The recorded history of ancient Mongolia dates to the third century BC when the Xiongnu came to power among many other nomadic tribes. Due to illiteracy and their nomadic lifelittle was recorded by the Xiongnu of themselves; they first appear in recorded Chinese history as "barbarians" against whom the walls were built. Those walls later became known as the Great Wall of China. The Xiongnu were eventually defeated by China's Han Dynasty in AD 89.

Xiongnu history is controversial. Different historians attribute them to several quite different ethnic groups. Some claim that Xiongnu is cognate to Hun Nu or even that these are basically the same group known as Huns centuries later in Europebut both claims are contested.

There have been several empires in Mongolia after the Xiongnu. The first strong state to emerge was the First Turkic Khaganate in AD 552 with its capital at Ötüken (modern-day Ordu-Baliq). Howeverdue to political infightingthis empire fragmented into the Eastern Turkic Khaganate with its capital at Ötükenand the Western Turkic Khaganate with its capital at Suyab (near Bishkek in modern-day Kyrgyzstan)in AD 603. Both of these states were eventually defeated by China's Tang Dynasty; the Eastern Turkic Khaganate fell in AD 630while the Western Turkic Khaganate fell in AD 657. The next strong empire to emerge was the Uyghur Khaganatewith its capital Har Bulgas (Khar Bulgas or Xar Bulgas) near Har Horin. The Khitans who controlled northern China around AD 1000 as the Liao Dynasty had an administrative centre (Har Bukh) 120 km to the northeast. The Turkish government has been promoting some Turkish Empire monuments and there is a museum full of artifacts at the Bilge Khaan site.

The struggle for mere existence and power over other tribes continued until the time of Genghis Khan. Chinggis Khanas he is known in Mongoliaborn with the name Temüjincame to power and united the warring tribes under the Great Mongol Empire in 1206. He was proclaimed Genghis Khan (Chingis Haan)meaning ruler of all Mongol tribesand to this dayMongolians consider him to be the father of their nation. The Mongol Empire was extended all the way to what is now Poland and Hungary in Europe under Genghis Khanand they also conquered the Jurchen Jin Dynasty that then ruled northern China. His grandsonKublai Khansubsequently defeated the Chinese Song Dynasty and completed the conquest of Chinaestablishing the Yuan Dynasty. Marco Polo travelled through much of the Mongol Empire in Kublai Khan's time. The Mongols werehoweverdriven back to the steppes by the Chinese Ming Dynasty under Emperor Hongwu. They were later progressively conquered by the Manchu Qing Dynasty in the 17th centuryand played an important role in the Manchu conquest of China.

An independent Mongol nation only reemerged in 1924. It was not recognised by China until 1945as the Chinese were forced to grant independence to Outer Mongolia by the Soviet Unionin exchange for Soviet assistance in fighting the Japanese invasion. Thusthe historic region of Mongolia was split into twowith Outer Mongolia becoming the independent nation of Mongoliawhile Inner Mongolia remained a province of China. Since that timeMongolia has had a close relationship with the Soviet Union (and Russia after the breakup of the Soviet Union)with Russian becoming the most widely-spoken foreign language in Mongolia. Mongolia even replaced its traditional script with the Cyrillic alphabet. (The traditional scripthowevercontinues to be used by ethnic Mongols in China.) Inner Mongolia was the more populated area before the partitionand the number of ethnic Mongols living in China still outnumbers the population of Mongolia.

Following independencethe Soviet Union installed a communist government in Mongolia. Following the fall of communism in EuropeMongolia enacted democratic reformswhich resulted in the first democratic multiparty elections in 1990. The democratic reforms culminated with the first peaceful transfer of power in 1996when the incumbent Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party lost the electionsand handed power to the victorious Democratic Union.

Mongolia's vast collection of natural resources such as goldcopperand coal can very easily make it one of the wealthiest countries on the planetbut due to its landlocked geographydependence on the goodwill of China and Russiagovernmental and bureaucratic inefficienciesMongolia remains one of the least developed countries in Asia.

The Secret History of the Mongols is one of the great recordings of Mongolian history. Every Mongolian reads the book in the modern Mongolian language. This is one of the oldest books in the Mongolian language. There are vivid similarities with the Bible in literary wording and story-telling. It is speculated that the author could have been a Christian or at least was very knowledgeable about the Bible. According to Hugh KempQadag is the most likely candidate for authorship of Secret History of the Mongols. He writes about the history of ancient Mongolia and connects the modern reality with the ancient world. Even though the book is about the history of Christianity in Mongoliait paints a view of ancient Mongolia from the height of 21st century. The History of Mongolia by B. Baabar is a good source for the modern history of Mongolia.

On the trail of Marco Polo covers some travel through the Mongol Empire in the time of Genghis' grandsonKublai Khan.

Mongolia is more than twice as big as Texas and nearly the same size as Alaska. Its area is 1.6 million km² (603,000 square miles)four times the size of Japan and larger than SpainFrance and Germany combined. This makes Mongolia the sixth-largest country in Asia and 19th in the worldbut the population is only 3.4 million (as of 2020)which makes Mongolia one of the least densely populated areas in Asia. Considering that half of the population lives in the capital city of Ulan Bator or Ulaanbaatar ("UB") that leaves lots of room for you to travel in the outback. Of coursethe Gobi is even less dense.

Almost another 40% of the population are scattered all over Mongolia with their 56 million head of sheepgoatscattlehorses and camels. There are 21 provincescalled aimag. Each aimag has a central city or town and about 15-22 sub-provinces called soumso you will know which aimag and which soum you are in.

70% of Mongolia is under the age of 35. The gender ratio is close to 1:1. It is home to various ethnic groups: 84% Khalkha Mongols6% Kazakhs and 10% other groups.

More than 50% will say they are Buddhistswhich is very much mixed with Shamanismclose to 10% will claim to be Christians of all forms and 4% follow Islamthe remainder will say that they are atheists. Mongolian Buddhism is part of the Vajrayana schoolwhich is also dominant in Tibet and Bhutan. Almost all the Kazakhs and Muslims live in Bayan-Ölgii province.

Mongolia possesses abundant deposits of coppercoaltintungstenmolybdenumand gold. The cashmere industry is also an important industry; Mongolia and its neighbourChinaare responsible for 85% of the world's cashmere supply.

Although that sounds impressiveMongolia is a relatively poor and undeveloped country. With an economy that depends heavily on the mining sector and on the goodwill of its two large neighboursthe country's economy is highly vulnerable to external shocks.

When the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991the Mongolian economy lost a third of its GDP overnightplunging the country into a state of disarray.

The annual Naadam festival (11–13 July) is the biggest day in many Mongols' calendars. It is when Mongolia celebrates its "three manly sports": wrestlinghorse racingand archery by either watching the festivities in Ulaanbaatar or by following them on television or radio.

Many other smaller Naadam festivals are also held in different aimags (provinces) throughout Julyand these more intimate festivals may let you get much closer to the action.

The Naadam celebrations are said to have started with the rise of the Great Mongolian Empire. Chinggis (a.k.a. Genghis) Khan used them to keep his warriors strictly fit. After the fall of the empirethe contests were held during religious festivalsand since the communist revolution it was celebrated on its anniversary.

Legend has it that a woman once dressed like man and won the wrestling competition. That is why the long-sleeved wrestling costumescalled "zodog"have open chests - to show that every participant is male. Wrestlers wear short trunks"shuudag"and Mongolian boots"gutal". The yellow stripes on tales of wrestlers' hats will indicate the number of times the wrestler became a champion in Naadam. < about="#mwt84" data-mw='{"name":"templates","attrs":{"src":"Template:Infobox/s.css"}}' data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r5162413" typeof="mw:Extension/templates">.mw-parser-output .pp_infobox{color:#333;background-color:#effafa;font-size:90%;border:1px solid #ccc;padding-left:1em;padding-right:1em;text-align:left;width:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .pp_infobox td{color:inherit;background-color:inherit}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .pp_infobox td{color:inherit;background-color:inherit}}

Only Naadam gives official titles to the wrestlers. Mongolian wrestling tournaments have 9 or 10 rounds depending on the number of 512 or 1024 wrestlers registered for the competition that year. If the wrestler wins 5 roundshe will be awarded title "Nachin" (bird)6 rounds - Hartsaga (hawk)7 rounds - Zaan (elephant)8 rounds - Garuda (Eagle)9 rounds - Arslan (lion) and 10 - Avarga (Titan).

In 2006Zaan (Elephant) Sumyabazar won 9 rounds that made him Garuda but that year 1024 wrestlers had 10 rounds which he won all. This entitled him to Avarga. Or Arslan (Lion) must win 2 in a row to become Avarga (Titan). The titles are for life. If Avarga (Titan) keeps winning at Naadam more and more attributes will be added to his title.

There are no weight categories in Mongolian Wrestling tournaments but there is a time limit of 30 minutesif the wrestlers can not overthrow each otherreferees use lots for better position which often settles the match. One who falls or whose body touches the ground loses the match.

Mongolian wrestling matches are attended by seconds whose role is to assist their wrestlers in all matters and to encourage them to win by spanking on their butts. They also sing praise songs and titles to the leading wrestlers of both wingswest and eastafter 5 and 7 rounds. The referees monitor the rules but the people and the fans are the final judges. They will speak and spread the word of mouth about who is who till the next year.

The ideal Mongolia travel season starts in May and peaks in Julyduring the Naadam holidayand in August when the weather is most favourable for travelling. This is the best time if you like the culture and can bear the crowds of other tourists. It is not a good time to get away from your busy life because of the trafficbusy scheduleswaiting in linesetc.

September is also a very good time to visitand October is not too late to travel to Mongolia. It is still warm during the days but a bit chilly during the nights. In the autumnMongolia is not very crowdedand this is time for late-comers and last-minuteunplanned trips. You will get to sightseeenjoy the cultureand taste mare's milka bitter and at first somewhat unpleasant drinkthroughout the country.

For visitors not afraid of cold or fermented mare's milktravelling to Mongolia from November till the Lunar New Year remains an option. Winter tourism is a developing area of the Mongolian tourism industry. The most rewarding experience will be visiting the nomadsas this is the time when you will experience their culture first-hand during "Tsagaan Sar" or the traditional (Lunar) New Year celebration. Cultural activities including singingdancingwrestlingand winter horse racing are available to tourists.

Mongolia is known to have 250-260 sunny days throughout the yearso you will need good UV protection. During winterprotect your eyesand during summerprotect your skin.

• Mongolia Travel website

Citizens of the following countries/territories< about="#mwt95" data-mw='{"name":"templates","attrs":{"src":"Dead link/s.css"},"parts":[{"template":{"target":{"wt":"Dead link","href":"./Template:Dead_link"},"params":{"date":{"wt":"May 2024"},"bot":{"wt":"InternetArchiveBot"}},"i":0}}]}' data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r5167228" id="mwATU" typeof="mw:Extension/templates mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .error-deadlink{color:red;background:yellow;display:none;white-space:nowrap}^{[dead link]} can enter Mongolia visa-free:

• For up to 90 days: ArgentinaBelarusBrazilChileEcuadorKazakhstanKyrgyzstanMacauPeruSerbiaSouth KoreaUkraine (with an "official invitation") and United States
• For up to 30 days: Citizens of CanadaGermanyIsraelJapanLaosMalaysiaRussiaSingaporeThailandTurkeyUruguayand Uzbekistanas well as the following for tourism until the end of 2025: European Union member statesAustraliaLiechtensteinMonacoNew ZealandNorwaySwitzerlandand United Kingdom
• For up to 21 days: Philippines
• For up to 14 days: Hong Kong

Everyone elsehowevermust apply for a visa. Obtaining a visa — by defaultthe Mongolian authorities issue thirty-day visas to all tourists — is relatively straightforward and effortless.

Thanks to a booming mining sectorChinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN  ^IATA) in Ulaanbaatar is now connected to some major airport hubs in eastern Asia and Istanbul and Frankfurt. Flag carrier MIAT Mongolian Airlines^{[dead link]} operates daily flights (during some peak season - twice a day) from Beijing and Seoultwice a week flights from Hong KongMoscow and Tokyo (during some peak season - from Narita). During peak summer season it increases flight frequencies and operates flights from Busan and Osaka. There are branch offices in BerlinMoscowHong KongSeoulTokyo and Beijing. Mongolia-based Hunnu Air flies 3 times a week from Bangkok and 5 flights a week from Hong Kong.

There are almost daily flights from Seoul on Korean Air as well as other flights through Beijingand 3 flights a week to Istanbul. It is also possible to fly to Ulaanbaatar through Tokyo's Narita Airport.

The Trans-Mongolian Line of the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway links Ulaanbaatar with MoscowRussia and BeijingChina. The Mongolian line branches from the main Trans-Siberian at Ulan-Udeso you'll need to break your journey there if coming from points east like Vladivostok.

There is a small water boiler at the end of each train car which dispenses free hot waterso it's a good idea to stock up on instant noodles and tea for the trip. Alsodon't expect to encounter any English-speaking staff on the train or in the stations.

From China

[edit]

Second class (hard sleeper) costs about US$200 (2011) from Beijing to Ulaanbaatarcrossing the border at Erlian/Zamiin-Üüd. There are two trains a week and the ride takes almost 30 hoursincluding a mandatory stop of 3-4 hours at Erlian while the train bogies are switched between Russian broad gauge and Chinese standard gauge. You will have to take all your belongings and leave the train for this operationand will be confined to the waiting area at Erlian stationeven if you're inbound to China and have already passed through immigration. You canhoweverask staff for a free ticket that will let you step outside to raid the nearby shops and restaurants for supplies.

Beijing to the border

[edit]

If the Beijing - Ulaanbaatar train is sold outas seems to be commonor you need a more frequent optionyou can make your way from Beijing to the border at Erlian by local train as described belowand then on to Ulaanbaatar by bus and train. As of March 2011there are morning flights from Beijing to Erlian out of Capital Airport Terminal 1 costing only ¥160which is cheaper than the bus.

Trains run daily from Beijing to Jining (Inner Mongolia) or Hohhot. You can change there for a train to the border town of Erlian near the Mongolian-Chinese border. The K89 leaves Beijing in the morning and arrives at Jining in the evening. Jining has many hotels near the train station and has karaoke bars to keep you entertained while you wait. From Jining to Erlian there is a slow train that leaves in the morningpasses the Great Wall multiple timesand arrives in the early evening. This will take a night longer than getting the sleeper bus as described in "By bus".

Crossing the border

[edit]

Be wary of scams at the border where people in uniform will attempt to sell you "required travel insurance." There is no such thing and you can safely ignore them. You should then cross the border from Erlian in China to Zamiin-Uud in Mongolia as described in Erlian to and from Mongolia. Once you have crossed the borderyou will need to get from Zamiin-Uud to Ulaanbaatar as described in Zamiin-Uud get in.

Many adventurous people drive to Mongoliausually starting somewhere in Europe. The Mongol Rally and Mongol Charity Rally^{[dead link]} sponsor many of them. Driving to Mongolia can be extremely challenging in many respects. Not only are there virtually no roads in the western half of Mongoliabut vehicle registrationimport fees and paperworkvisas and everything have to be ready for every country along the way. For those who still wish to make the journey by carthere are 4 land border crossings with Russia and 3 with China. Though it is much more expensive and difficult to drive throughintoor out of China in your own car.

• See Driving in China for issues for driving to Mongolia from China.

There is a paved road connecting Ulaanbaatar to the Chinese borderand one between UB and Russia.

At Zamiin-Uud you have to put your bicycle in a car. You are not allowed to cycle through the 3-km-wide border area. Prepare to bargain. They will start at US$100 and more. You should be able to get them down to US$20 or less. If you are lucky and get up earlyyou might catch a truck. They will take you for free. Usually you have better chances with Mongol driversif you want to cross into Mongolia.

At Altanbulag you also have to put the bicycle in a carbut prices are reasonable and usually fixed. Enjoy watching your driver smuggle goods in or out of Mongolia.

The road passes through the border town of Zamiin-Üüd and continues to Ulaanbaatar. Hitchhiking in Mongolia is not easy and a little bit of money for the driver is expected. There is an average of one car every hour heading into the desert. Rules at the border require that you ride a bus or car across the bordernot walk across. Howeverthey do not care how you get there or where you go afterwards.

The easiest way to travel long distance is via one of the domestic airlines: AeroMongolia or Hunnu Air. Almost all flights are between Ulaanbaatar and the Aimag centers. Except for mines in the south Govi and Choibalsanwhich use Boeing 737smost flights use turboprop regional planes. AeroMongolia uses a two-tier price structurecharging foreigners significantly more than localswhile Hunnu has only one price. Other than pricethere is little difference between the airlines. Air travel agentsguest houses and hotels can help you to obtain domestic air tickets in Mongolia.

• < about="#mwt108" data-mw='{"name":"templates","attrs":{"src":"Listing/s.css"},"body":{"extsrc":""},"parts":[{"template":{"target":{"wt":"listing\n","href":"./Template:Listing"},"params":{"name":{"wt":"AeroMongolia"},"url":{"wt":"http://aeromongolia.mn/"},"email":{"wt":"[email protected]"},"address":{"wt":""},"lat":{"wt":""},"long":{"wt":""},"directions":{"wt":"1st floorMonnis towerUlaanbaatar"},"phone":{"wt":"+976 11 330373 (Ulaanbaatar)"},"tollfree":{"wt":""},"fax":{"wt":""},"hours":{"wt":"M-F 09:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-18:00"},"price":{"wt":""},"content":{"wt":"It is generally cheaperbut uses older planes and charges foreigners double the local rate."}},"i":0}}]}' data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r5180145" id="mwAgo" typeof="mw:Extension/templates mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .listing-directions{font-:italic}.mw-parser-output .listing-phone-symbol{text-decoration:none}.mw-parser-output .listing-tollfree-symbol{text-decoration:none}.mw-parser-output .listing-metadata{font-size:0.8em}.mw-parser-output .listing-lastedit{color:rgb(150,150,150)}.mw-parser-output .vcard a.external,.mw-parser-output .vcard a.external:visited{color:var(--color-base,#252525)}.mw-parser-output .vcard a.external:hover,.mw-parser-output .vcard a.external:focus{color:var(--color-base--hover,#0645ad)} AeroMongolia (1st floorMonnis towerUlaanbaatar), ☏ +976 11 330373 (Ulaanbaatar), [email protected]. M-F 09:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-18:00. It is generally cheaperbut uses older planes and charges foreigners double the local rate. 
• Hunnu Air (Chinggis avenue 10-1Sukhbaatar districtUlaanbaatar), ☏ +976 7000 1111 (Ulaanbaatar), [email protected]. Formerly Mongolian Airlines. 

There is only one railway company in Mongoliaowned by the Russian and Mongolian governments"Mongolian Railway". It is probably the best way to experience something of the communist timeeven if it has evolved a bit since then. Ulaanbaatar railway agents more often consider the passenger as a potential rulebreaker than as a client. The railway network is poorconsisting mainly of the Irkutsk-Ulaanbaatar-Beijing Trans-Mongolian way with a few extensions. Trains are extremely slow. They usually leave on timeand arrive on time or less than 20 minutes late. Intercity bus routes on the roughly parallel paved roads will get you there much faster.

The local trains stop at many small stations in the countryside. For examplethere is the small town of Batsumberlocated about 34 km north of Ulaanbaatar (as the crow flies)longer on the train. Take your camping gear and hike to the mountains about 10 km east of the town. There are two streams flowing west out of the mountainshike and camp along the streams. There is a small restaurantand food shops in the town.

Travelling by local bus is also an optionthough these buses tend to only connect the provincial capital with UBand it is quite difficult to find any public transportation linking one provincial capital with another. Lately the bus situation has improved. Most cities and towns are referred to in two waystheir name or the name of the Aimag (province) or Soum (county)e.g. Dornod or Dornod Aimag or Choibalsan (the actual city name). Most buses have their destination on a card in the front window. If you have either name written down in Mongolian Cyrillicshow it to the drivers or helpers and they will get you on the right bus.

There are two types of busesmicrovans and large buses (some large buses are old Russian types and some are modern western types)depending on the road. The large buses run on schedulebut the micro-buses are much more lax. In Ulaanbaatarthere are two bus stationsone on the west near the Dragon Shopping Center and one on the East near the Botanical Gardens. Both stations are on Peace Avenue on opposite sides of the city. Multiple buses run between them. Get local to write directions. For the large buses buy your tickets the day before.

In the Aimag centresthere will be service to Ulaanbaatar and to local soums (small county seats) and usually the next Aimag center. Howeverall locations may not be available at one location. Ask for help from the locals. For examplein Ondorkhaanthe capital of Khentii Provincethere is a bus service between Ondorkhaan and UB from a central bus stationhowever the through buses going to/from UB to Dornod and Sukhbaatar Aimags (Choybalsan and Baruun-Urt) will stop at a gas station on the north side of the city.

Public countryside taxis and minivansoften called purgon or mekroffer more destinations than coaches and many more than trainespecially between provinces. They are more dangerous than coaches and trainsand always overloaded. Most drivers don't respect the traffic rules. Countryside taxis and minivans leave when full. They always say they will go "now" ("odo") despite often departing hours later. See how many people are already sitting inside the vehicle to have an idea of how long you'll wait. Drivers also usually promise to pick up additional passengers and cargo before leaving town.

It is also possible to charter a Jeep and driver for private use. Prices are typically negotiated by the kilometre. While far more expensive than sharing a ride with the localsthis means of transport is considerably more convenient and allows you to visit more remote sites. It can also be quite convenient to hire a guide to use during the length of your stay. Doing so can allow you to travel without worrying about taxi drivers overcharging by up to 10x for being a foreigner.

One of the most convenient ways to get around is by car. This isn't to say that it's completely safehowever. Road accidents are very common in Mongolialargely because of reckless driving habits. Drivers do not obey traffic rules and speeding is common. Many cars are in poor condition and not all of them are fitted with seat belts. The road network is narrow and generally in poor condition. Avoid driving at nightas most roads are unlit and may have obstacles and potholes.

In the citiestaxis should charge about 1500 ₮ per km. The drivers will set their trip meter and charge accordingly.

For local travelhorse-back is a good option. Mongolians ride on wooden saddlesso if you value your buttocks it's probably a good idea to pick up a leatherRussian saddle in UB.

Walking is another great alternative. Since camping is possible anywhereresting is never a problem. Wherever there is waterthere are nomadsand if you stick to the major dirt roads you will encounter plenty of guanzwhich can provide huge cheap meals to keep you going. Adopting the Mongolian of sleeping outdoors is also an option: wrap yourself in wool blankets and then cover yourself with a Russian raincoat (essentially a tarpaulin in the form of a trench coat)and simply plop yourself down on the ground. One night sleeping this way gives a whole new appreciation for the wonders of sleeping bags and bivvy sacks/tents.

Though this structure no longer existsthe capital built by his sonÖgedeidoesas do countless artifacts in the National Museum in Ulaanbaatarand thousands of stone monuments and drawings spread throughout the countrysome dating back thousands of years. After the gradual disintegration of the Mongol Empiremany Tibetan Buddhist monasteries were builtproviding the most visible signs of Mongolia's history. Today only a few still stand after Stalinist religious purges. Of particular note is the Amarbaysgalant Monastery in Selengethe Erdene Zuu Monastery in Kharkhorinand Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatarall active religious sites with large numbers of resident lamas. During the communist erathe Soviets helped establish large modern cities and modern industrieswhich aren't very prettybut are of some interestparticularly the biggest open-pit copper mine in Asia at Erdenet.

For a country that prides itself on its nomadic heritagethere are a surprising amount of ruins of stone structures (and even cities) scattered about Mongolia. With the exception of Kharkhorinpractically none of these are anywhere near a paved roadbut their isolation makes their grandeur even more impressive.

People interested in the ethnogenesis of the Turkic peoples will not want to miss the Orkhon Inscriptions in the Orkhon Valley (about a 40 minute drive north of Kharkhorin). These two massive stone stelae contain the oldest written Turkic languageand serve as a sort of Rosetta Stone for the reconstruction of both Old Turkic and Proto-Turkic. The Turkish government has funded a nice museum on the site and a paved road from the museum to Kharkhorinmaking the inscriptions easily accessible to travellers.

One thing that does look much the same as it always has is the unspoiled nature of Mongolia. Due to its very low population densitythe lowest in the worldit is possible to travel days with only seeing the occasional nomadic herder interrupting endless rolling steppesthe vast Gobi desertor the snow-capped Altai Mountains. Up northSiberian forests surround the 2nd largest freshwater lake in Asia by volumeHôvsgôl (or "Hövsgöl") lakein Hövsgöl provincewhich is very beautiful. The Flaming Cliffs near Dalanzadgad are stunning just to seebut also contain some of the earliest and most important dinosaur discoveries.

The most memorable part of any trip to Mongoliaregardless of what drew you herewill certainly be the people. Mongolians are incredibly hospitable to guests. No trip here is complete without having dinner or staying the night with nomadic herders. Around a third of the population still earns a living as semi-nomadic herders living in gers (yurts) on the open steppe. While their diets are not very diverseconsisting of meatflourand dairythey will seek to serve guests a feast of boiled or fried meat and hot milky teawith traditional entertainments of musicsingingand maybe dance. There is some variation depending on which tribe or regionwith Kazakhs near Ölgii being the most different with different languagedietand dressincluding the practice of eagle hunting. While the Tuvans have a beautifuleerie singing of throat-singingand the Tsaatan people live isolated lives herding reindeer near Lake Hövsgöl. Then there are the Lama monks who are increasingly common in monasteries and elsewhereand the Shaman priestswho practice the ancient animist religions of worshiping nature and the earthand are widely respected in Mongolia.

• Join Kazakh eagle hunters on a hunt, In Western Mongolia. During the cold winter monthsthe Kazakhs in western Mongolia use eagles to hunt for foxes and hareswhich are easier to see against the snow. Freezing temperatures and long days on Mongolian or Kazakh horses discourage most people from attempting this adventure. For those who doseeing an eagle released from a man's forearm swoop down and kill a fox a mile away is an unforgettable experience. 
• Skiing: There is one ski resort outside of Ulaanbaatar with a ski liftequipment rentalsinstructorsand all the other features of a ski resort. The lift may be slowand the runs a bit hardbut it does provide good entertainment for those visiting UB during the longcold winter months. For more adventurous typeswestern Mongolia's large mountain ranges provide great back-country skiing. The spring months of April and May get the most snow and make the best skiing. Either join a tour or lug all of your own equipment. There aren't any ski shops in the nearby villages.

The Mongolian currency is the tögrög (also spelled "tugrik""tugrug" etc.; Mongol: төгрөг)denoted by the sign "₮" (ISO international currency code: MNT). You may also see the notations "tg" and "T".

The tögrög suffers from persistent high inflationlosing 8-10% in an average year. Expect most prices you see online to be out of date.

Banknote denominations in circulation are 501005001,0005,00010,000 and 20,000 ₮. Smaller notes exist but are effectively worthless.

It is virtually impossible to exchange tögrög outside the countryso don't exchange too much. US dollars are widely accepted in the tourist industryespecially for larger payments (hotelsguidesetc.)but are not usable in the countryside.

In Mongolia tipping is rarely expected except in tourism-related services like tour guides. Waiterstaxisand hotel attendants do not expect tips. Sometimes taxis will attempt to overcharge you by refusing to give change backbut this has nothing to do with gratuity. Some nicer restaurants and hotels in the capital do often add fees to the bill for serviceespecially for larger groups.

• Mongolian cashmere is known as the best in the worldso consider buying garments and blankets from one of the many stores selling cashmere products.
• Mongolia is famous for its copper mines Erdenet and Oyu Tolgoi. A copper bookmark might make an ideal souvenir and you can easily find this US$1 metal souvenir in Ulaanbaatar souvenir shops.
• Kazakh embroideries made in Ölgii using traditional Kazakh designs are sold in many gift shops in Ulaanbaatar.
• Paintings by local artists are excellent buys in Mongolia.
• You can find felt poker-work in Erdenet.
• It is illegal to take antiques out of the country without a special permit.
• The huge open-air marketNarantuul ("The Black Market") in Ulaanbaatar offers the lowest prices on just about anything you could want. Beware of the many pickpockets and even attackers there. This can be a great place to get a good pair of riding boots. You can opt for a variety of Mongolian sfrom fancy to the more practicalor even get a good set of Russian- boots.
• Mongolia is justly famous for its carpets. Erdenet is home to Mongolia's largest carpet factoryalso making and selling slippers made of carpetthough its carpets are made by machinenot traditional methods. For traditional carpetsvisit a local marketincluding the famous Black Market in Ulaanbaatar.

Ulaanbaatar has a cosmopolitan scene with plenty of international optionsranging from fine dining at the Kempinski to fast-food dumplings at Khaan Buuz^{[dead link]}the country's answer to McDonalds. The many Korean restaurants in particular are worth exploring. It is also the only place in the country where vegetarians can fairly easily find foodalthough tour agents can usually arrange vegetarian meals elsewhere with sufficient notice.

In the countrysidethe only dining option is often the guanz (гуанз)a roadside ger tent offering a simple menuoften only tsuivan noodles and salted milk tea.

Apart from UlaanbaatarMongolia is generally a safe place to travel. Howeverincidents of pickpocketing and bag slashing have occurredso always keep your personal belongings in a safe place (money belts are highly recommended)especially in crowded areas or in places where your attention is diverted. Notorious places for theft are the Black Market (bazaar)the railway station and crowded bus stops.

Unfortunatelyxenophobia and violence towards foreigners is common. Alcoholism is a huge social problem and Mongolia has the highest rate 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.

Be aware that physical interactions that may be benign elsewheresuch as grazing someone's shoe while passing them or touching their hatcan be seen as an invitation to fight. Defuse these situations immediately by facing the other party earnestly and shaking their hand to signal that you do not mean to start a fight.

Mongolians are quite open people and tend to be curious and ask many questions just to be friendly. Try to answer diplomaticallyand vaguelyespecially relating to any perceived negative aspect of Mongolia.

Violent crime is also common outside the capital city (Darkhan especially)so caution is required at night. In particulardark or deserted alleys and streets should be avoided. Generallyif walking past 22:00avoid people if at all possible. Mongolians can be very friendlybut their emotions and motives can change quite quickly. Someone who may genuinely just want to have a couple drinks with you may suddenly become aggressive regardless of your respect and polite actions.

Corruption is a huge problem in Mongoliaand locals are convinced that the police are not to be trusted.

There are small bands of Mongolian ultra-nationalist thugs that themselves as neo-Nazis and have assaulted foreigners including whitesblacksand particularlyChinese. They are especially provoked by foreigner interaction with Mongolian women. They are mostly found in the capitalespecially in the cheaper bars and nightclubs.

Lone or female travelers need to exercise a higher degree of awareness of their surroundingsas getting groped in the chest or behind is not uncommon. Some actions like dancing close to a man will be seen as an open invitationas Mongolians generally don't dance this way.

Perhaps the biggest danger in Mongolia is the extreme weather. Owing to its large sizehigh elevationproximity to Siberia in Russiaand its landlocked geographyMongolian winters are incredibly harsh and temperatures can fall as low as -40° Celsius. That's why Ulaanbaatar is often dubbed the coldest capital city in the world.

When visiting Mongolia in the winterlayer every article of clothing you own and do not walk around too much in the open. Frostbite is a real riskand freezing to death is a possibility. If you are unprepared to deal with such weather conditionsvisit Mongolia during the summer.

Driving in Mongolia can be dangerousespecially for those who are not used to driving in developing countries. Roads outside the capital tend to be in poor conditionand incredibly harsh weather makes things all the more difficult.

In the capitalmotorists can be aggressive and drunk driving is common. Take care when crossing roads or busy intersections.

If you have little to no knowledge of Mongolian roads and driving around in isolated areasit is strongly recommended that you do not drive outside Ulaanbaatar. Outside the capitalhelp is incredibly limited and you can get lost if you don't know what you're doing.

If you must drive outside Ulaanbaatarconsider informing a trusted local about your plans.

Ulaanbaatar has polluted airlargely due to pervasive coal-burning for domestic heating.

If you suffer from a respiratory disease and plan to visit Mongolia in winterconsult a medical professional for advice.

• Say hello (sain bainuu) upon arriving (but repeating it when you see the same person is considered strange)
• Take at least a sipor a nibbleof the delicacies offered.
• Pick up everything with an open handwith your palm facing upwards.
• Hold a cup by the bottomand not by the top rim.
• If by accident you tap someone's foot with yoursimmediately shake hands with them (failing to do so will be seen as an insult).
• Exchange pleasantries and engage in some small talk before asking someone for something.
• Discuss one's family and the weather. In nomadic areasasking about a nomad's animals is customary.
• Discuss where you're from and what you're doing in Mongolia/the place you're visiting.
• Show respect to elders and figures of authority.

• Lean against a support column
• Whistle inside a ger
• Stand onor lean overthe threshold
• Stamp out a fireor put water or any rubbish on it (fire is sacred to Mongolians)
• Walk in front of an older person; or turn your back to the altaror religious objects (except when leaving)
• Take food from a communal plate with your left hand
• Touch other people's hats
• Do not have a long conversation in your own language in front of your hosts; make an effort to include your hosts.
• Do not reject an invitation to visit a ger; hospitality is a cornerstone in the nomadic parts of Mongolia and outright rejecting an invitation will seriously offend the nomads.
• Refuse food and drink offered by your hosts; as is the case in many Asian culturesit is very rude to do this in Mongolia and shows no respect to your hosts.
• Not finishing the food that has been offered to you; as is the case in many Asian cultureswasting food is frowned upon.
• Urinate in lakes or bodies of water; water is considered sacred and holy in Mongolia.
• Speak negatively about Genghis Khan. Most Mongolians revere himand he is regarded as a national hero and the father of their nation.

From Ulaanbaatarthere are several options:

Firstlythe international train. Tickets are sold in the ticket office in the VIP lounge on the second floor of the international ticket office across the street from the train station.

The second option is to board the Hohhot international train and transfer at Erlian or Jining (Inner Mongolia). See the travel agency located on the 1st (ground) floor of the international ticket office for details.

The third option is to take the daily train to Zamiin-ÜüdMongolia at the border and take a bus or jeep to Chinathen go to the bus or train station in ErlianChina.

There are buses and trains to Ulan Udefrom where you can explore the Lake Baikal region or board the Trans-Siberian Railway in either direction. < about="#mwt134" data-mw='{"name":"templates","attrs":{"src":"Template:Article status/.css"}}' data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r5169440" typeof="mw:Extension/templates">.mw-parser-output .article-status{width:60%;background:#fff;color:black;margin:0 auto;border:solid 2px lightblue;text-align:center;font-size:90%;font-:italic}.mw-parser-output .article-status-disambig{border:2px dashed lightblue}.mw-parser-output .article-status-disambig td:first-child{width:48px;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .article-status-stub{border:1px dotted lightblue;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:0.9em}.mw-parser-output .article-status-outline,.mw-parser-output .article-status-unusable{border-:dotted}.mw-parser-output .article-status-guide{border-:solid}.mw-parser-output .article-status-usable{border-:dashed}.mw-parser-output .article-status-informative{border-:dashed;border-width:4px}.mw-parser-output .article-status-star{border-:double;border-width:6px}.mw-parser-output .article-status-extraregion{border-:dotted;border-width:2px;border-color:lightblue}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .article-status{background:inherit;color:inherit}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .article-status{background:inherit;color:inherit}}