Only about 3,000km are sealed roads. Many of them are in need of repair with challenging potholes and speed humps, created by extreme weather conditions. With fluctuations of below 40 degrees in the harsh winters to over 30 degrees in the short but somtimes hot summers can play havoc with the quality of paved roads.
The other official roads which are marked on maps are dirt, sand or mud tracks. They can range from a single lane or up to 4 lanes. And if you want to detour or deviate off the official roads it's no problem, you just go cross country. It feels no different. Actually, less bumpy at times.
The country is sparsely populated so you can travel for hundreds of kilometres before reaching a town. But, in between the vast steppes are dotted with gers and herds of stock.
So very typical, herds of sheep, goats, cows or horses are not fenced in so are free to wander across our path.
Small rural town
The roof here is a patchwork of beaten, flattened fuel cans.
They love painting their houses bright colours - actually this is a small supermarket.
Morning tea stops were part of the routine most days on the road. A stretch for the legs and a rest for our bottoms.
Kiwi Girl Guide biscuits were very popular
A petrol station in the middle of the 'great nothingness' (the term our group used when all we could see was the horizon, where the steppes met the sky).
A tricky creature to photograph
One of those surprise photo opportunities we came across.
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