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Travelling to Mongolia: what to know before you go

Mongolia is a vast, landlocked country between Russia and China, where open steppe, the Gobi Desert and high Altai mountains are home to nomadic herders who still move with the seasons. It suits travellers looking for space, horses, starry skies and a culture tied closely to the land, and who are ready for long, bumpy drives.

Where to go

• Ulaanbaatar. The capital is a fast-growing city where most visits begin.
• Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. Granite rock formations, including the famous Turtle Rock, forested valleys and ger camps are within easy reach of Ulaanbaatar.
• The Gobi Desert. The Gobi is mostly gravel plains, but it also holds the tall Khongoryn Els dunes, known as singing sands, the red Flaming Cliffs at Bayanzag, where some of the first dinosaur eggs were found, and the narrow Yolyn Am gorge, which can hold ice well into summer.
• Kharkhorin and Erdene Zuu. Near the site of Karakorum, the 13th-century capital of the Mongol Empire, stands Erdene Zuu, one of the oldest surviving Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia, surrounded by a wall of white stupas.

Best time to visit

June to September is the main travel season, with warm days, green steppe and passable tracks; July brings Naadam and the busiest period. Nights are cool even in summer, and the Gobi can be very hot by day.

Staying online in Mongolia

Mobile coverage is good in Ulaanbaatar and in provincial and district centres, with 4G in the capital and many towns. Between settlements, across the open steppe, in the Gobi and in mountain areas, there can be no signal for hours or even days. Many ger camps have limited power, and some offer Wi-Fi only in a central building. Download offline maps and tell your family you may be out of reach. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land in Ulaanbaatar.