When to go to Mongolia? Weather, climate… The best period by region
Discover a land of adventures where you can run between steppes, deserts, lakes and mountains. Prepare your next trip to Mongolia with confidence by discovering the details of the climate and weather of different regions of the country.
Mongolia has an extreme continental climate, characterized by marked regional variations in latitude and elevation. The thermometer shows up to -40 °C in winter, and the temperature exceeds 35 °C in summer, which is the season when most of the precipitation is concentrated. Almost constant winds chase the clouds to allow the sun to shine 250 days a year the land of the blue sky.
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When is the best time to go to Ulaanbaatar and central Mongolia?
With winter temperatures approaching -35°C, Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital in the world. Choose the period from May to September to light up the central Sukhbaatar square and admire the view of the city from the Zaysan monument. An unmissable event, the Naadam festival is held every year in mid-July for three days at the national stadium in Ulaanbaatar with wrestling, archery and horse riding competitions.
About fifty kilometers from the capital, there is a magnificent equestrian statue of Genghis Khan, 40 m high and dedicated to the famous Mongolian leader. The central region is also the cradle of Mongolian civilization with the ancient city of Karakorum founded in 1235 and the Erdene Zuu monastery. The center of the country is also home to the Khangai Nuruu National Park, where you can experience the giant sand dunes of the Mongolian Mountains, the hot springs of Tsagaan Sum, as well as the wild beauty of the steppes of the Orkhon Valley.
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When is the best time to visit the Gobi Desert and southern Mongolia?
Spring and autumn are the ideal seasons to visit the Gobi desert, where temperatures can reach up to 40°C in summer. Only 3% of the world’s largest desert area is covered by sand dunes, especially Khongor, which is 300 m high.
The rest of the area consists of gravel plains, steep mountains and green valleys, which will delight hikers from May to September. Most of the Gobi is part of the Gurvansaykhan National Park, where two-humped camels, wild horses, antelopes and one of the planet’s rarest species, the swan, live side by side.
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When is the best time to go to Northern Mongolia?
The northern region of Mongolia is dominated by alpine landscapes, lush meadows and crystal clear lakes, which can be found in summer when the thermometer shows 25°C. Surrounded by high mountains covered with thick pine and larch forests, Khovsgol Lake is one of the country’s natural treasures. Its banks, which are convenient for horseback riding, host an ice cream festival every year on the first weekend in March.
When is the best time to go to Western Mongolia?
Western Mongolia, where the mercury drops to -40°C in winter, is dominated by majestic mountains hiding alpine lakes, glaciers and waterfalls that offer breathtaking views in summer. The Altai Tavan Bogd National Park is home to the Tsagaan Sala archaeological site, where hundreds of petroglyphs have been found, some dating back nearly 12,000 years.
The annual Eagle Festival is held in Bayan-Ölgi province on the first weekend of October. A great event aimed at perpetuating the millennial know-how of Kazakhs in the field of falconry.
When is the best time to go to Eastern Mongolia?
Eastern Mongolia is best explored in summer, when temperatures range from 19 to 23°C. This truly fascinating region is home to the village of Dadal, the birthplace of Genghis Khan, the Baldan Bereeven Monastery dating back to 1654, and Toson Khulstai National Park, a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
SEE ALSO – Mongolians celebrate the traditional Naadam festival.
