🇲🇳 Mongolia

10 best places in Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital on Earth, where Soviet-era apartment blocks stand alongside Buddhist monasteries and ger districts, with open steppe starting just past the city limits.

Sight

Sükhbaatar (Chinggis) Square

The central square dominated by a giant statue of Genghis Khan facing the parliament building.

Sight

Gandantegchinlen Monastery

Mongolia's largest active Buddhist monastery, home to a 26-metre statue of Avalokiteshvara.

Museum

Bogd Khan Palace Museum

The residence of Mongolia's last theocratic ruler, filled with Buddhist art and diplomatic gifts.

Museum

National Museum of Mongolia

A journey from the Stone Age and the Genghis Khan empire through the socialist and modern eras.

Sight

Zaisan Memorial

A Soviet-era hilltop monument offering a panoramic view over the city and surrounding mountains.

Park

Nairamdal Park

The city's central park with a lake and rides, a favorite summer hangout for locals.

Market

Narantuul (Black) Market

A sprawling market selling everything from cashmere to saddles and gers.

Café

Michel Café

A cozy French-style bakery and café downtown, popular with expats.

Restaurant

Modern Nomads

A restaurant serving Mongolian classics with a contemporary presentation.

Museum

Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts

A collection of Buddhist icons and sculpture by the celebrated master Zanabazar.

FAQ

Best time to visit Ulaanbaatar?

June to September is the window, when it is warm and the roads into the steppe are usable. Naadam in mid-July, with wrestling, horse racing and archery, is the most spectacular time and also the busiest. May and late September are cooler but far quieter.

Is Ulaanbaatar worth visiting in winter?

It is one of the coldest capitals on earth, regularly below minus 25 in winter, and from November to February heavy smog from ger-district stoves settles over the city. A winter trip is doable but needs serious gear and tolerance for the air quality. Most travellers pick summer.

How many days do you need in Ulaanbaatar?

One or two days cover Sukhbaatar Square, Gandantegchinlen monastery, the National Museum and the Zaisan memorial. Mongolia's real draw starts outside the city, so add several more days for Terelj or the Gobi. Roads are rough and drives take longer than the map suggests.

Can you move to Mongolia?

Foreigners mostly live there on work or business permits, with student and investor categories as well, and the number of foreign workers is capped by quotas. English is not widely spoken, and everything runs in Mongolian written in Cyrillic. Visa and quota rules shift, so check with the immigration agency before building plans around them.