Our flagship guide to Mongolia, written by the team that has been guiding here for 30 years. Where to go, when to go, what it costs, how to move around, what to pack, what to eat, and what to expect. Bookmark this.
Batbayar Gombo
Mongolia is a 1.56 million square kilometre landlocked country in Central Asia, between Russia and China. Population 3.4 million. Capital Ulaanbaatar. Currency: Mongolian Tugrik (MNT), exchange rate approximately 3,450 MNT to 1 USD. Language: Mongolian. Religion: 53 percent Buddhist, 2 percent Muslim, 1 percent shamanist, 40 percent non-religious. Time zone: UTC+8.
June to September is the peak season, when the steppe is green, the rivers flow, and daytime highs are 20-28 Celsius. July 11-13 is Naadam Festival. Late September is autumn, extraordinary for photographers. January-March is deep winter, minus 20 to minus 40, clear blue skies, empty trails, and the Khuvsgol Ice Festival. May and October are shoulder seasons.
Central (Ulaanbaatar, Terelj, Kharkhorin): easiest access, condensed highlights.
Gobi Desert (south): dunes, dinosaurs, camels, Flaming Cliffs.
Khangai Mountains (central west): grass country, horse culture, hot springs, monasteries.
Khuvsgol (north): the Blue Pearl lake, Tsaatan reindeer herders, Siberian taiga.
Altai (far west): eagle hunters, Kazakh culture, glaciers, snow leopards.
Eastern steppe: Genghis Khan heritage, vast grass, fewer visitors.
Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN) is the main entry point. Direct flights from Frankfurt, Istanbul, Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Moscow. Most European and North American travellers connect via Seoul (ICN) or Beijing (PEK) on Korean Air, Asiana, MIAT Mongolian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, or Air China.
Mongolia has limited paved roads. Our vehicles are Toyota Land Cruisers (200 series) and Delicas for ger camps. Domestic flights on Hunnu Air and Aero Mongolia reach Khuvsgol, Dalanzadgad (Gobi), Ulgii (Altai), and Altai Tavan Bogd. We arrange ground transport, drivers, and flight packages as part of every trip.
Ulaanbaatar: Shangri-La (luxury), Best Western Premier (mid), The Blue Sky Hotel (view), Urgoo (budget). Countryside: Rara Avis properties (Big Sky Lodge, Otugi, Orkhon, V28), mid-range ger camps, authentic nomad family stays.
Khorkhog (hot-stone lamb stew), buuz (steamed dumplings), khuushuur (fried pies), tsuivan (fried noodles), airag (fermented mare's milk), suutei tsai (milk tea). Mongolia is meat-and-dairy heavy. Vegetarian options exist in UB but become scarce in the countryside.
Layers. Mongolia's temperature range spans 80 degrees across a year. Summer: base layers, pants, fleece, light jacket, rain shell, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen. Winter: thermal base, fleece, wool layer, down parka, shell, insulated boots, balaclava, gloves plus mittens.
Budget backpacker: 60-100 USD/day. Mid-range: 200-400 USD/day. Premium (Rara Avis): 700-1,500 USD/day. A typical 10-day premium trip for two: 25,000-40,000 USD all-inclusive excluding flights.
Mongolia is one of the safest travel destinations on earth. Violent crime is rare. Natural hazards (cold, altitude, remote terrain) are the real concerns. Emergency services in the countryside are limited; our satellite communications and evacuation plans are standard on every Rara Avis trip.
30 days visa-free for US, Canada, Australia, UK, EU, Japan, Korea, Israel, and 50+ other passports. E-visa available for others at eVisa.gov.mn.
Remove shoes entering a ger. Step over the threshold, never on it. Accept offered food and milk tea with the right hand, supported by left. Do not point with a single finger, use open hand. Do not turn your back on the altar. Do not whistle inside a home.
No vaccinations required. Tap water in UB is safe; in the countryside drink filtered or bottled. Altitude is moderate (Ulaanbaatar 1,350m, mountains 2,500-3,500m). Air quality in UB in winter can be poor (coal-heated district heating).
Mongolia rewards the curious and the unhurried. It humbles ambition and exceeds it at the same time. Plan well, pack properly, and let the country change your pace. That is the travel we are here for.