Mongolia is a landlocked country with an extreme continental climate. Warm summers and cold winters are to be expected. If you are looking to travel to Mongolia, you ought to arrange your travel plans based on the destinations you wish to see or the experiences you wish to have. Overall, summer season is the best time to visit the country as the climate is quite pleasant and the countryside is at its liveliest. Early to mid-July is the busiest period as thousands of guests arrive to observe the world-famous Naadam festival.
Each corner of the country has different landscapes and experiences for travel-hungry adventurers. Stick with us if you would like to learn more about the best times of the year to visit top destinations in Mongolia for the ultimate experience. Western Mongolia is well known for its Altai Tavan Bogd Mountain range. In late July, the temperature here is at its best for trekking and hiking tours. The mountainous terrain of Western Mongolia is filled with many lakes that bring life to both the local populace and wildlife alike. But the best time to visit Western Mongolia is the first week of October when the Golden Eagle festival takes place. It is a unique festival that is aimed towards preserving the millennia old culture of Eagle Hunting and passing it down to the next generations. It is quite easy to plan a trip to the festival as it always takes place on the first weekend of October.
Eastern Mongolia is always ideal for a visit throughout the whole summer. The highlight of the East is the Steppes of Menen which stretches across a flat surface as far as the eye can see without a single mountain in sight. Eastern Mongolia is also ideal for history lovers as it is home to many monuments dedicated to Battle of Khalkhiin Gol (1939). Those can be visited at any given time.
Northern Mongolia is home to majestic mountain ranges and lush forests. The Jewel of the North is considered to be Lake Khuvsgul. It is a sister lake to Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake in the World. Lake Khuvsgul itself holds approximately 1% of the World’s freshwater supply and 70% that of Mongolia. The lake area is also famous for housing a unique ethnic group of reindeer herding Tsaatan (or Dukha) people. Ideally, it is best to visit this area in late August when it is not too crowded and the Tsaatan families residing in the lake area are available for a visit. For those looking for more adventurous experiences, early March is usually great for a visitation as well when Ice festival takes place upon the frozen surface of the lake.
Southern Mongolia is, without a doubt, a highlight of Mongolia for any travelers. Gobi Desert, which is located at the Southern part of the country, attracts hundreds of thousands of travelers every year. Contrary to the expectations of many, Gobi Desert is a place full of life and many unique species of wildlife can be found here. If lucky, some of those can be observed during Gobi trips. The whole of summer and early March are wonderful times to visit. Magnificent sand dunes of Gobi, such as the Khongor Sand dune, are awe inspiring to behold both in the sunny days of summer and snowy days of winter. In early March, the Camel Festival takes place in Bulgan soum of Umnugobi province. The two humped camels, native to Gobi, are at their most majestic in Winter time when their winter fur is at its thickest. The festival is organized in order to help preserve the number of the two humped camels (also known as Bactrian camels) and attracts hundreds of travelers annually.