Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country of steppe, Gobi Desert and mountains, where about 30% of people are nomadic or semi-nomadic herders.
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, with Russia to the north and China to the south. Ulaanbaatar, the capital, is the only large city and holds about half of the population, roughly 1.8 million people in 2025. Outside the city the country is among the least crowded on earth, at about 2.3 people per square kilometer. The land is grassy steppe. Mountains rise in the north and west, and the Gobi Desert stretches across the south.
Travelers go for the open country, the lakes and mountains such as Khövsgöl in the north, and the herding families who still live in felt tents called gers. Ulaanbaatar has Gandantegchinlen, the largest Buddhist monastery in the country, and the Gobi has well-known dinosaur fossils. Many overland roads are unimproved, and paved roads mostly run from Ulaanbaatar to the borders. Winters are long and cold, with January averages in Ulaanbaatar down to −30 °C, and summers are short, so timing matters. The country is grouped into seven zones for planning, so a route is easier to build around one or two of them.
Five things to know before Mongolia
- Check your visa-free days for your passport
UK citizens can visit for tourism for up to 30 days without a visa until 31 December 2026. Other passports differ, so check yours on immigration.gov.mn, and check whether the exemption is extended for later trips. Visas and entry
- Book a driver and guide for the countryside
Distances are long and most roads outside the capital are dirt tracks. Most visitors travel in a 4x4 or van with a driver and guide, staying in ger camps or with families. Getting around
- Book Naadam rooms and tours months ahead
The national Naadam festival of wrestling, archery and horse racing is held from 11 to 13 July in Ulaanbaatar and across the country. Rooms and tours for those days sell out early.
- Pack for cold nights even in summer
Temperatures in the Gobi and the north can swing by 20°C between day and night. Bring a warm layer and a hat, and a good sleeping bag if you camp.
- Carry cash tugrik for the countryside
Cards work in Ulaanbaatar, but ger camps, village shops and fuel stops outside the city often want cash. Withdraw before leaving the capital. Money on the road
Mongolia travel guides
Practical guides from writers who live there.
Visa-free days by passport and the temporary exemption.
Read the guideGetting aroundDrivers, 4x4s, domestic flights and the Trans-Mongolian train.
Read the guideTravel insuranceEvacuation cover for remote areas and horse riding.
Read the guideMoney and costsTugrik, cards in the capital and cash for the steppe.
Read the guidePhones and eSIMLocal SIMs and coverage between towns.
Read the guide
Destinations in Mongolia
Hostel beds, cheap eats, buses and free sights.
- Bed a night
- MNT 50,000
- Food
- MNT 30,000
- Transport
- MNT 5,000
- Sights
- Free
A 3-star room, casual restaurants, public transport and one paid sight a day.
- Bed a night
- MNT 150,000
- Food
- MNT 90,000
- Transport
- MNT 25,000
- Sights
- MNT 30,000
A 4-star room, good restaurants, taxis and a guided tour.
- Bed a night
- MNT 300,000
- Food
- MNT 180,000
- Transport
- MNT 80,000
- Sights
- MNT 150,000
When to go
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- JanuaryPartly cloudy1 rainy dayHigh-16°Low-24°Bitter coldJanuaryPartly cloudy
- High
- -16°
- Low
- -24°
- Precipitation
- 2 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Bitter cold
- FebruaryPartly cloudy1 rainy dayHigh-12°Low-21°Very coldFebruaryPartly cloudy
- High
- -12°
- Low
- -21°
- Precipitation
- 3 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Very cold
- MarchPartly cloudy2 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh-2°Low-11°ColdMarchPartly cloudy
- High
- -2°
- Low
- -11°
- Precipitation
- 9 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold
- AprilClear4 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low-3°Dusty, windyAprilClear
- High
- 6°
- Low
- -3°
- Precipitation
- 16 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Dusty, windy
- MayPartly cloudy6 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh13°Low3°Cool, dryMayPartly cloudy
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 29 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, dry
- JunePartly cloudy11 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh19°Low10°GreenJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 68 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Green
- JulyRain14 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°NaadamJulyRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 96 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Naadam
- AugustRain14 rainy daysHigh18°Low11°Warm, showersAugustRain
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 105 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, showers
- SeptemberPartly cloudy7 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh13°Low5°Clear, coolSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 45 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Clear, cool
- OctoberClear4 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh3°Low-5°ColdOctoberClear
- High
- 3°
- Low
- -5°
- Precipitation
- 13 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold
- NovemberPartly cloudy4 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh-7°Low-14°Very coldNovemberPartly cloudy
- High
- -7°
- Low
- -14°
- Precipitation
- 11 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Very cold
- DecemberPartly cloudy1 rainy dayHigh-15°Low-22°Bitter coldDecemberPartly cloudy
- High
- -15°
- Low
- -22°
- Precipitation
- 3 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Bitter cold
Average daily high and low in Ulaanbaatar, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Mongolia
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
-5
- Feels like
- -9°
- Humidity
- 49%
- Wind
- 6 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 12%
Mongolia
04:36 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today7°-6°12%Tuesday: Snow. High 7°, Low -6°. Chance of rain 12%.
- Wed-2°-8°25%Wednesday: Snow. High -2°, Low -8°. Chance of rain 25%.
- Thu-4°-10°4%Thursday: Cloudy. High -4°, Low -10°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Fri-1°-10°2%Friday: Cloudy. High -1°, Low -10°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sat-2°-9°2%Saturday: Cloudy. High -2°, Low -9°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sun7°-10°0%Sunday: Clear. High 7°, Low -10°. Chance of rain 0%.
Updated 01:08 AM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 3,599 MNT
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Festivals by month
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- JulNaadamUlaanbaatar
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Mongolia FAQ
Do I need a visa for Mongolia?
UK citizens can stay up to 30 days for tourism without a visa until 31 December 2026. Other passports differ, so check yours with the Mongolian Immigration Agency, and check whether the exemption is extended if you travel later.
When is Naadam?
The national Naadam is held from 11 to 13 July each year, with the main events in Ulaanbaatar. Smaller local Naadams take place in the countryside around the same time.
When is the best time to visit Mongolia?
June to September, when the steppe is green and camps are open. Winter is extremely cold, and spring brings dust storms.
Can I travel in Mongolia without a tour?
In Ulaanbaatar, easily. Beyond it, public buses link provincial towns, but most sights are off paved roads, so most people hire a driver and guide.
How many days do I need in Mongolia?
At least a week for central Mongolia and the Orkhon Valley, and ten to fourteen days to add the Gobi or Lake Khövsgöl.