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Destination guide

Mongolia trip planner

Endless steppe, nomad culture, and star-filled skies in the world's least crowded country.

Mongolia is vast, empty, and deeply freeing. Sleep in a ger with a nomad family, ride horses across the steppe, and watch the stars from the Gobi Desert. It's rugged travel, but the silence and scale are unmatched.

Canonical: https://haienaplan.com/destinations/mongolia

Best time to visit

Jun–Aug (Naadam festival, mild weather); Sep for golden landscapes

Currency

Mongolian Tögrög (MNT)

Language

Mongolian

Top experiences in Mongolia

Gobi Desert

Khongoryn Els singing dunes, Flaming Cliffs, and desert eagles.

Terelj National Park

Granite hills, turtle rock, and a short ger-stay from Ulaanbaatar.

Khövsgöl Lake

The 'Blue Pearl' — a freshwater lake surrounded by taiga forest.

Naadam festival

Traditional wrestling, horse racing, and archery across the country.

Average temperatures in Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar — extreme continental.

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High-15° / 5°F-11° / 12°F-1° / 30°F9° / 48°F17° / 63°F22° / 72°F23° / 73°F21° / 70°F15° / 59°F6° / 43°F-6° / 21°F-14° / 7°F
Low-25° / -13°F-22° / -8°F-13° / 9°F-4° / 25°F3° / 37°F9° / 48°F12° / 54°F10° / 50°F4° / 39°F-4° / 25°F-14° / 7°F-22° / -8°F

Temperatures shown in °C (with °F). Averages based on long-term climate normals for the country's main hub.

Sample itinerary

  1. Day 1: Ulaanbaatar — Gandan Monastery, National Museum, and a welcome dinner.
  2. Days 2–3: Terelj National Park — ger stay, horse riding, and Ariyabal Temple.
  3. Days 4–7: Gobi Desert tour — dunes, Flaming Cliffs, and nomad camps.
  4. Days 8–9: Return via Kharkhorin and Erdene Zuu Monastery.
  5. Day 10: Back to Ulaanbaatar for cashmere shopping and departure.

Foods to try

BuuzKhuushuurTsuivanBoodogAiragSuutei tsaiMongolian BBQ

Travel tips

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