Mongolia – into the Wild

Mongolia has fascinated me as a travel destination for some time and I finally got the chance to travel there in the summer of 2024. Mongolia interested me due to being the only democracy in the region, its vastness and stargazing opportunities, and its unique nomadic culture, with around 30% of the population still living as nomads. With a short four-hour flight from Busan, I couldn’t miss the chance to visit!

Flying into Ulaanbaatar, the first thing you notice is how empty the country is. Around Chinggis Khaan International Airport there is nothing but grassland as far as the eye can see. This is bound to be a huge contrast from the city you departed from, where the airport was no doubt surrounded by a sprawling city. The drive to Ulaanbaatar is no less bewildering, with an empty motorway and more horses in the surrounding grassland than I’ve seen in the rest of my life combined. Upon reaching the city there is yet another contrast, as the empty grasslands give way to congestion and hordes of cars pushing through packed streets.

Is Ulaanbaatar a destination city? No, probably not. But it does offer interesting sites to explore the history of Mongolia, as well as providing a base to explore the wider country. This page is broken down into Things to do in Mongolia and Things to do in Ulaanbaatar. You can read the Chinggis Khan Statue Complex, Visit a Local Family, Turtle Rock and Terelj National Park sections as one tour, or separately if you’re only interested in doing some of them. I was only in Mongolia for five nights, so I’ll also show my itinerary to give you an idea for when you visit. Are these exhaustive lists? Absolutely not. But that means we all have a reason to go back to this amazing country to explore everything it has to offer!

Things to do in mongolia

Things to do in ulaanbaatar

things to do in Mongolia

Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex

The first trip I took in Mongolia was to the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex. This tour is often packaged together with a visit to a local family’s ger, Turtle Rock and Terelj National Park.

The Chinggis Khaan statue is huge at 40m (130ft), making it the world’s tallest equestrian statue. The base of the statue complex features a museum showcasing the history of the Mongol Empire. I recommend climbing the stairs to the top of the horse’s head for a great panoramic view of the surrounding area.

Also at the statue complex you can try camel riding, archery, and holding a bird of prey. I was able to hold an eagle on my visit.

Visit a local family

After leaving the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex our tour guide drove us to a ger not far from the main road. We were greeted by the family, who raised horses for milk and racing. They invited us into their ger for some food.

To begin, the father passed round a small silver flask. We took it in turns to open the flask and smell the little stopper. It smelled similar to aloe vera or vapour rub. Next they passed round fermented horse milk. It tasted like sour, fizzy milk. I wasn’t a fan but I recommend trying it. Finally, the mother gave us bread and yak’s milk. This was thick and creamy in texture, thick enough to spread on the bread. An acquired taste.

After eating, the family took us outside to watch them milk the horses, and I was allowed to ride the stallion. One of our tour guides helped me up onto the horse and led me around for a bit. It was my first time on a horse and was great! You’ll likely get quite a few opportunities to ride a horse while in Mongolia, and I definitely recommend giving it a go!

Our next stop was lunch in a roadside ger restaurant. We weren’t given a menu, the tour guides just ordered for us. What came was some of the most delicious meat I’ve ever eaten. Plates of chicken, pork, beef, lamb and mutton were served, each one in a unique sauce accompanied by rice and vegetables. We also got the chance to try horse meat. To me it looked and tasted just like beef. I asked the tour guide where the toilet was. He pointed to the grass on the other side of the road – “just go there. It’s fine, no one cares.” That open air toilet had some view.  

Turtle Rock

After lunch we drove to the edge of Terelj National Park and to the giant Turtle Rock, so called because of its remarkable resemblance to the animal. Bring good shoes if you intend to visit, as you’re able to climb up the rock but the stones are quite loose and there are no safety rails. Once “inside the turtle” you have a choice – turn back, or squeeze through some rocks. The first squeeze will get you onto the “neck” of the turtle, where you can have a good view of the mountains opposite. From here there is an even tighter squeeze which I wouldn’t recommend. Returning through the first squeeze will take you back to where you can climb up and squeeze through a gap in the rocks. This will lead you to the “back” for a better panoramic view.

The guides won’t force you to climb this rock or squeeze through any gaps you’re not comfortable with. You can also enjoy Turtle Rock from the outside.

Terelj National Park

From Turtle Rock we drove further into Terelj National Park over virtually non-existent roads that were barely more than mud trails. We parked at the entrance to Aryabal Buddhist Temple, then climbed the stairs past the “Word of Wise Signs” to the temple at the top. It’s a fairly easy climb lined with Buddhist mantras and rest spots. The temple at the top is quite small but what’s impressive is the view. You can see all the way down the valley you’ve just driven up, to Turtle Rock and beyond. It’s a beautiful place and different from much of the scenery you will have seen on the drive from Ulaanbaatar. Where that is mostly grasslands, Terelj National Park is full of mountains and forests. Savour the view before descending and beginning the car ride back to the city!

Semi-gobi camel riding

The second trip I took in Mongolia was to the Semi-Gobi, or Bayan Gobi. This is a small desert around 300-400km west of Ulaanbaatar. The drive takes around five hours including stoppage time, though the drive is half the experience.

During the journey you will be driving on a 2-lane road, with nothing but grassland to either side that gives way to rolling hills and mountains in the distance. Every time you look out the window you’ll see herds of cows, sheep, goats and horses. I’ve never seen so much livestock before!

Our driver stopped for a picnic on a hill, giving us an incredible panoramic view. The road stretched away into the distance as far as the eye could see, and there was nothing but green below and blue sky above for miles in every direction.

After the long drive we finally reached the desert. Here we were assigned a camel and then led around the desert for about 30 minutes. The man leading us would stop and offer to take photos for us (he knew the best spots for great photos). Once our time on the camels was up we had the chance to look inside one of the gers there. Our guide also took us onto a sand dune for more photos.

After that we began the long drive back to Ulaanbaatar, a drive that would be much longer than any of us anticipated. Before the unexpected extension to our journey, we stopped at the roadside restaurant called Mars. They served surprisingly good food given the location.

Around 100km from Ulaanbaatar the trouble began. Our driver pulled over and the car refused to start. We’d broken down in the middle of nowhere. We enjoyed the surroundings while our driver tried to fix the car. About 30 minutes later a man arrived with a truck to tow us back to the city. Over the next 80km our tow broke multiple times. At the top of hills, we would stop, untie the tow, then freewheel down. Sometimes the next hill was close enough that it wasn’t worth tying the tow, so we would get out and push to the next hill before jumping back in. It was fun and added to the experience.

With 20km to go to the city, a replacement car arrived. We jumped in and towed the broken car behind. Our new driver arrived with his daughter who was only a toddler. He drove us into the northern ger district of Ulaanbaatar, first dropping off the broken car and then his daughter, before taking us back to our hotels. We didn’t arrive back till 11pm.

Our guide informed us he’s never had a breakdown before, so hopefully my experience is not indicative of yours. This is a worthwhile trip if you’d like to try riding a camel in a real desert, and also if you want to see more of the Mongolian countryside. Just go prepared with snacks and plenty of water for the long ride, and hope you have some interesting travelling companions to talk to.

Stargazing

Mongolia is famous for its dark skies. With almost half of the country’s population living in the capital Ulaanbaatar, the rest of the country is predominantly empty and free of light pollution. This makes Mongolia excellent for stargazing, just don’t make the same mistake as me by going on the night of a full moon…

To book my stargazing trip I asked my hotel for a tour guide recommendation. After contacting the guide (a rather small tour operator who I wouldn’t recommend – you might have better luck asking your hotel) he arranged to have someone pick me up from my hotel and drive me into the middle of nowhere to view the night sky.

I took this trip on the same day as my Semi-Gobi trip. Initially the pick-up time was set for 10pm, but due to delays in getting back from the desert I eventually had to move this to midnight. After a quick refresh at my hotel, I was picked up by the driver and we headed south of Ulaanbaatar. We drove for around 100km, continuing south past the airport. I’m not sure of the exact location, but everyone’s trip will vary. There’s also the option of going stargazing in the Gobi Desert for those staying in Mongolia for longer.

Despite the full moon, I still saw more stars than I’ve ever seen before. I was able to pick out a few constellations, like the Big Dipper of Ursa Major, Cassiopeia, and the seven stars of Pleiades. Saturn was also visible and shone brightest in the night sky.

Surprisingly my driver was scared of the dark and feeling cold (wrap up warm for stargazing, even in summer), so we headed back to the city, arriving in Ulaanbaatar around 3am. I’m glad I got to see the stars in Mongolia so I recommend doing it, but perhaps find a better guide and go on a clear night without the moon!

Things to do in ulaanbaatar

Sukhbaatar Square

Sukhbaatar Square is the main square in Ulaanbaatar where you can see the Parliament of Mongolia, as well as a statue of Chinggis Khaan. It’s a good place to stand and get a feel for the city. Events are often held here (there was a Japanese culture event when I was there) and there are lots of people sitting around enjoying the area.

I recommend getting a hotel near Sukhbaatar Square as this will put you close to lots of restaurants and modern shopping malls.

Choijin Lama temple museum

South of Sukhbaatar Square is the Choijin Lama Temple Museum, a Buddhist monastery dating back to the early 1900s. It’s a fairly small site but houses many Buddhist artefacts, and with a cheap ticket price it is worth seeing while in Ulaanbaatar. Opposite the main entrance you can also see the Yanpai the Guardian Door, a stone wall with an intricate design.

Bogd khaan palace museum

Walking down Chinggis Khaan Avenue and onto Zaisan Street will bring you to the Bogd Khaan Palace Museum, a former imperial residence of the ruler of Mongolia. The museum features an impressive gate at the entrance, and inside you can find temples and libraries where the Bogd Khaan lived and studied.

The main attraction of the Palace Museum is the Winter Palace. This was built in a European style, but in order to appease the emperor of China Buddhist ornaments were added to the roof. Inside there is a large collection of the Bogd Khaan’s possessions on display including a ceremonial ger. You can walk through the palace to see the throne, bed, and a collection of art and stuffed animals. Like the Choijin Lama Temple Museum, the Palace Museum also has a cheap ticket price and is worth seeing when you have free time in Ulaanbaatar.

Zaisan hill complex/zaisan monument

Not far from the Bogd Khaan Palace Museum is the Zaisan Hill Complex and Zaisan Monument. The complex is a shopping mall with plenty of restaurants and a cinema. If you go up through the mall you can gain access to the Zaisan Monument, a memorial to the Mongolian and Soviet soldiers killed during World War 2.

Unfortunately the monument was undergoing reconstruction when I visited, so instead I headed to the rooftop of the mall where I found some people setting up for what appeared to be a wedding or a fashion show. I asked them if I could access the roof to take photos and they said no problem. I got a great view of Zaisan Monument and the rest of the city. This is one of the best spots to get a panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar.

National park

In the southeast corner of Ulaanbaatar is the National Park. There isn’t a lot to see here so I would only recommend it if you have lots of time to kill in the city or you need a break from the heavily congested streets. The park is very flat so it’s easy to walk around. There are some food vendors and shops near the entrance, bikes to rent, and various statues dotted around the park. I suggest visiting during the day, as I heard it can sometimes be a little dangerous to visit at night.

Narantuul market

Narantuul Market is located in the east side of Ulaanbaatar. It’s also known as the Black Market, though there’s nothing illegal going on as far as I know. It would be wise to keep your valuables hidden however, as pickpockets are known to operate here.

Narantuul Market is an expansive market selling everything imaginable. There were a huge variety of shoes on sale stacked high on displays that seemed to sprawl through the market for miles. This market has everything – leather goods, bags, jewellery, books, furniture, carpets, back to school supplies, and I even saw live rabbits, though I’m not sure if they were also for sale. It’s a place where you can haggle and get a good deal on genuine Mongolian products.

Gandantegchinlen monastery

The Gandantegchinlen Buddhist Monastery is the centre of Buddhism in Mongolia. Located on the north side of Ulaanbaatar, it resides on the edge of the ger district. As such, it’s recommended to visit during the day.

There are various buildings you can enter in the monastery, the main temple building featuring a 26 metre tall statue of Avalokitesvara. You’ll also see plenty of monks walking around who reside at the monastery.

When I went there an event was being held. Access to the main temple building was closed so I never got to see the statue, but there was still plenty to see in the monastery complex. There are stalls selling goods and food vendors dotted around, so it’s worth taking the time to look around.

Chinggis khaan national museum

The Chinggis Khaan (or Genghis Khan) National Museum is just to the north of Sukhbaatar Square. Featuring 1000s of artefacts from throughout the history of Mongolia, it’s definitely worth visiting if you’re a fan of Mongolian history or are looking to learn more. The museum focuses on the life of Genghis Khan, but also includes information on all the tribes, leaders and peoples of the Mongolian Empire.

The ticket structure for this museum is a little confusing. There is the basic entrance ticket which is required, but there is also a special exhibit ticket. This grants access to the top floors where presumably the exhibit is changed from time to time. When I visited the special exhibit was focussing on the life of Genghis Khan, so I found it to be mostly a summary of what I had seen on the lower floors. There is also a photo pass available for purchase. The staff at reception told me this was required if I wanted to take any photos inside the museum. I found this to be an unnecessary purchase however, as no one checked to see who did and did not have a pass, and those without were freely taking photos without any hassle. Skip the photo pass and check what the special exhibit is before buying a ticket for that.

4 Days/5 nights mongolia itinerary

  • Day 1 – Explore Ulaanbaatar – Sukhbaatar Square, Choijin Lama Temple Museum, Bogd Khaan Palace Museum, Zaisan Hill Complex, National Park, Narantuul Market
  • Day 2 – Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex and Terelj National Park Day Tour
  • Day 3 – Semi-Gobi Camel Riding Day Tour, Stargazing Night Tour
  • Day 4 – Gandantegchinlen Monastery, Chinggis Khaan National Museum

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