Tsagaan Suvarga, also known as the White Stupa, is one of the most photogenic stops as you enter the Gobi Desert. Photographers should especially visit as sunrise and sunset, when the light dramatically highlights the minerals throughout the limestone popping with hues of red, orange, and yellow.

The road back to Tsagaan Suvarga is dirt and corrugated, making for a bumpy ride. But a ride that is worth it. Many tours skip the White Stupa in favor of getting deeper into the Gobi faster, but that's often a mistake. Join a group tour with a thoughtful tour company (like Meanwhile in Mongolia) to save on costs when visiting, and discover some of the hidden petroglyphs and monasteries most tourists miss when coming here.