Ulaanbaatar Mongolia Travel Guide
Ulaanbaatar Mongolia Travel Guide
The Ulaanbaatar Mongolia Travel Guide will help you plan your trip to Ulaanbaatar Mongolia.
Ulaanbaatar dates back to 1639, it proclaimed independence from China in 1911 and then was invaded by the Russians in 1921 with the city coming under Russian rule and influence during Soviet times. Today Mongolia’s many mineral resources are funding a building boom.
Most people travel to Ulaanbaatar (UB) on the way to somewhere else, a trip to the Gobi, the Eagle Hunters or the Reindeer Herders or are simply passing through on the Trans Siberian Railway.
Ulaanbaatar is not the prettiest of cities and for most of the year it is pretty jolly cold but it does have its charms and it is worth spending a few days exploring the city before moving on.
Ulaanbaatar Mongolia Table of Contents
Ulaanbaatar Mongolia Map
Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
Travel Tips Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar is a very easy city to walk around and maps are available from the tourist office.
If walking around Ulaanbaatar be careful as the roads are very busy and drivers do not always stop for pedestrians even at pedestrian crossings.
Trolley cars and buses a plentiful in the main centre of Ulaanbaabtar. To travel on buses or trolley cars you will need to purchase a Bus Card which are available from stores and kiosks near the bus stops.
Taxis are also plentiful but be aware many are not ‘official’ taxis but rather private drivers and cars. English is often not spoken by taxi drivers so it pays to have your destination written down in Mongolian, it is also a good idea to carry small amounts of money as the driver may not be able to change large notes.
Most hotels and guest houses will be able to organise a driver for a small fee.
Mid May – August are the busiest times in both Ulaanbaatar and Mongolia in general when the weather is warm to hot and tours are operating out of the capital in to the Gobi and Northern parts of Mongolia.
In July the Naadam festival is held so book well ahead if travelling to UB at this time.
Ulaanbaatar during winter is cold with temperatures not getting above 0 for a number of months. The city becomes very polluted during winter with residents burning coal to heat their homes and to cook on.
Weather Averages Ulaanbaatar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| HIgh | -16 | -10 | 0 | 10 | 17 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 17 | 8 | -5 | -14 |
| Low | -29 | -25 | -16 | -6 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 1 | -7 | -19 | -26 |
| Rainfall mm | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1 | 4.2 | 14.1 | 23.3 | 15.7 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
Most people travelling to Ulaanbaatar are there to join a tour into the Gobi or northern Mongolia so have packed accordingly – which is what I recommend. When packing it does pay to always have something to wear out to a restaurant such as a pair of black pants and a collared shirt.
- 2 pants, include one black pair that can double as ‘good’
- 1 shorts
- 1 x singlets – good for layering and sleeping in
- 4 short sleeve tee shirts or shirts.
- 1 x long sleeve sloppy joe or similar
- 1 x polar fleece jumper
- 1 x zip-up shell jacket
- 1 x lightweight windproof raincoat
- 3 x socks
- 5 x underpants
- 2 x bra
- 1 x Northface Dipsea
- I x warm hat (if there in winter)
- 1 x sun hat (if there in summer
- 1 x warm gloves (if there in winter
- Travel Towel
- Lush Bar Shampoo
- Bar of Soap
- Deodorant
- Brush / Comb
- Hair Ties
Electronics
- 1 x Earbud headphones. Light and small,
- 1 x 6S iPhone loaded with music and podcasts
- 1 x power bank
Photography
- 1 x GoPro Hero 5
- 2 x Spare GoPro Batteries
- 1 x LUMIX TZ80
- Spare micro SD Card
Other Stuff
- 1 x headlight or torch **essential
- 1 x Swiss knife
- 1 x medical kit
- Refillable water bottle
Ulaanbaatar and Mongolia gets a bit of a bad rap when it come to food and dining although I am not sure why. In Ulaanbaatar we found some delicious food and a reasonable variety of cuisines.