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Horses on the Mongolian steppe

Travel guide · Endless steppe, the Gobi and nomadic life

Travelling to Mongolia

The endless steppe, the dunes of the Gobi Desert, Lake Khövsgöl, Buddhist monasteries and nights in a ger with nomadic families. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from April to October
  • Where to eat: a ger or a Mongolian restaurant
Photo: Marcin Konsek · CC BY-SA 4.0

Mongolia in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Mongolia are from April to October. If you can, avoid from November to March (extreme winter).
  • To eat like a local: a ger or a Mongolian restaurant. Don’t leave without trying: Buuz, Khuushuur, Khorkhog.

Mongolia in November

It's not the best time: extreme winter. The months with the fewest warnings are from April to October. The best time is June to September, with Naadam in July.

  • November

    Extreme winter

    Temperatures of –30 °C or lower; many ger camps close.

    What to do: The best time is June to September, with Naadam in July.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Mongolia

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Mongolia are from April to October. If you can, avoid from November to March (extreme winter).

  1. Jan with strong warnings
  2. Feb with strong warnings
  3. Mar with strong warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov with strong warnings
  12. Dec with strong warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in April · where to travel in May · where to travel in June · where to travel in July

  • from November to March

    Extreme winter

    Temperatures of –30 °C or lower; many ger camps close.

    What to do: The best time is June to September, with Naadam in July.

What to see in Mongolia

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Ulaanbaatar

    Ulaanbaatar

    The capital, with Gandan Monastery, Genghis Khan Square and dinosaur museums.

    • Gandan Monastery
    • Sükhbaatar Square
    • National Museum
    • Bogd Khan Palace
    Ulaanbaatar guide
  • Gobi Desert

    Gobi Desert

    Singing dunes, cliffs full of dinosaur fossils and a canyon of ice.

    • Khongoryn Els dunes
    • Bayanzag
    • Yolyn Am Valley
    • Tsagaan Suvarga
    Gobi Desert guide
  • Lake Khövsgöl

    Lake Khövsgöl

    Lake Baikal’s “little brother”, a crystal-clear lake among forests, with reindeer herders.

    • The lake
    • Tsaatan reindeer herders
    • Horse riding
    • Khatgal
    Lake Khövsgöl guide
  • Karakorum

    Karakorum

    The old capital of the Mongol Empire, with Erdene Zuu Monastery.

    • Erdene Zuu Monastery
    • Karakorum Museum
    • Stone turtles
    • Orkhon Valley
    Karakorum guide
  • Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

    Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

    Rocky mountains and green meadows an hour from Ulaanbaatar, for a night in a ger.

    • Turtle Rock
    • Aryabal Monastery
    • Horse riding
    • Ger camps
    Gorkhi-Terelj National Park guide
  • Orkhon Valley

    Orkhon Valley

    A valley of pastures and nomads, a World Heritage Site, with a great waterfall.

    • Orkhon Waterfall
    • Tövkhön Monastery
    • Nomadic families
    • Tsenkher Hot Springs
    Orkhon Valley guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Ulaanbaatar

From the Gobi Desert

From Lake Khövsgöl

From Karakorum

From Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

From the Orkhon Valley

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to eat in Mongolia

To eat like a local: a ger or a Mongolian restaurant, and order buuz or khuushuur. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Buuz

    Steamed meat dumplings.

  • Khuushuur

    Fried meat pasties.

  • Khorkhog

    Mutton cooked with hot stones.

  • Tsuivan

    Stir-fried noodles with meat.

  • Airag

    Fermented mare’s milk.

  • Suutei tsai

    Tea with milk and salt.

The typical dish of Mongolia, at home

Buuz
Photo: Аркадий Зарубин · CC BY-SA 3.0

Buuz

Steamed dumplings filled with lamb or beef, onion and garlic: Mongolia’s best-loved dish. Families make them by the hundred for Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year.

  • Serves 4
  • 1 h 30 min

Ingredients

  • 400 g flour
  • 200 ml water
  • 500 g minced lamb or beef, with some fat
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Cumin, salt and pepper
  • 50 ml cold water for the filling

How to make it at home

  1. Knead the flour with the water and a pinch of salt and leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Mix the meat with the onion, garlic, spices and cold water until it’s juicy.
  3. Shape the dough into small balls and roll them into 8 cm rounds, thinner at the edges.
  4. Put a spoonful of filling in the centre and pleat the edge around it, leaving a small hole at the top.
  5. Steam them for 20 minutes on baking paper or cabbage leaves.

The trick: They’re eaten with your hands, sipping the juice inside first.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Mongolia

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • It’s the most sparsely populated country in the world.
  • Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital in the world.
  • Genghis Khan founded the largest contiguous land empire in history.
  • There are more horses than people.
  • The first dinosaur eggs recognised as such were found in the Gobi.
  • Throat singing (khöömei) is part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Traditions of Mongolia

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • 11–13 July Naadam

    Wrestling, archery and horse racing.

  • January or February Tsagaan Sar

    The Mongolian Lunar New Year.

  • October Golden Eagle Festival

    Kazakh eagle hunters in the west.

  • Khöömei

    Throat singing.

What not to do in Mongolia

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t step on the threshold of a ger when you go in.
  • Don’t turn down food or tea when it’s offered: have at least a little.
  • Don’t whistle inside a ger.
  • Don’t head into the countryside without an experienced driver or guide.
  • Don’t underestimate the cold: even in summer the nights are chilly.
  • Don’t forget travel insurance: here it’s essential.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Mongolia

What people search for most before travelling to Mongolia.

What’s the best time to travel to Mongolia?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Mongolia are from April to October. If you can, avoid from November to March (extreme winter).

What to see in Mongolia in a week?

The essentials of Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar, Gobi Desert, Lake Khövsgöl, Karakorum and Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Mongolia?

Buuz, Khuushuur, Khorkhog, Tsuivan, Airag, Suutei tsai. To eat like a local: a ger or a Mongolian restaurant.

What is the typical dish of Mongolia?

Buuz. Steamed dumplings filled with lamb or beef, onion and garlic: Mongolia’s best-loved dish. Families make them by the hundred for Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year.

What should you not do in Mongolia?

Don’t step on the threshold of a ger when you go in. Don’t turn down food or tea when it’s offered: have at least a little. Don’t whistle inside a ger.

Is it worth travelling to Mongolia in November?

It's not the best time: extreme winter. The months with the fewest warnings are from April to October. The best time is June to September, with Naadam in July.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Marcin Konsek (CC BY-SA 4.0). Ulaanbaatar, Zazaa Mongolia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Gobi Desert, Bernard Gagnon (CC0). Lake Khövsgöl, Yaan (CC BY-SA 3.0). Karakorum, Bernard Gagnon (CC0). Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, Marcin Konsek (CC BY-SA 4.0). Orkhon Valley, He-ba-mue (CC BY-SA 2.5).