Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar (Улаанбаатар) — also Ulan Bator, UB, or in the local language, Khot ("the city") — is the capital and the largest city of Mongolia. With more than 1.6 million residents as of 2023, Ulaanbaatar is home to roughly half of Mongolia's population and serves as the starting point for pretty much all travel to Mongolia.

Founded and established by warlords of the Mongol Empire in the 16th century, Ulaanbaatar is roughly 1,300-1,400 meters above sea level and is situated on a valley in the Tuul River.

Ulaanbaatar is a modern and clean city populated with beautiful landmarks such as the Green Palace, universities such as the National University of Mongolia, fancy skyscrapers, hotels, monasteries, museums, and malls showcasing local and international brands. A number of national parks and protected areas (the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park being the most popular one) belong to the city.

Due to its high elevation and distance from any major body of water, Ulaanbaatar has the onerous distinction of being the world's coldest capital city. Ulaanbaatar winters are notorious for being harsh, dry, and bitterly cold; winter temperatures range from -20° to -50° Celsius.

Understand

Downtown Ulaanbaatar in 2015

Ulaanbaatar has many different and distinct layers. Long gone are the days when this city was just a typical, drab Soviet-bloc town in the middle of nowhere. One can witness the traditional, the Soviet, and the super-modern, all within a 5 minute walk through the city.

Ulaanbaatar lies in the Altan Tevshiin Kundii (Valley of the Golden Cradle). Here the rivers Selbe and Tuul meet at the foot of the imposing Bogd Uul Mountain. In the forested and watered zone of northern Mongolia, it resides near the 2,000-year-old royal tombs of the Xiongnu, the 8th-century Turkic inscription of General Tonyukuk, and the birthplace of Genghis Khan. From the 20,000-year-old Paleolithic settlement on the Zaisan monument to the 12th century palace of the Nestorian Christian monarch Toghrul, there is a lot to learn and discover about this deep first layer of Ulaanbaatar.

The second layer is the Urga or Örgöö of 1639-1778 — what would become Ulaanbaatar was established as a nomadic monastic center for the spiritual leader Zanabazar in 1639 — 230 kilometres (143 miles) southwest of today's Ulaanbaatar. The monastic center moved repeatedly and eventually settled at its present location in 1778, along a trading route between Russia and China. This mobile monastery era survives today as cultural forms (Genghisid memory, Mongolian temple architecture, wooden-fenced ger districts, Mongolian script, and Buddhism, traditional clothing, festivals, wrestling, music), and as physical artifacts kept in museums (Zanabazar masterpieces).

The third layer is the late Qing dynasty Urga of 1778-1924 which can be found in surviving buildings such as the Gandan monastery.

The fourth layer is the socialist period of 1924-1990 which saw the destruction of temples, the confiscation of private property, and Stalinist purges, but also the emergence of Mongolia as a modern, independent nation with Ulaanbaatar as its showcase. It was in this period that the city was named Ulaanbaatar khot, literally "Red Hero City".

The fifth layer, corresponding to the decade of the 1990s, was a stagnant period marked by poverty and bread lines which left a poor impression on the few visitors who passed through the city after its opening from communism.

The newest sixth layer is the Ulaanbaatar of 2000 to the present, which saw the city over double in size to its current 1.6 million. However, while the center now has glittery skyscrapers, fashion boutiques and epic traffic jams, many poor migrants huddle in ger (yurt) districts on the outskirts of the city without basic amenities like running water and sewage. The residents of the ger districts have effectively become refugees in their own country, as the government has attempted to clamp down on rural-to-urban migration by not allowing new arrivals to register in the city, thus depriving them of the ability to access healthcare, employment and education in some instances.

A ger neighborhood next to a high-rise neighborhood, on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar.

Orientation

Peace Avenue (Enkh Taivny Örgön Chölöö) is the main street, stretching from east to west through the center with shopping and restaurants all along it. This street dates back to old Urga when it was called the Chölöö (Broad Avenue). The Chinese financed its paving in the 1950s. The street passes by the southern edge of the central square, Sükhbaatar Square, which has roots in the central square of old Urga. The tourist information office is in the south flank of the town hall in the western corner of Chinggis Square.

The city center is defined by the Ikh Toiruu (Great Ring Road) which has its origin in the prayer route of pilgrims circling the central temple-palace complex of Urga. Peace Avenue crosses the middle of the ring road horizontally while the southern part of the ring road is the Narnii Zam road ("Road of the Sun" built with Japanese support). South of the Narni Zam road is the affluent southern part of Ulaanbaatar with luxury apartments lining the Tuul River.

Ger districts line the northern part of the city center and stretch 7 km north to the Dambadarjaalin Monastery built in 1765. North of Dambadarjaalin Monastery starts the Zuslan or summer vacation area, where charming summer houses stretch 14 km to Khandgait.

Many families in Ulaanbaatar have a zuslan building (similar to Russian dachas) where they spend the summer among the forests and natural scenery of the Selbe river valley. Some herding families graze their horses and cows freely in this area. The scenery gets more dramatic going east towards the Terelj area with big rock formations and wildflower valleys. Tours go past Terelj to the 1740 Gunjiin Sum Princess Temple and the Khagiin Khar lake.

The southern edge of Ulaanbaatar is marked by its boundary with the town of Zuunmod on the south side of the Bogd Uul mountain. The 1778 shrine of Tsetsee Gun on the peak and the 1747 ruins of the Manjusri Monastery are on top of the mountain. South of the mountain starts an endless sea of grassland steppe gradually merging into the Gobi Desert 300 km south of UB. Day trips to the east include the Tsonjin Boldog Genghis Khan Statue. Day trips to the west include the Hustai Nuruu National Park, Aglag Meditation Center and Ögii Lake.

History

At the time when Ulaanbaatar was founded as Urga in 1639 by Genghisid nobles, Mongolia was actually a serious contender for power in East Asia. The last Great Khan, Ligdan, had died in 1634, and the Manchu were rising in the east — but the independent Mongols had been revitalized by a Buddhist renaissance in the 1570s, and raids under Altan Khan were carried out as far afield as Beijing. A firmer union of the Western Oirats and Eastern Genghisids would have sufficed to fend off the Manchus. The 1640 Mongol-Oirat Code of Law united the East and West, but this union failed to last long. What did survive from this period was the union of the Eastern Mongols cemented in 1639 with the founding of Urga. The Mongol nobles installed one of their own, Zanabazar, the son of Tüsheet Khan Gombodorj (1594-1655) and a direct descendant of Genghis Khan, as the supreme lama of the Mongols. His residence, called Örgöö or Urga, meaning "palace-yurt", was some 250 km west of the current site of the city, near the ancient Mongol capital of Karakorum. In 1651, the first Jebtsundamba Khutughtu, Zanabazar, returned from studies in Tibet and established seven monastic departments in Urga. The mobile monastery gradually became a mobile city, moving every few years as needed. Urga was moved 25 times between its founding in 1639 and settling in its current location in 1778, by which time it had several thousand tents and temples and was served by trade routes from China and Russia. It was also estimated to have about 10,000 monks. The Gandan Monastery was established in 1809 and became the center of learning for all of Mongolia, and one of the most important monasteries in Tibetan Buddhism.

Ulaanbaatar (Urga) in 1913

The city continued to grow through the 19th century as a provincial capital of the Qing Empire and a center of religion and trade. Russian influence in Mongolia became significant in the late 18th century, and a two-story Russian consulate was opened in 1865 as an upgrade from the 18th century wooden quarters of the Russian representative. Mongolia was, in practice, a buffer between Russia and China, with plenty of local autonomy through the Bogd Jebtsundamba and Mongolian nobles.

In 1911, the 8th Bogd Khan declared independence from China, leading to a long unstable period in the city's history including an occupation by a Chinese warlord in 1919. However, the Chinese were expelled by the White Russian Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, aka the "Mad Baron", in 1921. This forced the Soviet Union to intervene and set up a puppet state in what was then known as Outer Mongolia. The country was nominally independent but essentially a satellite state of the USSR. In 1924, the city's name changed from Urga to Ulaanbaatar ("Red Hero"). Many of the monasteries and temples were destroyed in the religious purges of the 1930s.

Following the end of the Second World War, the old ger districts were largely cleared for Soviet-style city apartments, offices, and factories. The Trans-Mongolian Railway was completed in 1956, connecting Ulaanbaatar to Beijing and Moscow. Gandan Monastery was reopened during a visit by US Vice President Henry Wallace in 1944, when he asked to see a monastery.

Since the democratic revolution in 1990, the population of the city has almost tripled from 540,600 (1989) to 1.6 million (2020) - with thousands moving in from the countryside. The commercial and residential real estate sectors have boomed since 2000, though large factories have closed and much of the city still lives in the slum-like ger districts.

Climate

Ulaanbaatar
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       1.1     −16 −27       1.7     −11 −24       2.7     −2 −15       8.3     8 −6       13     17 3       42     22 8       58     23 11       52     22 9       26     16 2       6.4     7 −6       3.2     −4 −16       2.5     −14 −24 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm NOAA (1961-1990)
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       0     3 −17       0.1     12 −11       0.1     28 5       0.3     46 21       0.5     63 37       1.7     72 46       2.3     73 52       2     72 48       1     61 36       0.3     45 21       0.1     25 3       0.1     7 −11 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Although summer day temperatures can be around 20°C, the city shivers in sub-zero temperatures for five months of the year. January and February are the coldest months, with temperatures hovering between -15°C to -30°C at night. As a result of these prolonged periods of intense cold, the city has an average annual temperature of −0.4°C (31.3 °F), giving it the dubious distinction of being the world's coldest capital. The cold is dry, however, and there is not much wind chill due to temperature inversion. Heat island effect also means the city center is warmer than the outskirts. Summer can be very hot at times, so one should avoid heat stress and use sunscreen when necessary.

If you have breathing problems, be aware that Ulaanbaatar has high levels of air pollution during the winter. However, away from the city, the countryside air is gorgeous. In winter, air pollution starts at 19:00, when ger district residents start burning coal for heat, and lasts till about 10:00 the next morning. It is severe in northern parts of the city close to the ger districts, but gets sparse going south from Chinggis Square and is almost absent near Zaisan, at the southern edge of the city where there are no ger districts. The air pollution lifts in early March and the city remains pollution-free (excluding car exhaust) until November.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN  ^IATA, Чингис хаан олон улсын нисэх буудал, New Ulaanbaatar International Airport) (52 km south of Ulaanbaatar). Opened in 2021, this Japanese-built airport has now taken over all domestic and international flights, replacing the old Buyant-Ukhaa Airport which was confusingly also known as Chinggis Khaan International Airport.  

Getting to the airport takes about 50-100 minutes depending on traffic. Public transport buses run from 6:20 AM to midnight, but taxis and the new Ulaanbaatar Airport shuttle are more reliable. Taxis cost a steep 85,000-120,000 ₮ depending on your destination, be sure to agree on the price in advance. There are also shared taxis for 30,000MNT. The Ulaanbaatar Airport Shuttle costs 20,000 MNT - 30,000 MNT depending on the size of the shuttle. Many of the higher-end hotels will offer a shuttle service to/from the airport for a nominal fee.

By train

Ulaanbaatar Train Station

Direct (if long) journeys are possible from destinations between Moscow and Beijing on the Trans-Mongolian line of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Ulaanbaatar-bound trains leave Beijing once a week, on Wednesday, and seats can only be reserved at the International Hotel in Beijing, a ten-minute walk north of the main rail station. The journey takes about 30 hours. Packing a face mask is a good idea as sandstorms in the Gobi desert may cause difficulty in breathing. Shorter-haul trains also run to the Chinese border towns of Erlian and Jining 3-4 times a week. Ulaanbaatar's 2 train station is on Narni Zam road, about 3 km west of the city centre. The cheapest option is the daily 18:05 departure to Zamyn Uud on the Mongolian side of the Chinese border. You can buy a connecting bus ticket from Zamyn Uud to Erlian on the Chinese side for 10000₮ in the railway office in Ulaanbaatar. After COVID-19 related suspending for 3 years, train service between China and Mongolia was restored, but only between Ulaanbaatar and Erenhot.

In Moscow, trains to Ulaanbaatar depart Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (the latter two are express runs), for a journey that lasts 100 hours or a little over 4 days. There's also a daily train to/from Irkutsk, which can also be reached from Vladivostok at the eastern end of the Trans-Siberian.

By car

What few paved roads exist in Mongolia generally go to and from Ulaanbaatar. Thus, getting to UB from elsewhere in Mongolia on a paved road is very easy, because all you have to do is just follow the pavement. However, if you're driving one of the dirt tracks that characterize the majority of the country's road network, it pays to have a map, and if off-roading is part of your itinerary, it pays to have a local guide/driver.

Coming from the north, the paved road starts at the Russian border at Sühbaatar. Coming from the south, the paved road starts at the Chinese border at Zamyn-Üüd, passing through the vast Gobi Desert along the way. Coming from the northeast, the paved road starts at Bulgan. Finally, from the west, the road starts in either Bayanhongor in the southwest or Tsetserleg further north.

By bus

Once in the country, it should not be difficult to find a bus going to UB, at least from larger towns. However, bus stops are difficult to locate, with buses usually just stopping in populated areas. Furthermore, Mongolian buses are notorious for being late — in some cases by a day or more. Buses from Russia, the west, north and south usually go to Dragon Center, while those from China and the east go to Bayanzurkh bus station, just east of the Officer Monument at the east end of Peace Avenue.

• 3 Dragon Center (драгон). The primary bus station for all buses going to the west, north, and the Gobi. Expect long journeys. The 600km kilometre journey to Murun takes 12-14 hours, and when you look on Google Maps it seems you have barely moved from Ulaanbaatar, given the size of the country.
• 4 Botanical Gardens (ботаник) (1 km east of the eastern traffic circle). The gardens have been completely destroyed, but the location is well known to the locals. Serves inter-city buses to Eastern Mongolia. 
• Tenger Plaza (east of the city center, southeast of Mongolia International University and MIU bus stop). Buses depart to various national destinations. Buses to Zamyn-Üüd, the main border crossing to China, depart at 07:00 and 21:00, arriving there about 10 hours later, with some buses continuing across the border to Erlian. 

From Russia, there are also UB-bound buses from Ulan Ude, leaving at 07:30 from the old bus station (Старый Автовокзал) via the Altanbulag border crossing. The trip usually takes about 12 hours, including customs processing — much faster than the train — and tickets cost 1800 руб one-way. Night buses leave on Fridays and Sundays at 19:00. Buses arrive and depart from the Dragon Bus station. Any travel agency should be able to book tickets or you can buy them at either bus station.

Get around

Street names are rarely known by Mongolians, and they usually only appear on maps and official addresses. Official addresses list the district, microdistrict (usually a large block bounded by major streets), and the building number. However, since blocks can have dozens of buildings, with more continuously being squeezed in between existing ones, addresses are not very helpful for navigation. Instead, it's best to have directions for major landmarks using lots of descriptions (i.e. "turn right at the first traffic signal west of the State Department Store"). Some major streets to know are Peace Avenue, UB's main road which runs west-to-east in front of Chinggis Square; Chinggis Boulevard, running north-to-south on the east side of the square, then veering west toward the airport in front of Bogd Khan Winter Palace; and Seoul Street, which runs west from Chinggis Boulevard just south of Chinggis Square.

By taxi

If you stand in the street and hold out your arm, usually within seconds somebody will have stopped to pick you up. This system can be quick and reliable, especially during the cold winter, but it can cause problems as many drivers will only speak Mongolian. Taxis are cheap: the going rate is around 1000₮ per kilometer, but if you're a foreigner, they'll overcharge you and there's really no way to get around it completely. (In extreme circumstances, opportunistic younger drivers have been known to try to hold passengers or their luggage at ransom until they pay extraordinary amounts of money!) A good tip is to carry a small written note with an amount in tögrög (500₮, 1000₮, 1500₮, etc.) and show them exactly what you are willing to pay before you get on. If the driver does not seem aggressive, you can get yourself out of this situation by knowing a few local words - particularly yes, no, and any numbers. Remember, even if you pay 4000 tögrög for a journey, though this is a higher fare than a local would pay, it is still only just over $1. So use your judgement.

The current price of gasoline is $5/gallon, 3710₮/litre, so you can judge whether some of these prices are realistic given market conditions.

UB also now has a fleet of new white cabs with large LCD-screen fare meters on the dash. Always negotiate the fare in advance, don't be fooled by tricks like "I meant 3000₮ for each of you", and avoid random cars that offer taxi service.

• Help Taxi, ☏ +976 99652371. Fluent English-speaking dispatch, all drivers have at least limited proficiency in English. Main taxi service for all the embassies. 1000₮/km, minimum 4000₮, airport to city center 30,000₮. 
• iTaxi, ☏ +976 77171717. English-speaking dispatch, metered taxi rides, texts you when the taxi arrives to pick you up. 1000₮/km, airport to city center 20,000₮. 
• Download UBCab to order taxis quickly to your location. You do not enter the destination into the app, but simply order the cab and then instruct the driver where to go once you get in.

By bus

Buses in UB come in several different varieties. At the top of the scale, regularly scheduled municipal buses operate on a widespread network that extends right to the outskirts of town, for a flat rate of 500₮. As well, there's an almost equally extensive network of microbuses charging from 300-500₮, distinguished by a person hanging out the window at each stop and shouting the name of the destination in rapid-fire Mongolian. Finally, there is also a cheaper (300₮) but slower and less extensive network of electric trolleybuses. To use the municipal and trolleybuses you need a U card, which can be purchased at many kiosks and shops for 3000₮. You load credit and touch it to the reader when entering the bus. If you touch it on the reader when getting off you can get a second ride for free if you board within 30 minutes.

As in any city, be wary of pickpockets on the buses, especially when the buses are crowded.

By foot

Within the quite compact city center, walking is a viable option. Ulaanbaatar stretches from east to west along the aforementioned Peace Avenue, making navigating the center a cinch. Outside the center, in the ger districts, it's a different story entirely: a good city map, available at the airport or the Mongolian Government Map Shop, is a must if you plan to go off the beaten path. You'll find the map shop directly on the Ikh Toiruu ring road: head west three blocks from the State Department Store, then turn right (north) at the first traffic light and proceed for about half a block. The Map Shop is behind the blue and yellow Elba Appliance store.

See

Most tourist sites have a separate camera/video fee (typically 5000-10,000₮) in addition to the entrance fee.

Monasteries

Megjid Janraisig temple, Gandantegchinlen Monastery

Bogd Khan Winter Palace

• 1 Choijin Lama Monastery (Чойжин ламын сүм) (one block east of the National Library), ☏ +976 11 32478, info@templemuseum.mn. Daily 09:00-19:30 in summer, closed on Sundays and Mondays during winter. These five temples and five arched gates are a unique showcase of religious art and the history of Buddhism in Mongolia, a gem of 20th century Mongolian cultural heritage, and a fine example of Buddhist architecture. Choijin Lama Monastery was active until 1938, was inscribed in 1941 on the list of historical and cultural monuments, and became a museum the following year. In the main temple you'll find the sculpture of the Choijin Lama and the embalmed mummy of his teacher, as well as the great coral mask of Begtse, created under the direction of protectors using over 6,000 pieces of coral. Elsewhere in the complex, Yadam Temple and Amgalan Temple contain rare artifacts made by the famous Mongolian artist and sculptor, Zanabazar. 8000₮, students 3000₮, children 1500₮, photography fee 50,000₮.  
• 2 Gandantegchinlen Monastery (Gandantegchinlen Khiid or Gandan Monastery). The main monastery in the city has services around 10:00 every morning. It is one of the few monasteries in the country that were spared during the Communist purges of the 1930s. 4000₮.  

Museums

• 3 Bogd Khan Winter Palace Museum (Богд хааны ордон музей) (about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) south of Chinggis Square, on Chinggis Avenue in Khan Uul district). 10:00-17:00. Built between 1893 and 1903 by Mongolian masters, this palace was dedicated to the VIII Bogd Gegeen, head of Tibetan Buddhism and Khan of Mongolia from 1911 until 1924 (the last three years of which were as a constitutional monarch). Upon his death, the palace became the first national historical museum of Mongolia. The museum contains twelve collections showcasing valuable objects and works of art from the 17th to early 20th centuries (notable among which are gilded bronze sculptures by the first Bogd Javzundamba Zanabazar and his school, 19th- and 20th century thangka paintings, a Jugder painting of Ulaanbaatar in 1912, and works by modern Mongolian painter B. Sharav), as well as personal possessions of the Khan and his wife, Queen Dondogdulam.. Admission 8000₮, 50,000₮ photography fee.  
• 4 Chinggis Khaan National Museum (Чингис хаан Үндэсний музей), J. Sambuu's street, 4th khoroo, Chingeltei District (a short distance north of the parliament building), ☏ +97670212222, info@chinggismuseum.org. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays during the winter period (1 October to 15 May). Adult 30000₮, families 20000₮, students 15000₮, children 0₮, photo shooting 20000₮. (updated May 2024)
• 5 International Intellectual Museum (IQ Museum) (on Peace Avenue in Bayanzürkh district, in front of East Center), ☏ +976 11 461470, mitgel@yahoo.com. M-Sa 10:00-18:00. This museum not only displays but also manufactures and exports a wide variety of traditional Mongolian puzzle toys, logic games, handcrafted products, and souvenirs, and has launched over 80 international exhibitions and fairs in 50 countries. Admission 2000₮, children 500₮.  
• 6 Natural History Museum (Байгалийн түүхийн музей) (Freedom Square, next to Tengis Cinema and directly behind State Department Store; at the site of the former Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs), ☏ +976 7000 0171. Th–M 10:00-18:00 (closed Tuesday and Wednesday). The complete fossil of the Tarbosaurus bataar — a close cousin of the larger T. Rex that serves as the centerpiece of this museum's impressive collection — was stolen from Mongolia by American archaeologist Eric Prokopi and auctioned in New York for $1 million. The ensuing news coverage set off an international criminal case resulting in Prokopi's arrest and the return of dozens of dinosaur fossils to Mongolia by the U.S. government, which make up the bulk of this museum's collection. In the former Lenin Museum on Freedom Square, the museum contains a couple dozen other complete dinosaur fossils besides the Tarbosaurus, all of which were found in the Gobi Desert. Admission 2000₮.  
• 7 National Museum of Mongolia (Монголын Үндэсний музей) (just west of the Government House), ☏ +97670110911, +97670110913. Tu-Sa 08:00-22:00, last entry 20:30. This is the main museum in the capital and should be a first stop on any visit to the city, as it holds the most important artifacts of Mongolia's rich history dating back several thousand years. These include ethnographic displays of various Mongolian tribes, petroglyphs and cave drawings, Turkic monuments, weapons, armor, and various displays from the various eras of Mongolian history: the Hun and Mongol Empires, Chinese rule, the Communist era, and the democratic revolution of 1990. There are displays of self-portraits and personal possessions of Genghis Khan and other great khans of the Mongol Empire. Most displays are in English and Mongolian... Admission 5000₮, photography fee 5000₮. (updated May 2024)

Art museums

Akshobhya by Zanabazar, in the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts

• 8 National Art Gallery of Mongolia (at the Central Cultural Palace on Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 11 327177, info@art-gallery.mn. Daily 10:00-18:00. A surprisingly good modern art museum that displays the vibrancy of the local art scene. There are temporary exhibits throughout the year as well as a permanent collection. Admission 2000₮, students 1000₮, children 500₮.  
• 9 The Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum (Занабазарын нэрэмжит Дүрслэх урлагийн музей) (two blocks west of the Government House, on Barilgachdin Square), ☏ +976 11 326060, info@zanabazarfam.mn. 08:00-17:00 (summer), 10:00-17:00 (winter). The collection includes items from the Stone Age to the 20th century. Particularly interesting is the collection of Buddhist art from the 17th century and later.. Admission 5000₮.  

Monuments and memorials

Zaisan War Memorial

• 10 Sükhbaatar Square (Сүхбаатарын талбай). The big open space in the center of the city with an equestrian statue of Damdin Sükhbaatar, warrior-hero of the 1921 People's Revolution, as well as a seated statue of Genghis Khan that sits at the door of the Government House. Inside the Government House is a small museum with artifacts from the Mongol Empire and a reproduction of Genghis Khan's White Peace Banners of State (the Soviets had the originals destroyed in the 1930s)... (updated May 2024)
• 11 Zaisan Memorial (Зайсан толгой) (about 3½ km directly south of Chinggis Square). A huge Communist-era monument on a hill near the city depicting the Russian and Mongolian heroes who fought together during the First and Second World Wars. Nowadays it is a popular viewpoint where you can see over the whole city. There's also a huge Buddhist statue at the bottom... (updated May 2024)

Despite news about the removal of Lenin's statue, Ulaanbaatar still boasts a wealth of other interesting statues and public art beyond what's mentioned above. Prominently, former Communist leaders Choibalsan and Tsedenbal are memorialized north of the Government House, as is Sanjaasürengiin Zorig, leader of the 1990 democratic revolution, at a location southwest of Chinggis Square. There are also many lesser-known statues scattered through the city: there's a bust of Stalin inside a beer garden south of Chinggis Square, some old Soviet murals on the side of apartment buildings north of the Bogd Khan Winter Palace, and you'll even see The Beatles and the villain from the movie Predator holding court in front of the State Department Store and in front of a small office building 100 m northeast of there, respectively.

Do

Outdoors

• Bogd Uul, the mountain ridge south of town, is a great place for a hike. To get there, take the #7, #33 or #43 bus from in front of the Bayangol Hotel to the south end of the line. From there, the road continues south about 100 m, whereupon you'll come to a checkpoint. Proceed, bear left when the road forks, and you'll soon find yourself in a ger camp with a small stream flowing north. This is where the hiking path itself begins, on the left (east) side of the stream. At the top of the ridge, veer west and proceed through the woods for an easy amble of about two or three hours (you'll come to a high point about 500 m past the turn). At the end of that stretch, you have the option of either branching off to the west or else continuing straight and slightly east to Bogd Uul Mountain (this path is marked with orange paint marks on the trees). That part of the trip is quite long — about 10 km one-way — and more challenging, with varying elevations.
• 1 Sky Resort (13 km from city center. Go south to Zaisan, then east along the river past the President's Residence), ☏ +976 11 320345, info@skyresort.mn. 07:00-22:00. A winter sports resort offering downhill skiing, snowboarding, lifts, equipment rental, ski and snowboard school, and an onsite restaurant. There's a free bus from the Drama Center (next to the Grand Khan Irish Pub) with departures between 08:00 and 19:30 (frequent service on weekends, more sporadic midweek; check schedule to verify bus times). Under US$20.  

Naadam Festival in July

Festivals

• 2 Naadam. The largest and most famous festival in Mongolia, Naadam is held annually from July 11-13 and consists of competitions in the three traditional Mongolian sports of wrestling, horse-racing and archery. The 3 National Sports Stadium, besides being the main venue for the festival, also serves as the country's main football and baseball stadium as well as a venue for occasional concerts and cultural events.  

Theatre and performance

• 4 National Academic Drama Theater (Улсын драмын эрдмийн театр) (in the red Georgian building just south of the Post Office on Chinggis Avenue). Mostly presents Mongolian plays in drama, musicals, or children's performances. Tickets are sold at the "KACC" office in front.... Prices vary, generally cheap for Mongolian-language performances.  
• 5 Mongolian National Circus (Монгол Улсын Цирк) (on Seoul Street south of the State Department Store). Home to the world-famous Mongolian contortionists, where most of the world's professional contortionists get their start. The circus also features animals, jugglers, and other entertainment.  
• 6 State Opera and Ballet Theater (National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Mongolia), Chinggis Square (in the pinkish building on the southeast side of Chinggis Square), opera_ballet@yahoo.com. Box office W-Su 10:00-13:00, 14:00-17:00. While visiting Chinggis Square, it may be worthwhile to check out the board in front of this theatre to see if there is an upcoming performance. Most performances are at 17:00 Saturday and Sunday. Local performances may not be great, but are very cheap. Ballet troupes and opera companies from Russia also occasionally visit.. Prices vary by performance, local productions can be very inexpensive.  
• 7 Tumen Ekh (south of the Main Square, west of Shangri-La hotel, in the Children's Palace), ☏ +976 11 322238, info@tumen-ekh.mn. Daily performances from May-Oct at 18:00, on weekdays in Oct-Nov 15th. A traditional dance ensemble founded in 1989 that performs dances, music and religious ceremonies for audiences of mostly foreign tourists. Performances last about an hour and are far from the usual tourist schlock: these very skilled artists take their work seriously and have been on tour in the U.S., UK and other countries. 30,000₮. (updated Aug 2023)
• 8 Mongolian Theatre Museum, Amar St (on the 3rd floor of the Central Cultural Palace Building), ☏ +976 11 31 1320. A performing arts museum founded in 1991 presenting the history of Mongolian film and theatre.. (updated Dec 2023)
• 9 Wrestling Palace (Bökhiin Örgöö), Bayanzürkh. Sports complex that is home to the Mongolian wrestling competitions and also hosts music concerts. (updated May 2024)

Miscellaneous

• Get an inexpensive massage at one of the many massage spas on Peace Avenue.
• 10 National Amusement Park (Үндэсний соёл амралтын хүрээлэн) (500 m south of Chinggis Square). Daily 11:00-19:00 year round. Open since 1969, the park today features a steel roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, a castle surround by an artificial lake, and bowling. 1000₮ to enter plus extra for each ride.  

Learn

The 1 American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) provides in-depth insight via an academic approach into Mongolian culture. The center has a study room and library of Mongolia-related material, with Internet access. It is on the campus of the Mongolian National University, on the third floor of Building #5.

As well, there are several Mongolian-language schools throughout the city.

On Facebook look for various learning clubs or English-learning local clubs offering local meetups and you may attend some of them to learn local culture or to participate in interesting local activities.

Buy

Post-WWII architecture in the city center

Cash is becoming less and less common, with many shops, eateries, and even street vendors and taxi drivers accepting bank transfer (using SMS or banking apps), QR code payment (multiple systems in use), and debit/credit cards. As a visitor, have cash and a paywave-enabled card.

It's relatively easy to find an ATM to withdraw cash. Most ATMs accept foreign credit and debit cards to withdraw tögrög (the local currency) as long as you have informed your bank ahead of time as to your Mongolian travel plans; most will charge you a foreign currency conversion fee of about 3%. Besides Visa, other card types are also accepted, but not as widely: for example, the machines in the Central Post Office and along the main street will not accept foreign MasterCards, although they bear the logo. The only ATM that accepts Cirrus cards is the one at the airport.

UB also has many banks and exchange offices where tögrög can be obtained. Golomt and TDB are the most reliable banks for currency exchange, the former of which can give up to US$500 per day cash advance on MasterCard and Visa and also accepts American Express. Exchange offices can mainly be found along Peace Avenue in the city center, including one on the ground floor of the State Department Store. However, you'll find better rates at the one on the second floor of the Flower Center, on Peace Avenue one block west of the Post Office. Lastly, major hotels like the Ulaanbaatar Hotel will exchange money 24/7 at the reception, which may be your only option if you arrive very late in the day. Keep in mind that you'll need a form of ID to exchange foreign currency - a passport will do.

See Mongolia#Money for exchange rates for the tögrög.

Major shopping centers

Items for sale at the Naran Tuul (Black Market)

• 1 Naran Tuul (Black Market) (3 km east of the children's park on Narni Zam road). Closed on Monday. The main market for most of the city's residents, Naran Tuul is the place to go to shop like a local. Haggle over cheap clothes, toys, fur hats, vintage Soviet propaganda pins, or anything you can imagine in a vast, partially indoor retail emporium a 10-minute bus or taxi ride from the city center. There are also several slightly more upscale shopping centers just west of the market. Only take a minimum of cash with you in a money belt or inner jacket pocket and leave all valuables at your accommodation, as pickpockets are common here. 
• 2 State Department Store (Улсын Их Дэлгүүр) (west of Chinggis Square on Peace Avenue). Daily 10:00-22:00. Formerly a state-owned department store (hence the name), today it is the busiest luxury shopping mall in the city, with everything from groceries to cashmere to TVs sold on all six floors of the building. Though privately owned nowadays, the customer service still has a certain impersonal, bureaucratic feel. Check out the fifth floor for the largest souvenir shops in UB.  
• 3 3rd & 4th Microdistrict (northwest side of Gandan, 2 km north of the train station). You'll find several malls, name-brand stores, restaurants, supermarkets, curbside booths, and a movie theater at UB's largest shopping district. Selection ranges from luxury brands down to cheap Chinese imports. Traffic congestion is heavy in this part of the city. 
• 4 Emart Department stores (Emart) (at the north of Chingis Khaan hotel). Daily 10:00-22:00. This subsidiary of the South Korean retailer has three department stores in Ulaanbaatar that offer mostly South Korean and some domestic goods. It has a good groceries department as well. The first store is just north of Chingis Khaan Hotel, the second is in Bayangol district, and the third is in Khan Uul district. (updated Oct 2022)

Souvenir shops

Ulaanbaatar has a host of souvenir shops aimed at both Western and East Asian tourists, mostly along Peace Avenue west of Chinggis Square. Traditional clothes, boots and hats, cashmere garments, jewelry, leather wall hangings, miniature gers, bow-and-arrow sets, and paintings are among the typical inventory. While the quality of the goods varies, prices are usually high.

• 5 Flower Center (corner of Peace Avenue and Ikh Toiruu ring road, west of Chinggis Square). One of the larger souvenir shops in the city; a broad selection, but a bit pricey. There is a money exchange center on the second floor. 
• 6 Mary & Martha (north of the State Department Store bus stop, look for the signs), info.mmmongolia@gmail.com. A small free-trade shop full of beautiful handmade souvenirs, handbags, and wall hangings. 

Books

• 7 Librairie Papillon (on University Avenue, just past the main Mongolian National University building). Offers high-quality English-language books about Mongolia, resources for learning the Mongolian language, and a selection of classic literature to read on your journey. The atmosphere feels like taking a little break from Mongolia and entering France. 
• 8 Mike's Bookstore (south of the Bayangol Hotel, west of the New Building), ☏ +976 9903 6703. Used books are bought and sold here. There's even a buyback policy. Selection is mostly but not exclusively English-language. 

Miscellaneous

• 9 Seven Summits Outdoor Shop (on Peace Avenue 50 m west of Chinggis Square, in a row of shops on the south side of the street), ☏ +976 11 329456, maira@activemongolia.com. If you're looking for gear you can't find elsewhere, e.g. an adaptor for a screw-on stove to use the ubiquitous clip-on cylinders, since screw-on types seem to be unavailable anywhere, Seven Summits is your place. They're a bit on the pricey side, though. (updated Oct 2016)

Eat

Ulaanbaatar has a good range of options serving Mongolian, Asian (particularly Korean and Chinese), and Western cuisine — and at decent prices. For instance, you can get perfectly good pizza for 5000₮, and even a night out at a fancy French cafe shouldn't pass 30,000₮. Consider splurging on a couple of good meals here, especially if you're headed for a long trek into the country where fresh vegetables and the like are often hard to come by and prohibitively expensive. Best of all, UB's rapidly growing wealth has meant a steady procession of ever newer, ever higher-quality restaurants, as well as the appearance of international chains like KFC, Round Table Pizza, and Cinnabon.

Vegan

Mongolia's Buddhist history means that vegan and vegetarian restaurants are plentiful, and quality is high. Traditional Mongolian foods like buuz (steamed dumplings) and khushuur (fried dumplings) have vegan versions available at vegan restaurants; if you have dietary restrictions, you won't have to miss out on traditional food. In the city centre around the Sukhbaatar Square

• 1 Luna Blanca (across the street from and just west of the National Museum near Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 11 9907-7885, luna@lunablanca.org. M-F 11:00-20:00, Sa-Su 12:00-20:00. Good-quality vegan food. Attached to a Buddhist meditation centre, therefore short opening hours (closes around 9pm).
  If you're looking to self-cater they also sell a modest selection of groceries including vegan sausages. Around 4000₮ (Feb 2018). (updated May 2022)
• Vegan House Cafe (south-east corner of the intersection of Ikh Toiruu and Seoul St). Numerous vegan options including very good buuz. (updated Oct 2022)
• Loving Hut - Barilgachdyn Talbai (across the street and slightly west from Zanabazar Museum). The best of several Loving Huts scattered across UB. (updated Oct 2022)
• Agnista Restaurant (in a small business center in the middle of a city block just West of the Parliament Building). Wide variety of Mongolian and Western food, as well as frozen buuz that you can bring home. (updated Oct 2022)
• Agnista Vegan Food, 706 Seoul St. Similar to the other Agnista but with less of a crowd during lunchtime. (updated Oct 2022)
• Bosco verde. Vegan restaurant just behind the circus. (updated Oct 2022)

Budget

Mongolian street food

Throughout Ulaanbaatar are many small canteens (Гуанз) and coffeeshops (Цайны Газар). Try one of these for cheap Mongolian food. Buuz usually costs 400-600₮. As well, most universities (particularly the Mongolian National University and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology) have good cheap cafeterias with meals from 1800₮ to about 2500₮.

Khaan Buuz (Хаан Бууз) serves up set meals of Mongolian favorites (buuz is a Mongolian meat dumpling) from 5000₮, just look for the lime green facades.

CU and GS25 are ubiquitous Korean-style convenience stores that offer good cheap fast food and eating space at their stores; prices range from 2000-8500₮. Be circumspect of frozen foods, check for freezer burn, and products tainted from power failures and spoilage.

Around the State Department Store

• 2 Joe's Corner Burgers (tucked between the apartment buildings behind the State Department Store). Stops serving around 21:00. Burgers and hot dogs, with fries: probably the best value in UB for this kind of American fare. 4000-5500₮. 

East Ulaanbaatar near the International Intellectual Museum

• 3 Papa Cafe, Их Монгол Улсын гудамж (second building east from the British Embassy on Peace Avenue, next to a parking lot, on the second floor), ☏ +976 11 461687, papacafe2010@gmail.com. M-F 10:00-21:00, Sa 09:00-21:00. Burgers, chicken burgers, espresso and baked goods. On Saturday they open at 09:00 and serve a breakfast special of one large waffle with fresh fruit, ice cream, bacon, Mongolian blueberry jam and syrup, plus coffee and other drinks. 4000-7000₮. 

Mid-range

• 4 Budweiser Pub & Restaurant (across from the northwest corner of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 8900 3025. Fish and chips, steak, English breakfast. US$6-10. 
• 5 Chinggis Club (two and a half blocks blocks north of Chinggis Square via the street passing along its west side). 10:00-24:00. The Chinggis Brewery's in-house restaurant, serving German cuisine and (of course) their own locally brewed light and dark beers on tap. US$10. 
• 6 Hishig Mongol Zoog (on Peace Avenue several kilometers west of the State Department Store, near the third hospital), ☏ +976 7017 8158. If you want to experience authentic Mongolian cuisine, this is the place. Serves roasted sheep head, roasted ribs, buuz, and dried meat soup. No foreign-language menu or staff, though. US$6-10. 
• 7 Millie's Espresso (on the west side of the Choijin Lama Monastery), ☏ +976 11 33 0338. 08:00-20:00. Good selection of American-style coffeeshop fare, including some vegetarian options. Free Wi-Fi. US$10. 
• 8 Nayra Cafe (two blocks west of the Government House), ☏ +976 11 31 7098. opens 08:00. Good pizza, sandwiches, and coffee. Free WiFi. Most under 8000₮. 
• 9 Venus Cafe (two blocks east and then three blocks north of the State Department Store, on the left a few doors past the French Bakery), ☏ +976 1327496. lunch, dinner. Malaysian specialties including masala, roti, and spicy curries. US$10 for dinner, lunch set menu US$5. 
• 10 Modern Nomads (several restaurants in town) (two blocks south of Chinggis Square). Excellent variety and quality for both locals and tourists. Good, clean toilets are an added bonus. (updated Feb 2018)

Splurge

It's hard to spend outrageous sums of money eating out in Ulaanbaatar: the most expensive meals in the city will be around 60,000₮ a person. That is, unless you're drinking: whiskey or any other non-vodka liquors can be a bit pricey.

• Caucasia: Just behind the circus. Serving Armenian and Georgian cuisine. Excellent quality.
• Chojin: In front of the Chojin Lama Museum on the ground floor of an office building. Serves a small but excellent selection of Mediterranean dishes. Very popular business dinner location for the locals. Reservation recommended.
• Hana Japanese Restaurant. On Chinggis Avenue next to the National Library, on the first floor of an office building. Impossible to spot from the outside, just go in and ask at the reception. You get advised to follow a fire security stairway up. Despite the non-glamorous arrival, the Hana is a high-end Japanese restaurant. Elegant atmosphere. Excellent Japanese dishes including udon soups, sushi and barbecue. Meals up to 30.000 T. Including starters and drinks, be prepared to spend 50.000-60.000 T.
• 11 bd's Mongolian BBQ (on Seoul Street about 1½ km west of Chinggis Square, next to Ayanchin Outfitters). The type of food Westerners call "Mongolian barbecue" — stir-fried meat and vegetables cooked on a huge iron griddle — has very little to do with the actual cuisine of Mongolia. This is the place for tourists disappointed by that discovery: bd's is a U.S.-based chain specializing in this type of cuisine whose Ulaanbaatar location, opened in 2005, was the first international restaurant chain to enter the Mongolian market. Various meats are available for grilling, but this place is suitable for vegetarians too (tofu and soy protein are offered as ersatz "meats"). Check your bill before you pay because guests are charged for all-you-can-eat unless specified otherwise. 15,000₮ per bowl, 30,000₮ for all-you-can-eat. 
• 12 California Restaurant (on Seoul Street, west of the circus). Extensive menu of both foreign and Mongolian specialties. Beautifully decorated, high-quality food including vegetarian specialties (good tofu!) It's a bit small, but in the summer there is additional outside seating. Reservations are advised. 10,000-30,000₮ per meal. 
• 13 Hazara North Indian Restaurant (behind the Wrestling Palace), ☏ +976 99195007, +976 11 480214, hazaraub@gmail.com. Serving spicy North Indian, Kashmiri, and Afghani food since 1997. Food is all halal, with vegan options available. Well-decorated restaurant and costumed waitresses can make you think you are in Delhi instead of Mongolia. From 10,000 ₮. 
• 14 Los Bandidos (on Ikh Toiruu ring road, not far north of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 1131 4167. Mexican-Indian fusion: don't knock it until you taste the spicy chicken masala or crispy taquitos. The prices are higher now than they used to be, but the atmosphere has improved along with it. US$7-10. 
• 15 Namaste Indian Restaurant (at the Flower Hotel), ☏ +976 99270957, namaste.ub@gmail.com. Mongolia's first halal-certified restaurant, serves some of the best Indian food in the city. There is another location on the Outer Ring Road in the Impex building. 20,000₮. 
• 16 Turning Point Cafe (on Tserendorj Street, three blocks west of Chinggis Square via Peace Avenue and then half a block south), ☏ +976 7011 9940. Jazz-themed restaurant and bar featuring modern decor, international cuisine, and a wide range of beer, wine and cocktails. Regular live entertainment. Sandwiches for 12,000₮. 
• Zoma
• Route 22
• Veranda
• Namaste
• Torres

Grocery stores

• 17 Good Price Supermarket. 09:00-22:00. Catering to expats and well-heeled locals, Good Price is Mongolia's most reliable source of luxuries such as peanut butter, breakfast cereals, canned beans, and cheese. But don't be fooled by the place's astoundingly inaccurate name: these luxuries come at a much higher cost than at any other supermarket in the country. 
• 18 Mercury Food Market (Chinese Market). Closed on Mondays. This small market in the city center is one of the best places to get imported fruits, vegetables, and packaged goods. 
• 19 eMart. The eMart store at the Chingis Khaan hotel is a subsidiary of the South Korean grocery chain that sells medium- to good-quality groceries, especially good vegetables and fruits. The second branch is at the Urgoo cinema in Bayangol district and the third branch is at Zaisan. The second floor is consumer goods and the first floor is grocery. 
• 20 eMart 2nd branch. The eMart store is a subsidiary of the South Korean grocery chain that sells medium- to good-quality of groceries, especially good vegetables and fruits. The second branch is at the Urgoo cinema in Bayangol district and the third branch is at Zaisan. The second floor is consumer goods and first floor is grocery. 
• 21 State Department Store (West of Sukhbaatar Square on Peace Avenue, this 6-floor building has its English name prominently displayed.). The State Department Store is the main store of Nomin food chain stores. Groceries are on the first floor. There are a book shop and souvenir shops on the fifth floor. In the intermediate floors clothing, electronics, and house accessories are available. Food items can be returned within 24 hours and other non-food items can be returned within few weeks or months depending on the type of merchandise. The receipt must be presented. 

Drink

Bars

Nightlife in Ulaanbaatar is surprisingly wild, especially on Wednesday, Saturday, and (above all) Friday nights, when finding a seat is nearly impossible. If you like raving the night away to trance, techno, electronica, and house music, this is the scene for you. Beer in clubs costs about 3500₮, while other drinks such as vodka are sold by quantity: for example a 100g vodka costs about 4500₮. According to state law, all clubs and pubs (bars) must stop serving alcohol after midnight and close at 03:00, but some clubs stay open (and continue serving!) until 04:00. On the other hand, the prohibition against serving alcohol on the 1st of each month is universally adhered to, even if it falls on a weekend.

Especially after dark, and especially on the aforementioned three busiest days of the week, it's best to go out clubbing in groups rather than alone: not only will you be less likely to run afoul of shady characters, but authorities take a hard line against public intoxication, and the Mongolian drunk tank is not a pleasant place to be. As well, the clubs in the 3rd district and the Sansar microdistrict are best avoided. Be sure to apologize if you hit someone or step on their feet accidentally, because this is a rather considerable breach of local etiquette. If you step on someones feet accidentally, offer to shake their hand. This is Mongolian custom, and will also win you praise and respect amongst locals.

• 1 Ambrosia Restaurant (across Chinggis Avenue from KFC, south of the Post Office). A nice little restaurant that turns into a club at night, with good drink specials. Popular with foreigners. 3000₮ for a beer. 
• 2 Ikh Mongol (next to the Circus). Patrons of this brewpub can choose between the main dining area, the fancy VIP upstairs, or secluded tables in the back. Most weekends have concerts from Mongolian bands. In addition to the house brews served on tap, the more popular Mongolian brands are served. 3500₮ a half-liter and up. 
• 3 Mass (in the 3rd/4th microdistrict). One of the aforementioned clubs that likes to stay open illicitly past 03:00. Caters to a younger clientele. 
• 4 Metropolis (next to the Sky Shopping Center, behind Chinggis Hotel). Plan to pay 5000-10,000₮ cover to enter this most popular nightclub with young affluent Mongolians. 
• 5 Strings (in the White House Hotel). A somewhat notorious club frequented by foreigners as well as Asian businessmen. 

If clubbing isn't your thing, UB also has its share of more sedate pubs to choose from.

• 6 Le Bistrot Francais (on the west side of University Street, a block north of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 11 32 0022. Enjoy a pastis and have a nice dinner at the only French restaurant in Ulaanbaatar. 
• 7 Brauhaus (on Seoul Street past the Circus). Goes for a German brewhouse look (hence the name) and succeeds. This bar is big but usually not noisy. It serves X Beer, a quite tasty local brew. Half-liters run around 2500₮. 
• 8 Dublin Irish Pub (on Seoul Street between the State Department Store and the Circus). Open until midnight. Closer to an actual Irish bar than most. 
• 9 Grand Khaan Irish Pub (next to the National Drama Theater, south of the Post Office). 12:00-22:00. A comfortable sports bar and grill with English-speaking staff. 4000₮ for a beer, 15,000₮ for a meal. 

Cafes

Ulaanbaatar's coffee scene is exploding, with multiple Korean coffee chains as well as more boutique offerings available throughout the city.

• ROC Caffeine Bar. A local coffee franchise with its own roastery and 5 branches. Probably the best coffee to be had in the city. (updated Mar 2023)

• Caffe Bene. Korean coffee chain offering Korean-style desserts (updated Mar 2023)
• Tom N Toms Coffee. another Korean coffee chain. (updated Mar 2023)
• Tous Les Jours. Korean bakery chain with a good coffee section (updated Mar 2023)
• 10 Cafe de Lolita (Кафе де Лолита), Chingeltei, ☏ +97688006757. The first and only maid and anime café in Mongolia. (updated May 2024)

Sleep

During the annual Naadam festival in July, it's almost impossible to get any kind of accommodation in UB without prior reservations.

Budget

Nowadays, budget accommodation in Ulaanbaatar tends to give the best deals for a traveller. Usually a bed in a clean dormitory costs US$5-10 and a double room should be under US$30 a night.

Beyond what's listed below, another option for budget travellers who want a taste of authentic Mongolian culture yet are in a hurry or don't want to do longer trekking trips is a ger homestay with a herder family living in the countryside outside UB. Usually it is possible to participate in their daily life, e.g. milking cows or chopping wood. Horseback riding might be offered as well. Some travel agencies are able to establish contact with families, including Stone Horse Mongolia and Ger to Ger.

• 1 Bolod's Guesthouse and Tours (across the street from Chinggis Square, enter through gate across from Post Office), ☏ +976 99192407, u_borchy@hotmail.com. Still UB's most centrally located guesthouse, but the place has gone downhill: where cozy, high-ceilinged, clean and bright rooms once greeted you, you now have small, windowless rooms with noisy refrigerators that wake you up several times a night. There's also no kitchen anymore. The shower, which is in the entrance, is clean, but your privacy is only protected by a translucent glass. English-, Russian-, French-, and Italian-speaking staff are on duty during the daytime only. No credit cards are accepted. Bolod also provides tours at good prices and is known to arrange unique trips involving tank-driving and AK-47 shooting. US$7/night. (updated Jun 2017)
• 2 Chinggis Guest House and Tours (on Chinggis Avenue behind the National Academic Drama Theatre and Bayangol Hotel), ☏ +976 99271843, +976 11-325941, chingisguest@magicnet.mn. Clean and comfortable rooms with breakfast, Internet, hot shower, and use of kitchen facilities included in the price. Centrally located and quiet. Dorm US$8, double or twin US$10. 
• 3 Gana's Guesthouse (on Ikh Toiruu ring road northwest of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 1136 7343, gharchin@yahoo.com. This guesthouse stands out from the rest: rather than the standard setup of spartan dorm rooms with bunk beds, guests are accommodated in roomy gers set up on an airy porch in an excellent central location overlooking downtown UB, only two minutes on foot from Gandan Monastery. Run by a friendly, helpful family, who like most guesthouse proprietors also double as tour operators. From US$5 in a 6-bed ger to $25 for a double in the newly built wing. 
• 4 Golden Gobi (off Peace Avenue close to the State Department Store), ☏ +976 11-322632, +976 96654496, fax: +976 11-322632, golden_gobi@yahoo.com. Another cheap and friendly place with free breakfast. Dorms US$6, private rooms from $19. 
• 5 Green Steppe Mongolia Guest House (50 m east of the State Department Store, off Peace Avenue), ☏ +976 88033080, +976 88038388, greensteppemongolia@gmail.com. Check-in: anytime, check-out: noon. A small and quiet guesthouse comprising a couple of dorm rooms and two fully-furnished one-bedroom apartments, with a pleasant patio out back for picnicking. Friendly staff can organize tours to all parts of Mongolia. Complimentary amenities include breakfast in the morning and tea all day, wireless Internet as well as two wired computer terminals, lockers for guests, secure parking for motorbikes and bicycles, hot showers, and cheap laundry service. US$6/night. 
• 6 Idre's Guesthouse (14253 Narnii Guur, about 2 km from Chinggis Square; take Seoul Street west then turn left), ☏ +976 99112575, idrehouse@yahoo.com. Friendly family-run guesthouse with US$4 dorm beds. Rooms are clean, staff are helpful, and tickets and tours can be arranged without hassle. 
• 7 Lotus Guesthouse (northwest of Chinggis Square, on Ikh Toiruu ring road across from School #5, on the second floor of Building 17), ☏ +976 11 325967. A nice and clean, if spartan, guesthouse run by the Lotus Foundation. Staff on duty 24 hours a day. Rooms have no high table except the very small one for the computer — and, importantly, no bedsheet, and the quilt is not washed between clients! The shower room doesn't lock, and is closed by a translucent door. Free but unreliable WiFi. No credit cards accepted. US$10-30/night. 
• 8 Oasis Guesthouse (on the southeastern outskirts of town, about 5 km from Chinggis Square via Peace Avenue, near the Catholic church), ☏ +976 11-463693, fax: +976 11-463693, info@intergam-oasis.com. A modern-styled and lovingly furnished guesthouse run by a friendly German-Austrian couple who speak German, English, and Mongolian; lodging is in the spacious gers outside in the garden. Popular with "overlanders" travelling through Mongolia by car or motorcycle. Oasis' onsite café serves very good Western food including homemade cakes. There's a laundry room and hairdresser at the back of the building. €10. 
• 9 Petite Marmotte (on Ikh Toiruu ring road north of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 70 11 03 02, +976 888 243 17, resa@trekmongolie.com. A well-located and quiet guesthouse with rooms decorated in traditional Mongolian style. The friendly staff speaks English and French, and is headed by a former chef who lives onsite and sometimes regales guests with tasty homecooked meals. They can also arrange tours. Wi-fi, washing machine, breakfast included. Bed dorm €5; double room €15; family room €25 (4 to 6 people). (updated May 2024)
• 10 Sunpath Hostel (across the street from the Central Post Office and Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 99143722, fax: +976 11-326323, info@sunpath-mongolia.com. Sunpath is a centrally located, family-operated hostel perfect for foreign visitors offering free breakfast, free WiFi, and a publicly accessible wired computer terminal. Laundry service is available for a nominal charge. Kitchen facilities are open to guests. Sunpath's friendly staff organizes tours (having very good contacts with people living in the countryside) and are a wealth of information about Ulaanbaatar and Mongolia in general. US$6/night. 
• 11 Town Yard Hostel (near Gandan Monastery), ☏ +976 99889997, +976 99173469, oyuna_guest_house@hotmail.com. Hostel with fluent English-speaking owners situated just a 15-minute walk or a short bus ride to Chinggis Square. Free breakfast (with a menu that changes daily!) and free tea all day; kitchen facilities are also available for guests who'd like to self-cater other meals. They offer tours of (and can arrange accommodation at) Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, but unlike pretty much every other hostel, they usually lay off the hard sell. Laundry service is available, though it's a bit pricey. (updated Aug 2015)
• 12 UB Guesthouse (near Zanzabar Museum; entrance is in the rear of the building facing the Mongol Bank). A clean, well-organized, and centrally located hostel that also arranges tours around the country. E-mail ahead for a free pickup from the train station. A light breakfast, tea and coffee are included. In theory you can use the phone between 10:00 to 18:00, but don't count on it. There's only a hotplate in the kitchen. Only foreigners allowed. No in-room guests. Staff is not terribly friendly. Dorm beds US$6; single room $15; twin room $18; double room $20. 
• 13 Zaya Guesthouse (just off Peace Avenue west of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 11 331 575, backpackza@hotmail.com. Zaya has two locations in the city center, both in newly renovated modern apartment buildings. The place is more suitable for a person looking for a clean and quiet place to sleep than a backpacker looking for a rowdy and noisy dorm. Free wireless Internet in the rooms. They also organize tours. US$20 for a single and US$27 for a double room. 

Mid-range

Ulaanbaatar has plenty of options for budget travellers and big spenders, but not so much for those in the middle.

• 14 Mandukhai Hotel (near State Department Store). Check-in: noon, check-out: noon. A nice inexpensive hotel in the city center. The hotel staff speaks little English, but rooms are large and include TV. Bathrooms are shared. 20,000-25,000₮/night. 
• 15 Royal House Hotel (formerly Red Rose Hotel) (on the ring road east of the city center; take Peace Avenue east from Chinggis Square for about 2 km and then turn right), ☏ +976 11 46 4088. One of UB's leading hotels, with a location among a cluster of major shopping centers and office buildings. 34 rooms of various levels of luxury: deluxe, semi-lux and standard. 

Splurge

• 16 Bayangol Hotel (two blocks south of Chinggis Square). Close to the bars and Chinggis Square, but rooms are small and the Internet cuts in and out. 
• 17 Blue Sky Hotel and Tower (south side of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 7010 0505. The tallest building in Mongolia. 200 rooms, plus several nice restaurants and bars including a lounge on the 23rd floor with views of the whole city.. From US$200.  
• 18 Chinggis Khaan Hotel (four blocks east of Chinggis Square; take Beijing Street east for about 1200 m, then turn right on Tokyo Street), ☏ +976 700 000 99, reservation@chinggis-hotel.com. Spacious rooms that can be described as "wannabe luxurious". Free and very reliable high-speed WiFi. Breakfast is included in the price of the room. 
• 19 Corporate Hotel (Корпорэйт зочид буудал) (on Chinggis Avenue, seven minutes on foot south of Chinggis Square). Nice luxurious rooms as well as sauna, jacuzzi and free WiFi. (updated May 2024)
• 20 HS Khaan Resort Hotel, Khui doloon hudag, Argalant soum (about 12 km west of central UB via Highway 3), ☏ +976-9908-8102. A ger-style resort in the countryside outside of town. All rooms have sweeping views over the steppes. 
• 21 Kempinski Hotel (about 2 km east of Chinggis Square, at northeast corner of Peace Avenue and Ikh Toiruu ring road), ☏ +976 11 463 463, reservations.ulaanbaatar@kempinski.com. A nice hotel on the east side of the city with several good restaurants, including Kara-Khorum with an excellent brunch on the weekends: various meats, fruit, omelet and juice bar, plus caviar and champagne. 
• 22 Ramada Citycenter (on Peace Avenue about 2 km west of Chinggis Square, a block past Ikh Toiruu ring road), ☏ +976 7014 1111. One of the only international hotel chains in the city. On the top floor of the MaxMall, near Gandan Monastery. Has all the standard features of a full-service Western hotel, including fitness center, sauna, and office space. From US$200/night. 
• 23 Shangri-La Hotel (on Olympic Street three blocks south of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 7702 9999. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Centrally located high-rise property catering to a mix of business travellers and well-heeled tourists, with free WiFi, a fitness club, laundry and shoeshine service, and several onsite restaurants. Rooms are spacious, overlook either Chinggis Square or Nayramdal Park, and their design can be described as a modernized take on traditional Mongolian aesthetic elements. They'll pick you up from the airport upon prior arrangement. From US$440/night. (updated Jun 2017)
• 24 Ulaanbaatar Hotel (just off the east side of Sukhbaatar Square), ☏ +976 11 320 620, reservations@ubhotel.mn. The first modern hotel ever built in Mongolia (in 1961) is showing its age. Nice central location, though.  

Connect

On Peace Avenue at the southwest corner of Chinggis Square, Ulaanbaatar's 2 Central Post Office not only sells stamps but also a wide variety of reasonably priced postcards (though they may take up to two months to reach their destination!) Also check out their large collections of decorative stamps.

Mobile phone operators around town offer prepaid GSM SIM cards, handset rentals (Mobicom), and extensive roaming options. As well, prepaid cards such as BodiCom are another convenient and relatively inexpensive way to make an international call.

Internet cafes are scattered around the city; the going rate is about 400-800₮ per hour. Also, many restaurants and coffeehouses offer free WiFi.

Stay safe

Crime

While crime rates in Ulaanbaatar are said to be among the highest of any Asian city, this generally applies less to the city center than the underdeveloped ger districts on the outskirts of town: poorly lit shantytowns crisscrossed by maze-like dirt alleys and row upon row of fences; not the kind of place most tourists would be interested in to begin with. Nonetheless, it might be a good idea to avoid going out at night alone (though it's usually perfectly fine to do so in groups). This goes double for relatively deserted areas away from major routes, and for rowdy nightlife districts. Although most large buildings have security guards, they're only there to keep drunks and homeless people out, so don't expect much help from them if a crime is committed against you.

Unfortunately, xenophobia and violence towards foreigners is common. Alcoholism is a huge social problem and Mongolia has some of the highest rates of liver cancer in the world. Do not acknowledge or approach any Mongolian man under the influence of alcohol. Many foreigners who go to bars and clubs at night report assault and general aggression.

While muggings, assaults, and taxi scams all occasionally occur, the main crime for foreigners to be concerned about is pickpocketing. This is especially a problem at the Naran Tuul market, at the bus stops close to the State Department Store, and on crowded buses in general. If you've been attacked or pickpocketed, take time to make a deposition at the district police station, and let your country's embassy know.

Though unmarked taxis are common and generally nothing to fear, it's probably a good idea to get a local to serve as an interpreter and explain the fare system, and to keep an eye on where the taxi is taking you. Sometimes unmarked taxi drivers will try to take people, especially drunk tourists, down a dark alley and demand their cell phone or cash.

Hotel scams

Vacation home hosting is common in UB, foreign investors, locals, and real estate developers list available apartments on the usual booking sites. The frequency of fraud or crime with these listings is probably just as common as in established hotels elsewhere in the world, but there are some additional things to look out for, when an established hotel might seem to otherwise provide safety in numbers.

Vacation rentals might be apartments in locations that have been caused to be otherwise unliveable due to nuisance conditions created with the intention of driving tenants or owners out. New construction in some areas is shoddy with thin walls and no privacy, projects are colonized by organized criminals gangs, retail spaces nearby might be venues for organized trafficking in persons. New buildings as elsewhere in Asia, are liable to be financed by organized crime groups from the usual places, largely unoccupied, unsecured and wholly thrown open for arbitrary use within international trafficking rings.

Irregular hotels operated by noncitizens may be located in mixed use buildings or apartment complexes with persistent crime presence. In areas with high methamphetamine drug use, it might be difficult even to determine the nature or intent of the criminal actors.

Road and traffic hazards

Walking on the streets at any time is a hazardous affair, as there are open manholes, reckless drivers, and (from October to March) ice on the roads to contend with. The automobile culture in UB is too new for safe driving systems and habits to have taken root among the public: if you're crossing the street, even at a designated crosswalk and even if in theory you have the right of way, don't expect anyone (even buses and police) to stop or even slow down for you. You will get honked and shouted at, however.

Child beggars

This is a common sight on the streets of UB that may tug at the heartstrings of well-off Western tourists, but the reality is a bit more complicated than it may appear. Any money you give will often go straight into the pockets of their teenage "pimps", so your donation may not help the kids. It also pays to be on your guard when they operate in groups, as this is often a setup for a pickpocketing operation.

Children and the elderly are frequently present in the areas where organized prostitution is taking place. Sex trafficking in Asia invariably involves call centers, and often family members or fellow travelers, taking direction from a handler in related crime activities. The objective is to obtain money, it is not to sell sex.

General

In winter, be mindful of the cold at all times. Even being outside for a couple of minutes in -35 can cause problems very, very quickly.

In bars, many people may want to approach you and talk to you out of interest. This is usually well-meaning, though it can be annoying. As a general rule, the more drunk a person will be, the more annoying they will be too. If you are open to conversation, then go ahead. Mongolians are interesting and interested, and it can lead to great connections, memories and stories. However, remember to be wary.

Some Mongolian men do not take too kindly to foreign men speaking to Mongolian women (especially young women). Be wary of this, especially in busy bars, and where copious amounts of alcohol is involved.

Cope

Newspapers

The weekly UB Post is the principal English-language source for cultural, economic, and political goings-on in Mongolia.

Embassies

• Australia, Level 20, Shangri-La Centre, 19A Olympic Street, Sukhbaatar District-1 (Shangri-La Centre), ☏ +976 7013 3001. (updated Mar 2023)
• 3 Canada, Central Tower, 6th floor (southeast corner of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 11 332500.  
• 4 China, Zaluuchuudyn Urgun Chuluu 5 (just northeast of the Government House), ☏ +976 11 320955, +976 11 323940, +976 11 311903, fax: +976 11 311943, chinaemb_mn@mfa.gov.cn. It is possible for most foreigners to get a Chinese visa here. During busy periods, the office may refuse entry after 11:00. Also, on major Chinese holidays, the Consular Section may be closed for several days.  
• Cuba, United Nations Street 18, Sükhbaatar district, ☏ +976 11 323778.  
• 5 Czech Republic, ☏ +976 11321886, +976 99111880 (emergencies), +976 9909 8708 (emergencies), fax: +976 11323791, ulaanbaatar@embassy.mzv.cz.  
• 6 France, Peace Avenue 12, Sükhbaatar district (west of Chinggis Square, past the Central Post Office), ☏ +976 11 324519.  
• 7 Germany, United Nations Street 18, Baga Toiruu 2, Sükhbaatar district, ☏ +976 11 329522.  
• 8 India, Zaluuchuud Avenue 10, Sükhbaatar District (just east of the Chinese embassy), ☏ +976 11 329522.  
• 9 Japan, Olympic Street 8, Sükhbaatar District (two blocks south of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 11 320777, +976 11 313332.  
• 10 Kazakhstan, 11th khoroo, Zaisan Street 78, Khan-Uul District, ☏ +976 11 345408.  
• Kuwait, Bella Vista Town, Zaisan Bella, 11th khoroo, Khan-Uul District (south of the city center, near the bridge to Zaisan Memorial), ☏ +976 7744444.  
• Laos, 11th khoroo, Ikh Toiruu Road 59, Sükhbaatar District (massive complex on the south side of Peace Avenue, East of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 11 326440.  
• North Korea, Diplomatic Complex 95, Sükhbaatar District (behind the Embassy Restaurant near the Tengis Theater), ☏ +976 11 310432.  
• 11 Russia, 11th Khoroo, Ikh Toiruu Road 59, Sükhbaatar District (massive complex on the south side of Peace Avenue, east of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 11 326440, +976 11 322834.  
• South Korea, Olympic Street 10, Sükhbaatar District (two blocks South of Chinggis Square), ☏ +976 11 70071030, +976 11 70071020. 09:00-18:00. (updated Jul 2017)
• 12 Turkey, Peace Avenue 5, Chingeltei District (west of the post office, next to the French Embassy), ☏ +976 11 311200.  
• 13 United Kingdom, Unit 1-3A, Level 19 Shangri-La Offices, Olympic Street 19A, Sukhbaatar District-1 (north-east corner of the National Amusement Park), ☏ +976 11 458133, Consular.Mongolia@fco.gov.uk. Tu Th 14:00-16:00.  
• 14 United States (north of Chinggis Khaan Hotel), ☏ +976 7007-6001, fax: +976 7007-6174, cons@usembassy.mn. M-F 08:30-12:30 and 13:00-17:00.  
• 15 Vietnam, Peace Avenue 47, Bayanzurkh District (just West of the Wrestling Palace).  

Go next

Except for those just passing through on the Trans-Mongolian Railroad or transiting through Ulaanbaatar Airport, most people come to Mongolia to witness the beauty of the endless steppes and deserts of Central Asia, populated by the nomadic descendants of Genghis Khan. Ulaanbaatar is an excellent homebase to explore Mongolia with its many museums, monasteries, and cultural experiences, but don't confine yourself to UB: you can't really get to know this place without going to the countryside for at least a few days.

• Gorkhi-Terelj National Park — scenic, forested mountain valleys a mere three-hour bus ride from UB
• Bogd Khan National Park — the world's largest equestrian statue of Genghis Khan and the ruins of a large Buddhist monastery destroyed by the communists in 1937 are the showpieces of this massive mountain park South of town
• Karakorum — the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire in the beautiful Orkhon River valley, a day's bus ride to the west
• The Gobi Desert — nomadic camel herders and dinosaur fossils
• Western Mongolia — where the old Kazakh tradition of eagle-hunting lives on in the snow-capped Altai Mountains

Routes through Ulaanbaatar

Irkutsk ← Darkhan ←

N  S

→ Sainshand → Beijing