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Travel Guide
Visiting Mongolia
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Top Attractions in Mongolia
The most iconic and unmissable experiences this country has to offer.
UNESCO World Heritage
Orkhon Valley
The Orkhon Valley stretches across central Mongolia for roughly 320 kilometres and has been a pastoral heartland for more than two millennia. It is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape and encompasses the ruins of ancient Karakorum, Tuvkhun Monastery, and the spectacular Orkhon Waterfall. The valley demonstrates the continuity of nomadic herding traditions from the Turkic period through to the present day.
Gobi Desert
The Gobi is Central Asia's largest desert, stretching across southern Mongolia into northern China, and encompasses a surprising variety of terrain from gravel steppe to towering sand dunes and red sandstone cliffs. Within the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, travellers encounter the Khongoryn Els dunes (locally called the Singing Sands), which rise up to 300 metres and extend for roughly 100 kilometres. The desert is also one of the world's most productive sites for dinosaur fossils, particularly around the Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs) formation.
Wise
Your bank marks up every USD you spend in Mongolia. Wise doesn't.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free ATM withdrawals up to your limit
- Pay in local currency at the real rate
4.8 ★ App Store·4.8 ★ Google Play
Airalo eSIM
Your phone plan was built for home. This one was built for Mongolia.
- No SIM swapping
- No data roaming charges
- Active in minutes
4.7 ★ App Store·4.6 ★ Google Play
Health & Safety
Health & Emergency Info
Before You Travel
Before you travel check that: your destination can provide the healthcare you may need you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant. Emergency medical number Call 103 and ask for an ambulance. Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment. Vaccine recommendations and health risks At least 8 weeks before your trip: check the latest vaccine recommendations for Mongolia see where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on t
Full health advice (FCDO) →Emergency Numbers
Police102
Ambulance103
Fire101
Health information sourced from UK FCDO. Always consult a travel health professional before departure.
Practical Info
Travel Essentials
Travel Guide
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Mongolia
Entry requirements vary by passport. Check the requirements for your specific passport on the Mongolia page at Yoogo.
Mongolia's currency is the Mongolian Togrog (MNT). Card payments are accepted at hotels and larger restaurants in Ulaanbaatar, but cash is essential in rural areas and smaller towns, so it is wise to withdraw tugrik before leaving the capital.
Mongolia has a low rate of violent crime and is generally considered safe, though petty theft and pickpocketing occur in busy markets and during festivals such as Naadam. Travellers should remain cautious when using unofficial taxis and exercise extra care after dark in Ulaanbaatar.
Ulaanbaatar has a city bus network and taxis, while intercity travel relies on shared minivans (furgons), domestic flights, and private jeep hire for remote destinations. For the countryside, guided tours with 4WD vehicles are the most practical option, as paved roads are limited outside the capital.
The peak travel season runs from June to August, when steppe landscapes are green and temperatures are mild, typically 15–30 degrees Celsius. July also brings the Naadam Festival, Mongolia's most celebrated national event, featuring wrestling, archery, and horse racing.
Mongolian is the official language, written in the Cyrillic script. English is spoken at tourist-facing businesses and hotels in Ulaanbaatar but is uncommon in rural areas, so learning a few Mongolian phrases or carrying a translation app is useful outside the capital.
Travellers are commonly advised to be up to date on hepatitis A, typhoid, and routine vaccinations; tick-borne encephalitis vaccination is recommended for those spending time outdoors between spring and early autumn. Tap water is not safe to drink anywhere in the country, so bottled or filtered water should be used throughout the trip.
Tipping is not a traditional Mongolian custom, though it is becoming more common in Ulaanbaatar's tourist restaurants, where rounding up the bill or leaving 5–10 per cent is appreciated. For multi-day tours, a tip for drivers and guides at the end of the trip is welcomed as a gesture of appreciation.
An eSIM purchased before departure ensures you are connected immediately on arrival at Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar, and Airalo offers plans covering Mongolia's major networks. Local carriers such as Mobicom and Unitel provide 4G coverage in urban areas, though connectivity becomes sparse in the deep steppe and Gobi Desert.