Asia
Mongolia
Endless steppe, Gobi sand dunes and nights in a nomad’s ger under more stars than you have ever seen.
Mongolia is one of the emptiest countries on earth, and there are hardly any paved roads beyond the capital. Most backpackers team up with others in an Ulaanbaatar hostel and share a jeep, a driver and a cook for a week or more.
The classic loop heads south to the dunes and canyons of the Gobi, then north to the old capital of Kharkhorin and the Orkhon Valley. With more time, carry on to the clear waters of Lake Khövsgöl near the Russian border.
Good to know
- Time zone
- GMT+8, GMT+7 in the far west
- Plugs
- Types C and E, 230V
- Emergency numbers
- 102 police, 103 ambulance, 101 fire
- Tap water
- Drink bottled or filtered
- Traffic drives on the
- Right
- Tipping
- Not traditionally expected, but tip your driver, guide and cook at the end of a tour, around 10% of the cost.
- SIM cards
- Mobicom and Unitel SIMs with a data pack cost about 15,000–30,000 tögrög, but coverage fades quickly once you leave the towns.
When to go to Mongolia
Best months to go: June to September. Pick a month to see what it’s like.
Bars show rainfall; numbers are the average daytime high. Amber marks the best months to go.
SeptemberBest time to go
Autumn colours and cold nights in the gers. Fewer people on the road.
- Daytime high
- 15°C
- Rainfall
- 25 mm
- Crowds
- Quiet
| Month | Daytime high | Rainfall | Crowds | Best time to go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -15°C | 2 mm | Quiet | No |
| February | -10°C | 2 mm | Quiet | No |
| March | -1°C | 4 mm | Quiet | No |
| April | 9°C | 8 mm | Quiet | No |
| May | 17°C | 15 mm | Quiet | No |
| June | 22°C | 50 mm | Busy | Yes |
| July | 24°C | 70 mm | Peak season | Yes |
| August | 22°C | 60 mm | Busy | Yes |
| September | 15°C | 25 mm | Quiet | Yes |
| October | 6°C | 7 mm | Quiet | No |
| November | -5°C | 4 mm | Quiet | No |
| December | -13°C | 3 mm | Quiet | No |
What Mongolia costs
Work out a budget for your trip, then check what everyday things cost.
$644for 14 days, about $46 a day (₮2,290,000 in total)
| Cost | Per day | For the trip | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | $10 | $140 | |
| Food and drink | $8 | $112 | |
| Getting around | $22 | $308 | |
| Things to do | $4 | $56 | |
| Everything else | $2 | $28 |
Per person, in US dollars. Flights and insurance not included.
What things cost
- Plate of buuz dumplings₮9,000, about $2.54
- Khuushuur (fried meat pastry)₮2,500, about $0.70
- Cup of milk tea₮2,000, about $0.56
- Bottle of local beer in a bar₮8,000, about $2.25
- Hostel dorm bed in Ulaanbaatar₮30,000, about $8.45
- Bus, Ulaanbaatar to Kharkhorin₮25,000, about $7.04
- Day on a shared jeep tour, all in₮200,000, about $56
Routes through Mongolia
Where to go and how long to stay, for the time you’ve got.
14 nights, 4 stops
A shared jeep tour to the Gobi and the old capital, with a few days either side in and around Ulaanbaatar.
Ulaanbaatar
3 nights
Gandan Monastery, the National Museum and finding a tour group at your hostel.
Terelj National Park
2 nights
Granite hills, horse riding and a first night in a ger.
Gobi Desert
6 nights
The White Stupa cliffs, the ice canyon of Yolyn Am and the singing dunes of Khongoryn Els.
Orkhon Valley and Kharkhorin
3 nights
Erdene Zuu Monastery, waterfalls and nomad families on the move.
Getting around
Jeep / 4x4
$50–70 a day per person on a shared tour
Russian vans and Land Cruisers are the only practical way to reach the Gobi and the lakes. The price usually covers the driver, fuel, food and a ger bed.
Bus
$7–25 to most provincial towns
Public buses leave Ulaanbaatar’s Dragon bus station for the aimag capitals. From there you need a local driver.
Flight
$100–200 one way
Domestic flights to Mörön, Dalanzadgad and Ölgii save days of driving but are often delayed.
Train
$15–60 depending on class
The Trans-Mongolian line runs north to Russia and south to China, with slow local trains in between.
What to eat and drink
Buuz
Steamed dumplings filled with mutton or beef, eaten by the dozen at Tsagaan Sar.
₮9,000, about $2.54
Khuushuur
Flat, fried pastries stuffed with minced mutton. The taste of Naadam.
₮2,500, about $0.70
Tsuivan
Hand-cut noodles fried with mutton and vegetables. A standard roadside lunch.
₮12,000, about $3.38
Khorkhog
Mutton cooked in a sealed churn with hot stones, usually made for guests out in the countryside.
Suutei tsai
Salty milk tea, offered the moment you step into a ger.
₮2,000, about $0.56
Airag
Fermented mare’s milk, slightly fizzy and sour. Summer only, and always offered.
₮3,000, about $0.85
Say it like a local
A few words go a long way. Tap “Hear it” to listen, where your browser can.
Hello
Сайн байна уу
Say it like: sain bain-oh
Thank you
Баярлалаа
Say it like: bai-yar-lal-aa
How much is it?
Үнэ хэд вэ?
Say it like: oo-neh khed veh
Delicious
Амттай
Say it like: amt-tai
No, I don’t need it
Хэрэггүй
Say it like: kheh-reg-gwee
Hold the dogs! (said on reaching a ger)
Нохой хорь!
Say it like: no-khoi khor
Cheers!
Эрүүл мэндийн төлөө!
Say it like: eh-rool men-deen tuh-luh
Goodbye
Баяртай
Say it like: bai-yar-tai
Questions travellers ask
How do I join a tour?
Most hostels in Ulaanbaatar run shared jeep tours and will match you with other travellers. Agree the route, the number of days and what is included in writing before you pay.
Can I travel on my own?
It is possible with public buses and hitchhiking, but distances are huge and there are no signposts in the countryside. Most people find a shared driver cheaper and far less stressful.
What should I know about staying in a ger?
Don’t step on the threshold, move clockwise inside and take anything offered with your right hand. Try a little of whatever you are given, even if you don’t finish it.
What about showers and toilets?
Out in the countryside, a toilet is usually a hole in the ground and showers come every few days at a tourist camp or hot spring. Bring wet wipes and a head torch.
Should I time my trip for Naadam?
The wrestling, archery and horse racing in July are brilliant, but beds and tours in Ulaanbaatar sell out and prices rise. Smaller local Naadams in the countryside are cheaper and more relaxed.