Senjit Khad

Senjit Khad is a natural arch of weathered rock rising from otherwise level steppe, the opening cut through by wind-driven sand over a very long period, leaving a bridge of stone with clear sky behind it. It stands maybe a dozen metres high and is the only feature of any relief in a wide radius, which is what makes it worth the detour: an isolated shape in a country of horizons. Around it are smaller weathered blocks and low outcrops of the same rock. Local people treat the arch as a marker and it appears in regional storytelling. There is nothing built here at all, no sign, no path and no facilities; visitors drive to it across the grass and walk the last stretch. It is usually a short stop on the way between Ulaanbaatar and the eastern Gobi.

The landscape

• The stone arch - the wind-cut opening standing alone in the steppe.
• Weathered outcrops - smaller blocks of the same rock scattered around.
• Open horizon - flat grassland running to the skyline in every direction.
• Sky through the gap - the view framed by the arch.

When to go

May to September for the tracks. Early morning and late evening give the strongest light on the rock and the coolest conditions. Spring winds carry dust and make the site uncomfortable.

Before you go

This is a single feature and a short stop, not a destination in itself. Finding it needs GPS or a driver who knows the tracks; there is no signage. No shade, no water, no facilities. Some visitors climb the rock, which is loose in places.

Nearby

Choir lies northwest; Ikh Nartiin Chuluu reserve is southeast.