Tuva sits in the heart of Asia, in a basin enclosed by the Sayan and Tannu-Ola ranges, and its geographical centre was once marked by a monument at Kyzyl, where the Yenisei begins its long journey north. This point lies in the western half of the republic, near Samagaltay, in country of steppe, river terraces and dry hills. Tuva is known for throat singing, for felt yurts and horses, and for a landscape strewn with the stone mounds and carved slabs of people who herded here thousands of years ago. The Scythian-era burial mound at Arzhan, in the east of the republic, held gold animal figures that rank among the glories of ancient steppe art.
Aryskannyg and the Jamaalyg area belong to that archaeological backdrop, with Bronze Age and early nomad monuments spread across the terraces. Stone circles, standing slabs and low cairns lie in the grass, often unfenced, and old women and children may be grazing sheep or goats beside them. In June the steppe is a mass of flowers, and by September it has turned the colour of straw.
Riding in Tuva is remote and satisfying. The main roads are mostly paved but rough, with frost heaves, potholes and long gaps without services, and side tracks are gravel or earth. The weather has big swings, with scorching summer days and freezing nights, and winter is extreme, falling to minus forty. June to early September is the practical season. Wind is persistent, and rivers can run high after heavy rain in the mountains.
Samagaltay, about twenty kilometres away, is a small town with a few shops, cafés and a fuel station, but it is the sort of place where supplies run out, so carry spare fuel and fill up whenever you pass a pump. Kyzyl, the capital, is the better place for lodging and repairs. Food tends to be mutton, dumplings, dairy and strong tea with milk and salt. Russian border zone rules apply near Mongolia, and foreign visitors may need a permit for some districts, so check before you plan a route.