Singing dunes, wild horses back on the steppe and eagle hunters in the Altai
Country Overview
Singing dunes, wild horses back on the steppe and eagle hunters in the Altai
Mongolia is more than twice the size of Texas and home to about 3.6 million people, half of them in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, which leaves the rest of the country among the emptiest places on Earth. In the south, the Gobi spreads into singing dunes, red fossil cliffs and gravel plains crossed by Bactrian camels. The north holds the larch forests and deep, clear water of Khövsgöl, where Dukha families herd reindeer in the taiga, while the glaciated Altai Mountains of the far west are home to Kazakh eagle hunters. Between them, the grasslands of the Khangai and the eastern steppe carry herding families, their horses and flocks, and more than two million migrating gazelles. Przewalski's horses, extinct in the wild by the late 1960s, have been returned to three sites since 1992, and about a fifth of the country is now protected, with a goal of 30 percent by 2030.
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Experiences
Thirty experiences across the country, from the Gobi to the Altai.
Sleep in a felt ger beside a herding family and share the day's work, from milking to moving the flock. Rural Mongolia still runs on about 58 million head of livestock.
Travel by horse between river valleys and summer pastures in central Mongolia, where horses outnumber people and riding is still everyday transport for herders.
Try buuz dumplings, fried khuushuur, khorkhog cooked with hot stones, and airag, the lightly fermented mare's milk made in summer camps across the countryside.
Hike among granite outcrops such as Turtle Rock and through the forested valleys of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, an easy first taste of the countryside from Ulaanbaatar.
Visit family homes during Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year in late winter, when relatives exchange greetings, share buuz and mark the turn of the season.
Climb the dunes of Khongoryn Els, a belt of sand about 100 kilometres long in Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, where the tallest crests reach around 300 metres and hum in the wind.
Walk the narrow gorge of Yolyn Am in the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains, named for the lammergeier. Its winter ice field lingers into spring before melting by early summer.
Stand at the red sandstone cliffs of Bayanzag, where a 1923 American Museum of Natural History expedition found the first dinosaur egg nests recognised by science.
Travel by two-humped camel with a herding family across the southern Gobi, the heart of Mongolia's camel country.
Walk the eroded, banded cliffs of Tsagaan Suvarga, an ancient sea bed whose white, pink and orange layers glow at sunset on the road south.
Ride or paddle along Khövsgöl, a lake 136 kilometres long and 262 metres deep near the Russian border, holding about 70 percent of Mongolia's surface fresh water.
Ride into the taiga to meet Dukha reindeer herders, on community-arranged visits that pay families directly and keep clear of the spring calving season.
Climb the rim of Khorgo, an extinct volcano beside Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake in Arkhangai, where lava fields and larch forest meet a freshwater lake used by herders.
Soak in open-air pools fed by natural hot springs in the forested hills of Arkhangai, a welcome rest between the Orkhon Valley and the northern lakes.
Hike to the rim of Uran Togoo, an extinct volcano in Bulgan province, with views over forest and steppe on the road north to Khövsgöl.
Watch Kazakh eagle hunters compete with trained golden eagles near Ölgii each October, at a festival first held in 1999 to keep the tradition alive.
Stay with a Kazakh family in Bayan-Ölgii and learn how golden eagles are trained, flown and cared for, a practice UNESCO recognises as living heritage.
Hike to Mongolia's largest glacier beneath the five peaks of Tavan Bogd, in Altai Tavan Bogd National Park where Mongolia meets China and Russia.
Attempt Khüiten, Mongolia's highest summit at about 4,374 metres, a glaciated climb for experienced mountaineers supported by local Kazakh crews in summer.
See thousands of rock carvings of hunters, horses and wild animals at the Petroglyphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.
Watch Przewalski's horses, extinct in the wild by the late 1960s, grazing freely in Hustai National Park, where their return to Mongolia began in 1992.
Join researchers in the Tost Mountains, site of a long-term snow leopard study, in a country home to around 950 adult snow leopards. Sightings are rare and never promised.
Look for herds of Mongolian gazelles on the eastern steppe, where a 2024 survey counted more than two million animals moving across unfenced grassland.
Travel to Great Gobi B in the far southwest, where takhi were returned to the land of their last wild sighting and now share the desert steppe with wild asses.
Watch for saker falcons, cinereous vultures, demoiselle cranes and lammergeiers on routes that link steppe wetlands, Gobi mountains and forested lakeshores.
Join the national Naadam in July as wrestlers, child jockeys and archers compete in the three traditional sports, a festival on UNESCO's list of intangible heritage since 2010.
Walk the walls of Erdene Zuu, founded in 1585 beside the ruins of Karakorum, capital of the 13th-century Mongol Empire, in the UNESCO-listed Orkhon Valley.
Hike through forest to Tövkhön, the mountaintop hermitage founded by the monk and artist Zanabazar in 1648, high above the Orkhon Valley.
Visit Gandan Monastery and the Chinggis Khaan National Museum in Ulaanbaatar, then the Bogd Khan Palace, home of Mongolia's last monarch.
Hear khöömei throat singing and the two-string morin khuur, both recognised by UNESCO, performed on stage in Ulaanbaatar or by herder musicians in the countryside.
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Locations
Selenge, Mongolia
Amarbayasgalant Monastery is an 18th-century Buddhist monastery in northern Mongolia's Iven valley, built by a Qing emperor in memory of Zanabazar. Its 28 surviving temples stand in a walled compound at the foot of…
Bayan-Ölgii, Mongolia
Ölgii is the capital of Bayan-Ölgii, Mongolia's only Kazakh-majority province, set at 1,710 metres on the Khovd River below the Altai. Kazakh is the language of the street, the call to prayer carries from…
South Gobi, Mongolia
Mongolia's South Gobi is a land of gravel plains, bare ranges and singing dunes, where the first recognised dinosaur nests were found in 1923. Most journeys centre on Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, some 27,000…
Töv, Mongolia
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park is Ulaanbaatar's nearest wild country: granite tors, larch forest and river meadows under two hours from the capital. Protected since 1993 and covering about 2,900 square kilometres, the park runs north…
Töv, Mongolia
Hustai National Park, 100 kilometres west of Ulaanbaatar, is where Przewalski's horse, the takhi, was returned to the Mongolian steppe from 1992. Eighty-four horses bred in Dutch and German semi-reserves were flown here between…
Khövsgöl, Mongolia
Khövsgöl Lake fills a 136-kilometre rift valley in northern Mongolia and holds about 70 percent of the country's fresh water. Mongolians call it Dalai Eej, Mother Sea. Larch forest runs down to shingle beaches…
Övörkhangai, Mongolia
Kharkhorin, on the Orkhon River in central Mongolia, stands beside the ruins of Karakorum, the 13th-century capital of the Mongol Empire. Its stones went into Erdene Zuu, generally regarded as Mongolia's oldest surviving monastery,…
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar sits at about 1,350 metres in the valley of the Tuul River, beneath Bogd Khan Mountain, a sacred peak protected since 1778. It began in 1639 as Örgöö, a monastic camp that moved…
Plan Your Journey
Every season reveals a different face of the country. Here’s how to find yours.
January
Good8 places to go in January
Winter
The traditional hunting season, when eagles are flown at foxes over the snow. Skies are usually clear and the cold is extreme, so it suits well-equipped travellers.
Winter
Severe cold and light snow. The monastery stays active, but most temples are locked, and the trip suits only well-equipped travellers with an experienced driver.
Winter
Bitterly cold, with nights far below freezing and few camps open. The Thousand Camel Festival in early March rewards well-prepared travellers with races and pageants in the snow.
Winter
Snow, frozen rivers and still, clear days suit dog sledding and winter walks. January highs sit well below freezing, and only a few camps stay open.
Winter
Very cold but dry and bright, with a thin snow cover. The park stays open, and takhi and red deer stand out against the snow, but the access track can be difficult.
Winter
The lake freezes from late November and stays locked in ice. Days are dry, bright and bitterly cold, and early March brings the Ice Festival at Khatgal.
Winter
Snow is light but the cold is deep, most ger camps close and Erdene Zuu opens on weekdays only. The valley is quiet and the monasteries have few visitors.
Winter
Long, bitterly cold and sunny, with January averaging about -6°F and record lows below -40°F. From December to February coal smoke brings heavy smog. Winter suits travellers coming for Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year, or for frozen landscapes and winter herding life.
February
Good8 places to go in February
Winter
The traditional hunting season, when eagles are flown at foxes over the snow. Skies are usually clear and the cold is extreme, so it suits well-equipped travellers.
Winter
Severe cold and light snow. The monastery stays active, but most temples are locked, and the trip suits only well-equipped travellers with an experienced driver.
Winter
Bitterly cold, with nights far below freezing and few camps open. The Thousand Camel Festival in early March rewards well-prepared travellers with races and pageants in the snow.
Winter
Snow, frozen rivers and still, clear days suit dog sledding and winter walks. January highs sit well below freezing, and only a few camps stay open.
Winter
Very cold but dry and bright, with a thin snow cover. The park stays open, and takhi and red deer stand out against the snow, but the access track can be difficult.
Winter
The lake freezes from late November and stays locked in ice. Days are dry, bright and bitterly cold, and early March brings the Ice Festival at Khatgal.
Winter
Snow is light but the cold is deep, most ger camps close and Erdene Zuu opens on weekdays only. The valley is quiet and the monasteries have few visitors.
Winter
Long, bitterly cold and sunny, with January averaging about -6°F and record lows below -40°F. From December to February coal smoke brings heavy smog. Winter suits travellers coming for Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year, or for frozen landscapes and winter herding life.
March
Shoulder8 places to go in March
Winter
Severe cold and light snow. The monastery stays active, but most temples are locked, and the trip suits only well-equipped travellers with an experienced driver.
Spring
Nauryz on 22 March brings a parade and family feasts to Ölgii. Weather swings from wintry to mild, and wind and dust are common by May.
Winter
Bitterly cold, with nights far below freezing and few camps open. The Thousand Camel Festival in early March rewards well-prepared travellers with races and pageants in the snow.
Winter
Snow, frozen rivers and still, clear days suit dog sledding and winter walks. January highs sit well below freezing, and only a few camps stay open.
Winter
Very cold but dry and bright, with a thin snow cover. The park stays open, and takhi and red deer stand out against the snow, but the access track can be difficult.
Winter
The lake freezes from late November and stays locked in ice. Days are dry, bright and bitterly cold, and early March brings the Ice Festival at Khatgal.
Winter
Snow is light but the cold is deep, most ger camps close and Erdene Zuu opens on weekdays only. The valley is quiet and the monasteries have few visitors.
Winter
Long, bitterly cold and sunny, with January averaging about -6°F and record lows below -40°F. From December to February coal smoke brings heavy smog. Winter suits travellers coming for Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year, or for frozen landscapes and winter herding life.
April
Shoulder8 places to go in April
Spring
The valley thaws slowly and winds can be strong. Late May brings new grass and young livestock, though many ger camps open only towards June.
Spring
Nauryz on 22 March brings a parade and family feasts to Ölgii. Weather swings from wintry to mild, and wind and dust are common by May.
Spring
Days warm quickly and wildlife is active, but this is the windiest season. Dust storms can blot out the horizon and make driving unpleasant.
Spring
Days warm quickly, but winds are strong and the grass is still brown. Ticks are most active from spring into early summer.
Spring
The steppe greens slowly and winds are strong, with dust storms common. Foaling usually begins in May, and the camp opens for the season.
Spring
The ice breaks up slowly and often lasts into May, so there is neither sledging nor boating, and winds can be strong. Fishing is closed nationally from April to mid-June.
Spring
Days warm quickly, but spring is windy and dusty and the pastures are still brown. Visitors are few, though the waterfall may be low before the summer rains.
Spring and Late Autumn
Dry, bright and often windy, with dust in spring and cold nights at both ends. Some ger camps outside the city open late and close early, but the city's museums and monasteries are quiet.
May
Shoulder8 places to go in May
Spring
The valley thaws slowly and winds can be strong. Late May brings new grass and young livestock, though many ger camps open only towards June.
Spring
Nauryz on 22 March brings a parade and family feasts to Ölgii. Weather swings from wintry to mild, and wind and dust are common by May.
Spring
Days warm quickly and wildlife is active, but this is the windiest season. Dust storms can blot out the horizon and make driving unpleasant.
Spring
Days warm quickly, but winds are strong and the grass is still brown. Ticks are most active from spring into early summer.
Spring
The steppe greens slowly and winds are strong, with dust storms common. Foaling usually begins in May, and the camp opens for the season.
Spring
The ice breaks up slowly and often lasts into May, so there is neither sledging nor boating, and winds can be strong. Fishing is closed nationally from April to mid-June.
Spring
Days warm quickly, but spring is windy and dusty and the pastures are still brown. Visitors are few, though the waterfall may be low before the summer rains.
Spring and Late Autumn
Dry, bright and often windy, with dust in spring and cold nights at both ends. Some ger camps outside the city open late and close early, but the city's museums and monasteries are quiet.
June
Peak8 places to go in June
Summer
The green season, when herders are on their summer pastures and the Gongor Bumba ceremonies are held. July is the wettest month, and afternoon showers can turn the dirt track to mud.
Summer
The warmest and busiest months, when every ger camp is open and the steppe greens after rain. Afternoons on the dunes can be hot, so climb early or late. Brief storms are possible, especially in July and August.
Summer
The valleys are green and full of flowers, and riding and trekking are at their best. Afternoon showers are common in July and August, and summer weekends and Naadam bring crowds from the capital.
Summer
The warmest and wettest months, with most rain in short afternoon showers and the steppe at its greenest and full of flowers. Young foals are with the harems, and marmots and raptors are busy.
Summer
Meadows turn green and the camps, boats and horse treks all run. This is the wettest period, with afternoon showers common in July, and the lakeshore stays cooler than Mörön, with chilly nights.
Summer
The valley is at its greenest, herders are in their summer camps and the waterfall runs fullest after the rains. Afternoon storms are common in July and August.
Summer
Warm days, cool nights and the green of the surrounding hills. Most of the year's rain falls in July and August, usually as short afternoon showers. Naadam opens on 11 July, when the city is at its busiest, and this is the season for day trips to Terelj and Hustai.
Summer
The warmest and greenest months, when herders move to high pastures and gers are easy to visit. Afternoon showers are the main weather risk, and it is the best season to combine Ölgii with the national park.
July
Peak8 places to go in July
Summer
The green season, when herders are on their summer pastures and the Gongor Bumba ceremonies are held. July is the wettest month, and afternoon showers can turn the dirt track to mud.
Summer
The warmest and busiest months, when every ger camp is open and the steppe greens after rain. Afternoons on the dunes can be hot, so climb early or late. Brief storms are possible, especially in July and August.
Summer
The valleys are green and full of flowers, and riding and trekking are at their best. Afternoon showers are common in July and August, and summer weekends and Naadam bring crowds from the capital.
Summer
The warmest and wettest months, with most rain in short afternoon showers and the steppe at its greenest and full of flowers. Young foals are with the harems, and marmots and raptors are busy.
Summer
Meadows turn green and the camps, boats and horse treks all run. This is the wettest period, with afternoon showers common in July, and the lakeshore stays cooler than Mörön, with chilly nights.
Summer
The valley is at its greenest, herders are in their summer camps and the waterfall runs fullest after the rains. Afternoon storms are common in July and August.
Summer
Warm days, cool nights and the green of the surrounding hills. Most of the year's rain falls in July and August, usually as short afternoon showers. Naadam opens on 11 July, when the city is at its busiest, and this is the season for day trips to Terelj and Hustai.
Summer
The warmest and greenest months, when herders move to high pastures and gers are easy to visit. Afternoon showers are the main weather risk, and it is the best season to combine Ölgii with the national park.
August
Peak8 places to go in August
Summer
The green season, when herders are on their summer pastures and the Gongor Bumba ceremonies are held. July is the wettest month, and afternoon showers can turn the dirt track to mud.
Summer
The warmest and busiest months, when every ger camp is open and the steppe greens after rain. Afternoons on the dunes can be hot, so climb early or late. Brief storms are possible, especially in July and August.
Summer
The valleys are green and full of flowers, and riding and trekking are at their best. Afternoon showers are common in July and August, and summer weekends and Naadam bring crowds from the capital.
Summer
The warmest and wettest months, with most rain in short afternoon showers and the steppe at its greenest and full of flowers. Young foals are with the harems, and marmots and raptors are busy.
Summer
Meadows turn green and the camps, boats and horse treks all run. This is the wettest period, with afternoon showers common in July, and the lakeshore stays cooler than Mörön, with chilly nights.
Summer
The valley is at its greenest, herders are in their summer camps and the waterfall runs fullest after the rains. Afternoon storms are common in July and August.
Summer
Warm days, cool nights and the green of the surrounding hills. Most of the year's rain falls in July and August, usually as short afternoon showers. Naadam opens on 11 July, when the city is at its busiest, and this is the season for day trips to Terelj and Hustai.
Summer
The warmest and greenest months, when herders move to high pastures and gers are easy to visit. Afternoon showers are the main weather risk, and it is the best season to combine Ölgii with the national park.
September
Peak8 places to go in September
Autumn
Eagle-festival season, with the main Golden Eagle Festival on the first weekend of October and smaller events through September. Days are often clear and dry, but nights drop below freezing by October.
Autumn
September brings clear, settled days, turning leaves and fewer visitors. By late October nights are well below freezing and some camps have closed.
Autumn
Calm, dry air, clear skies and fewer visitors make September a fine month for photography and hiking. By late October nights fall below freezing and some camps close.
Autumn
The larch forests turn gold in September, skies clear and the camps grow quiet. The first frosts and snow arrive in October, when many camps close.
Autumn
Clear, settled days and golden birch on the northern slopes. Red deer rut in September, harems are easy to find at dusk, and nights drop below freezing by October.
Autumn
The larch forests turn gold in September and visitor numbers fall. Camps begin closing by late September, and the first snow can arrive in October.
Autumn
Mostly dry, clear days and golden larch on the Khangai slopes make this a fine time to walk to Tövkhön. Nights fall below freezing by late September, and some camps close in October.
Early Autumn
The crowds thin after August and the larch forests on Bogd Khan Uul and in Terelj turn gold. Days are clear and comfortable, but nights fall toward freezing by the end of the month.
October
Peak8 places to go in October
Autumn
Eagle-festival season, with the main Golden Eagle Festival on the first weekend of October and smaller events through September. Days are often clear and dry, but nights drop below freezing by October.
Autumn
September brings clear, settled days, turning leaves and fewer visitors. By late October nights are well below freezing and some camps have closed.
Autumn
Calm, dry air, clear skies and fewer visitors make September a fine month for photography and hiking. By late October nights fall below freezing and some camps close.
Autumn
The larch forests turn gold in September, skies clear and the camps grow quiet. The first frosts and snow arrive in October, when many camps close.
Autumn
Clear, settled days and golden birch on the northern slopes. Red deer rut in September, harems are easy to find at dusk, and nights drop below freezing by October.
Autumn
The larch forests turn gold in September and visitor numbers fall. Camps begin closing by late September, and the first snow can arrive in October.
Autumn
Mostly dry, clear days and golden larch on the Khangai slopes make this a fine time to walk to Tövkhön. Nights fall below freezing by late September, and some camps close in October.
Spring and Late Autumn
Dry, bright and often windy, with dust in spring and cold nights at both ends. Some ger camps outside the city open late and close early, but the city's museums and monasteries are quiet.
November
Good8 places to go in November
Winter
The traditional hunting season, when eagles are flown at foxes over the snow. Skies are usually clear and the cold is extreme, so it suits well-equipped travellers.
Winter
Severe cold and light snow. The monastery stays active, but most temples are locked, and the trip suits only well-equipped travellers with an experienced driver.
Winter
Bitterly cold, with nights far below freezing and few camps open. The Thousand Camel Festival in early March rewards well-prepared travellers with races and pageants in the snow.
Winter
Snow, frozen rivers and still, clear days suit dog sledding and winter walks. January highs sit well below freezing, and only a few camps stay open.
Winter
Very cold but dry and bright, with a thin snow cover. The park stays open, and takhi and red deer stand out against the snow, but the access track can be difficult.
Winter
The lake freezes from late November and stays locked in ice. Days are dry, bright and bitterly cold, and early March brings the Ice Festival at Khatgal.
Winter
Snow is light but the cold is deep, most ger camps close and Erdene Zuu opens on weekdays only. The valley is quiet and the monasteries have few visitors.
Winter
Long, bitterly cold and sunny, with January averaging about -6°F and record lows below -40°F. From December to February coal smoke brings heavy smog. Winter suits travellers coming for Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year, or for frozen landscapes and winter herding life.
December
Good8 places to go in December
Winter
The traditional hunting season, when eagles are flown at foxes over the snow. Skies are usually clear and the cold is extreme, so it suits well-equipped travellers.
Winter
Severe cold and light snow. The monastery stays active, but most temples are locked, and the trip suits only well-equipped travellers with an experienced driver.
Winter
Bitterly cold, with nights far below freezing and few camps open. The Thousand Camel Festival in early March rewards well-prepared travellers with races and pageants in the snow.
Winter
Snow, frozen rivers and still, clear days suit dog sledding and winter walks. January highs sit well below freezing, and only a few camps stay open.
Winter
Very cold but dry and bright, with a thin snow cover. The park stays open, and takhi and red deer stand out against the snow, but the access track can be difficult.
Winter
The lake freezes from late November and stays locked in ice. Days are dry, bright and bitterly cold, and early March brings the Ice Festival at Khatgal.
Winter
Snow is light but the cold is deep, most ger camps close and Erdene Zuu opens on weekdays only. The valley is quiet and the monasteries have few visitors.
Winter
Long, bitterly cold and sunny, with January averaging about -6°F and record lows below -40°F. From December to February coal smoke brings heavy smog. Winter suits travellers coming for Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year, or for frozen landscapes and winter herding life.
Flora & Fauna
Panthera uncia
Resident above the treeline across the Tien Shan. Tracks are far more likely than a sighting; the Song-Köl basin holds a small, monitored population.
Aquila chrysaetos
Still hunted with by Kyrgyz berkutchi. Wild birds patrol the valley thermals through the middle of the day.
Capra sibirica
The largest ibex species, with males carrying curved horns up to 130cm. Common in suitable high-altitude habitat throughout northern Pakistan.
Gypaetus barbatus
Massive raptor with nearly 3-meter wingspan, specializing in bones dropped from height to access marrow other scavengers cannot reach.
Ovis ammon
The largest wild sheep in the world. Rams carry horns to 1.6 metres and are seen on the high ridges above the summer pastures.
Grus virgo
Breeds on the wet meadows around Song-Köl through the short summer, leaving for the Indian subcontinent by September.
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