Best Time to Visit Ulan Bator

Summer: short, green and busy

July is the warmest month, with highs around 25°C. It's also the wettest, with rain on about 15 days. The showers are often short and sharp, so you'll get sunny mornings and the odd afternoon downpour. June and August are a bit cooler and a bit drier, and they feel easier in the city.

This is high season. Most visitors come to see the steppe (the open grassland) and to stay in a ger, the round felt tent families live in. Travelling with kids? Their school break lines up with these months, so expect fuller tours and fuller flights. Ulaanbaatar itself can feel busy, with traffic jams around Sükhbaatar Square.

Naadam and other events

Naadam is the big one. It runs around 11 to 13 July, and the main events are at the National Stadium. You can watch wrestling, archery and horse racing. The city is lively, but hotels fill up fast, so July suits you best if the festival is the point. If you'd rather skip the crowds, aim for June or August instead.

In winter, the Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year) holiday falls in late January or February. Families visit each other and eat buuz, which are steamed dumplings. It's a lovely time to be invited in, though many shops and sights close for a few days.

Spring and autumn: the quiet shoulders

May is dry and sunny, with highs near 16°C and cold nights close to freezing. The hills around Gorkhi-Terelj National Park are turning green, and you'll have much more space than in July. September is similar, with highs around 17°C, fewer showers and a golden light on the larch trees. Both months suit hikers and photographers.

April and October are rated Fair. Days are around 7 to 9°C, but nights drop below freezing, and some ger camps haven't opened or have already closed. Check before you go.

Winter: for the hardy

From November to March, it's properly cold. January highs sit at -13°C and lows at -23°C. The air is dry and often still, but the sun is out for a decent part of each day. Coal smoke can hang over the ger districts on the city's edges, so the air isn't always pleasant.

Winter does have fans. You'll find empty museums, such as the Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum, and cheaper rooms. Ice and snow make pavements slippery, so bring proper boots. Still, if you want hiking or a ger stay, wait until May.