The 15 Best Places to Visit in Mongolia

It is not very easy to visit all the scenic destinations of Mongolia that has a vast land area, ranks as the 18^th biggest country in the world, in just several days. Auto transportation will be your best friend to experience the beautiful land views across the country and you’ll love this opportunity to meditate and relax during the road trips. Another options are air transportation and train that has various schedules which depends on the tourist season and policy of local monopoly companies. Most of the time, it is quite challenging to get tickets after April, so we suggest you to book your tickets as soon as possible. Hope this article will be helpful for those who want to know best places to visit in Mongolia and heal your spirit through the most beautiful spots of wonderful nature, wild animals and unique nomadic lifestyle in short time, no matter if you are a leisure traveler or a tourist. 

Life is SHORT and the world is WIDE

1. Places to visit in Mongolia- Khugnu Tarna National Park - Ugii Lake

The taiga and steppe plants grow in this area and represents three different natural zones. This is a magnificent place with mountains, forests, steppes, Gobi-type desert and mineral water sources all in one location and pleasant for many activities such as hiking, mountain climbing, horse and camel riding.

Distance from Ulaanbaatar: 280 KM
Best Time to Visit: between May to September (tourist season)
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 days
Highlights: Elsen tasarkhai – sand dunes, Uvgun monastery, wild animals, Khugnu Khan - beautiful mountain view, Ugii lake (115km) - fish and birdlife, one of the biggest lakes of Mongolia, Mongolian steppe
Activities Available: wild life watching, bird watching, trekking, photographing, family visiting, horse and camel riding, mountain climbing, boating near the coastline

2. Places to visit in Mongolia- Legendary Orkhon Valley – Kharkhorin city

This is very important must-see cultural landscape to travel through history of 13th century of Mongolia and you can visit 8 important sites by trekking, horse trekking or driving through the nature. Kharkhorin was a political, economic, administrative and religious center and one of the largest forum of civilizations at the same time.

Distance from Ulaanbaatar: 365 KM

Best Time to Visit: between May to September (tourist season)

Ideal Trip Duration: 2-4 days
Highlights: Tuvkhun monastery, Turkish Memorials of Khosho Tsaidam, the ruins of Khar Balgas ancient city, Kharkhorum museum, Erdene Zuu monastery, Shankh Western monastery, the Palace at Doit Hill, the ancient towns of Talyn Dorvoljin, Har Bondgor and Bayangol Am, deer stones and ancient graves, the sacred mountains of Hangai Ovoo and Undor Sant, Khuisiin Naiman Lake
Activities Available: sightseeing, bird watching, trekking, photographing, family visiting, horse and camel riding

3. Places to visit in Mongolia-  Manzushir Monastery – Bogd Khan Mountain 

4. Places to visit in Mongolia- Mongol Nomadic Show

This is a great opportunity to learn about the unique Mongolian nomadic lifestyle through visiting family, experiencing their life and riding an ox-cart through the steppe. You will make many memories that you will want to remember and share with others.

Distance from Ulaanbaatar: 55 KM

Best Time to Visit: between June-September
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 days
Highlights: opportunity to feel and experience the Mongolian lifestyle and culture in one place, Mini Naadam event for tourists, “Mongol Nomadic” cultural program
Activities Available: photographing, horse-riding, camel-riding, yak-riding, chariot, camel cart, cattle cart, attending Mini Naadam event, being involved in cultural activities such as building a ger, making dairy products, etc.

5. Places to visit in Mongolia- Khustai National Park

This is the biggest and the most well protected National Park in the country, its 50,620-hectare reserve protect Mongolian wild horse - the takhi and the reserve’s steppe and forest-steppe environment. It’s worth spending at least one night in the park, as you are most likely to see takhi and other wildlife at dusk or dawn. Many of them are endangered species of wild animals, flowers and birds in the world.

Distance from Ulaanbaatar: 100 KM
Best Time to Visit: between May to September (tourist season)
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 days
Highlights: Takhi (Przewalski's horse), wild animals and plants, Moltsog sand – a nice opportunity to experience small part of the gobi-desert atmosphere in glance, Mongolian steppe
Activities Available: wild life watching, bird watching, trekking, photographing, family visiting, horse-riding near the park

6. Places to visit in Mongolia- Zorgol Khairkhan Mountain

This place for suitable for those who enjoy to hike around the mountain, ride a horse through the green steppe, camp and picnic while watching the beauty of nature. Here you can visit 3 different caves, small lake near the mountain and visit central Khalkha family (the largest subgroup of Mongolia). In history, it is said that Genghis Khan used to go for hunting around this mountain.

Distance from Ulaanbaatar: 150 KM
Best Time to Visit: between May to September (tourist season)
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 days
Highlights: Zorgol Khairkhan Mountain - granitic rock formation with its red reflects, Princess Lake, beautiful sunrise, Mongolian steppe
Activities Available: trekking, picnicking, camping, photographing, family visiting, horse-riding near the mountain and lake

7. Places to visit in Mongolia- Tolbo Lake

Flight frequency: 6 times per week in peak season, 3 times per week in low season

8. Places to visit in Mongolia- Terelj National Park - Chinggis Khan Statue Complex - XIII Century Park

It is one of the most visited areas in Mongolia due to its magnificent scenery and its proximity to Ulaanbaatar. Terelj National Park is picturesque place of high cliffs of granite, rivers and forests and part of Khan Khentii National Park – the biggest one in the north eastern area.

Distance from Ulaanbaatar: 55 KM
Best Time to Visit: anytime around the year
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 days
Highlights: Turtle Rock, Tuul River, Ariyabal Meditation Temple, Chingis Khan Statue Complex – Exhibitions and Museums - Military equipments of ancient Hunnu people (Huns) and Great Mongolian State, statues of ancient cavalries, XIII Century National Park - real lifestyle of 13th century era – Relay Station Camp, Craftsmen Camp, Educational Camp, Herder’s Camp, Shaman’s Camp and King’s Palace, events in tourism peak
Activities Available: sightseeing, photographing, trekking, rock climbing, swimming, rafting, horse riding, bird watching, skiing, skating

9. Places to visit in Mongolia-  Gun Galuut Nature Reserve

This is a local protected area for conservation of global threatened species and the harmonized complex of high mountains, steppes, rivers, lakes and wetlands that is a home land of rare creatures, a paradise of birds. One of the main attraction is Kherlen, the longest river of Mongolia and Tsengiin Burd wetland, where water and wetland birds lay their eggs. Here you can experience both special interest and adventure tours through interesting activities such as rafting, kayaking, fishing, riding horse and yak, watching bird and wild sheep-argali with binoculars or telescope.

Distance from Ulaanbaatar: 130 KM
Best Time to Visit: between May-September
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 days
Highlights: Baits and Berkh mountains - a home land of rare creatures, Ikh-Gun and Ayaga lakes – a paradise of birds, Kherlen - the longest river of Mongolia and Tsengiin Burd wetland - in where water and wetland birds lay their eggs, Mongolian steppe
Activities Available: sightseeing, photographing, trekking, rafting, horse riding, bird watching, wild animal watching.

10. Places to visit in Mongolia-  Magnificent Khuvsgul Lake

This is the most popular destination for local travelers, surrounded with a beautiful taiga forest that you can experience only in Khuvsgul province. Mongolia is a land-locked country, locates far from the sea, so locals love travelling to grassland-forest and lake areas because of these 2 factors: only 11% of the land are is covered with forest and Khuvsgul Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes of the country. Also, winter view of the lake soul fulfilling beautiful and it is a great opportunity to visit the biggest Ice Festival and enjoy many different winter activities and sports. In summer, there’s a plenty of ideas to try such as taking a boat or a ship, tasting local smoked fish, visiting Tsaatan tribe and reindeers. We even have a joke says ‘If you haven’t visited there at least once in a year, consider yourself a loser’. So this means this is a must-visit destination for you.

Flight frequency: 7 times per week in peak season, twice a week in low season

Distance from airport: 100 KM
Best Time to Visit: between June-August, March, winter
Ideal Trip Duration: 3-4 days and more
Highlights: home to wild animals and birds, 800 species of trees and plants, Munkh Saridag peak (3491m), Tsaatan tribe, Reindeer herding, Shamanism, 4 islands, Biggest Ice Festival in Mongolia in March, the biggest ship in the country
Activities Available: sightseeing, camping, trekking, climbing, horse riding, trekking, biking, boating, kayaking, family visiting, photographing

11. Places to visit in Mongolia-  Golden Gobi

Mongolian Gobi is one of the most unique and biggest desserts in the world. Here you can experience a real freedom as if you are far removed from somewhere and enjoy riding a camel, hiking in the golden sand to see the beautiful nature view, star gazing in the peaceful night and visiting some mysterious spots that was created by nature thousands of years ago.

Flight frequency: 7 times per week in peak season, once a week in low season
Distance from airport: 100 KM

Best Time to Visit: between May-October, March
Ideal Trip Duration: 3-4 days and more
Highlights: Bactrian camel – herding, “Thousand Camel Festival” in March, home to birds and wild animals, Yol Valley - Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park - East Saikhan Mountain, deep ice field, some endangered species like the argali sheep, snow leopard and Siberian ibex, Bayanzag - area where dinosaur bones, eggs and fossils were found, Khermen Tsav - reaches +60^oC in summer, one of 9 wonders of Gobi, mud rocks in unique shapes, resembles unfinished artistic architecture and well-designed red brick buildings of ancient cities, astonishing view and sunset, Khongoryn Els - one of the largest and most spectacular sand dunes in Mongolia, Baga Gazriin Chuluu, Ikh Gazriin Chuluu – unique rock formations
Activities Available: camel riding, sightseeing, family visiting, bird watching, wildlife watching, photographing, trekking

12. Places to visit in Mongolia- Buir Lake – Menen Steppe

Menen Steppe is one of the biggest steppes in the world which has kept its native land and there are a plenty of pasture plants, antelopes, wolves as well as rare animals and Buir Lake is the lake with the most fish and most types of animals and birds in Mongolia. If you love trekking in the vast steppe land and camping near the beautiful lake, this will be a nice choice for you!

Flight frequency: twice a week in each season
Distance from airport: 300 KM

Best Time to Visit: March-October
Ideal Trip Duration: 3-4 days and more
Highlights: Buir Lake, plenty of pasture plants, antelopes, wolves as well as rare animals, sand embankment, lake were the most fish and most types of animals and birds live in Mongolia, only border crossing near water, Mongolian steppe
Activities Available: photographing, trekking, bird watching, camping.

13. Places to visit in Mongolia-  Uvs Lake – Khyargas Lake

Uvs is the 'sea' of western Mongolia, it is frequented by a range of seabirds, even though the nearest ocean is 3,000 km away. Khyargas Nuur National Park, based on a salt lake amid desert and scrub grass, provides an attractive summer home for birds but sees little tourist traffic. These 2 lakes will be interesting destinations for you to compare the different lake-views and experience its unique surroundings.

Flight frequency: 6 times per week in peak season, twice a week in low season
Distance from airport: 30 KM to Uvs Lake, 100 KM to Khyargas Lake

Best Time to Visit: May-September
Ideal Trip Duration: 3-4 days and more
Highlights: important wildlife habitat, nine strictly protected areas, 173 bird and 41 mammal species, the basis of 2,900 sites containing burial mounds (kurgans) and stone tablets (steles), Altan Els Strictly Protected Area, Airag Lake, springs, Khetsuu Khad
Activities Available: sightseeing, photographing, trekking, bird watching, camping.

14. Places to visit in Mongolia- Khar-Us Lake

Khar Us lake is the perfect habitat for wild ducks, geese, wood grouse, partridges and seagulls, including rare relict gulls and herring gulls – and by late summer a billion or two of everyone’s friend, the common mosquito, but a paradise for bird-watching and photographing activity.

Flight frequency: 3 times per week in each season
Distance from airport: 130 KM

Best Time to Visit: March-June
Ideal Trip Duration: 3-4 days and more
Highlights: the second largest freshwater lake in Mongolia, the perfect habitat for wild ducks, geese, wood grouse, partridges and seagulls, including rare relict gulls and herring gulls, Ulaagchiin Khar Nuur Lake - Otgon Tenger Mountain, unique nature scenery, Nomadic Culture Festival, perfect spot for photographing, Durvud tribe Khoton Tribe
Activities Available: sightseeing, photographing, trekking, bird watching, camping.

15. Places to visit in Mongolia-  Altai Tavan Bogd National Park

This can be one of the most adventurous and scenic destinations for travelers because of its unique natural formation and isolated location, you’ll experience another world of Mongolia with beautiful snow-caped mountains, totally different lifestyle of Kazakh tribe, eagle hunting, wonderful lakes in the mountains and most importantly it’s a real challenging spot for adventure seekers who love mountaineering and horse trekking in harsh weather. I am sure this will be one of your highlights travelling to Mongolia.

Flight frequency: 6 times per week in peak season, 3 times per week in low season
Distance from airport: 150 KM

Best Time to visit for a short trip: May-October
Ideal Trip Duration: 3-4 days and more
Highlights: Khuiten Uul ('Cold Peak') 4374 m, Nairamdal ('Friendship', 4180 m), Malchin ('herder', 4050 m), Bürged ('Eagle', 4068 m) and Olgii ('Craddle', 4050 m), Khurgan Lake, Khoton Lake, Dayan Lake, Golden Eagle Festival in October
Activities Available: photographing, family visiting, mountain-climbing, trekking, horse riding, camping, watching eagle hunters.

Hope you’ve found your favorite place to visit when travelling to Mongolia among all these destinations and you might have started searching the ways and planning your tours to Mongolia.

Beautiful Places in Mongolia are almost alive. When you visit them, you can feel their breath.