The capital city of Mongolia is located between 4 mountains: Bogd Khaan, Songinokhairkhan, Chingeltei and Bayanzurkh. The city lies at about 1350 m high above sea level inside the Tuv (Central) Province, in the Heart of Mongolia. Being in the basin of Tuul and Selbe rivers, it’s the most densely populated city in the country. It’s divided into 9 regions with 132 sections and has about 1.5 million inhabitants (2019).
History: The origin of Ulaanbaatar
The city was first founded in 1639 as a movable (nomadic) centre. In 1778, it settled permanently at its present location, in the junction of the Tuul and Selbe rivers. Before that, it changed location twenty- eight times, with each location being chosen ceremonially.
The capital has been given numerous names in its history. Before 1911, its official name was Urgoo (1639-1691), Ikh Khuree (1691-1911) and Da Khuree, or simply Khuree. Upon gaining independence in 1911, with both the secular government and the Bogd Khaan’s palace present, the city’s name changed to Niislel Khüree (1911-1924). In western languages, the city at that time was most often referred to as Urgoo (in Mongolian: Өргөө, Örgöö).
In 1924 the capital name was changed to its current one as Ulaanbaatar. After that, in the twentieth century, Ulaanbaatar grew into a major manufacturing centre of the country.
Weather
Ulaanbaatar, like the whole country, has 4 different seasons: Winter (Dec, Jan, Feb), Spring (Mar, Apr, May), Summer (Jun, Jul, Aug) and Autumn (Sep, Oct, Nov). The city features brief, warm summers and long, bitterly cold and dry winters, and the average humidity is 69%. Ulaanbaatar is considered the coldest capital in the world and in the coldest month, January, the average temperature’s at -24C and this is repeated about 40 days a year. With approximately 250 sunny and 100 windless days it’s a capital situated at the highest terrain above sea level.
Cuisine & Cafés
The city of Ulaanbaatar is a hotspot for national and international cuisine. With every year, new and excitingly delicious restaurants and cafés open up. It wouldn’t probably be a lie to say every country’s cuisine can be found in the capital.
If you’d like to try an authentic Mongolian dish we recommend traditional restaurants such as Modern Nomads, The Grill Studio, Choijin Temple, Asiana among others.
There are also many foreign cuisines, which the locals like to visit, such as Korean, Chinese and Western restaurants. On top of that if you want to try something familiar, you can find international chains like “The Coffee bean and Tea leaf”, “Caffe bene”, “Burger King”, “Pizza hut”, “KFC”, etc.
Shopping
Whether you want to buy a nomad souvenir, a silver cup, a leather wallet or a cashmere sweater, you’ll be able to find them at any malls or department stores in Ulaanbaatar. The oldest “State Department Store” was built during the Soviet occupation and is the largest shopping mall in Mongolia.
For the cashmere connoisseurs, we recommend stopping at the “Galleria Ulaanbaatar Center” just at the corner of the Sukhbaatar Square, where you’ll find everything from cashmere yarns, cashmere clothes to cashmere blankets.
You can also buy amazingly illustrated t-shirts and accessories made by modern and young Mongolian designers to support the rising fashion industry.
Tourist spots
There are many cultural, historic, religious and modern attractions in the capital for you to enjoy: Museums with unique show pieces, Buddhist temples, Modern art galleries, Central square etc.. The capital is an important piece in discovering the Mongolian culture, and is a center for tourists with approximately 70 cultural and artistic services, tourist friendly restaurant and accommodations, and experienced tour operators like us.
According to the World Tourism Organization, Mongolia was declared a safe country for tourists and “a unique land'” full of tourism resource.
How to get there: International transportation
Ulaanbaatar currently conducts international flights at the Chinggis Khaan International Airport (formerly Buyant Ukhaa Airport), located 18 km southwest of the city. A bigger, newer international airport is being constructed and is planned to open operations in the Summer of 2020.
Direct flights to Ulaanbaatar are available from Frankfurt, Berlin, Moscow, Istanbul, Nur-Sultan, Irkutsk, Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul, Busan, Tokyo and Osaka. The airline companies are Turkish Airlines, Korean Air, Air China, Air Busan, Asiana Airlines, MIAT (Mongolian State owned company), Hunnu Air and Aero Mongolia private companies.
Another way to get to Ulaanbaatar is by rail through the Trans-Siberian railway from Russia, and the Chinese railway network from China. If by train, you can get off at the Central Railway station in the city, not far from the city center and start your city tour.