Good Time to Visit

Weather

Mongolia has a continental climate, with hard and long-lasting frosts in winter (October to April). Summers (June to August) are short and mild, with some rainfall between May and September. Temperatures in Ulaanbaator (Ulan Bator) range from an average of -26°C in January to 16°C in July. Extremes in the city can vary from lows of -32°C to highs of 21°C.

Visitors are advised to bring mediumweight clothing for trips in the summer, with very warm heavyweights for winter.

For more information on Mongolian weather, see Climate in Mongolia.

Festivals

The Naadam Festival, held in July, is Mongolia's best-known festival and a major draw for visitors wishing to get a glimpse into traditional Mongolian life. The Ulaanbaatar event, held on July 11 to July 13, is a centuries-old spectacle, at which herdsmen from all over Mongolia congregate to take part in and to watch a range of traditional sports and activities. These large-scale national games include contests of wrestling, horseracing (over long stretches of open country, not the short racing around a track practiced in the West) and archery: the three so-called 'manly sports'. The games are also a good opportunity to sample Mongolian food and drink.

In January-February, Mongolians celebrate the end of another harsh winter with the festivities of Tsagaan Sar, or White Moon. It usually involves lots of food, including hearty mutton dumplings known as buuz.

Public Holidays

The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Mongolia: