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Mongolia travel guide

Huge open country, few people: Mongolia rewards travellers with time to cover long distances

Best: May, Jun, Aug, Sep

Photo: Bükre Kay / Pexels

Capital
Ulan Bator
Language
Mongolian
Currency
Mongolian tögrög
Time zone
UTC+07:00, UTC+08:00
Plugs
Type C, E · 220 V
Driving
On the right
Emergency
101 / 102 / 105

Why visit Mongolia

Mongolia suits independent travellers who want open space, long overland journeys and few crowds. The country covers 1,564,110 km² but has only 3,591,120 people, and 1,396,288 of them live in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. The best months to go are May, June, August and September. The honest limitation: outside the capital, towns are small and far apart, so getting around takes time and planning. If you want a short city break or a beach, look elsewhere. Mongolia has no coast.

  • Room to breathe

    Mongolia covers 1,564,110 km² but has only 3,591,120 people. Outside the towns you can travel a long way without meeting many others. The country is so wide that it spans 2 time zones, UTC+07:00 and UTC+08:00.

  • One capital, then open country

    Ulaanbaatar has 1,396,288 people, a large share of the whole population. It is your likely arrival point and the place to stock up. Once you leave it, towns become much smaller and farther apart.

  • Small towns as regional bases

    The next-largest towns are modest. Mörön has 134,530 people, Ölgii 40,564, Tsetserleg 21,620 and Dalanzadgad 19,396. They work as bases for exploring different parts of the country, far from the capital.

  • A clear travel window

    The best months are May, June, August and September. Plan your trip inside this window. Our data does not recommend the other months, so think carefully before going then.

  • Straightforward practical setup

    People speak Mongolian and pay in the Mongolian tögrög. Sockets are type C and E at 220 V, so many European plugs fit. Cars drive on the right, which helps if you plan to hire a driver or vehicle.

Is Mongolia right for you?

Great for

  • Summer road trips from June to August, with daytime highs of 24–27°C and over 10 sun hours
  • Shoulder-season travellers in May and September, with highs near 19°C and fewer rain days than July
  • People seeking open space: 1564110 km² shared by only 3591120 people
  • Hardy cold-weather travellers wanting dry winter days, with just 2 mm of rain in January

Less ideal for

  • Beach holidays, as Mongolia is landlocked and none of its main cities are coastal
  • Anyone who dislikes deep cold, with January lows of -24°C and highs of -10°C
  • City-break fans: Ulaanbaatar has 1396288 people, and the next city, Mörön, only 134530
  • Travellers wanting a fully dry summer, as July and August bring 50–54 mm of rain

Mongolia right now: September

9.0/10
Avg high
19°C
Avg low
6°C
Rain days
5

Averages for Mongolia.

Weather by month

The chart shows 2015–2024 averages for Mongolia as a whole, not a named city; the best months are May to September, with highs of 19–27°C and 10.5–11.9 sun hours a day, though July and August bring the most rain at 50–54 mm. Avoid December to February unless you want extreme cold: highs stay at or below -5°C and nights drop to -24°C.

Average highs and lows in Mongolia by month January: high -10°C, low -24°C , 1 rain days . February: high -5°C, low -20°C , 1 rain days . March: high 5°C, low -9°C , 1 rain days . April: high 12°C, low -2°C , 3 rain days . May: high 19°C, low 5°C , 3 rain days . June: high 25°C, low 12°C , 5 rain days . July: high 27°C, low 15°C , 9 rain days . August: high 24°C, low 12°C , 8 rain days . September: high 19°C, low 6°C , 5 rain days . October: high 9°C, low -4°C , 2 rain days . November: high -1°C, low -13°C , 1 rain days . December: high -9°C, low -21°C , 1 rain days . -10°C -24°C JAN 1d -5°C -20°C FEB 1d 5°C -9°C MAR 1d 12°C -2°C APR 3d 19°C 5°C MAY 3d 25°C 12°C JUN 5d 27°C 15°C JUL 9d 24°C 12°C AUG 8d 19°C 6°C SEP 5d 9°C -4°C OCT 2d -1°C -13°C NOV 1d -9°C -21°C DEC 1d
Best months Other months (low–high) Nd = rain days

Mongolia (country average) · averages 2015–2024

Best time to visit Mongolia: month-by-month weather →

Sample itineraries

7 days

Capital and two provincial towns

  1. Day 1–2

    Ulaanbaatar

    Start in the capital, by far the largest city in the country. Use these days to rest, change money into Mongolian tögrög and sort out onward transport.

  2. Day 3–4

    Tsetserleg

    Move on to Tsetserleg, a much smaller town. Walk around, see daily life away from the capital and use it as a quiet base for short trips out.

  3. Day 5–6

    Mörön

    Continue to Mörön, the second-largest town on this list. Spend time in the town and plan any local day trips with a guide or driver you trust.

  4. Day 7

    Ulaanbaatar

    Return to the capital for your last day. Leave spare time here in case transport runs late, then pick up any final supplies before you fly out.

10 days

Ulaanbaatar, the south and the north

  1. Day 1–3

    Ulaanbaatar

    Spend the first days in the capital. Recover from the journey, get local cash and a SIM card, and book the longer transport legs before you set off.

  2. Day 4–5

    Dalanzadgad

    Head to Dalanzadgad, a small town and a good base for exploring the surrounding area. Arrange local trips in advance, as services outside the capital are limited.

  3. Day 6–7

    Tsetserleg

    Travel on to Tsetserleg. Slow down for 2 days, walk the town and take short trips into the nearby countryside.

  4. Day 8–9

    Mörön

    Continue to Mörön. Use it as your base for the northern part of the trip and plan day trips with a local driver or guide.

  5. Day 10

    Ulaanbaatar

    Finish back in the capital. Keep this day free as a buffer for delays, and do any last shopping before your flight home.

Food to try in Mongolia

Buuz

Steamed dumplings filled with minced mutton or beef. You find them in cafés all year, and families make large batches for Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year.

Khuushuur

Flat, deep-fried pastries filled with minced meat. They are a common quick meal and a standard snack at Naadam festival events.

Tsuivan

Hand-cut noodles stir-fried with mutton or beef and a few vegetables. It is an everyday dish in homes and simple canteens.

Khorkhog

Mutton cooked in a sealed metal container with hot stones. Herding families often make it for guests or special occasions in the countryside.

Suutei tsai

Salted milk tea, often the first thing a host offers when you enter a home or ger. It is drunk with most meals.

Airag

Fermented mare's milk, slightly sour and mildly alcoholic. Herders make it in summer, and visitors to rural gers are often offered a bowl.

Know before you go

  • Plugs and voltage: Sockets take type C and type E plugs, and the supply is 220 V. Bring an adapter if your plugs differ. Check that your devices work at 220 V before you plug them in.
  • Driving side: Traffic drives on the right. If you come from a country that drives on the left, take extra care at junctions and when overtaking.
  • Emergency numbers: The emergency numbers are 101, 102 and 105. Save all 3 in your phone before you arrive, so you can find them quickly if something goes wrong.
  • Currency: The local currency is the Mongolian tögrög. Carry some cash as well as cards, especially if you plan to leave Ulan Bator for smaller places.
  • Language: The official language is Mongolian. Download an offline translation app and learn a few basic phrases before you go. This helps most outside the capital.
  • Time zones: Mongolia uses 2 time zones, UTC+07:00 and UTC+08:00. Check which zone applies when you book flights, buses or tours between regions.
  • Phone calls: The country calling code is +976. Add it in front of local numbers when you call from a foreign phone or save contacts for hotels and guides.

Mongolia: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Mongolia?

May and September are the best months to visit Mongolia, followed by June and August. May scores 9.4 out of 10 and September 9. Days are mild, with highs of 18.9°C in May and 19°C in September. There is little rain, only 3.2 rain days in May and 4.8 in September. Nights are cool, with lows of 4.5°C and 5.5°C, so pack a warm layer.

Is Mongolia good in July?

Yes, July is a good month, but it is also the wettest time of the year. It is the warmest month, with highs of 27°C and lows of 14.8°C. You can expect 8.6 rain days and 50 mm of rain. July scores 7.8, which is lower than June (8.9) and August (8.5).

Is August a good time to visit Mongolia?

Yes, August is one of the best months, but plan for some rain. Highs reach 24.3°C and lows 12.2°C. August has the most rain of any month, 54 mm over 7.6 rain days. It scores 8.5 out of 10. If you want drier weather, September is a better choice.

Should I visit Mongolia in winter?

Only go in winter if you are ready for extreme cold. In January the average high is -10.2°C and the low is -24°C. December lows fall to -21.1°C. Winter is very dry, with only 2 mm of rain in January, but the cold is the main problem. Every month from November to March scores between 4.6 and 4.9.

Is October too cold for Mongolia?

October is cold, and it is a clear step down from September. Highs drop to 9°C and lows to -3.7°C, so nights are below freezing. It is dry, with 2 rain days and 8 mm of rain. October scores only 5.1, compared with 9 for September.

What plugs, currency and emergency numbers does Mongolia use?

Mongolia uses plug types C and E at 220 V. The currency is the Mongolian tögrög. The emergency numbers are 101, 102 and 105. Traffic drives on the right. The country code is +976, and Mongolia has 2 time zones, UTC+07:00 and UTC+08:00.

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