Asia, Mongolia

Overview

The name 'Mongolia' has always stirred up visions of the untamed - Genghis Khan, camels wandering the Gobi Desert and wild horses galloping across the steppes. Even today, outside of Ulaanbaatar you may get the feeling you've stepped into another century rather than another country.

When To Go

The travel season is typically from May to early October, though Ulaanbaatar can be visited any time of year if you can tolerate the bitter cold. Early July has the best weather for the northern part of the country and is also the time to celebrate Mongolia's Naadam Festival. Unfortunately, this is the peak tourist season, when Ulaanbaatar's inadequate accommodation and creaky transport is stretched to breaking point. The rainy season, from late July through August, cools things down and the turn the countryside to green, but will also turn jeep trails into muck. Rains in the north also bring biting flies and mosquitoes. June and September are both pleasant times to visit, and attract fewer visitors.The best months to visit the Gobi Desert and not get toasted are September and October. Be aware that between mid-October and mid-May sudden snowstorms and extreme cold can ground flights, block roads and cause the country's transport system to stall. Mongolians, especially nomads, consi

Visas

Entry and exit visas are required of all nationalities, as is a valid passport. No visa is required for Americans visiting for fewer than 90 days. Israelis can stay visa free for up to 30 days. Visitors planning to stay in Mongolia for more than 30 days are required to register with the Immigration, Naturalization and Foreign Citizens Agency in Ulaanbaatar during their first week of arrival. Visitors who fail to register and who stay longer than 30 days may be stopped at departure, denied exit, and fined. Entry and exit visas may be obtained at the airport at a cost of around 50.00 and must be accompanied by an invitation or sponsorship from a Mongolian company, a resident foreigner, or an organised tour company. Some consulates and embassies interpret the regulations more liberally than others, but all visitors must be registered after arrival and checked out of the registry upon departure.To check current regulations, try the web site of the Ministry of External Relations at www.extm

Weather

Although it boasts over 260 sunny days a year and is known as the 'Land of Blue Sky', Mongolia has an extreme continental climate with temperatures that have been known to range over 37°C 99°F in one day. Only in summer does cloud cover shield the sky. Humidity is usually zilch and sunshine is intense. Gobi summer temperatures hit 40°C 104°F but winter winds often send the mercury plummeting to -30°C -22°F or lower. You can see snow in the Gobi Desert as late as April and some lakes remain frozen until June. There's a short rainy season from mid-July to September, but showers tend to be brief and gentle. Because of the high altitude, evenings are cool even in summer. Ulaanbaatar is possibly the coldest capital city in the world. Temperatures generally start to drop below 0°C 32°F in October, sink to -30°C -22°F in January and February and remain below freezing until April. Horrific dust storms kick up during the short spring May to June. July to September is pleasant, but it can

Getting There

Most people fly into Ulaanbaatar from Beijing, Berlin or Moscow. Organised tours also operate flights from Osaka and Seoul. The international Mongolian carrier is MIAT. Delayed and cancelled flights are common partly due to frequent poor weather conditions. The airport departure tax is built into your ticket.