Mongolia
Destination Guide
How to use my destination guides
My destination guides are organised in two main sections:
Overview
This will help you to decide if this is a location for you, and if so, where you may want to spend your time. For larger countries, I also provide additional overviews of different regions, states and territories.
Specific Recommendations
Here I list specific things to see and do. For each, I provide star ratings so that you can easily see how good, unique and adventurous each place is. This means that you can easily pick out where sounds right for you!
Photos note: All of the photos you see on my website are taken by me or of me!
Overview
What a place! Mongolia is nothing short of incredible. If you want luxury or beach resorts, this isn’t for you, but if you want endless adventures, wildlife and to experience life from another age, then Mongolia could well steal your heart as it has mine. Mongolia has everything an adventurer seeks to find. To give you a brief taste of what you can expect, you will find:
People – Who survive in remote places with scarce resources and extreme weather conditions.
History – From ancient burial mounds to the walls of Karakorum and the legends of Genghis Khan.
Landscapes – with the Gobi desert to the south, the central steppes, the northern lakes and valleys or the western mountains.
Wildlife – From horses running free across the steppe to the giant eagles in plain view.
Adventure – Mongolia is a huge expanse of land. Besides the capital of Ulaanbaatar and a few small towns dotted here or there, you will find that there is no land ownership. The land is communal and the sky is the limit. Do you want to rent or buy a horse or motorbike and set off across the steppe? Of course you can, you’re in Mongolia! You can travel, hike, ride and camp pretty much anywhere here; no fences, no walls and the only limits are your own abilities, preparation and determination! Disclaimer: Adventure at your own risk!
I am often asked what my favourite country I have been to as a traveller is, I used to struggle to say…until I went to Mongolia. Ever since, it has held the top spot!
The Language
Most people speak Mongolian, besides people of Kazakh descent who live in the Altai mountains to the west and who speak Kazakh as their first language. Very few people speak any English. Some older people in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, did speak to me in Russian when passing in the street, but Mongolian is the main language. It uses the cyclic alphabet, although I hear that they are reintroducing their own vertical writing over time. It helps to learn some basic words in Mongolian. I found I picked it up somewhat quickly because of the high exposure to it, since most people speak no English. What I did learn seemed intuitive and relatively easy to grasp. Make sure you download Mongolian for offline use on the Google Translate app. This often doesn’t work well with translating English to Mongolian, but it is better than nothing. I also played some epic games of chess as a way of bonding with locals too, which was good fun and which makes for a nice way to bond withough needing to speak the other’s language. .
Economy
Mongolia has a large nomadic community with many people living a similar lifestyle to that of their ancestors thousands of years ago. People may have replaced horses for motorbikes as their main mode of transport and have better-made metal stoves in their gers (yurts), but other than tha,t it’s largely the same. People typically keep animals, be it goats, yaks or horses. These are often left to roam with the locals tracking them down and herding them. There is only one ‘real’ city in Mongolia, which is the national capital of Ulaanbaatar. The centre is easy to navigate; however, the city as a whole is a sprawl. You will find some modern buildings, such as the modern parliament buildings and some banks in the financial district; however, much of the centre is old Soviet-era architecture.
Chinggis Khaan International Airport is the country’s only major international airport. It is small but modern and clean. It is around a 1h15mins drive south of the centre of Ulaanbatar. I would recommend asking your hostel or hotel to book you a taxi for when you land, as buses to and from the airport are not frequent and taxis are cheap. One of my favourite memories of Mongolia was driving by the airport and seeing modern aircraft landing while at the end of the runway was a ger (yurt). In one glance, it was like seeing the 21st century landing next to something which wouldn’t have been out of place 2,000+ years ago; it was an incredible sight to see.
Safety
- City Safety
Mongolia is, on the whole, incredibly safe. Unlike in some other parts of Asia, you will not find the locals flocking to you because you are a foreigner. The people are polite, respectful, but not gushing. The only exception I found was that two of my friends are ethnically Indian and some locals took more of an interest in them, which my friend believed was because many Mongolians enjoy Bollywood movies. There are few people in Mongolia for such a vast country and even fewer tourists, so you will stand out by the way you look and the way you dress. I did not feel unsafe because of the people at any time in my trip, be it meeting Nomads or venturing the streets of Ulaanbaatar at night. That being said, keep your wits about you. I have heard that the police are inclined to require bribes from time to time so if you are driving yourself anywhere (renting motorbikes is quite common for adventurous tourists) it may be best to avoid them where possible. - Rural Safety
The only issues I have heard of among tourists are that some French girls I met in a hostel had a bad experience with horse guides on a tour. I met lots of people who did horse tours and had no issues, so I believe the vast majority of guides are amazing, but go with a reputable company and try to travel with people you trust. To be extra safe, you could consider buying a padlock with a flexible locking wire, which could be used to padlock together the zips of your tent. You can also buy large knives at the Narantuul Market (AKA the Black Market), which I discuss under my specific recommendations for Mongolia. - Wilderness Safety
Mongolia is remote. Roads are few and far between and you will spend a lot of time far from assistance. Even in the summer, parts of Mongolia can be cold and exposed and in others, with extreme heat. If you get injured or your vehicle has issues, you can come into difficulty. Despite not having great roads, I strangely found very good phone reception in Mongolia, potentially because it’s quite flat there, but you still have plenty of places with no signal. Travelling in a group can make things much safer. I had one occasion where my rental motorbike had an oil leak and stopped working. I was in a very remote area, but luckily with a friend who was able to ride on ahead, get oil and return so that I could limp my bike into the next town to be repaired.
- Animal Safety
Many visitors to Mongolia also do horse trekking too. The horses are pretty intuitive to ride there and given their small size, they are easy to mount and ride, however if you egg them on, they can be very hard to stop. Being thrown from horses can still happen and unlike in Western countries, you will find Mongolians don’t bother with head protection and it’s not given to tourists either.
Mongolia has some beautiful animals, but you should note that wolves are a real issue. Many of the nomads keep large dogs called Bankhar Dogs around their camps to protect themselves and their livestock. Be aware that these dogs are beautiful but also massive and if they are aggressive (which many are bred to be to fight off the wolves), they can be scary. Many a time, I would drive past a ger (yurt) on a motorbike, only to have these bear-like dogs chasing after me snapping at my heels. The crazy thing is that they can keep pace with you on a bike, although most seem happy to only intimidate without actually attacking people. If you see any check with the owners before you approach them, especially if the dog is chained up. On another occasion in wolf country, I was invited by nomads to camp near them so that their dog would protect me, as there were a lot of wolves in the area. The dog was chained up in the day and I was told to have a pee before bed because they unchain the dog at night to patrol around and it would attack me as well as the wolves – safe to say I limited my water intake that evening! In that same area, I had also seen the locals riding on motorbikes with rifles slung over their shoulders during the daytime, given the likelihood of wolf encounters. The day after this, I camped half a day’s ride away by bike and had a wolf stalk around my tent at night, eat my food leftovers (which I had stupidly risked not cleaning the day before because I was so tired) and even steal my cooking pot (no joke). I’ll write a blog about this at some point in more detail, so stay tuned, as that was my scariest travel to date. Going with a tour group can also make things a lot safer.
Travel Ease
If you are travelling for ease and comfort, Mongolia isn’t the place for you. Getting anywhere in Mongolia typically requires some effort and discomfort.
- Flights
There are some domestic flights, for example, some people choose to fly from the capital city of Ulaanbaatar to Ölgii in the Altai Mountains, located in the far west of Mongolia, rather than taking the incredibly long bus journeys that it would otherwise take to get there. - Trains
The Trans-Mongolian Railway goes north-south across Mongolia through Ulaanbaatar. It is an off-shoot of the Trans-Siberian Railway, which runs west-east across Russia from Moscow to Vladivostok. Subject to having the correct visa for entering China (which cannot be obtained in Mongolia, so make sure you get it before entering Mongolia), you can travel by Train from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing, China. - Roads
There are paved roads in Mongolia and these are typically well-maintained spanning some of the larger distances in Mongolia. For example, if you wanted to drive in a cardinal direction from the Capital of Ulaanbaatar, you would find them, but as soon as you go to explore the rest of the countryside, you will typically find dirt roads at best and often no roads at all, just the odd trail to find. Many of the most beautiful places in Mongolia are nowhere near paved roads, so look into tours once you arrive to keep you safe. I rode a bike while there and often found that even tracks would split near rivers where people have chosen different fording points and then they reconnect on the other side, leaving you to gamble as to which is the best route to cross a river. This takes me onto my other point of bridges, these are also few and far between once you get away from the main paved roads. You will find buses and grey Russian vans are a typical means of longer-distance road travel in Mongolia while you’re there. Neither are they normally particularly comfortable, but let’s be honest, if you are considering going to Mongolia, you are probably going there for these off-road adventures! Mongolia is a massive country and its limited infrastructure means that traversing it takes way longer than you would expect. - Hiking
The hiking in Mongolia is amazing; however, the distances are so vast that it’s overoptimistic to expect to hike your way around it. You will need to organise transport to get you in the vicinity and then hike away. There aren’t many formal hiking trails, but to me, that’s what I love. I would often find somewhere that appeals and just hike wherever! Typically, there are no fences or walls to stop you and you can go wherever you like. Be aware, however, that some mountains are sacred to the locals you may be asked not to reach the official summit in some areas. Ultimately, though there is no way of finding out unless you speak to some locals who may mention it. - Taxis
There are a few dedicated taxi firms and as mentioned, I recommend asking your hostel/hotel to arrange your transport from the airport to your accommodation for you when you arrive. Hitchhiking also isn’t a thing over there. When I was there, some locals told me there is an old folktale which has warned locals off picking up people. That being said, in Ulaanbaatar, pretty much everyone is a spontaneous taxi driver. What I mean by this is that if you stand by a roadside with you arm by your sides and then extend your arm nearest the road to be two feet away from your body with a straight hand and hold it there with your fingers still facing towards the ground and looking akin to an impersonation of a penguin you will find locals will stop to pick you up. If locals in their own cars have time, they will charge you a small fee for taking you to where you need to be and you can use this to get around very quickly and easily. - Language
Very few people speak anything other than Mongolian, especially once you leave Ulaanaabatar, so check out my previous comments on that if you haven’t already. This can make travelling here more difficult.
Haggling culture
Under my specific recommendations, I mention the Narantuul Market (AKA the Black Market). When I was there, I found prices really affordable. Also, I noted that locals charge a fair price and do not haggle like in much of the rest of Asia. From my experience, it was more like buying something from a supermarket where the price is the price, and it’s often a fair price too, and I didn’t notice anyone trying to charge me more for being foreign, as can be the case in other parts of the world.
The Beaches
If you are looking for a beach holiday, Mongolia is not the place for you. Mongolia is famously landlocked. The nearest sea is the Yellow Sea, which is around 650km (400 miles) south of Mongolia’s eastern tip, with the majority of Mongolia being further from the sea. You will find plenty of lakes in Mongolia, but they are often quite ‘refreshing’ to swim in, to put it mildly. I swam in Lake Khuvsgul (northern Mongolia), which was very cold and Khuisiin Naiman Lake (central Mongolia), which wasn’t as cold but definitely wasn’t warm either.
The Wildlife
The wildlife in Mongolia is phenomenal! You will find lots of managed animals which appear wild: horses roaming, yaks, camels, etc. however these typically have owners, but they let them roam free range with no fences required. You will often see the locals herding animals in for the night with great skill; even those below the age of 10 are typically excellent riders in these communities, with children being born in the saddle. Many locals keep goats as well, which they slaughter for meat.
Plenty of wild animals exist too. I will never forget the sheer number of birds of prey there. As there are no trees in much of Mongolia, it’s not uncommon to see massive eagles sitting on the ground and as I rode by on my motorbike, they would take off and soar overhead. These moments are some of the most memorable of my life. Wolves are also common; they pose more of a risk to animals than humans, although attacks can happen. Follow local advice and see my comments under ‘safety’. The nature is stunning, however, and there is nothing like riding past wild horses!
Also, see my specific recommendations for more information on visiting the Tsaatan (AKA Dukha) people in northern Mongolia. These people are incredible, living in remote valleys in northern Mongolia and living off and riding reindeer!
Ultimately, what animals you find will vary depending on where you are in Mongolia, given the drastically different environments and climates across the country, which include the Gobi desert in the south, the Altai Mountains in the west, the valleys and lakes of the north and of course, a lot of steppe.
The Cities
There are some smaller towns dotted around Mongolia, many of which remind me of western movies. They are largely spaces with rustic dwellings and often some essentials such as a small petrol (gas) station and shop. Many do have a mechanic or someone who is handy enough to make essential repairs and welders, etc. Mongolia has some more affluent and modern towns in the Gobi to the south due to many people here working in the mines.
The only ‘real’ city in Mongolia, from what I saw, however, was the capital of Ulaanbaatar. It’s a nice city and I enjoyed it there. It has some more modern buildings like the parliament building and some in the banking district, however, many in the centre are Soviet-era buildings. The city is large and sprawling, with a lot of suburbs in the surroundings. The population of the city fluctuates drastically, with it getting noticeably busier in September as many children and families move into the city for the start of the school year and to ride out the brutal winters in the city.
The People
The people are incredible. The nomads in particular are very hardy and resilient, surviving in remote areas and varied places, with the majority living in gers (yurts) dotted around the landscape. As well as your ‘typical’ Mongolians, you also have the Tsaatan (AKA Dukha) people in northern Mongolia, who are of Turkic and not Mongolian ethnic origins. You will also find ethnic Kazaks in the Altai mountains in the west of Mongolia. You will, of course, find differences between Mongolians depending on where you go, with accents and lifestyles varying from place to place. Despite Mongolia not having many foreign visitors, you will often find the locals are not gushing when they see you, as is the case in much of Asia, which makes for a nice change. They are polite, friendly and fascinating. Many nomads wear the iconic deel robes.
One of my favourite examples of how impressive these people are was my horse guides when I was in the far north of Mongolia. I was on a 10-day horse trek with four other tourists and two guides. Between us five tourists, we had two pack horses for our supplies, our two guides…. Zero. They carried a small tent on the back of one of their horses with them; however, besides that, they would travel incredibly light, pulling out items like magic from their iconic ‘deel’ robes: some dry meat here or there to keep them going. When it rained hard for a full day of trekking, I pulled on my waterproof jacket and trousers; my local guides, in contrast, simply soldiered on in their thick deel robes.
If you want to curry favour with nomads, then it doesn’t hurt to take some whiskey, cigarettes and other goods from the capital with you into the wilds, so if you meet nomads or if they offer you some assistance, you can give them some luxuries in exchange. Many thanks, things are incredibly difficult to get outside of the capital and what you can get, for example bars of chocolate, cost significantly more the further you get from Ulaanbaatar.
Food
In the capital of Ulaanbaatar, you will find a greater range of food, including ramen and lots of Korean food – Korea influencing modern Mongolian culture. As for Mongolian cuisine, however, it is limited by the extreme climate and conditions in Mongolia. Many traditional foods are made from animal meat and milk. In the Gobi desert, I stayed with nomads who kept a herd of goats, which they would milk and kill for sustenance. Despite having limited resources, Mongolians are incredibly inventive with what they can make from just a handful of ingredients. I enjoyed trying Airag (pronounced similarly to ‘air-egg’), which is alcohol made from fermented mare’s milk and is surprisingly nice and which you have to try if you go there. Other nomads offered me a sweetened curd-like food made from cream, which was really tasty too.
If you are a foody who wants 50 different species and herbs in each mouthful, then Mongolia isn’t for you, but if you are feeling adventurous, Mongolia is a good choice. I tended to eat like a local and then enjoy international cuisine when I was back in the capital before heading off again. Bear in mind that if you have any dietary requirements, you may find parts of Mongolia quite challenging, especially for vegetarians and vegans, who may find long-term remote travel here near impossible. I travelled in Mongolia with a friend who keeps kosher. As the locals typically speak no English, I found it hilarious to watch her acting out animal impressions to the baffled locals in their gers (yurts) as she tried to ascertain what she could eat or not. She is also celiac, however, and she survived ok there. If you do have dietary requirements though, maybe ask a local in Ulaanabaatar to translate something for you in writing to show people to make your life easy.
History
Mongolia’s history is so long and fascinating that it’s hard to do it justice here, but I will mention some key points in its history.
Many people will be familiar with Chinggis Khan, a man known to many Westerners by the bastardised name of Genghis Khan. He was famous for unifying Mongolian tribes in 1206 and creating a formidable army of well-disciplined horse-archers. He conquered vast lands across Asia, with his descendants going on to conquer all the way into eastern Europe. He was a ruthless leader and many who faced him and his descendants faced extermination. Some estimates say that he and the Mongol empire killed over 10% of the entire world’s population during the 13th century, exterminating around 40 million people. Legend even says that his burial site remains a mystery, with those who buried him being slain and those who killed the workers themselves being killed to keep its location a secret.
The Mongols are also famous for conquering China, with the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) being led by the Mongolian Kublai Khan. Kublai Khan famously met the Venetian explorer Marco Polo on his adventures in the east.
The Mongol Empire eventually fell to the Chinese Qing dynasty and with the former Mongol capital of Karakorum being sacked and destroyed by the Ming Dynasty, although some of it has been reconstructed and is worth paying a visit to.
More recently, Mongolia became a puppet state of the USSR in the 1990s when it transitioned from communism to it now being a democracy. The country has kept its independence as it serves as an important buffer state between Russia and China.
In Ulaanabaatar, you will find a lot of communist-era architecture and even some nice murals on the side of them too, which I recommend in my specific recommendations for Ulaanabaatar. Mongolia also celebrates Chinggis (Genghis ) Khan with him being seen in statues everywhere, including being mounted on the largest equestrian statue in the world, located just east of the capital. You will also see the main international airport named in his honour and his face on their banknotes. Despite changes happening in Mongolia, what I love about it is that it feels like a living time machine. Many locals still live a lifestyle which is largely the same as how their ancestors lived over 2,000 years ago! You will also stumble across ancient burial mounds and Buddhist monasteries in beautiful and remote places, many of which aren’t marked on maps. When you explore rural Mongolia, it can sometimes feel like you landed in the country in a time machine and not an aeroplane.
Regions Overview
Mongolia only have one ‘proper’ city, which is the sprawling and lovable capital of Ulaanbaatar, which means ‘red hero’, a legacy from its communist era.
In general terms, the centre and east of the country have a large amount of steppe (vast flat grasslands), although there are also some beautiful mountains and valleys too, especially around the nation’s ruined historic capital, Karakorum. The south is largely the Gobi desert, which has some sand dunes but is mainly more of a dirt/gravel-like desert. In the north, there are massive lakes, beautiful mountains, more trees and small towns which make you feel like you are in a western movie. The far west has the Altai Mountains, which are beautiful and regarded by some as ‘the Switzerland of Asia’. The people here are also ethnically and linguistically Kazakhs.
These are very general terms as there are many anomalies to my generalisation. Mongolia is massive, and its landscapes blend and differ.
For my specific recommendations, I have separated them into those in the capital, Ulaanabatar and those outside the capital.
Overview Summary
If you want to experience nature and something which feels really, really real, then Mongolia is a great place. I spent two lovely months there and have never been so sad to leave; my visa ran out, otherwise I would have gladly stayed longer!
Specific Recommendations
How to interpret my specific recommendations
My specific recommendations are listed below. Firstly, you will find: its name, a quick link to locate and save it to your Google Maps, and for some, a photo. The photos, if present, like all those on this page, have either been taken by me or feature me in them. If you save the location to your Google Maps, I suggest that you add a note on there too, to remind you that you heard about it here. A good way to do this is by copying my website link into the location description. This way, you can check back here nearer the time of your visit to jog your memory as to what is there. I use Google Maps to plan all of my trips and, when used to its full potential, it is incredible! If you haven’t already, check out my blog post on how I use Google Maps to revolutionise my travels!
I provide a description of each location, as well as a duration estimate for how long you may want to spend at that location, to help with your planning.
I also provide star ratings for three categories.
Andy Argo
My overall rating
Worth seeing if you’re passing
Worth a detour if you have time
A must see!
Adventure
The level of exertion and danger involved
Easy to access, low risk and no strenuous exercise required
Some exercise is required, such as hiking. Some risks, such as bad weather, uneven ground, steep edges, etc.
Involves more exercise, greater danger or both. Examples include diving or scrambling up mountains, where experience is required.
Uniqueness
How well known and unique a destination is
A well-known destination or one that is not overly unique. I have listed restaurants in this category as food is everywhere.
Somewhat unknown or unique
Very unique
Some other points to note are:
- I like a bit of danger and history, so you may find that my ‘Andy Argo’ star ratings are sometimes (but not always) a little biased in favour of these types of locations.
- On my ‘Andy Argo’ stars, if I have given something one star, it’s good and worth doing. Having one star doesn’t mean it’s bad; it’s still high praise, as I only include the crème de la crème on this list!
- My duration recommendations are based on what I think is the minimum amount of time you would want to spend there. I always recommend being spontaneous when travelling and changing plans depending on your circumstances, how you feel, and following advice from locals. Remember you’re there to enjoy it, so don’t feel rushed and stressed, you’re on holiday!
- In a small handful of instances, I have included somewhere I have been with zero Andy Argo stars. I have done this a handful of times for very touristy places. These are locations which I have been to and which are sufficiently famous that I think people would wonder why they aren’t on the list, but which, in my opinion, don’t make the cut and are overrated (sorry).
- I have been to the vast majority of these recommendations; however, sometimes I include several locations which I haven’t been to for the following reasons:
- A friend of mine has been there and has highly recommended it to me.
- Internet searches suggest it sounds noteworthy enough to include.
Disclaimer – I am not responsible for your safety or enjoyment at any of these locations. Everything I have recommended here is based on my experience and opinion. I may have recommended places I visited years ago or, as mentioned previously, a handful which I have had recommended to me. Do your own research before visiting any attractions to ensure that you think you will enjoy them and that they are sufficiently safe. My recommended duration times are also estimates based on my opinion; do your own further research and plan accordingly. I have recommended places which I think people will like, but it is all based on my opinion; I may love something that you hate. Be sure to have sufficient travel insurance and make your own judgments. Check weather forecasts and consult reputable local guidance before visiting anywhere you seek to visit. For more adventurous activities, ensure that you are physically and mentally prepared and that you have the right supervision, equipment, and training for the activity. Long story short, use some common sense and don’t sue me, I’m broke enough already. Happy travels, Andy
Specific Recommendations
I have separated my specific recommendations into those in and around the capital of Ulaanbaatar, and then everything else.
Ulaanbaatar
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Airport
Recommended Duration: Minimal
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
This isn’t so much of a recommendation but more just something to note on your maps. This is the main airport in and out of Mongolia, so you will likely arrive in Mongolia here, unless you are one of the few arriving by train from Russia or China.
It’s a modern, clean and efficient airport, but you should note that it takes just over an hour to get from here to Ulaanbaatar city centre. Public transport between the airport and the city also isn’t great. I would recommend asking your hotel or hostel to book you a taxi for when you arrive, just to get you to the city easily. From memory, there were ATMs at the airport which worked with my card too, as taxi drivers take cash there. It’s best to take USD notes too though, just in case you have any issues abroad. Like I say, not a recommendation as such, but I advise you to book its location on a map so that you can work out your logistics of getting to the city and finding your bearings.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Festival
Recommended Duration: 1 day+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
If you are in Mongolia, you have to go to a Naadam festival. There are a few around, but the main one, which you can go to, is in July every year at the National Sports Stadium in Ulaanbatar.
At these festivals, you will see Mongolians, dressed in traditional attire, showcasing their impressive skills. You will see wrestling, archers and my favourite: horse archery! You will see people riding full tilt, firing arrows, flipping over horses and remounting, you name it! I would recommend timing your trip to see this if you can. I just missed the main one when I arrived, but saw a smaller one just outside the capital city and then another I stumbled across by chance too and both were incredible. At the smaller ones out of town, expect to be the only tourists there. Be aware that if you do arrive around the time of the national Nadam festival in July, expect to find Ulanabaatar deserted and like a ghost town. Everyone goes on holiday around this time and the streets are strangely incredibly quiet. You’re best off planning an experience for a couple of weeks and then returning to the city later when it feels more normal. You will also find September busy in Ulanbataar; however, as families return to the city to put their children through school and the population booms with people enjoying some last warm weather before it gets towards winter time.
State Department Store
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Shopping centre (mall)Store
Recommended Duration: 30 minutes
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
This is one of the more modern shopping areas in Ulaanbatar. It’s a great place to go when you first arrive to get a local phone sim card. You may need to ask around to find where the sim card desks are. They are on one of the upper floors at the back of a tech store, but it can be a little hard to find. There is also a good supermarket here for you to stock up on supplies before you head out on an expedition. On this subject, if you haven’t already, consider getting a battery pack or two as well before you head off into the wild!
Fat Cat Jazz Club
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Bar and live music
Recommended Duration: 2 hours+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
This is a great Jazz Bar. Take some of your friends here and go meet some more. It can get busy and closes somewhat early, so it’s best get there around 7pm or earlier!
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: City square
Recommended Duration: 30 mins+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
If you are in Mongolia you have to check here out. It’s an awesome central square with Mongolia’s modern parliament building and, of course, a massive Chinggis Khan statue. There are sometimes other things going on here too, such as in the evenings, you can often find street food. Be sure to ask around as to what’s going on, as you won’t find much information online.
Narantuul Market (Black Market)
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Market
Recommended Duration: 1 hour+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
Located on the eastern edge of Ulanbaatar is the Narantuul market, tourists often just call it ‘the black market’, don’t worry though, despite the foreign name for it, there is nothing illegal about it.
It’s a must-see as you can buy anything here from horse saddles to entire gers (yurts) and traditional Mongolian attire such as a deel (the awesome robe-like dress you will see many wear in the countryside). This is also an amazing place to get camping equipment before a trip, from cookware to camping stove, campchairs to knives. Prices are also great too. Be aware that I found Mongolians do not haggle; they say the price they want and you accept or reject. I didn’t find anywhere that people would inflate their prices at all for tourists, which is a nice breath of fresh air compared to many other parts of the world! Also, don’t expect anyone here to speak English, so try and learn a couple of basic words in Mongolia before you go if you want to make your life easier; don’t worry if you don’t know any, though a hand gesture or two goes a long way.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Palace
Recommended Duration: 1 hour+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
A reconstructed palace located south of the city centre. It is good to see, not as good as Kharkhorin, but still worth seeing if you have the time in Ulaanbaatar. It’s also near the Soviet Mosaic, which I mention on this list, so you may as well check that out at the same time.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Artwork
Recommended Duration: 10 mins+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
A large soviet Mosaic on the side of a building. This is also close to Bogd Khaan Palace, so you can do both in one trip.
Bumbugur Market
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Market
Recommended Duration: 20 mins+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
A cheap, indoor, local food market. This can be a good place to stock up on food before an adventure.
Books in English, Bookstore
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Shop
Recommended Duration: 20 mins+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
This bookshop has plenty of books in English. If you are looking for some reading material before you head off on an adventure, this is the last place to stock up on reading material before you go! Don’t expect electricity in the remote areas to charge your phone too, so paper books are the way to go if you have space. On that note, a battery pack is also a good idea too.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Restaurant
Recommended Duration: 1 hour
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
If you are staying nearby, this is a nice place to eat. I spent many happy times here, especially having breakfast in the sun outside.
Arig Anya
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Restaurant
Recommended Duration: 1 hour
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
One of my favourite places to eat in the city. It’s clean, modern and has nice food.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Statue
Recommended Duration: 1 hour+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
A massive statue of Chinggis Khan and the largest equestrian statue on the planet! This statue is huge and located just over an hour’s drive east of the capital and is surrounded by beautiful countryside. You can also climb up the statue onto the horse and look up at the man himself. There isn’t much space on the horse itself, so prepare to be a bit cosy. It’s also probably the only place in Mongolia where you can expect to be crushed into a small space with other people, so enjoy seeing lots of other people while you can before you head off into the sticks!
Mongolia (excluding Ulaanbaatar)
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Desert
Recommended Duration: 2 days+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
The Gobi Desert is huge! It spans from southern Mongolia and across northern China. Much of the desert is flat and dry, although there are some areas of sand dunes too. You will still find nomads living in areas here, often with herds of goats.
It’s a good idea to book a tour for this area, where you’ll likely bumble around in an iconic grey Russian van, which they love in Mongolia and which is a vibe in itself. Getting there from Ulanbaatar, you also go through some beautiful steppes too. I was here in late July and found it pleasant to sleep outside under the stars, which was incredible!
Note: The arterial roads down here are paved and good. There are lots of mines in the Gobi which bring money in, hence the good roads. As soon as you get off these roads, however, you will notice that, like most of Mongolia, you will have tracks at best.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Desert, landscapes, views, cliffs
Recommended Duration: 2 hours+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
Flaming Cliffs, also known as Bayanzag, are located in Ömnögovi Province, southern Mongolia. These epic rocky cliffs are impressive and offer amazing views of the surrounding desert landscape. This should be part of your Gobi Desert adventure, but I felt it deserved a special mention.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Culture, horse trekking and adventure!
Recommended Duration: 3 days+ (plus travel time to horse guides)
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
If you want something unique and have some balls, this one is for you. The Dukha (sometimes called the ‘Tsaatan’) are a small group of people who live in the far north of Mongolia close to the border with Siberia.
You need to organise a tour to get there, as you will need a local horse guide who knows the way. I did a horse tour which went up to here and then tagged it on with a trek to Lake Khuvsgul too, making for around a 10-day trip in all – more on that as a separate note below. For my tour, I went with a couple of friends I had made at my hostel in Ulaanbaatar. We got a local coach to the northern town of Murun and then got an old grey Russian van (which is commonplace in rural Mongolia) further north to the home of my non-English speaking horse guide. It was a two-day trek from there up to see the Dukha people, where we stayed overnight. You don’t need any horse riding experience as the horses are pretty intuitive. The ride up to the tribe is incredible, be sure to pack waterproofs in case it rains though (ideally a jacket with a hood and trousers) as it can rain and get cold up there even in the summer. This area of Mongolia isn’t steppe; it has more valleys, trees, and rivers. It rained a lot of the way there when I went. I was the second to cross a river after my guide and seeing his horse stumble in a deep, fast, surging river. The horse nearly rolled completely, which could have been very bad.
Drama avoided, we carried on and met the Dukha people and stayed with them. My small group and I (five tourists in all) were the only tourists there. The secluded valley was stunning with teepees rather than gers (yurts) used for accommodation by the Dukhas, differeing to the rest of Mongolia. I saw how the locals live off the land, including their reindeer. The best part was seeing the Dukhas (even the small children) ride reindeer and having a go myself! I will remember rocking up there, soaking wet and seeing a kid on a massive reindeer trot up to us looking like a complete badass!
This adventure is better with friends as the guides don’t typically speak English. I met a girl who went solo, and she said it was good, but a bit lonely at times. Also, be aware that this can be dangerous. You are on a horse in the middle of nowhere and the only way to get to your destination (and back) is on horse trails, so take a first aid kit and bear that in mind. My horse trek to here and beyond to Lake Khuvsgul was definitely one of the travel highlights, not just for Mongolia but of all time!
Location Note: Research and book your tour while you are in Ulaanbaatar. The location I have linked is for a small town called Murun which is where I took the bus from before then venturing further north in a van and then by horse.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Lake
Recommended Duration: 1 day+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
Lake Khuvsgul is the largest lake in Mongolia and so large that it contains 0.4% of the planet’s freshwater. Located in the far north of Mongolia, close to the Russian Siberian border.
The landscapes are beautiful here too. I did a 10-day horse trek to see the Tsaatan people (see my notes above) and then turned east to here through smaller valleys. One of the best things I’ve ever done, you are camping in the middle of nowhere with nothing but valleys, trees, mountains, wolves and each other. If you don’t fancy doing a horse trek to get here, you can always get to the southern tip by road.
Horse Trek
I’ve included some photos below of the horse trek element to give you a flavour of it. The area is very remote, with horse trails and the odd motorbike track being the only way to get around. I had to bring and cook my own food on this trip, with only a tent being provided. Horse guides in the area also typically don’t speak any English. Bear in mind that if you choose this option, you are committed and can’t bow out whenever you like and it can rain a lot up there even in the summer, so make sure you come prepared in terms of equiptment and mentally. It was one of my favourite travel adventures ever, however and also as a bonus, if you are a fan of westerns, many Mongolian towns look like they are straight out of one and I must say it feels pretty badass to ride into one with your posse.
Hustai National Park
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: National Park and wildlife
Recommended Duration: 4 hours+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
This national park has rolling hills, but the main attraction is the Przewalski’s horses. These rare and endangered wild horses are short and stocky.
They were extinct in the wild until they were reintroduced into this national park in the 1990s. They are originally from Mongolia too, making it great for them to come home. These horses are also believed to be the only ‘true’ wild horses left in the world, with other free-roaming horses such as the American Mustang and the like being feral horses with domesticated horse genetics; Przewalskis, however, have never been domesticated in their entire ancestry!
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: History
Recommended Duration: 30 mins+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
When I was in Mongolia, I found it littered with burial mounds. They are rarely marked on any map and are often made of shapes of loose rocks piled together.
I have seen some awesome ones on my travels there, including some which are on west-facing slopes of hills overlooking valleys and rivers, similar to that of many ancient European burial sites. The location I have marked is just one site. I chose not to share the locations of the many others because I stumbled across them by accident as I explored the country. To me, that’s what made these places really special and it made me feel like finding these sites should be for those who are willing to venture off the beaten track.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Landscapes
Recommended Duration: 4 hours+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
I don’t know the name for this area; maybe it doesn’t have one, but I stayed here for a while and found it really beautiful. There are nice mountains and valleys in the area, which were beautiful and green when I went. I was here in late July and slept under the stars, which was beautiful (although it was a bit cold, so bring plenty of blankets).
Ger Complex
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Restaurant
Recommended Duration: 30 mins+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
This is a ‘ger-ate’ service station where you can fill up nearby, but more importantly, it has great food and is clean and modern. Mark this on your map and stop in if you are passing, which many of you will on your way from Ulaanbaatar to nearby Kharkhorin.
Note: To explain my amazing ‘ger-ate’ pun for those who don’t get it, the Mongolians call their nomadic animal-hide dwellings ‘gers’, in other words, what foreigners often call a yurt.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: History
Recommended Duration: 3 hours+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
Karakorum is the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire, founded by the man himself, Chinggis Khan; that’s Genghis to us westerners. The ancient city was destroyed by the Chinese who ruled over Mongolia for some time, but some has been reconstructed. It’s an awesome place and worth seeing, especially as so much of Mongolia’s history is nomadic; it’s great to see some grand ancient architecture.
Kharakhorum Museum
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Museum
Recommended Duration: 30 mins+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
The Kharakhorum Museum is located very close to the ancient city. If you are at Kharakhorum and you like history, be sure to take a look.
Gaya's Guest House, Kharkhorin
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Accommodation
Recommended Duration: 1 night+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
This is a really great guest house in Kharkhorin, the modern town which is adjacent to the ancient Mongolian capital of Kharakhorum. The family who owns this place are angels!
They speak some English and are incredibly friendly and nice. You stay in Gers (yurts) on the outskirts of the town, where it’s nice and quiet. I also met some other nice travellers here too, although there isn’t a shared common area like a hostel. A good story about how nice the owners are is this: I was on a solo motorbike trip on a bike which broke down constantly. I was pushing it several miles back to the town because I had broken down on the highway as I left, luckily, where it was fairly flat, so pushing my bike wasn’t too bad. I rang ahead for a room as it was getting late by the time I got in and when the owner heard of my hardship, she drove to meet me at the nearby petrol (gas) station to get my bags from my bike so that it was easier for me to push up the small hill to her place. Lovely people, great local info and they were also happy to help me translate with the local mechanics on the phone to get me on the road again.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Landscape
Recommended Duration: 2 days+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
One of the best places you will ever see if you like adventure. This beautiful valley around the Orkhon River has it all: valleys, plains, rivers, some trees, yaks, nomads in gers (yurts), mountain hikes, waterfalls and ancient burial mounds.
It is also a UNESCO site. I would recommend visiting Kharkhorin (details above) and then head south-west into the valley. I explored the area with a rented motorbike and a tent and bought my own camping gear cheaply in Ulanbataar for the trip. This is honestly the trip of a lifetime. I would recommend taking a guide unless you are very confident and are happy to go on a motorbike or horse and even then it’s safer in a group. You can camp wherever you like in the valley and explore all that it has to offer. I don’t want to list many specific things to see here as I feel like it’s somewhere you have to experience and explore yourself, getting lost, setting your own quests and exploring whatever appeals to you. I have some of my best memories of travelling from this trip – I by chance had met a Colombian in Ulaanbaatar the day before I planned to leave, coincidentally, he was renting a bike from the same place and we decided to end up exploring this area together. It was the perfect place for a boys’ trip and we enjoyed fording rivers on our bikes, camping wherever we saw fit, hiking up mountains and building fires. Be aware that if you do choose to head down here on a motorbike, you should fill up with fuel wherever you can and check in every town for fuel; they often have somewhere to fill up but it’s normally not on any map. Motorbikes there are unreliable, so I spent a lot of time in mechanics, which are often not signposted in the smaller towns. I spent time down residential streets, asking around and tracking down nondescript mechanics. Also, take plenty of cash with you, if you do need to pay for anything card is no good here!
Be aware that I only saw one major bridge on the whole trip and there aren’t any roads here either. You will be following small tracks and occasionally hitting sand and mud, which can send you off easily. Crossing rivers will mean you need to drive slowly across at fording points. Awesome place to explore but take a guide if you don’t want to rough it! I suggest heading down one bank of the river and as far as you like, then head back up the other. Alternatively, you can keep on going towards the 8 Lakes, more on that later.
Bonus Tips: I used maps.me for my navigation here and occasionally downloaded offline Google Maps to plan my route. Be sure to do the same while you have internet. Also mark ‘Орхон Бетон Гүүр’ (46°52’37.1″N 102°11’26.7″E) on your map as this is a good bridge to cross the river should you need. The small town of Bat-Ulzii (446°49’17.5″N 102°14’45.0″E) is also worth noting as there are some services here, such as shops, petrol (gas), a small mechanic etc., should you need any essentials. To make your life easy, I have also linked these below should you be keen to undertake an Orkhon Valley adventure. Also, be sure to mark any restaurants and fuel on your map, which you can find notes about online before you go.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Buddhist Monastery
Recommended Duration: 2 hours+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
This is one of the most remote monasteries in the world. It was previously destroyed but has since been rebuilt and is now a functioning monastery once more.
It is open to the public, but keep in mind that it is a functioning monastery and be respectful. This is located on the north side of the river. I took a rental motorbike up here and hiked up to the monastery, but there are also tours which go there, as when I arrived, I saw one of the classic old grey Russian vans driving up without tourists as I arrived. The hike up through the trees to get there is beautiful and I heard and saw the monks chanting as I entered. The complex is small but beautiful. You can even climb up past the monastery onto the peak just above and I enjoyed the view there and watching the birds of prey soaring around. Besides the restaurant below, this is my only special recommendation for visiting the Orkhon Valley because, as I mentioned before, I think everyone should explore this place for themselves – this attraction, however, you likely wouldn’t find it if you don’t know where to look, as it’s set back slightly from the valley slightly.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Resturant
Recommended Duration: 30 mins+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
Listed as ‘Hotel Supermarket’ on Google maps, Bat-Ulzii. This is a restaurant worth plotting on your map before any trip to the Orkhon Valley. After living on camping meals for a while during my time here, it was great to go to a restaurant for some food variety. The food isn’t Michelin star, but it felt like it at the time! Definitely worth eating at if you are passing through. Not much information online about this place and I visited in 2023, so I can’t guarantee it’s still open, so don’t get your hopes up.
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Landscapes
Recommended Duration: 1 day+
Andy visited?: Yes
Description
Often referred to as the ‘8 lakes’, this is a beautiful area with rolling mountains and, you guessed it, lakes! The largest is Khuisiin Naiman. I personally think there are more beautiful areas of Mongolia than here, but if you are in the area, it can be a good adventure to get here, as it’s pretty remote.
The locals told me that they camp up by the lakes in the winter, however the government makes them move into the surrounding valleys in the summer so that the lake is open to all and kept as a beauty area for the summer, so you will find a few nomads just before you get up to Khuisiin Naiman Lake. When I was there, I hiked up some of the mountains in the area and swam in the lake to cool off.
Danger warning: High wolf risk area
Be aware that wolves are a very real risk in Mongolia and I can vouch for them being active in this area: this was the only place in Mongolia where I saw nomads carry rifles during the day with them on the hills of that reason and I was also stalked by a wolf south-east of here on my way back towards Ulanabataar (more on that in my blog post here). I was told by the locals that if you do camp by the lake to keep a fire burning at night (not easily done when tired and solo) however the people who told me this were kind enough to let me camp by their ger (yurt) for two nights with their huge Bankhar dog (also known as a Mongolian wolfhound) nearby to keep the wolves away. I wouldn’t recommend this a place to go on a tour as despite this being a beautiful area there are nicer areas of Mongolia to visit with more wildlife and better even more beautiful landscapes however if you are planning an epic adventure without a tour and want somewhere to go where you will be in danger and have limit risk of rescue this could be a good option for you.
Ulaagchiin Har Nuur
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Landscape and swimming
Recommended Duration: 2 hours+
Andy visited?: No, but people have recommended it to me
Location: The location I have attached to my Google Map link is hopefully somewhere close to the right place, but who knows!
Description
A Mongolian highly recommended this place to me, however I didn’t end up in this area to see it, as I ran out of time. It sounds awesome though! I was told that near this town is a beautiful lake with sand dunes where you can swim. It was recommended to me to take a 4×4, then hike the last section to get there. I was also told that 30m (100ft) high sand dunes near the lake have water running out of the base of them into the picturesque lake swimming spot. I was told this place is frequented by local tourists but isn’t known to foreigners and tour groups. I was also told that a natural rock arch is nearby. This will take some investigation work when you’re there to get specifics for all of these but happy hunting if you end up over here!
Altai Mountains
Adventure
Andy Argo
Uniqueness
Category: Landscapes and culture
Recommended Duration: 3 days+
Andy visited?: No, but people have recommended it to me
Description
The Altai Mountains are located in the far west of Mongolia, close to Kazakhstan. They are famous for being incredibly beautiful with mountains and lakes at every turn, so much so that some people call this region the ‘Switzerland of Asia’.
Many people I had met went there and said it was beautiful. I spent two months in Mongolia, sadly leaving as my tourist visa ran out and didn’t get time to go here. If you do go here, you can take craaazy long, uncomfortable bus journeys or take a more expensive domestic flight. It comes highly recommended, but the logistics of getting here and back from Ulaanbaatar mean it will take time – be aware you will need to get back because all international flights (as far as I am aware) go through there.
Category: Travel
Recommended Duration: 30 hours (approx.)
Andy visited?: No, but people have recommended it to me
Description
You can choose to travel from Mongolia’s capital city of Ulaanbaatar to Beijing, China by rail. I had friends who did this and loved it. I also had plans to do it, but given my poor planning, I didn’t have a Chinese visa when I landed in Mongolia and there was no means to apply for one in Mongolia; because Mongolians can enter China visa-free, so no Chinese visa office in Mongolia.
You can get a visa in Seoul though and there are cheap flights from Mongolia to Korea, so you can stop there en route to Mongolia and get a visa sorted if you haven’t already. My friends did this, and it worked out well for them. I am a big fan of crossing borders without using flights and it makes for a cool adventure! For a bit more background information for this adventure, the Trans-Siberian Railway goes from Moscow in the west to Vladivostok on Russia’s east coast and the Sea of Japan. An offshoot from the Trans-Siberian Railway is the Trans-Mongolian Railway, which heads north-south through Mongolia, via Mongolia’s capital city of Ulaanbaatar, into China and terminating in Beijing.
You can also get a train from Ulaanbaatar into Russia (again, subject to having the correct visa). I’ve not met anyone who went from Mongolia to Russia by train, but I did meet a Frenchman in Ulaanbaatar who had hitchhiked from Paris to Moscow and then took a train from there to Mongolia. What a badass!
I hope that you have found this free Destination Guide useful. It took a lot of time and travel for me to make this, so if you would like to show your thanks by sending a small donation, I would be very grateful. This can be done on my Support Me page. Thank you!
Happy travels!
Andy Argo
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Title image: Central Mongolia. The horses came over to say hello as I was packing up my tent during a solo motorbike/camping trip. They got pretty close, almost within reach, but then one got spooked, and then they all got startled and ran away. What a beautiful way to start the day though!