Stay with a nomadic family in a traditional ger
Felt-walled round tents that Mongolian herders have used for centuries, arranged through guides for a night or more of genuine countryside hospitality.
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Central Asia
Things to do in Mongolia
Endless steppe under an enormous sky, nomadic herding families who still live much as their ancestors did, and a horse culture at the very center of national identity.
Explore Mongolia on the map →Budget$
Best for10-14 days
CapitalUlaanbaatar
VisaVisa-free entry for up to 30 days for citizens of 34 countries under an extended exemption through the end of 2026, including most of Europe; US and Canadian citizens remain visa-free under separate long-standing arrangements.
CurrencyMongolian tögrög (MNT)
LanguagesMongolian (Khalkha)
InternetGood in Ulaanbaatar, essentially unavailable in rural steppe and Gobi regions
Typical lodging$15–$45/night
Driving sideRight
Power & voltage220V / 50Hz (Type C/E plug)
Time zoneUTC+7 to UTC+8
Emergency number112
Dialing code+976
★★★★★ Adventure★★★★★ Photography★★★★★ Wildlife
Visa rules and emergency numbers can change without notice. Confirm the specifics for your nationality and dates before you travel.
Travel smart
Bottled water recommended. Not customary. Rounding up is fine.
Mongolia has one of the lowest population densities of any country on Earth, and roughly a quarter of its population still lives a nomadic or semi-nomadic herding lifestyle, moving gers (yurts) seasonally with their livestock. It's also the birthplace of Genghis Khan, whose 13th-century empire became the largest contiguous land empire in history, a legacy still central to national identity.
When to go
SpringApril–May
Cold and windy with dust storms possible: a transitional, less popular season for travel.
SummerJune–August
The best window by far: warm days, green steppe, and the Naadam festival in July, Mongolia's biggest national celebration.
AutumnSeptember–October
Cooling fast with golden steppe landscapes, still workable for travel before winter sets in hard.
WinterNovember–March
Brutally cold, often below -20°C, though the Golden Eagle Festival and genuine Siberian-style winter scenery draw a small number of dedicated visitors.
20 things to do
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Culture & history
9Watch the Naadam Festival's wrestling, archery, and horse racing
Mongolia's 'three manly games' held nationwide each July, with Ulaanbaatar's opening ceremony and stadium events the most accessible for visitors.
See the giant Genghis Khan equestrian statue
A 40-metre stainless steel statue outside Ulaanbaatar, the largest equestrian statue in the world, with an observation deck in the horse's head.
Attend the Golden Eagle Festival
Kazakh eagle hunters in western Mongolia compete on horseback with trained golden eagles, a tradition passed down through generations.
Explore the ruins of Karakorum, the Mongol Empire's ancient capital
Founded by Genghis Khan's son in the 13th century, now a modest archaeological site alongside the active Erdene Zuu Monastery.
Milk a yak or help with herding chores
Homestay hosts often welcome curious visitors to try their hand at daily herding and dairy-processing tasks, a genuine (if humbling) hands-on experience.
Visit Gandantegchinlen Monastery in Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia's largest working Buddhist monastery, home to a 26-metre gilded statue of Avalokiteshvara rebuilt after Soviet-era destruction.
Explore Ulaanbaatar's Sükhbaatar Square and museums
The capital's central square, flanked by the National Museum of Mongolia covering everything from Bronze Age artifacts to Soviet-era history.
Watch traditional Mongolian throat singing (khöömii)
A distinctive vocal technique producing multiple pitches simultaneously, performed at cultural shows in Ulaanbaatar and occasionally by herders in the countryside.
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Adventure & outdoors
3Ride horses across the open steppe
Horsemanship is central to Mongolian identity, and multi-day riding treks let visitors cover the same open grassland traditionally used for herding.
Trek in the Altai Mountains near Bayan-Ölgii
Mongolia's western reaches, home to the ethnic Kazakh minority and dramatic glaciated peaks, with multi-day trekking routes far from tourist crowds.
Ride a camel across the Gobi Desert
Bactrian (two-humped) camels, native to the region, remain a practical way to cross sandy terrain that vehicles struggle with.
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Nature & scenery
6Explore the singing sand dunes of Khongoryn Els
Towering Gobi Desert dunes that produce a low humming sound when sand shifts, climbable for a sunset view over the surrounding desert.
Visit the flaming cliffs of Bayanzag
Red sandstone formations in the Gobi where the first dinosaur eggs were scientifically discovered in the 1920s, still an active paleontological site.
Camp beneath the stars in the Gobi Desert
Minimal light pollution and vast open horizons make the Gobi one of the best stargazing locations reachable on an organized overland trip.
Drive the vast open steppe of central Mongolia
Rolling grassland stretching to the horizon in every direction, best experienced slowly with stops at herder camps along the way rather than as pure transit.
Visit Lake Khövsgöl in Mongolia's north
One of the world's oldest and clearest freshwater lakes, ringed by taiga forest and reindeer-herding Tsaatan communities further north.
Visit the Yolyn Am ice canyon in the Gobi
A narrow gorge that holds ice well into summer despite the surrounding desert heat, with a short hike in past marmots and occasional ibex.
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Food & drink
2Eat khorkhog, Mongolian barbecue cooked with hot stones
Meat and vegetables cooked in a sealed pot with fire-heated stones, a traditional celebratory dish often prepared for visiting guests.
Try airag, fermented mare's milk
A mildly alcoholic staple of the nomadic diet, offered as a traditional gesture of hospitality to guests at almost any ger camp.
Common questions
▾Do I need a visa for Mongolia?
Citizens of 34 countries, including most of Europe, currently enjoy a visa-free 30-day exemption extended through the end of 2026; US and Canadian citizens remain visa-free under separate arrangements. Check your specific nationality's current status before booking, since some nations are transitioning to e-visa requirements.
▾Is a guide necessary to travel Mongolia's countryside?
Strongly recommended for most visitors: roads outside Ulaanbaatar are often unpaved tracks across open steppe with minimal signage, and a driver-guide familiar with the terrain and nomadic families makes the experience both safer and more meaningful.
▾What's it like staying with a nomadic family?
Ger camps and homestays let you experience herding life directly: sleeping in a traditional felt tent, eating dairy products made on-site, and sometimes helping with daily herding tasks, arranged respectfully through a local guide or operator.
▾When is Naadam and is it worth planning a trip around?
Naadam runs July 11-13 nationally, featuring the 'three manly games' of wrestling, horse racing, and archery, Ulaanbaatar's main festival is the most accessible, though smaller local Naadams happen in towns countrywide around the same time.
▾How extreme is the Gobi Desert climate?
Genuinely extreme: summer days can exceed 40°C while nights drop sharply, and winter brings severe cold, so pack for a wide temperature range regardless of season.
▾How much does it cost to visit Gorkhi-Terelj National Park?
Entry is inexpensive by international standards, typically around MNT 3,000 (about $1) per person per day, though most visitors budget far more for the guided horseback, jeep or homestay experiences built around the park rather than the entry fee itself.