When is the best time of year to visit Mongolia?

Summer is the best time of year to visit Mongolia and is considered peak season. June, July, and August are beautiful months with a great deal of things to see and experience. This is when most tourists visit Mongolia, so you can expect peak rates, sometimes crowded natural landmarks and museums, and full flights.

The average summer temperature in Mongolia is between 25° and 32° C, with cold nights. You can comfortably wear t-shirts during the day and a light jacket when it gets dark. Dust storms are common in the summer season, especially when you’re on the wide-open plains.

Keep in mind that if you visit areas in the north or west, at higher elevations, temperatures will be lower than this. If you visit places in the south, particularly the Gobi Desert, temperatures will be much higher. Temperatures in the Gobi Desert average 40° C, and higher, in June, July, and August.

If you plan to visit Mongolia in the summer, especially in July, book your tours, hotels, and flights no later than March. July is the busiest month for tourism in Mongolia thanks to the Naadam festival. Hotel rates in Ulaanbaatar are even known to double in price between July 10 and 12, when the Opening Ceremony takes place in the city.

Naadam is the biggest and most important festival of the year and visiting Mongolia during Naadam gives you the best of Mongolia, and Mongolian culture, in just a few short days. The festival always takes place in July, with the National Opening Ceremony always being held in Ulaanbaatar on July 11. Thus, the high hotel rates in the city.

It’s during Naadam when you can watch wrestling, horse racing, and archery competitions big and small across the country.

What to expect when you visit Mongolia in fall, winter, or spring?

While summer is the most popular, and best time to visit Mongolia for many reasons, fall, winter, and spring shouldn’t be immediately ruled out. Here are a few reasons why.

Fall

Tourism starts to die down at the end of August as school starts and the weather starts to get a bit chillier and days shorter. This is the time when most nomadic families begin to prepare for the cold winter months ahead, which makes it an especially interesting time to visit. You can help families move to their winter camps, either by truck, camel, or yak, and help tear down and build their gers (homes) with them. It’s a special time to bond with families and feel like you’re being useful. The worst is when you go somewhere and feel like they’re just putting on a “show” for tourism reasons. This isn’t that. I can promise.

September is also the time when the landscape turns a beautiful golden hue. Trees turn bright shades of yellow, orange, and red, and snow starts to cover the mountain tops.

Because of all these things, traditional ger camps begin closing up for the season at this time. This is usually to traveler’s benefits because it means you can find great deals on nightly rates before they do.

Then, when October hits, it’s time for the famous Golden Eagle Festival.

The festival is extremely popular with tourists, so be sure to make your arrangements if you want to attend as far in advance as possible. I would recommend making your arrangements before June. Especially since securing flights from Ulaanbaatar to Ulgii can be tricky and confusing. For this I also recommend hiring a local tour company to make all your arrangements.

The annual Golden Eagle Festival is always held the first weekend in October.

Here are some other great things to see and experience when visiting Mongolia in September, October, and November:

• Sagsai Eagle Festival
• Golden Eagle Festival
• Ulaanbaatar Jazz Week

Winter

Don’t let the idea winter in Mongolia intimidate you. Yes, temperatures do reach -30° C. And yes, Ulaanbaatar is officially the coldest capital city in the world. But it’s because of these things Ulaanbaatar, and Mongolia, are something special to see and experience during December, January, and February.

While temperatures do drop to around -30° C, you can still do things like visit and spend the night in a yurt with a nomadic family out in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. Out there, you can go horseback riding on Mongolia’s famously wild horses, and even dog sledding through the winter wonderland that has become the snow-covered countryside.

Or, better yet, head down to the Gobi Desert, one of the only deserts in the world where snow can lay across the dunes covering them in a sea of white. This is the perfect time to experience the natural beauty of the Mongolian desert, but with fewer crowds.

Alternatively, Tsagaan Sar, or Mongolian Lunar New Year, happens in February and is a unique way to experience a Mongolia relatively free of other tourists.

The holiday marks the first day of spring and a time when Mongolians take the time to visit each of the elders in their family, bringing gifts and sharing a meal. This is a special time for Mongolians to celebrate with family and look forward to new beginnings.

Here are some other great things to see and experience when visiting Mongolia in December, January, and February:

• Ulaanbaatar’s Christmas Markets
• New Year’s Eve Celebrations
• Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year)
• See the Gobi Desert Covered in Snow
• Dog sledding on Lake Khusvgul
• Ice Fishing

Spring

While most people think of spring as a time when temperatures start to warm up, flowers begin to bloom, and life returns to nature, spring in Mongolia isn’t quite that. In fact, spring is still uncomfortably cold and you should probably just think of spring in Mongolia as winter-lite.

Blizzards can still occur in May, which locals refer to as dzud (or zud, a natural phenomenon that kills off a large portion of herds from starvation since they aren’t able to graze), and it’s still a harsh time in the country as locals start to run out of winter rations and look forward to warmer summer months.

However, as is usually the case in Mongolia, the brave are rewarded with two very cool festivals that make a trip to Mongolia in the spring worth it.

The annual Camel Festival is held each March in the Gobi Desert.

During the festival, there are camel polo matches, camel races, and friendly competitions among the local camel breeders. Mongolia is one of the few places in the world where you find Bactrian (two-hump) camels, and the Gobi Desert one of the only deserts in the world where snow accumulates. Making a trip down to the desert during this time is actually quite a magical experience.

Also in March, the annual Ice Festival is held on Lake Khuvsgul, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake. The lake is completely frozen over and is strong enough to drive cars over and host an entire festival on.

And yes, this region bordering Siberia will be every bit as cold as you’d expect it would be, so don’t come unprepared. A fur-lined winter deel (traditional Mongolian robe) probably wouldn’t be a bad investment. You can have one custom-made in Ulaanbaatar as soon as you land.

Here are some other great things to see and experience when visiting Mongolia in March, April, and May:

• Camel Festival
• Ice Festival
• Ulaanbaatar Eagle Festival

Unpredictable weather

Mongolia’s weather loves to keep you on your toes! You can go from sunny skies to chilly winds all in a single day.

Just look at this photo from June 2024—yes, snow in late June. Can you believe it?

That’s why layering is your best friend here. Think lightweight base layers, cozy mid-layers, and a windproof, waterproof jacket to stay comfortable no matter what. And don’t forget, Mongolia’s weather can be extreme—ranging from bone-chilling cold in the winter, where temperatures can drop to -40°C, to scorching hot in the summer with highs reaching 35°C.

• Bring a hat, gloves, and a scarf even in summer—early mornings and evenings can be surprisingly cold.
• Don’t forget sunscreen and lip balm. Mongolia is known for its high altitude and dry climate, so the sun is intense, and the air can be harsh on your skin.

Visa Requirements

Visa is required for all, except citizens of the below mentioned countries. Visas are available from the Mongolian embassy in your country. If there is no Mongolia embassy in your country, one month visas can be obtained on the spot once you arrive at the airport or railway station. There will also be a visa fee of $53US. We will supply an official confirmation letter (by email or post) for your visa application once you book a travel service with us.

Temporary exemption from visa requirements for citizens of some countries to visit Mongolia

In connection with the decision of the Government of Mongolia to declare 2023-2025 as the “Years to visit Mongolia”, the Cabinet has made a decision to temporarily exempt from visa requirements for the nationals of the following 34 countries, who are traveling to Mongolia for tourism purposes up to 30 days. This includes 32 developed European countries, Australia, and New Zealand, which lead the number of tourists visiting Mongolia.

The decision, aimed to attract foreign tourists and facilitate travel conditions, was made at the meeting of the Cabinet on 4th of January, 2023 and will be effective until the end of 2025.

By exempting the citizens of the above 34 countries from visa requirements, it will give a clear impetus to the development of the tourism sector, the recovery of the economy, and the continuation of the dialogue to facilitate the travel conditions of the Mongolian nationals.

With the approval of this decision, the number of visa-free travel countries to Mongolia will be increased by thirty-four to sixty-one.

The list of the countries to be exempted from visa requirements to visit Mongolia up yo 30 days in the years of 2023-2025:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Hungary
• Denmark
• Spain
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• The Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Slovak Republic
• Slovenia
• Finland
• France
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Sweden
• Estonia
• Norway
• Iceland
• Switzerland
• Bulgaria
• Ireland
• Cyprus
• Romania
• Monaco
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• New Zealand

Limited medical facilities in rural area

In Ulaanbaatar, you’ll find modern hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies. But once you leave the city, healthcare becomes limited. Most rural areas rely on small district centers (called soums), which may only have a basic clinic—often with minimal staff, supplies, and equipment.

Besides, the medical infrastructure in remote regions is often very basic. So getting to a well-equipped hospital might take hours or even days, especially in isolated areas. On top of that, cell phone coverage may be unreliable, making emergencies harder to manage.

Be prepared:

• Bring a personal first aid kit with essentials like bandages, antiseptic, painkillers, and medications for stomach issues or colds.
• Pack enough prescription medication to last your entire trip—refills may not be available.
• Consider travel insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation.
• Talk to your doctor before the trip to make sure you’re up to date on vaccinations and in good health for travel.

What to pack: essentials checklist

In this list, we’ve covered the basics of packing for Mongolia, but as you probably know, we have four distinct seasons. To make sure you’re fully prepared for whatever weather conditions and surprises come your way, it’s important to pack according to the season you’ll be visiting.

Clothing

Do you help obtaining visas that are required?

We provide all supporting documentation required to obtain visas. As passports have to be put in the mail to various consulates, we recommend that you mail them directly to the consulate.

I like your tours, so what’s next? How do I sign up for a tour?

If you have any questions at all we encourage you to call and speak with one of our knowledgeable Tour Specialist. We also have detailed day-to-day itineraries that you can download from our website.

If you are ready to book your trip click here to see details on three easy options to book your desired tour.

What if I need to change my tour?

We are here to help. If you have booked a private tour with us, we are here to help you modify your itinerary to suit your interests and needs. Please keep in mind that if you change your travel dates and your new dates happen to fall over a holiday or high season, the cost of your tour may increase. (It’s also possible that the price could be reduced if you switch your dates from the high season to low season.)