Things to Do in Ulaanbaatar

About Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar hits you with the smell of coal smoke and dung fires long before you see its skyline — a scent that feels 800 years old, carried on air so cold it makes your teeth ache in January. This is a capital built for nomads who parked their gers and never left, where the 13th-century meets the 21st in a head-on collision. The Sukhbaatar Square statue of Genghis Khan on horseback is framed by Soviet-era apartment blocks painted pastel pink, and the soundscape is a constant duet: the hum of Korean-made taxis battling for space with the throat-singing drifting from Gandan Monastery at dawn. You’ll find cashmere scarves softer than anything in Italy at the Narantuul Market (the 'Black Market') for ₮150,000 ($45), and a bowl of mutton noodle soup at a kiosk on Peace Avenue for ₮8,000 ($2.40) that will warm you to your core. The catch: the infrastructure is still catching up to the ambition. Power cuts in winter aren’t uncommon, the traffic jams are legendary, and the -30°C (-22°F) January air is a physical force. But that raw, unfinished edge is precisely what makes it compelling — this is Asia’s last frontier capital, and it feels like it.

Travel Tips

Transportation: The public bus system is extensive, cheap, and chaotic. A single ride costs ₮500 (about $0.15), but you’ll need exact change in a small plastic box by the driver — no one will break a ₮20,000 note. Your best bet for getting anywhere reliably is to use the taxi app UBCab or Bolt; hailing a random car on the street (they’re all potential taxis if they have a mirror) is a guaranteed way to get overcharged. A 10-minute ride within the city center should run ₮5,000-8,000 ($1.50-$2.40). For day trips to Terelj National Park, negotiate with a driver at the Dragon Bus Terminal — expect to pay around ₮120,000 ($36) for a full day. One insider trick: download the UB Smart Bus app. It has an (imperfect) English map and live tracking that’ll save you from waiting at a frozen bus stop for a line that isn’t running.

Money: Cash is still king here, especially outside the capital. The Mongolian Tugrik (MNT) comes in bewilderingly large denominations — a dinner bill of ₮45,000 feels monumental but is only about $13.50. ATMs are plentiful in central UB (Khan Bank and Golomt are reliable), but always carry a stash of smaller notes for markets, buses, and monasteries where you’ll make small donations. Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and nicer restaurants, but the moment you step into a local canteen or a ger district shop, it’s cash-only. A potential pitfall: street money changers offer tempting rates but are rife with short-changing scams. Stick to the licensed exchange counters inside banks or the State Department Store. Interestingly enough, US dollars in crisp, new bills are still widely accepted for larger purchases like tours or cashmere, and sometimes get you a slightly better rate.

Cultural Respect: Mongolia operates on a subtle, deeply ingrained code of hospitality and respect. When entering a ger (the traditional felt dwelling) or a Mongolian home, step over the threshold, not on it. Always accept offered food and drink — a bowl of salty milk tea or a shot of airag (fermented mare’s milk) — with your right hand, your left hand supporting your right elbow. It’s a gesture of respect. At monasteries like Gandan Khiid, walk clockwise around the temples and stupas, and never point your feet at the altar or another person. Photography inside active temples is often forbidden; a simple nod and putting your camera away is the expected response. The biggest social faux pas is refusing hospitality or showing anger in public — stoicism is valued. If a local invites you into their ger for a meal, it’s the highest compliment; go with it.

Food Safety: Mongolian cuisine is meat, dairy, and carbohydrates built to survive a Siberian winter — subtlety is not the point. The staple is buuz (steamed dumplings), khuushuur (fried meat pasties), and tsuivan (fried noodle stew), all usually filled with mutton or beef. You’ll find the best, and safest, versions at busy, steam-clouded canteens like Modern Nomads or ZaZa. Street food is generally safe if it’s cooked fresh in front of you; avoid pre-prepared salads or anything that’s been sitting. The dairy products — aaruul (dried cheese curds), tarag (yogurt), airag — are an acquired taste and can upset unprepared stomachs. Start small. Tap water in UB is not safe to drink. Buy large 5-liter bottles of water from supermarkets for your hotel room (₮2,500 / $0.75). An insider move: for the best khuushuur in the city, head to Khuushuur Corner near the Wrestling Palace. They fry them to order, the oil is fresh, and a plate of three with pickled cabbage costs ₮6,000 ($1.80).

When to Visit

Ulaanbaatar’s claim to fame is as the world’s coldest capital, and that fact should dictate every travel plan. Let’s be blunt: December through February is for the masochistically adventurous. Temperatures regularly plunge to -25°C to -35°C (-13°F to -31°F), and that’s before the wind whips down Peace Avenue. The upside? You’ll have the National Museum and Gandan Monastery almost to yourself, and hotel prices can drop by as much as 40%. The ‘shoulder’ seasons are where the value is. April-May sees the ice break up on the Tuul River, the last of the winter coal-smog clears, and temperatures become human at 5°C to 15°C (41°F to 59°F). This is the time for budget travelers — flights are cheaper, and the ger camps in Terelj National Park are just reopening. The flip side is the infamous ‘spring’ dust storms. September-October is arguably the sweet spot: days are crisp (10°C to 20°C / 50°F to 68°F), the surrounding steppe turns golden, and the crowds from the July peak have dissipated. Summer, particularly July, is when the city truly comes alive for the Naadam Festival (July 11-13). This is the ‘Three Games of Men’ — wrestling, horse racing, and archery — and it’s spectacular. But it’s also when every hotel in the city triples its rate, and the traffic becomes almost comically gridlocked. If you come for Naadam, book your accommodation six months in advance and expect to pay premium prices. For families, late June or August offers the mildest weather for day trips to the Genghis Khan Statue Complex or a night in a ger camp without the Naadam price surge.