Best Time to Visit Mongolia

The best time to visit Mongolia for most travellers is from June to September, when days are warm, the steppe is green and countryside roads are easiest to travel. July brings the Naadam festival and the busiest weeks, while late May and September offer quieter camps and mild weather. Winter travel is possible, and rewarding, if you prepare for serious cold.

Summer (June–August): peak travel season

Summer is when Mongolia's nomadic life is most visible. Herding families move to summer pastures, mares are milked for airag, and tourist ger camps across the Gobi, Kharkhorin, Khövsgöl and Terelj are fully open. Daytime temperatures are usually comfortable, though the Gobi can be very hot and nights in the mountains stay cool.

The highlight is Naadam, the national festival of wrestling, horse racing and archery, which opens in Ulaanbaatar on 11 July, with local naadams in provincial and district centres around the same weeks. Flights, hotels and the best camps fill up early, so book months ahead if you want to be in the capital for the opening ceremony.

July and August are also the wettest months. Rain usually comes as short afternoon showers, but it can turn dirt tracks to mud and swell rivers in the north.

Shoulder seasons: May and September

Late May and early June bring long daylight, few crowds and lower prices, though spring weather is unpredictable, with strong winds and occasional dust storms in the Gobi. Some ger camps open only from mid or late May.

September is many experienced travellers' favourite month. Larch forests in the north turn gold, the air is clear and the summer crowds have gone. Nights turn cold, sometimes below freezing, and many camps close in late September or early October. The Golden Eagle Festival in Bayan-Ölgii, in the far west, usually takes place in early October and is a strong reason to extend your trip.

Winter (November–March): cold, clear and quiet

Mongolian winters are long and very cold. Ulaanbaatar is often described as the coldest capital in the world, with January averages around −20 °C and colder nights. In return you get crisp blue skies, frozen landscapes, very few visitors and a chance to see herders' winter life up close.

Winter highlights include Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year (usually between late January and early March), when families visit each other and share buuz and milk tea, and the ice and camel festivals held in early March on Lake Khövsgöl and in the Gobi. Air quality in Ulaanbaatar can be poor in mid-winter because of coal and stove smoke, so plan to spend most of your time outside the city.

Which month suits which trip?

• Gobi Desert: May–June and September avoid the hottest weeks; July–August is hot but fine with early starts.
• Lake Khövsgöl and the north: June–September for hiking and riding; February–March for the frozen lake.
• Western Mongolia and the Altai: mid-June to mid-September; high passes can see snow at any time.
• Horse riding and trekking: late June to early September, when grazing is good for the horses.
• Festivals: July for Naadam, early October for the eagle hunters, January to March for Tsagaan Sar, March for the winter festivals.

Practical tips

Festival dates, especially for regional and winter events, are set by local organisers and can shift from year to year, so confirm them before booking flights. Book summer trips, domestic flights and Naadam tickets well ahead. Whatever the season, pack layers: temperatures can swing by 20 °C or more between afternoon and night. If you travel in the shoulder or winter seasons, check that the camps and guesthouses on your route are actually open on your dates.