On a spectacular official visit to the far-flung Asian country of Mongolia, Holland's Princess Maxima was delighted with the friendly welcome she received. Touring with husband Willem-Alexander, the charismatic royal met her match when it came to donning colourful outfits - wherever the couple went they were greeted by locals in a dazzling array of costumes.
Here the princess tried her hand at a spot of archery, which along with wrestling and horseracing, is known as one of "the three manly sports". The fiercely contested championships involve competitors as young as five riding bareback for miles over the dusty course.
Another highlight of the memorable trip was the royals' tour of Gandan Monastery - one of the few religious buildings to have survived the communist era - escorted by monks in red and saffron-coloured robes.
Three times the size of France and with more horses than people, Mongolia is an unspoiled land, whose history is dominated by images of Genghis Khan galloping across the steppes.
Life in the country, which was closed to foreigners until the fall of the Soviet Union, is lived much as it was hundreds of years ago. Travellers in search of a unique experience can take a safari by horseback in the Gobi Desert, or visit a ger, the tent that is home to the Mongolian nomad, where hospitable hosts are likely to ply their guests with a drink of a fermented mare's milk.
Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
