddles.

5.29. Khorgo

This is a city in central Mongolia, near Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake.

This first image is from the coverage of the road that passes in front of Khorgo. The coverage contains mostly sunny weather, with a few puddles, as well as mountains around the town.

These two images come from the coverage inside the city, which shows a small mountain to the north and a very grim sky in the east.

It is important to note the ancient volcano northwest of the city, which is located in the Khorgo Mountain.

5.30. Khujirt

This is a city in central Mongolia.

This is the only part of Mongolia with this car’s coverage. It is easily confusable with Lun, which is on an east-west street, but the google car does not fit in Lun.

An important landmark in this village is Shank Monastery, in the northeast of the city.

5.31. Khushut

This is a village in central Mongolia.

This is a city with a beautiful sunset. The sun can also be a little higher in some places, and there is a winter steppe area, along with dirt roads, and mountains around the village, but in the distance.

For the final image for this city, I leave you with this pretty picture.

5.32. Uubulan

This is another village in central Mongolia.

This village looks a lot like Kushut. The only difference is the sun is higher in the sky. Other than that, we have dirt roads, sunny skies, and small mountains around the town, however they are quite far.

This is what the sky looks like in the village.

The streetlights are also quite unique.

5.33. Rashant

There are a few lines of clouds in the sky. The mountains are quite noticeable and quite close to the city, and there are hills with trees to the south, as well as a bridge in the middle of the city.

These street lights look like the ones you get in Uubulan, but the green area is bigger.

5.34. Altraga

This is a small village in the north of Mongolia.

This village has almost no coverage, but I wanted to share it because it is a really pretty village.

These images sum up the village well, there is really nothing else to note for it.

5.35. Zuulun

This is a city in northern Mongolia.

The weather in this city is very cloudy, and even rainy. It is very muddy, with hills with large forests on them. This location occurs a lot, but the meta should be enough to find the city.

5.36. Gurvansaikhan

This is a city in northern Mongolia.

This city is very similar to Zuulun. There is a lake to the west of the city, and no nearby mountains/hills to the west, you are in Gurvansaikhan.

5.37. Khatgal

This is a city in northern Mongolia next to Khuvsgul lake.

The coverage includes nice weather. The main road is asphalt with a lot of bollards, and there is a lake to the west.

No real consistency, but these are the streetlights from the southernmost to the northernmost points of the city.

Conclusion

Diploma in Knowledge of Mongolian Territories Obtained!

Now you can tell your friends and family that you know Mongolia as well as Genghis Khan. It is also time for you to put down your yurt and dream a little! A well deserved rest!

Thank you for going through this document. I hope I have taught you many things. Do not hesitate to send me a private message on Discord, showing me your exploits, that would make me happy.

In the practice, I did not include all the tourist locations, but you will learn them by playing.

Congratulations and good luck!

Note from Dylan2Dank, translator.

It was my pleasure to translate this document from French to English, and I would just like to thank Kommu on behalf of the entire GeoGuessr community for taking the time to put it together in the first place, along with many other ventures he’s taken up to make the GeoGuessr community better. I did not translate the document verbatim, because there were many phrases that didn’t really make sense in english, like for example the last line of the conclusion originally read Bonne continuation, which quite literally means “good continuation”, when in reality the proper english translation is “congratulations and good luck” or alternatively “keep up the good work”. Regardless, the original meaning behind the words of this document were kept intact, and I hope anyone who dares read this all (I’m looking at you matepotato), is helped by it.

Peace out, and bonne continuation.