What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Photo: Chongkian / Wikimedia Commons
Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia and home to 1,396,288 people. It is an inland city, and many of its main sights sit in or near the centre. Gandan Monastery, Chinggis Square and the Chinggis Khaan National Museum show its Buddhist and imperial past. Seoul Street is the area for eating out and nightlife. First-timers often stay near Sükhbaatar Square. The best months to visit are May, June and August.
Plan time for Gandan Monastery (1–2 hours), the Chinggis Khaan National Museum (2–3 hours) and Naran Tuul Market (2–3 hours). Add shorter stops like Chinggis Square and Zaisan Memorial. Most sights take 1 to 3 hours each, so you can see several in one day.
West of the city centre
Mongolia's main working Buddhist monastery, where monks chant in the morning and pilgrims spin prayer wheels. The main hall holds a very tall gilded statue of Migjid Janraisig. It is a living religious site, so dress modestly and walk clockwise.
Sükhbaatar District
The large central square in front of the Government Palace, with a seated statue of Chinggis Khaan on the palace steps. It is the easiest place to get your bearings, and many museums and theatres are within walking distance.
Sükhbaatar District
A large modern museum covering Mongolian history from the Stone Age through the Mongol Empire and later eras. It is the best single place to understand the country's past before heading out to the steppe.
Sükhbaatar District
A group of old temples that survived the purges of the 1930s, now kept as a museum. Inside are Buddhist statues, masks used in tsam dances and detailed thangka paintings, set against the modern towers around it.
Khan-Uul District
The winter palace of the last Bogd Khan, Mongolia's religious and political ruler before the communist period. Its temples and residence hold religious art, the ruler's belongings and a collection of preserved animals.
City centre
A museum of Mongolian art named after Zanabazar, the 17th-century sculptor and religious leader. It is best known for his gilded bronze Buddhist figures, along with thangkas and traditional paintings.
Khan-Uul District
A Soviet-era war memorial on a hill south of the city, with a circular mural showing Soviet–Mongolian friendship. The climb up the steps gives wide views over Ulaanbaatar and the Tuul River valley, though the city can be hazy with smog in winter.
City centre
An evening show of Mongolian folk music and dance, including khöömii throat singing, the horsehead fiddle and contortion. It is a compact introduction to traditional performing arts.
Bayanzürkh District
Ulaanbaatar's huge open-air market, often called the Black Market, selling everything from felt boots and deels to saddles and ger parts. It is useful for buying camping gear before a trip to the countryside; it gets crowded, so keep a close eye on your bags.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -13°C / -24°C | 1 day (2 mm) | 8.0 h/day | 4.8/10 |
| February | -8°C / -21°C | 1 day (3 mm) | 9.4 h/day | 4.8/10 |
| March | 2°C / -10°C | 3 days (9 mm) | 10.7 h/day | 4.5/10 |
| April | 10°C / -3°C | 5 days (18 mm) | 11.2 h/day | 4.8/10 |
| Best month: May | 16°C / 3°C | 7 days (27 mm) | 12.0 h/day | 7.9/10 |
| Best month: June | 22°C / 10°C | 10 days (53 mm) | 12.1 h/day | 7.9/10 |
| July | 25°C / 13°C | 13 days (87 mm) | 11.2 h/day | 7.4/10 |
| Best month: August | 22°C / 11°C | 12 days (88 mm) | 11.1 h/day | 7.6/10 |
| September | 16°C / 4°C | 8 days (41 mm) | 9.8 h/day | 7.4/10 |
| October | 7°C / -4°C | 4 days (13 mm) | 9.0 h/day | 4.2/10 |
| November | -4°C / -14°C | 3 days (10 mm) | 7.8 h/day | 4.4/10 |
| December | -12°C / -22°C | 1 day (3 mm) | 7.4 h/day | 4.7/10 |
The coldest month, with highs of -12.6°C and lows of -24.2°C. Dry, with 0.8 rain days and 8 sun hours. Rated ok, scoring 4.8.
Still deep winter: highs of -8.1°C and lows of -20.9°C. Just 1 rain day and 9.4 sun hours. Rated ok, scoring 4.8.
Days warm to 2.1°C, but nights still drop to -10.4°C. About 2.7 rain days and 10.7 sun hours. Rated ok, scoring 4.5.
Highs reach 9.5°C, but nights stay below freezing at -2.7°C. 4.7 rain days and 11.2 sun hours. Rated ok, scoring 4.8.
One of the best months, scoring 7.9. Highs of 16.4°C, lows of 2.8°C, 6.5 rain days and 12 sun hours.
Rated best, scoring 7.9. Warm highs of 22.3°C and 12.1 sun hours, though rain days rise to 10.4.
The warmest month, with highs of 24.5°C. Also the month with the most rain days, 13.2, bringing 87 mm. Rated good, scoring 7.4.
Rated best, scoring 7.6. Highs of 21.6°C, but 12 rain days and 88 mm make it the wettest month by rainfall.
Cooler and drier, with highs of 16.2°C, lows of 4.3°C and 8.3 rain days. Rated good, scoring 7.4.
The lowest score of the year, 4.2, rated ok. Highs fall to 6.6°C and nights drop to -3.9°C. 3.9 rain days.
Winter cold returns: highs of -4.4°C and lows of -14.4°C, with 2.8 rain days and 7.8 sun hours. Rated ok, scoring 4.4.
Very cold, with highs of -11.9°C and lows of -21.5°C. The fewest sun hours, 7.4, and 0.9 rain days. Rated ok, scoring 4.7.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Mongolia →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, sightseeing
This is the central square, with Parliament, the national history museum and the opera house within walking distance. It is the easiest base for a short first visit, and tour companies often pick up nearby. Traffic on the surrounding roads is heavy and loud for much of the day.
Good for nightlife, eating out
This street, a short walk south-west of the centre, has many bars, pubs, karaoke places and restaurants, including Korean and Western options. It suits travellers who want an evening scene close to their bed. Rooms facing the street can be noisy late at night, especially at weekends.
Good for shoppers, transport links
The city's main east–west road runs past the State Department Store, cafés and many bus stops, so getting around is simple. It is a practical, central choice with plenty of shops and supermarkets. The road is often jammed, and in winter the air can be smoky from coal and traffic.
Good for culture, budget travellers
This area in the west of the city grows around Gandan Monastery, the city's main working Buddhist monastery, and early morning chanting is easy to join as a visitor. It feels more local and less polished than the centre. It is further from most restaurants and nightlife, and the streets around it are less well lit at night.
Good for families, quiet, views
This newer district in the south, below the Zaisan Memorial hill, has modern apartment blocks, malls and easy access to walks in the hills. The air is often a little cleaner and the pace calmer than downtown. You will need taxis to reach the centre, and the main road there can be slow at rush hour.
Typical journey times and fares from the airport and other cities.
| Route | By | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ulaanbaatar → Dalanzadgad Aero Mongolia (MIAT also listed on this route). The fare range is from a tour agency's Aero Mongolia contract price list, and the schedule on that page dates from 2018, so check the current fare with the airline. Flight time is about 1 h 20 min to 1 h 30 min. The duration includes an estimated transfer to the new Chinggis Khaan airport (UBN), which is outside the city. Flights follow summer and winter timetables. | flight | 3 h 30 min | 110–130 USD ↗ |
| Ulaanbaatar → Mörön Aero Mongolia and Hunnu Air. This is the gateway to Lake Khövsgöl. The fare range is from a tour agency's Aero Mongolia contract price list, which may be out of date. The duration is an estimate that includes the transfer to UBN airport. In summer, book early. | flight | 3 h 30 min | 110–130 USD ↗ |
| Ulaanbaatar → Ölgii Aero Mongolia, Hunnu Air and MIAT, about 4 flights a week. Flight time is about 2 h 20 min. Ölgii is 1 hour behind Ulaanbaatar, so the timetable shows 1 h 20 min westbound and 3 h 10 min eastbound. The duration is an estimate that includes the transfer to UBN airport. The fare range is from a tour agency's contract price list, which may be out of date. Some flights are seasonal. | flight | 4 h 50 min | 140–160 USD ↗ |
Steamed dumplings filled with minced mutton or beef, often with onion and garlic. Locals eat them in small canteens called guanz all year, and families make large batches for Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year.
Flat, deep-fried pastries stuffed with minced meat. They are a common quick lunch in city canteens and a classic snack at Naadam, the summer festival of wrestling, archery and horse racing.
Thick handmade noodles stir-fried with strips of mutton or beef and a few vegetables. It is a filling everyday dish, found on the menu of most simple guanz across the city.
Salty milk tea made from tea, milk, water and salt. Mongolians drink it with most meals and offer it to guests at home, and many canteens serve it alongside dumplings.
Mutton cooked in a closed pot with hot stones, plus potatoes and carrots. It is mostly a countryside and family-gathering dish, but some Ulaanbaatar restaurants prepare it, often if you order ahead.
Fermented mare's milk, lightly sour and slightly alcoholic. It is a summer drink, brought into the city from herding families and sold in markets and small shops during the warm months.
May, June and August are the best months to visit Ulaanbaatar. May and June both score 7.9 and August scores 7.6. Days are mild, with highs of 16.4°C in May and 22.3°C in June. May is drier, with 6.5 rain days, and June has 12.1 hours of sun a day. July and September also rate as good, with a score of 7.4 each.
Yes, July is a good month, with a score of 7.4. It is the warmest month, with highs of 24.5°C and lows of 13.3°C. It is also one of the wettest months, with 13.2 rain days and 87 mm of rain. August is similar, with 88 mm of rain, but slightly cooler at 21.6°C.
Ulaanbaatar is very cold in winter. January highs reach only -12.6°C and lows drop to -24.2°C. December is close behind, at -11.9°C by day and -21.5°C at night. Winter is also very dry and clear. January has just 0.8 rain days and 2 mm of precipitation, with 8 hours of sun a day. Travellers who want crisp, sunny winter days will find them here.
Yes, September is a good month, with a score of 7.4. Highs reach 16.2°C, but nights are cold at 4.3°C, so bring warm layers. Rain eases after summer, with 8.3 rain days and 41 mm of rain. It gets much colder in October, when highs fall to 6.6°C and lows to -3.9°C.
Most sights take 1–2 hours, but the biggest ones take longer. Plan 2–3 hours each for the Chinggis Khaan National Museum and Naran Tuul Market. Gandan Monastery and the Bogd Khan Palace Museum each take 1–2 hours. The Choijin Lama Temple Museum takes 1–1.5 hours, and Chinggis Square takes 30–60 minutes.
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