27 Best Things To Do In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - Updated 2024

1. Learn more about Mongolian history at the National History Museum 

The National History Museum is one of the most popular Ulaanbaatar tourist attractions. It has three floors’ worth of Mongolian history, tracking man from the start of the Neolithic era up to the present day. The first floor contains the Stone Age exhibits in Mongolia such as deer stones, burial sites from the Hun and Uighur era, and petroglyphs. Mongolia still has a lot of active archaeological sites. The most recent significant find was a tiara displayed on the first floor found in Ovorkhangai in 2011. The second floor is dedicated to the ethnic groups of Mongolia with traditional wear, jewelry, hats and other headgear. Mongolian traditional wear was quite ostentatious and some of them contain about 25 kilograms (55 pounds) worth of silver. The third floor contains the gear of the Mongol army including armors, furnished gers, and domestic implements such as saddles. Finally, the last hall tracks the contemporary history of Mongolia, most recently the revolution in 1990 that gave Mongolia its democratic freedom.

National History Museum 

Address: Juulchin Street -1, Ulaanbaatar 210646, Mongolia

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2. Return to the country of dinosaurs at the Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs 

The Gobi Desert was a perfect medium for fossils. Here, bones and eggs were uncovered by American explorers as early as the 1920s. One explorer, in particular, named Roy Chapman Andrews, discovered most of the bones in the Gobi. The most important find and a specimen that’s displayed in the museum today after a brief stint in Texas is the 3-tonne cousin of the Tyrannosaurus rex, the Tyrannosaurus Bataar. The Bataar was smuggled into the US but a judge made the decision to return it to Mongolia. There are other dinosaurs in all shapes and sizes too, such as the Protoceratops and the Velociraptors. The museum is just an inkling of what it’s supposed to be. It was opened in 2016 with further plans to expand it to become a center for palaeontology. This museum is certainly one of the most important Ulaanbaatar points of interest for those interested in dinosaurs.

Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs 

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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3. Solve puzzles at the International Intellectual Museum 

This may be somewhat an off the beaten spot for many travelers, as this museum is found behind an abandoned building in the eastern part of Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia has had a long history of crafting puzzles, some dating as far back as the Middle Ages. It is said that some of the most difficult puzzles in the world come from Mongolian creators. One of the museum’s featured puzzles, for instance, needs 56,831 moves to complete. You’ll also find unique sets like the Shatar, the Mongolian’s version of chess, or the burr, puzzles made out of wood. This museum is the brainwork of the “Best inventor in Mongolia” and a “Meritorious Person of Culture,” Tumen Ulzii. Ulzii was born from nomadic herders. At some point, he fell in love with puzzles, and the rest was history. This museum is a great place to teach kids about problem-solving. Even adults will be fascinated.

International Intellectual Museum 

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Website: International Intellectual Museum

4. Visit the "Great Palace of Complete Joy" 

When you visit Ulaanbaatar, you must check out Gandantegchinlen Monastery. It is proof of Tibet’s influence on Mongolia. In Tibetan, it means “Great Palace of Complete Joy.” It comprises of three temples - Vajradhara built in 1840, Zuu built in 1869, and Avalokitesvara built in 1925. A later temple was built to keep the remains of the 8th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu, which is now the monastery library. It remains to be a holy place for many Buddhists because the 13th Dalai Lama made this his residence in 1904. Its most ornate feature is the copper statue with 2,286 precious stones with gold leafs. The Gandantegchinlen Monastery currently houses 150 monks, and was restored to its former glory in 1990.

Gandantegchinlen Monastery

Address: Ulaanbaatar 16040, Mongolia

Website: Gandantegchinlen Monastery

5. Get lost in the Choijin Lama Temple Museum Compound

The Choijin Lama Temple Compound turned museum is made up of four temples. Its construction dated back to 1908, but in the mid-90s, it was converted by Stalin’s government into a museum. The main temple features the statue of Buddha Sakyamuni. There’s also a wide collection of thangka paintings, hand-printed 226-volume tengyurs all the way from Tibet, and cham dance masks. Most of these were brought by the Bogd Khan from his travels to the Himalayan country. The Zuu and Yidam Temple respectively features Buddha sculptures and a prayer room. The fourth temple is dedicated to the first Mongolian reincarnation of the Boghda.

Choijin Lama Temple Museum

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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The following content is contributed by Trip101 writer, Priyanjali

6. Visit Zaisan Memorial to enjoy fabulous city views

A well-known tourist attraction as well as a major highlight of the city, Zaisan Memorial offers fabulous views. Visitors can enjoy an aerial view of the yurt districts along with plush apartment buildings that draw inspiration from Soviet-style architecture. The memorial comprises a huge statue of a Russian soldier with a flag in his hand. It was erected by Russians to salute the unknown soldiers who sacrificed their lives in different wars.

Zaisan Memorial

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

7. Explore Sükhbaatar Square at leisure

Sükhbaatar Square is the central square of Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. The plaza was named after the famous revolutionary leader of the country, Damdin Sükhbaatar after he passed away in 1923. The square bears his name and there is a bronze statue of the revolutionary riding a horse in its center. Its name was changed by the city authorities in 2013. However, the descendants of Sükhbaatar won a case in the court so that the square was once again called by its original name.

Sükhbaatar Square

Address: Prime Minister A.Amar Street, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

8. Drop by the Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan

The palace was constructed between the years 1893 and 1903. It was where Jebtzyun Damba Hutagt VIII, the last king and the eighth Living Buddha of Mongolia resided for two decades. The king was frequently referred to as the Bogd Khan. The Russians converted it into a museum. On the other hand, the summer palace was completely destroyed by the Russian army. The grounds of the palace have six temples, each one of them featuring Buddhist artworks, including thangkas and sculptures.

Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Website: Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan

Opening hours: Thu - Mon: 10am - 5pm (closed on Tue & Wed)

Price: 0.17 USD onwards

9. Admire the exhibits at The Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum

The museum has thousands of exhibits that cover Mongol culture spanning ancient times to the early twentieth century. This fine arts museum features a fabulous collection of sculptures and paintings. There are several artworks of the famous artist and sculptor, Zanabazar here. The museum also includes other rate religious exhibits like Buddhist statues and scroll thangka or paintings. An added perk for the visitors is that a majority of the captions for the exhibits are in English so that they can simply take an audio guide to explore the museum. Visitors should also check out the beautiful tsam masks that are worn during religious functions and a host of intricate paintings.

The Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum

Address: Sambuu St, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Opening hours: 10am - 6pm (daily)

10. Take your kids to National Amusement Park

Popularly referred to as the city’s children’s park, National Amusement Park is a small amusement park that has a roller coaster and several other exciting rides, paddle boats, and games. The park mainly caters to children who are 12-years-old and below and is a perfect place to visit if you are vacationing with small kids. At the same time, even adults will find the place to be a great spot for a leisurely stroll. You have to purchase individual tickets for the rides. The park is open throughout the year and your little ones can also indulge in ice skating in winter.

National Amusement Park

Address: Olympic Street, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Website: National Amusement Park

Opening hours: 9am - 10pm (daily)

11. Appreciate unique art at Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery is a must-visit place for any art connoisseur in Ulaanbaatar. It takes pride in an impressive and mammoth display of modern Mongolian sculptures and paintings depicting landscapes, people and nomadic life expressed in various styles. You will come across many Soviet romantic paintings in this museum portrayed in thangka style, which is quite intriguing. Both permanent and temporary exhibits can be viewed here.

Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Address: Cultural Center-B Sukhbaatar Square 3, Ulaanbaatar 14200, Mongolia

Website: Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 6pm; Sat - Sun: 10am - 5pm

12. Check out traditional dresses at Mongol Costumes Museum

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

If you are into anthropology and culture, Mongol Costumes Museum in Ulaanbaatar is an excellent museum to visit and explore. It houses a wide range of beautiful Mongolian costumes that have captions in English too, so it will be easy for you to understand. You can have a feeling of how traditional Mongolian garments look like and can also browse through old chess sets, ethnographic artifacts, battle gear, and ethnic jewelry. Although the museum is small, there is so much to learn and see here. The traditional costumes here are beautiful while the guides are quite knowledgeable too.

Mongol Costumes Museum

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 9.30am - 6pm (closed on Sat & Sun)

13. Know the country's military history at Mongolian Military Museum

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

If you’re wondering what to do in Ulaanbaatar, check out Mongolian Military Museum. Also referred to as Museum of the Mongolian Armed Forces, Mongolian Military Museum is located in the northern part of Ulaanbaatar. The museum explains the military history of the country and its exhibits date back to the famous Mongol Empire. It houses thousands of artifacts spanning thousands of years. From knives dating back to the Bronze Age to hand grenades, catapults to modern rocket launchers, there is so much to see in this museum. There are four different sections in this museum with as many as about 8,000 items from the ancient and modern army of Mongolia. The museum has been open since 1996 and is within the jurisdiction of the country’s Ministry of Defense.

Mongolian Military Museum

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Website: Mongolian Military Museum

Opening hours: Wed - Mon: 10am - 5pm (closed on Tue)

14. Introspect for some time at Manjusri Monastery

Once a famous Buddhist monastery, Manjusri Monastery was set up in 1733. In 1937, Mongolian Communists destroyed the monastery. The ruins of the monument can be found 15 km (9.32 mi) south of Ulaanbataar, the capital city of Mongolia. The monastery once comprised 20 buildings housing 300 monks and several of them were executed by Communists. The main temple was rebuilt after 1990 and was converted into a museum. You can still see the ruins of 17 buildings here.

Manjusri Monastery

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

15. Savor Mediterranean delicacies at Veranda

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Veranda is a fine-dining restaurant in Ulaanbaatar with a colonial touch to it. Couch seating arrangement is offered inside and there is a spacious porch that overlooks the famous Choijin Lama Temple Museum. The restaurant serves excellent food and its menu features a wide selection of mouthwatering main dishes, which is a fusion of French and Italian recipes. If you want to avail a patio table, make sure you reserve it in advance. Enjoy quality Mediterranean delicacies along with fine wine here. The restaurant is open seven days a week and serves lunch and dinner.

Veranda

Address: Jamyan St, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Website: Veranda

Opening hours: 12pm - 10pm (daily)

16. Let your hair down at Choco Metropolis Club

Editor’s note: Establishment is Permanently closed.

If you are looking for a good night club in the city of Ulaanbaatar, we will make your life easy. Choco Metropolis Club is a luxury nightclub in the city. This upscale, plush club with VIP Bottle Service is situated strategically in the center of the capital city. The nightclub specializes in exotic dances, signature drinks, weekly entertainment parties as well as exciting celebrity performances. Come here with your close friends and have an unforgettable night.

Choco Metropolis Club

Address: Khoroo 3 Ulaanbaatar Sukhbaatar district MN-1, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Website: Choco Metropolis Club

Opening hours: 8pm - 4am (daily)

17. Shop till you drop at UB Mart Shopping Center

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Welcome to UB Mart Shopping Center, a shopping mall in the city of Ulaanbaatar. The best part of this mall is that you will not find wildly expensive accessories or clothes here. So, shopping is great fun in this city mall. You will come across separate stores for men, women, infants, and kids. Shops here sell products of all kinds - accessories, clothes, shoes, sporting and camping goods. The basement of the building also houses a supermarket.

UB Mart Shopping Center

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Website: UB Mart Shopping Center

Opening hours: 10am - 8pm (daily)

18. Go for a Tumen-Ekh Folk Song and Dance Ensemble show

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Located at the State Youth and Children’s Theater, The Tumen Ekh Song & Dance Ensemble is undoubtedly the most well-known cultural show for visitors. The show features traditional contortionists, dancers, and singers. Also, there is a great possibility to hear throat singing and admiring some fantastic traditional costumes. The duration of each show is slightly over 60 minutes and the riveting performances will surely leave you mesmerized.

Tumen-Ekh Folk Song and Dance Ensemble

Address: Chinggis Avenue, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

19. Head to Bogd Khan National Park for a hike (from USD 154.0)

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Offering gorgeous, panoramic views of Ulaanbaatar, Bogd Khan Mountain truly adds to the city’s bucolic appeal. Besides its natural beauty, the mountain is also touted to hold religious significance and is home to more than 200 species of rare flora and fauna, making it a delight to explore. It is one of Ulaanbaatar’s most popular spots for hiking, with towering larch trees and lush woodlands, adorning the route. These hikes are typically about 7 - 10 hours long (from point to point) and can be attempted by novice hikers as well. Tsetsee Gun is the hike’s highest point, about 2250 m (7400 ft) above sea level. You can walk around and take in some beautiful views. Else, go in for one for the pre-planned tours like the one offered by Viator, and you can even enjoy a meal amidst Bogd Khan National Park’s beautiful ambience.

Bogd Khan National Park Hiking Day Trip

Duration: 7 to 9 hours

2 reviews

from USD

154.0

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20. Pay a visit to The Children's Palace

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Setup by Mongolia’s Ministry of Social Welfare, The Children’s Palace is an orphanage aimed at fostering livelihoods of young orphans and promoting the practice of adoption. It has served as a home for more than 100 children ever since it opened its doors in 2003, with many having been reunited with their biological families as well as several adopted by families within Mongolia and abroad. The Children’s Palace also hosts regular movie screening evenings and other events for the purpose of kids’ entertainment and skill development. You can pay a visit to this great facility and mingle with the children there or get in touch with the facility’s authorities and organize a small event yourself!

The Children's Palace

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

21. 21. Explore Ulaanbaatar City Museum's exhibits

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

An excellent spot to learn about the history of the city, Ulaanbaatar City Museum is a must-visit for all tourists. You can browse through a great collection of old snaps, artefacts, paintings, and maps to discover Ulaanbaatar’s rich history. Among the museum’s highlights is a 1912 painting that showcases the city’s famous Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan and Gandantegchinlen Monastery as recognizable landmarks. There’s also a five-million-year-old skeleton of a mammoth on display here, which was found in the nearby Tuul River area. It is said that the museum’s authorities have a collection of more than 3000 items worthy of display at the museum, but are unable to do so because of a lack of space.

Ulaanbaatar City Museum

Address: Bayanzurkh District, 15th khoroo, east side of the Wrestling Palace, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

22. Catch one of State Opera and Ballet Academic Theatre's performances

About five minutes’ walking distance from Sükhbaatar Square, State Opera and Ballet Academic Theatre is easily among Ulaanbaatar’s most amazing spots. While its building, exhibiting a regal Neoclassical style of architecture, is a sight to behold, the shows put up inside the building are no less regal. The opera and ballet company was established here in 1963 and has since staged more than 100 national and international productions, including opera performances of Verdi’s La traviata and Mozart’s Don Giovanni as well as ballet recitals of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. You too can catch some of these amazing performances staged during the evenings on weekends. Stroll by and check out the latest line-up put up on the board outside the building. You can pre-book tickets on their official website too.

State Opera and Ballet Academic Theatre

Address: Sükhbaatar Square Street, Ulaanbaatar 14200, Mongolia

Website: State Opera and Ballet Academic Theatre

23. Tour through Mongolian Quilting Centre's facility

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Formally known as the New Way Life NGO, Mongolian Quilting Centre offers possibly one of the most fascinating experiences in town. It was established in 2003 and is aimed at supporting livelihoods of underprivileged women of Ulaanbaatar by providing them with employment and skill development opportunities. These women are provided with formal training in embroidery, quilting, and textiles to ensure that they’re able to use their skills in an optimum manner. Putting their learning to good use, these women produce a variety of handcrafted items, ranging from table covers to tote bags and even decorative items. While at the facility, not only will you be able to purchase these items and donate towards a good cause, but also be able to see the craftswomen at work and chat with them for a bit too!

Mongolian Quilting Centre

Address: Seoul St, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 8am - 6pm; Sat - Sun: 10am - 5pm

24. Do some fun shopping at Naran Tuul Market

Naran Tuul is Ulaanbaatar’s infamous Black Market that is ideal for thrift shoppers and people-watchers! A hullabaloo of hawkers, with their shops set up on tabletops, a melee of ardent shopaholics, and a bunch of camera-toting tourists, you’ll find them all here! Not just the vibe, you can also find some of the most fantastic Mongolian clothing, local decorative items, carpets, and other interesting knick-knacks that will make for great souvenirs. As one would expect, Naran Tuul Market is probably at its most crowded on weekends, so try heading there on weekdays to be able to enjoy your experience better. Although, do remember that the place is notorious for pickpockets and bag-snatchers, so do mind your belongings.

Naran Tuul Market

Address: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Opening hours: Wed - Mon: 9am - 7pm (closed on Tue)

25. Soak in Green Zone's awesome vibe

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

While Green Zone may sound like the name of a plant nursery to you, it is in fact one of Ulaanbaatar’s most popular cafes. It has been done up in an entirely contemporary style, with large windows making it look brightly lit up and real plants used as wall decorations. It is possibly one of the most bustling spots in the city. Their freshly baked breads, mini pizzas, rich hummus, creamy broccoli soup, toothsome tuna melt, and hearty lasagna are some of diners’ top faves. Green Zone’s energetic yet cosy vibe is accentuated by a large collection of books that diners can pick up and read in the eatery. You can also grab a spot in their open-air seating section and enjoy a cup of coffee, overlooking the Builders’ Square’s hustle-bustle. Do check out Green Zone’s Facebook page for a line-up of events and musical evenings that they host regularly and/or special offers.

Green Zone

Address: Khoroo 4, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Website: Green Zone

Opening hours: 10am - 12am (daily)

26. Experience Ulaanbaatar's pub-culture at Budweiser Pub & Restaurant

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

One of the city’s oldest pubs, Budweiser Pub & Restaurant is the best place to head to if you want to chill out. With its superb hospitality and delicious food, the place wins over diners who can make their way over there. They offer a good selection of beers, including Czech Budweiser, along with international liquors as well as some cocktails too. Owning up to its name, the place is bustling with chatty diners, so don’t go there expecting to enjoy sophisticated, quiet mealtime. Budweiser Pub & Restaurant is within walking distance of the National History Museum, so you can easily make a pitstop after checking out the museum.

Budweiser Pub & Restaurant

Address: Peace Avenue, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 8am - 12am; Sat: 11am - 11pm (closed on Sun)

27. Click lots of snaps at Beatles Monument

To the unversed, Beatles Monument may only mean a commemoration of the hugely popular English rock band, but to Mongolia, it harks back to the 1970s when Mongolian youths gathered to listen to Western music and sing the Beatles’ songs as a mark of rebellion against Communism. The monument was erected in 2008 and soon became a local landmark, unofficially naming its neighbourhood as Beatles Square, with a sculpture of the Fab Four musicians (John, Paul, George, and Ringo) on one side and a sculpture of a young boy pictured strumming a guitar on the other. Once you’re done clicking tons of Insta-worthy snaps here, do remember to check out the many shops, cafes, and restaurants in the vicinity.

The Beatles Monument

Address: Prime Minister Tserendorj Street, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Center of economy and culture

So much of Mongolia’s national development has been focused on Ulaanbaatar. It is clearly the commercial, industrial, political, and cultural hub of the country. While Mongolia is really more well-known for its vast emptiness and its pristine countryside, Ulaanbaatar shows a different side of a country in transition. Like any city, there’s traffic, a thriving nightlife, and a Buddhist monk here and there. You will surely encounter this city on your way to the countryside. Spend a day or two here, won’t you? It might just be another adventure in the making.