There are very few places left in the world as remote as the Gobi desert. And few places as empty as Mongolia. Four times the size of France it has a population not much bigger than the greater Dublin area. As most of those people are clustered in cities and towns, when you get out into the desert, plains and mountains it is truly as empty as you will find.

I flew to the capital, Ulaanbaatar, via Amsterdam and Moscow, and arrived at six in the morning to a blue July sky with temperatures in the mid-seventies. At noon it goes to the nineties. First a quick day trip. On a hill adjacent to the city is a massive memorial to the Russians who dominated this country for most of the 20th century. This enormous mural thanks the Russians for protecting the Mongolians from the Japanese.

There is a panoramic view from the top but it gives little idea of the spectacular countryside that awaits. Walking up the steps I saw the first of many golden eagles, this one in captivity, the others wild. And I heard the sound of khoomii, throat singing that sounds like two voices simultaneously with a drone and overtone. Extraordinary. You can see an outline of Genghis Khan in white stones on a nearby hill. But then he is everywhere.

From there, I headed to the Gandantegchenling monas-tery, one of many now flourishing since the Democratic Revolution in 1990. Monasteries had been suppressed under Communism and many are now undergoing restoration. Buddhism, along with folk Shamanism, is the commonest religion. Prayer wheels are everywhere and, like the faithful, I gave them a spin and 2009 already looks better. Highlight of this particular monastery is the spectacular 88-foot tall statue of Janraisig. Later an excellent meal in the Black Pearl restaurant began with buuz, a type of tasty dumpling, and was accompanied by a Genghis beer. A good night's sleep in the luxurious Corporate Hotel, and off to the airport early the next morning.

The flight to Dalanzagad at the edge of the desert takes about an hour. From here on it is desert and my four-day trip across it was with the Land Rover G4 Challenge recce team driving a Discovery 3. We made our way to our first ger camp, the commonest way for tourists to sleep, and the locals to live, outside the cities. Before the market economy everyone had a job. Not so now. So, along with mining, which is growing, the Mongolians are keen to encourage this type of eco-tourism for those who want a very different experience.

A ger is a marvellous dome-like structure built on a lattice frame and covered with felt. Inside ours were a stove, four beds, a table and chairs, and a sturdy door (plus a portrait of Genghis). The better ones are painted in intricate colours and they are truly comfortable. And very portable.

As our convoy drove slowly across the difficult terrain we stopped every now and again for the Land Rover team to investigate a site for a potential task in next year's G4 Challenge. At the only lake, we were joined by hundreds of cashmere goats coming to drink with their herders on horseback or the 125cc motorbikes many of them use. We regularly saw magnificent wild horses running free. At a well, we were joined by camels as we drank and a group of friendly children who joined in a game of volleyball. Everywhere we met friendly faces. And it was pure joy to watch the golden eagles hunting. I saw one get a rodent, but he dropped it from about 40 feet.

We stopped at several "ovoos". These are piles of stones where people pay their respects to the spirits of nature. It is customary to walk around three times clockwise while praying and add your rock to the pile. One night we camped at the edge of a giant sand dune. Of course we would go to the top before our boil-in-the-bag dinner. So what began as a "piece of cake" became "I'll take a breather". Another few hundred feet and I heard "sure the view is fine from here" repeating in my head, only to be replaced by "Oh no, that woman is passing me". This is just the thin air I reassured myself. Eventually, I found myself saying, "Only 10 per cent to go, can't stop now", and I did the last few feet thinking I had to smile but it is hard when your chest is about to explode.

Our chef, John, had promised a beer at the top and that the view was spectacular. He lied about one of those. We watched the sunset while the more athletic of us sand boarded down. At camp I had a Gobi G&T: open the tonic can, take two good mouthfuls, fill with gin, find a rock, sit down and enjoy. Our food was simple, tasty and eaten with a "spork" (part knife, part fork, part spoon) with coffee brewed in a Volcano. We sat around a fire chatting before viewing the splendid night sky with zero light pollution. Our guide used a laser pointer to take us around the heavens.

It is easy to see why this terrain is suitable for off-road driving. There are sustained remote areas, no fences, and in the entire country only five per cent of the roads are sealed. The country is rich in history and hospitality. As we sit around the campfire a small motorcycle with mum, dad and baby pulls in with gifts for us including "airag" a type of fermented mares milk that tasted like a very strong fizzy goat's cheese. I slept like a baby in my orange tent.

On our last morning I strolled away from another ger camp to take in the view. One of our happy band quietly came up beside me. "You are thinking about your life in front of this landscape," she said in a gorgeous Brazilian voice. I was. But only the good bits.

For further details of the G4 Challenge see www.land roverG4challenge.com. Irish entries close on August 30.

- John Masterson