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Mongolia✨ 10 best things to do in Mongolia

Things to do in Mongolia

1. Watch NaadamCheer on wrestlers, horse racers and archers at the 'three manly games' festival in July.
2. Sleep in a gerStay with a nomadic family on the steppe and share milk tea and fresh dairy.
3. Explore the Gobi DesertClimb the towering Khongoryn Els dunes and see the red Flaming Cliffs where dinosaur eggs were found.
4. Ride a horse across the steppeSaddle up for a multi-day ride through valleys where horses outnumber people.
5. Visit Erdene ZuuWalk the walls of Mongolia's oldest surviving Buddhist monastery near ancient Karakorum.
6. See Lake KhövsgölHike, kayak or ride beside a vast, crystal-clear lake near the Siberian border.
7. Meet eagle huntersTravel to the far west to meet Kazakh hunters who train golden eagles.
8. Explore Gandan MonasteryHear monks chanting in Ulaanbaatar's main monastery and see its giant Buddha statue.
9. Hike in TereljEscape the capital to granite rock formations, forests and meadows in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.
10. Taste buuz and khuushuurTry steamed and fried mutton dumplings, staples of Mongolian home cooking.

Mongolia🗺️ Where to visit in Mongolia

Where to go in Mongolia

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  UlaanbaatarCentral · capitalA rapidly changing capital with monasteries, excellent museums and lively cafés.
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  Gobi DesertSouth · desertSinging sand dunes, ice-filled canyons and dinosaur fossil sites.
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  Lake KhövsgölNorth · lakeMongolia's 'blue pearl', surrounded by taiga forest and reindeer herders' territory.
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  KharkhorinOrkhon Valley · historicSite of the old imperial capital Karakorum and Erdene Zuu Monastery.
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  Gorkhi-Terelj National ParkNear Ulaanbaatar · parkEasy-to-reach rock formations, ger camps and hiking trails.
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  Altai Tavan Bogd National ParkFar west · mountainsGlaciers, high peaks and Kazakh eagle-hunting culture.
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  Khustain Nuruu National ParkCentral · steppeHome to reintroduced takhi, the Przewalski's wild horse.
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  Genghis Khan Equestrian StatueNear Ulaanbaatar · landmarkA giant stainless-steel statue of the great khan on horseback.

Mongolia🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Mongolia

Best time to visit Mongolia

Mongolia has a harsh continental climate with long, very cold winters and short, warm summers. The Gobi gets hot in summer and bitterly cold in winter, and most rain falls in July and August.

Typical daytime highs and rain in Ulaanbaatar (approximate averages).

Mongolia🎉 Festivals & events in Mongolia

• 11–15 July
  NaadamMongolia's national festival of wrestling, horse racing and archery, held across the country.
• January or February (lunar new year)
  Tsagaan SarFamilies greet the new year with feasts of buuz and visits to relatives.
• Early October
  Golden Eagle FestivalKazakh eagle hunters compete in western Mongolia in Bayan-Ölgii.
• March
  Thousand Camel FestivalCamel races and polo celebrate the Bactrian camel in the Gobi.

Mongolia🧭 Mongolia itinerary ideas

How many days in Mongolia?

Mongolia🎒 Backpacking Mongolia – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $30–50 a day

• Ulaanbaatar has many hostels that also organise shared 4x4 tours – joining a group cuts costs significantly.
• Public buses connect the capital to provincial centres cheaply, but tours are easier for remote sights.
• Eat at local guanz canteens for cheap, hearty meals of noodles, mutton and dumplings.
• Bring snacks and a warm sleeping bag for road trips, as nights can be cold even in summer.
• Book Naadam-period accommodation early, as prices rise and space fills quickly.

Mongolia🛡️ Safety & money in Mongolia

Emergency: 102 police · 101 fire · 103 ambulance

Mongolia🛬 Getting to Mongolia

Chinggis Khaan International Airport near Ulaanbaatar is the main gateway with flights from Asia, Europe and Turkey. The Trans-Mongolian Railway links Ulaanbaatar with Beijing and Russia.

✈️ Cheap flights to Mongolia: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Mongolia💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Mongolia

• Mongolia is the most sparsely populated sovereign country in the world.
• Nearly half of the population lives in Ulaanbaatar, one of the coldest capitals on earth.
• The first fossilised dinosaur eggs to be scientifically recognised were found in the Gobi at the Flaming Cliffs.
• Horses outnumber people in Mongolia.
• Traditional throat singing (khöömei) is recognised by UNESCO as intangible heritage.

Mongolia❓ Mongolia travel FAQ

Mongolia travel questions