About Mongolia There is a moment, usually about an hour’s drive beyond Ulaanbaatar, when the last building disappears from your rear view mirror and you are left with something that is almost impossible to find anywhere else on Earth: true emptiness. Not desolation — emptiness with life in it. A hawk riding a thermal above the ridge. A family of five herding ten thousand animals across a valley with no fences. A sky so wide and blue the Mongolians call it the Munkh Tenger — the Eternal Blue Heaven.
Mongolia is the world’s most sparsely populated country, stretching 1.56 million square kilometres across the heart of Asia. It shares borders with Russia to the north and China to the south, east, and west, but feels like neither. It is a place entirely its own — shaped by centuries of nomadic culture, one of history’s greatest empires, and landscapes so varied they seem almost impossible to fit inside a single country.
Mongolia at a glance
| Capital | Ulaanbaatar (population ~1.6 million, nearly half the country’s population) |
| Official language | Mongolian, written in Cyrillic script |
| Currency | Mongolian Tögrög (MNT). $1 USD ≈ 3,550 MNT (2026) |
| Population | ~3.4 million — the world’s most sparsely populated country |
| Area | 1,564,116 km² (18th largest country in the world) |
| Climate | Continental — winters reach -40°C, summers up to +38°C in the Gobi |
| Best time to visit | June – September for most tours; March for Ice Festival; October for Eagle Festival |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (Ulaanbaatar); UTC+7 (western provinces) |
| Religion | Predominantly Tibetan Buddhism, with shamanic traditions in some regions |
| Government | Parliamentary republic since 1990 (transitioned from Soviet-era communism) |
Mongolia’s regions: where to go
The Gobi Desert — South
The Gobi is one of the world’s great deserts — but not in the way most people imagine. It is not a sea of sand. It is a vast, otherworldly landscape of gravel plains, red-rock canyons, hidden oases, and fossil beds that have yielded more dinosaur bones than almost anywhere on Earth.
- Khongoryn Els: The singing sand dunes — up to 300 metres high and 100km long — are the Gobi’s most iconic sight.
- Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs): The rust-red sandstone cliffs where American palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the first dinosaur eggs in the 1920s.
- Yolyn Am: A narrow ice-filled canyon deep in the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains — cool and shadowy even in midsummer.
- Bactrian camels: The two-humped camels of the Gobi are working animals for local families — and one of the world’s most photogenic subjects.
Central Mongolia — Steppe & History
Central Mongolia is the heartland — rolling grasslands, ancient capitals, and the monasteries that survived Soviet purges. This is where most first-time visitors begin.
- Kharkhorin (Karakorum): The ancient capital of the Mongol Empire, home to the extraordinary Erdene Zuu Monastery, built from the ruins of the old city.
- Orkhon Valley: A UNESCO World Heritage landscape of volcanic hot springs, waterfalls, and ruined monasteries stretching along the sacred Orkhon River.
- Terelj National Park: Just 70km from Ulaanbaatar — dramatic granite formations, hiking, horse riding, and ger camp stays within easy reach of the capital.
Northern Mongolia — Lakes & Taiga
Lake Khövsgöl — called the “Blue Pearl of Mongolia” — is one of Asia’s most pristine alpine lakes, holding 2% of the world’s freshwater. The surrounding taiga is home to the Tsaatan people, one of the last reindeer-herding cultures on Earth. Reaching the Tsaatan involves horse trekking or hiking into remote territory — an adventure that rewards the committed traveller with one of the most profound cultural encounters available anywhere in the world.
Western Mongolia — Altai & Eagle Hunters
The far west is Mongolia’s most dramatic and remote region. The Altai Mountains rise above 4,000 metres, glaciers glitter above valleys where Kazakh nomads herd their animals on horseback. This is eagle hunter territory — the Golden Eagle Festival in early October draws photographers from around the world to watch Kazakh hunters compete with their trained eagles. Reaching the west requires either a 2-hour domestic flight or a 2-day overland journey from Ulaanbaatar.
Nomadic culture: the heart of Mongolia
Nearly 45% of Mongolians live nomadically or semi-nomadically — moving their homes and herds with the seasons. This is not poverty or tradition for tradition’s sake. It is a sophisticated, millennia-refined system of land management that keeps the steppe healthy and the animals fed without permanently damaging the environment.
The ger — home on the steppe
The ger (known in the West as a yurt) is one of humanity’s most elegant inventions: a circular felt dwelling that can be erected in under an hour, withstands winds of 100km/h, and stays warm at -40°C with a small central stove. The circular layout is not arbitrary — it is a precise cosmological map. The north side holds the family altar; the south faces the door (always facing south for warmth). Men traditionally sit on the right, women on the left.
When visiting a nomad family’s ger, a few customs matter:
- Enter clockwise. Never step on the threshold — it is believed to bring bad luck to the household.
- Accept food and drink when offered. Refusing is considered rude. Even if you cannot finish the bowl of airag (fermented mare’s milk), bring it to your lips.
- Sit where directed. The seat of honour is at the back, facing the door — usually reserved for the eldest or most honoured guest.
- Bring a small gift — sweets, tea, or school supplies for children are always appreciated.
The five sacred animals
Mongolian nomadic life revolves around tavan khoshuu mal — the five animals: horses, cattle (including yaks), camels, sheep, and goats. Wealth is counted in animals, not money. A family with a thousand animals is a rich family. The relationship between a Mongolian herder and their horses in particular is a bond that outsiders rarely fully grasp — horses here are not pets or tools but partners, and horsemanship begins in childhood.
Festivals and events
Naadam Festival — July 11–13
Naadam is Mongolia’s greatest national celebration — a three-day festival of the “Three Manly Sports”: wrestling, archery, and horse racing. Held every year on July 11th to mark the anniversary of the 1921 revolution, Naadam takes place across the entire country, from the grand ceremony in Ulaanbaatar’s National Stadium to smaller, more intimate provincial celebrations that feel like being invited to a family reunion.
The horse racing is extraordinary — children as young as five race across open steppe for distances of up to 30km, the horses running freely with minimal direction. The winning horse’s trainer and jockey receive as much honour as the horse.
Golden Eagle Festival — early October, Bayan-Olgii
In the far western province of Bayan-Olgii, Kazakh eagle hunters — the Berkutchi — gather each October to compete with their trained golden eagles in tests of speed, agility, and accuracy. It is one of the most visually extraordinary events in Asia, and one of the most photographed. The hunters wear traditional Kazakh fox-fur hats and embroidered coats; the eagles have wingspans of up to 2.3 metres.
Khövsgöl Ice Festival — late February/March
A winter festival on the frozen surface of Lake Khövsgöl featuring ice sculptures, dog sledding, horse-drawn sleigh races, and traditional shaman ceremonies. A hidden gem for winter travellers willing to brave the cold.
Tsagaan Sar — Mongolian Lunar New Year
The most important family holiday in Mongolia, celebrated in January or February. Families gather for three days of feasting — the centrepiece being towers of buuz (steamed mutton dumplings) stacked in traditional layers. Visitors staying with local hosts may be invited to join celebrations — one of the most authentic cultural experiences the country offers.
Mongolia’s extraordinary wildlife
Mongolia’s vast, undeveloped landscapes support wildlife populations that have vanished from most of the rest of Asia.
- Przewalski’s Horse (Takhi): The world’s last truly wild horse species, extinct in the wild by 1969 and successfully reintroduced into Mongolia since 1992. Khustai National Park, 100km from Ulaanbaatar, is the best place to see them.
- Snow Leopard: An estimated 1,000–2,000 snow leopards live in Mongolia’s Altai Mountains — one of the largest populations in the world. Specialist wildlife photography tours offer realistic chances of sightings.
- Bactrian Camel: The wild Bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) is critically endangered, with fewer than 1,000 remaining in the Great Gobi Reserve.
- Golden Eagle: Trained by Kazakh hunters for centuries, wild golden eagles soar above the Altai Mountains of western Mongolia.
- Argali: The world’s largest wild sheep, found in Mongolia’s mountain ranges.
- Saiga Antelope: A critically endangered species from the Ice Age, found in small numbers on Mongolia’s eastern steppe.
Mongolian food: what to eat
Mongolian cuisine is hearty, honest, and built for the steppe — high in fat and protein, rich in meat, and designed to keep nomads warm and energised through long days on horseback and brutal winters.
Must-try dishes
- Buuz: Steamed dumplings filled with minced mutton and onion — Mongolia’s national dish. Eaten year-round and essential at Tsagaan Sar.
- Tsuivan: Stir-fried noodles with mutton and vegetables — the most common countryside meal. Filling and surprisingly delicious after a long day in a jeep.
- Khorkhog: Whole pieces of mutton cooked in a sealed metal pot with hot stones — a special occasion dish with an almost smoky, earthy flavour unlike anything else.
- Boodog: Whole marmot or goat cooked from the inside with hot stones — a traditional delicacy that looks theatrical and tastes extraordinary.
- Airag: Fermented mare’s milk — slightly sour, mildly alcoholic, and fizzy. The national drink, offered to every guest as a sign of welcome. Accept graciously.
- Suutei tsai: Salted milk tea — the daily drink of every nomad household. Served in bowls, not cups, and refilled constantly. Takes a moment to get used to.