Your
Mongolia Guide
Written by local guides from Bayan-Ölgii · since 2007
Stories, tips & culture from the field: practical advice for planning your trip, from the guides who lead it.
Plan your trip
The six things every traveller asks us before they book.
01
Mid-June to September is the main season: green valleys, open mountain passes and the warmest weather. July brings the Naadam festival, and early October the Golden Eagle Festival in Ölgii, with crisp days and frosty nights. Winter trips are for eagle hunting at its most traditional, in temperatures well below −20 °C. Read our full guide to the best time to visit →
02
Almost every trip starts in Ulaanbaatar. For Western Mongolia, a domestic flight with MIAT or Hunnu Air takes you to Ölgii in a few hours; the same journey by road is more than 1,500 km and takes several days. Once you’re with us, you travel by 4×4, on horseback and on foot, with our own drivers and guides.
03
US citizens can visit visa-free for up to 90 days. Travellers from the UK, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and most EU countries can visit visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism; for many of these countries that exemption currently runs until 1 January 2027. Other nationalities can apply for an e-visa. Always confirm with Mongolia’s immigration office before you book.
04
Our multi-day tours start from US$1,200, and day trips from Ulaanbaatar from US$250. Most tours include a local English-speaking guide, 4×4 transport, accommodation in ger camps or homestays, and meals during the tour; some also include domestic flights. International flights, visa fees, travel insurance, alcoholic drinks and tips are usually extra, and each tour page lists exactly what is included. Outside the towns Mongolia runs on cash, so bring some tögrög (MNT) with you.
05
Layers, always: days can be hot and mountain nights close to freezing, even in summer. Bring a warm down jacket, a waterproof shell, broken-in boots, sun protection, a headlamp and a power bank, since electricity is limited in the countryside. For winter trips we send a full cold-weather kit list when you book.
06
Mongolia is a safe and welcoming country. The real challenge is distance: in the mountains, medical help can be many hours away. That’s why travel insurance with emergency evacuation cover is essential on all our trips. Check vaccinations with your travel clinic, and tell us about any medical needs before you travel.
What to experience
Meet Kazakh eagle-hunting families in their home valleys, or watch them compete in Ölgii each October.
Golden Eagle Festival Experience →
How herding families live through the seasons, and how to be a good guest in a ger.
Nomad Homestay & Western Mongolia Classic →
From gentle rides between camps to multi-day treks across the Altai’s high valleys.
Altai Traverse: Trekking & Eagle Hunters →
Snow, silence and eagle hunting at its most traditional, for travellers ready for real cold.
Migration Photography Expedition →Seasonal travel planner
When is the best time to visit Mongolia, and what can you experience each month? Here is how our local guides plan the year.
Swipe to see all 12 months
Jan – Mar
Snow, clear light and the quietest season: the best time of year for photographers, and for seeing traditional winter life.
January
Photography expedition
Winter landscapes and reindeer photography with Tsaatan herding families in Khövsgöl Province.
February
Photography expedition
Photograph Kazakh nomadic families and their eagle hunters on the move across Western Mongolia’s winter landscapes.
March
Festival · Cultural experience
≈ Nauryz around 21–22 March
Spring and New Year celebrations across Bayan-Ölgii, eagle-hunting experiences, and winter migration photography where conditions and itinerary dates permit.
Apr – Jun
The land wakes up and families move their herds: a season of new life, open skies and fewer travellers.
April
Photography expedition
Gobi Desert landscapes and eagle-hunting families in Western Mongolia, combined in one photography journey.
May
Cultural experience
Tsaatan herders return to their spring pastures, with the chance to photograph newborn reindeer calves.
June
Cultural experience
Travel with nomadic families moving up to summer pastures, with horseback riding and time with local families.
Jul – Aug
Warm days, green valleys and every region open: Mongolia’s busiest and most popular time to travel.
July
Festival · Travel season
Naadam usually 11–13 July · local dates vary
Wrestling, horse racing and archery at Mongolia’s biggest celebration, plus trekking and cultural experiences across the country.
August
Travel season · Cultural experience
Trekking, horseback riding and nomadic family visits in Mongolia’s highest mountains.
Sep – Oct · Our home season
Bayan-Ölgii at its most spectacular. Kazakh eagle hunters gather across the province for a run of regional festivals, building up to the Golden Eagle Festival near Ölgii.
September
Smaller local festivals in Bayan-Ölgii’s districts, each with its own character and a more intimate atmosphere.
October
The largest gathering of eagle hunters, alongside smaller local festivals and time with eagle-hunting families across Bayan-Ölgii.
≈ Approximate dates from our local planning. Each festival’s organisers set the exact dates every year; we confirm them before you book.
Nov – Dec
Fewer travellers and the start of winter: for those who want unhurried time with families more than sightseeing.
November
Cultural experience
Cultural experiences with nomadic families, and photography where conditions permit.
December
Cultural experience
Winter landscapes, Kazakh eagle hunters and traditional winter life.
Planning around a festival or season?
Festival schedules and tour departures change from year to year. Tell us when you’d like to travel and we’ll confirm the dates and suggest the right trip.
Stories from the field
When and where Mongolia’s eagle festivals take place, what you’ll see, how to get to Ölgii, and how to meet eagle-hunter families — from our local team in Bayan-Ölgii.
When to visit Mongolia for trekking, horse riding, the Naadam and Golden Eagle festivals, or winter photography — a season-by-season guide from our local team in Bayan-Ölgii.
Notes on staying with a herding family in Western Mongolia — the daily rhythm, the food, and what to expect.
Flaming cliffs, ice canyons, and dinosaur fossils — the Gobi’s landscapes are far stranger than ‘desert’ suggests.
What it’s actually like to spend two days with a Kazakh eagle-hunting family in Bayan-Ölgii.
FAQ
Can’t find your answer? Our team replies on WhatsApp, usually within a day.
Yes. Mongolia is one of the safest and most hospitable countries in Asia, and violent crime against visitors is rare. The real risks are remoteness, weather and rough roads, which is why we travel with experienced local drivers and ask every guest to have evacuation insurance.
Outside Ulaanbaatar there are few paved roads, signs or services, and many of the best places have no address at all. A local guide and driver handle navigation, translation and introductions to herding families, and keep you safe far from help.
June to September for trekking, riding and the Gobi; July for Naadam; September and early October for the eagle festivals; winter for eagle hunting with the families who still hunt in the traditional way. See the seasonal planner above for month-by-month detail.
Summer days are warm, but nights in the mountains can drop close to freezing. In October, around the Golden Eagle Festival, Ölgii averages daytime highs of about 8 °C and night-time lows of about −4 °C. In winter the Altai regularly falls well below −20 °C.
Many visitors don’t. US citizens can stay visa-free for up to 90 days. Citizens of the UK, Australia, New Zealand and most EU countries can stay up to 30 days for tourism, under an exemption that currently runs until 1 January 2027. Rules change, so check with Mongolia’s immigration office before booking flights.
Cards work in Ulaanbaatar and larger towns, and ATMs are found in the capital and provincial centres. In the countryside, carry cash in tögrög for snacks, souvenirs and tips.
In ger camps, in homestays with herding families, and in tents on trekking routes. Comforts are simple: expect shared or outdoor toilets and limited showers away from the towns. That’s part of what makes the trip real.
In towns and many valleys, yes; a local SIM card is cheap and easy to buy. Deep in the mountains, expect to be offline for days at a time.
It depends on the trip. Our homestay and festival tours suit anyone in normal health, while the Altai treks and the Khüiten Peak climb need good fitness and some hiking experience. Tell us about your experience and we’ll help you choose the right trip.
Tell us when you’d like to travel and what you’d love to see. We’ll suggest a route, or build one just for you.
Hi! I can help you learn about our Mongolia tours — ask me about destinations, prices, or what might suit your trip.
