Mongolia
Eastern Asia · MNG
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Mongolia
Mongolia is one of the world's great open-sky trips for travelers who want steppe, desert, and nomad culture in a single route. It works best as Ulaanbaatar plus one or two regional journeys into the Gobi, central steppe, or lake country rather than a city-heavy itinerary.
Popular For
Things To See
- Ulaanbaatar
- Gobi Desert
- Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
- Khovsgol Lake
- Orkhon Valley
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- Summer is the easiest time for overland travel.
- Most of the appeal comes from leaving the capital and staying overnight in the countryside.
- Weather and distances make buffer time essential.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Mongolia.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Mongolia Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Mongolia.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Ulan Bator
- Population
- 3,544,835
- Area
- 1,564,110 km²
- Region
- Eastern Asia
Languages
- Mongolian
Currency
Mongolian tögrög (₮)
MNT
Exchange rate unavailable for USD.
Cost of Living (World Bank)
35.3
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 35.5
- Restaurants
- 24.7
- Rent
- 17.3
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Ulan Bator (47.92°N, 106.91°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
29/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 20/100
- Lived safety
- 47/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❌
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.747
High human development
- 5-year change
- -0.020
- 10-year change
- +0.003
- Trend
- declining
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 1.030
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.284
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.577
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (6)
- 🏛️
Deer Stone Monuments and Related Bronze Age Sites
Inscribed 2023
- 🌿
Landscapes of Dauria
Inscribed 2017
- 🏛️
Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape
Inscribed 2015
- 🏛️
Petroglyphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai
Inscribed 2011
- 🏛️
Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape
Inscribed 2004
- 🌿
Uvs Nuur Basin
Inscribed 2003
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 19.8%
- Forest cover
- 9.1%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 11
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 24
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
39/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
18/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
70/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Reissued after periodic review without changes. Exercise normal precautions in Mongolia. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Mongolia. If you travel to Mongolia, you should: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and X. Review the Country Security Report for Mongolia. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel. Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data