Best time to visit Mongolia. Helping Dreamers Do.

2 min summary When to go Map & highlights Things to do Families Eagle hunters Eagle festivals Off peak travel Advice Responsible tourism

Best time to visit Mongolia

With no sea to temper its climate, Mongolia can experience four seasons in one day: pack lightweight layers, woolens and waterproofs

In Mongolia, there is a glorious yin to each season’s not so glorious yang. Picturesque summer (Jun-Aug) brings lush steppes in bright greens, but also mozzies and mud; spring (Mar-May) is migration season for herders, but brings unpredictable weather and deceptive wind chill, and autumn (Sep-Oct) brings a kaleidoscope of colour, but can be prone to heavy rain. You could be forgiven for thinking that winter is not the best time to go to Mongolia, when temperatures can plummet to -30°C, but for well prepared adventurers this can be a hugely rewarding time as herders stay close to camp and there is not another tourist in sight.

Call us for the best time to go to Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

-28

-16

FEB

-26

-12

MAR

-17

-3

APR

-7

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

-7

NOV

-18

-5

DEC

-25

-14

Our Mongolia Vacations

When to visit Mongolia & when not to

Winter in Mongolia is very long – it stretches from November, right the way through December, January and February. It’s also very cold – the lowest temperature recorded was -57°C! That’s not commonplace though; the average winter temperature sits at a positively balmy -40°C. However, off peak travel in Mongolia brings its own rewards. June, July and August are extremely hot in the Gobi desert: very dry air, red-hot sand, not much cover and temperatures that can hit 40°C - not a comfortable combo – head elsewhere. April is exciting, but probably a bit edgy for most; dust storms are frequent, especially in the Gobi where winds can whip up to 140km/hr – very cool if you can handle it. March, April and May means nomadic herders on the move, which is an exceptional sight to behold as men lead their families – and their yaks – from A to B. The autumn months of September and October can be very wet, but if you don’t mind the rain, the landscape is your reward as it’s bursting with colour; the photographs you can get between patches of rain will be some of Mongolia’s absolute best.

Need some help? Give us a call

Helpdesk

Hello. If you'd like to chat about Mongolia or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.

Toll free 1-866-821-6866

rosy@responsiblevacation.com

Toll free 1-866-821-6866

rosy@responsiblevacation.com

Responsible Travel Recommends

John Williamson from our supplier, Zavkhan Trekking shares his advice on the best time to visit Mongolia:

“For me, the best time to visit Mongolia is during July and August, the peak summer months when the weather is pleasant and warm, around 25 degrees and the landscape is green and lush. The nature is beautiful then too and slightly earlier in June the wildflowers are fantastic – spring can sometimes be a bit too dry for the plant life, but if the spring weather wasn’t quite so erratic, Mongolia could be a standalone wildflower tour destination - they are that phenomenal.”

“The seasons are clear-cut, but Mongolia has a long winter of around six months followed by a short spring, summer and autumn. Autumn is a great time to visit with cooler stable weather and beautiful autumnal colours like dusty orange and bronze covering the landscape. I wouldn’t recommend visiting Mongolia in winter; it’s bitingly cold and temperatures often drop to -30 degrees during the day.”

Festivals & events in Mongolia

Did you know about...?

Thousand Camel Festival
The Bactrian camel – a sizeable, even-toed animal that is celebrated in all its two-humped glory for the essential role it plays in the lives of the Gobi’s nomads at the Thousand Camel Festival, a one day autumnal event that sees herdsmen parade on horseback, camel races and polo playoffs. A brilliant photo opportunity to capture Mongolian families wrapped up in their traditional vacation dress.

More about Mongolia

Mongolia travel guide

Our Mongolia travel guide is an essential piece of kit for anyone longing to know what we consider to be rated, underrated and overrated as well as featuring a brief history of Mongolia and how to travel like a local on your Mongolia vacation.

Mongolia Map & highlights

No matter whether you’re traveling by train, on foot or by horse or camel, finding the best places to visit in Mongolia on our interactive highlights map is always the best way forward.

Things to do in Mongolia

If you want to meet the locals and take a walk on the wild side then we can help you with things to do in Mongolia including traveling like a local on horseback and channelling your inner Genghis Khan.

Traveling in Mongolia with kids

There are plenty of reasons why traveling in Mongolia with kids is a great idea and if you’re looking for a few practical examples then make sure you read our expert advice from John Williamson and Jess Brookes who have been there, done that and got the mare’s milk stained t-shirt.

Off peak travel in Mongolia

Traveling off peak in Mongolia may seem like a brave prospect, as temperatures drop below freezing and nomadic life becomes tough, but autumn and winter are magical seasons here.

Kazakh Eagle Hunters

The Kazakh eagle hunters of Western Mongolia live in one of the most remote regions of one of the most remote countries.

Mongolia’s Golden Eagle Festivals

Anyone who watched the BBC’s Human Planet series or the 2016 film The Eagle Huntress will have been awestruck by the scenes of the Kazakh eagle hunters, heading out on horseback into the Altai Mountains.

Mongolia travel advice

Our Mongolia travel advice page is packed full of tips from our friends in Mongolia as well as cultural advice and a handy health & safety guide to help you travel safely in Mongolia.

Responsible travel in Mongolia

Finding out how you can travel right in Mongolia before you leave is definitely advisable as from poverty and modernisation to mining and conservation issues finding out more about responsible travel in Mongolia is just the start of learning what you can do to help.

Written by Polly Humphris

Why book with Responsible Travel

ABTA member P7085 so
you are fully protected

Claim your free gift
with every booking

$120 off for loyal customers

1-866-821-6866

Call toll free for advice about
your next adventure

US State Department advice

Photo credits: [Page banner: Bernd Thaller] [Intro box: François Philipp] [John Williamson Quote 1: Richard Mortel] [John Williamson Quote 2: james j8246] [Camel Festival: Sergio Tittarini]

Best time to visit Mongolia