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Steppe & Sky
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Month by month

When to go

Roughly June to September is the main season: long days, green steppe and warm nights. Winter brings crystal skies, frozen lakes and festivals for those who love the cold.

The year at a glance

Typical daytime highs and night lows on the central steppe around Ulaanbaatar. The Gobi runs warmer by day, the mountains and the north colder. Treat these as a guide, not a forecast.

  1. Jan-30° / -14°January: nights around -30°C, days up to -14°C. For the hardy.
  2. Feb-26° / -9°February: nights around -26°C, days up to -9°C. For the hardy.
  3. Mar-18° / 0°March: nights around -18°C, days up to 0°C. Quiet and cold.
  4. Apr-6° / 10°April: nights around -6°C, days up to 10°C. Quiet and cold.
  5. May1° / 18°May: nights around 1°C, days up to 18°C. Shoulder season.
  6. Jun8° / 24°June: nights around 8°C, days up to 24°C. Ideal.
  7. Jul12° / 28°July: nights around 12°C, days up to 28°C. Ideal.
  8. Aug10° / 26°August: nights around 10°C, days up to 26°C. Ideal.
  9. Sep2° / 19°September: nights around 2°C, days up to 19°C. Great.
  10. Oct-8° / 9°October: nights around -8°C, days up to 9°C. Shoulder season.
  11. Nov-18° / -2°November: nights around -18°C, days up to -2°C. Quiet and cold.
  12. Dec-27° / -11°December: nights around -27°C, days up to -11°C. For the hardy.

Night low / day high, °C. Indicative only.

Month by month

  1. A ger with a painted door half buried in snow

    January

    For the hardy

    The coldest month, with clear skies, still air and very few visitors. Winter trips suit experienced travellers, and Tsagaan Sar can fall in late January in some years.

    Days -20° to -14°C · Nights -30°C

    Best for Ulaanbaatar & Terelj, The Far West

  2. Cashmere goats and yaks gathered on snowy steppe

    February

    For the hardy

    Still deep winter, with bright, cold days and snow on the steppe. Tsagaan Sar often falls this month, a rare chance to join a family celebration for well-prepared travellers.

    Days -16° to -9°C · Nights -26°C

    Best for Ulaanbaatar & Terelj, Central Mongolia

  3. A frozen river at dawn with violet light on the ice

    March

    Quiet and cold

    Cold but sunnier, with lengthening days and winds picking up. Ice and camel festivals usually fall in early March, giving winter trips a strong focus.

    Days -8° to 0°C · Nights -18°C

    Best for The North, The Gobi

  4. Horses walking through golden dust on a hazy plain

    April

    Quiet and cold

    A changeable month of thawing ground, dust storms and occasional snow. Few travellers and newborn animals in the herds, but brown landscapes and unpredictable weather.

    Days 2° to 10°C · Nights -6°C

    Best for The Gobi, Central Mongolia

  5. Camels crossing a wide gravel plain

    May

    Shoulder season

    Warming quickly but still windy, with green just starting to show. A good shoulder month for the Gobi before the summer heat and before the main season crowds.

    Days 10° to 18°C · Nights 1°C

    Best for The Gobi, Ulaanbaatar & Terelj, Central Mongolia

  6. A cluster of gers beside a winding river on rolling green steppe

    June

    Ideal

    Green steppe, long days and comfortable temperatures mark the start of the main travel season, which runs roughly June to September. Good for every region, with fewer visitors than July.

    Days 17° to 24°C · Nights 8°C

    Best for Central Mongolia, The North, The Far West, The Gobi, The East

  7. Crowds and tents on the grassy festival grounds

    July

    Ideal

    The warmest and busiest month, with occasional heavy afternoon showers. Naadam brings festival energy to every corner of the country, so book early.

    Days 22° to 28°C · Nights 12°C

    Best for Ulaanbaatar & Terelj, Central Mongolia, The North, The Far West, The East

  8. A herd of horses running across a bright green steppe

    August

    Ideal

    Warm and green, though often the wettest month, with rain showers and lush pastures. Excellent for riding, trekking in the Altai and summer dairy in the countryside.

    Days 19° to 26°C · Nights 10°C

    Best for The North, The Far West, Central Mongolia, The East

  9. A still river reflecting autumn grass and rust-coloured mountains

    September

    Great

    Crisp, clear days, golden larch and quieter roads as the summer crowds fade. One of the best months for photography, the Gobi and the Altai, with a smaller Sagsai eagle festival often held mid to late month.

    Days 11° to 19°C · Nights 2°C

    Best for The Gobi, The Far West, The North, Central Mongolia

  10. Eagle hunters in fur coats gathered on horseback

    October

    Shoulder season

    Cold nights and the first snows on the high ground, with few other travellers. The Golden Eagle Festival near Ölgii, typically on the first weekend, is the month's great draw.

    Days 2° to 9°C · Nights -8°C

    Best for The Far West, The Gobi

  11. A rider with an eagle crossing a snowy mountain slope

    November

    Quiet and cold

    Winter settles in fast, with short days and frozen rivers. Quiet and austere, suited to experienced travellers seeking eagle hunting in the Altai.

    Days -8° to -2°C · Nights -18°C

    Best for The Far West, Ulaanbaatar & Terelj

  12. A figure in red walking across snowy steppe

    December

    For the hardy

    Deep cold, clear skies and the longest nights of the year. A month for hardy winter travellers, with snowy steppe, quiet monasteries and smoky city air in Ulaanbaatar.

    Days -17° to -11°C · Nights -27°C

    Best for Ulaanbaatar & Terelj, The Far West

Winter

Winter trips are for experienced travellers: nights can fall below −30°C. The reward is silence, hoar frost, frozen lakes and the warmth of Tsagaan Sar.

Winter Mongolia: Tsagaan Sar and frozen landscapes

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