Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia established 1639, is the country’s economic, cultural and a political center and has a number of tourist attractions where modern life comfortably blends with Mongolian traditional lifestyle. Wide streets are flocked by modern cars, while horsemen and cattle are still common scene and its population as of 2014 is over 1.3 million.
It is the main hub from which foreign tourists start their adventure in this beautiful land. Ulaanbaatar has something for everyone to enjoy with a wide range of performing arts and entertainment, from the traditional throat singing and spectacular contortionist to the likes of concerts pianists, ballerinas, and opera singers. Energetic and always exciting, Ulaanbaatar’s club scene demands to be experienced.
Hustai National Park (Wild horse Park)is located about 62 miles (100km) west of Ulaanbaatar. This area is home to the Mongolian wild horse known as Perzevalski horse (takhi).
Hustai has unique landscape that features mountain steppe and steppe, also there are sand dunes representing Gobi of Mongolia and River wetlands. National park has 450 species of vascular plants, 200 of which are medicinal.
Highlights: The National Park area is ideal for hiking, horseback riding, ornithology, flower watching, and nature photography.
- Gandan Monastery
- Mongolian National Museum
- Genghis Khan's Square & Parliament House
- Central Museum Of Mongolian Dinosaurs
- Tumen Ekh Ensemble - Cultural Show
- Bogdkhan Palace Museum
- Choijin Lama Temple Museum
- Zaisan Hill - Memorial Statue
- International Intellectual Museum
- Zanabazar Fine Art Museum
- National Parks & Attractions around UB:
- Terelj National Park
- Genghis Khan Statue Complex
- Mt. Bogd Khan National Park
- 13th Century Theme Park
- Tumen Ekh Ensemble - Cultural Show
The Gandan Monastery is the largest and most significant Tibetan-style monastery in Mongolia and one of Ulaanbaatar’s most interesting sights. . Built in the mid 19th century and it currently has over 200 monks in residence. The Migjid Janraisig Temple is an important part of Gandan Monastery. The temple houses features a 26-meter-high majestic gilded statue of Migjid Janraisig.
This museum presents Mongolian history and culture from prehistoric times to the present day. Exhibitions cover prehistory, pre-Mongol Empire history, Mongol Empire, Mongolia during Qing rule, ethnography and traditional life, and twentieth-century history. The ethnographic collection has significant displays of the traditional dress of various Mongolian ethnic groups and of snuff bottles.
The Genghis Square lies at the heart of the city surrounded by theaters, government buildings and banks. There is a bronze statue of Sükhbaatar astride his horse, who is hero of the revolution, declared Mongolia’s final independence from the Chinese. The square now features . Another site of interest is the large construction site of massive bronze statues of Genghis Khan and his four warriors in front of Parliament House.
Mongolia is the country of dinosaurs; many world famous fossils such as complete fossils, eggs, fighting dinosaur etc from Gobi Dessert.
Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs is newly operated from 2014, aimed to preserve cultural heritages, to document registered items and promote paleontology discoveries for public viewing.
Tumen Ekh ensemble is Mongolia’s premier traditional performance group; featuring folk song, traditional music, dance and contortion.
Tumen Ekh ensemble is one of the most successful folk art groups to share traditional Mongolian music with the world, having traveled to over 40 countries. The music of Mongolia expresses vastness, freedom and life in harmony with nature and the environment.
Bogd Khaan Palace Museum – The complex was built between 1893 and 1903 dedicated to the 8th Bogd Javzandamba, the head of Mongolian religion. The palace museum consists of seven Summer Prayer temples and the winter palace. The collections of the museum include unique and valuable objects related to Mongolia’s political, religious, and artistic history from the 17 to early 20-th centuries.
Built in the first decade of the 20th century for the younger brother of the last religious ruler of Mongolia who was also the state oracle. The temple/museum is situated in the center of Ulaanbaatar. It has a fine collection of arts and religious relics, including tsam masks and costumes used in religious dances. It is known as one of the most beautiful monasteries in Mongolia.
Zaisan Memorial Hill (or Zaisan Tolgoi) is located in the south side of Ulaanbaatar City, right beside the Bogd Khan Mountain having a best view of the city and surrounding hills. There are a 15 m high golden-yellow standing statue of Buddha besides the hill and a memorial statue on the top of the hill honoring soviet soldiers who fought against Japanese invaders in the territory of Mongolia and Manchuria in 1939 – 1945.
The museum displays over eleven thousand of intellectual items from 130 countries around the World. All items are classified into 15 subcategories in order to create a friendly environment for visitors. The guide is available for every visitor with explanation of the exhibits. The fact that visitors are allowed to touch, and challenge themselves by putting puzzle games together, instead of merely seeing, makes the museum attractive and enjoyable.
The museum is named after the religious leader Zanabazar (1635-1723). Highlights include: figures of Buddha sculpted in bronze by Zanabazar; a silver, gold and pearl mandala; traditional Mongol zurag paintings by famous Mongolian artists; a section on applique wall hangings and items of Mongolian ritual dances.
Terelj National Park is one of the most visited and interesting national parks of Mongolia. It is connected with Ulaanbaatar by a paved road with 70km.
The National Park is by its natural beauty, forested alpine mountains and interesting rock formations (Massive woolsack weather conditions) very well known.
Highlights: Turtle Rock, Meditation temple Ariyabal and visit local nomadic families. During the summer there are great opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing, flower and bird watching.
The Turtle Rock, or called Melkhi Khad by the locals, is an interesting rock formation looking like a turtle. This giant rock formation is a popular spot for visitors to the area. There are you can ride a camel or travel on horseback around scenic nature.
Ariyabal meditation temple is situated in the scenic area of Terelj National Park, 3 km from Turtle Rock. Buddhist Monks performs meditation ritual for many years amongst beautiful and tranquil mountains.
The temple is surrounded by scenic mountains with interesting rock formations and sits at top of the mountain. The entrance of the gate is accessible by car, hiking or on horseback. The distance between the gate and the actual temple is about 1 km and it is only accessible by walking. To get to the top, you would cross the suspension bridge and climb up on 108 stairs, according to Buddhist prayer beads. This small hike is seen as a ritual to cleanse one’s sins. The temple, when observed from distance, can be seen as a beautiful white elephant and the staircase looks as if the dangling elephant’s trunk. From the top, you can enjoy the breathtaking view overlooking the Terelj National Park.
Genghis Khan Statue Complex is currently the biggest (40m high) equestrian statue in the world. It is connected with Ulaanbaatar by a paved road with 54km.There is a recreation area, restaurants, and souvenir shops occupy the base structure. From here, visitors use an elevator or walk to the head of the horse through chest and back neck of the horse, where they can have farseeing and good panorama view over the complex area.
Mt. Bogd Khan national park is one of the oldest national parks in the world, protected since 1783.The main entrance to the National Park is 45 kilometers to the south west of the Ulaanbaatar city. In summers, meadows between woods are covered with a number of different types of flowers, most of which are popular edelweiss, producing colorful scenery. There are many hiking routes; the highest peak of Tsetsee Gun is one of the lovely routes by hikers.
Manzshir Monastery is located in the luxuriant valley of the Bogd Khan Mountain National Park.It was established in 1733 with 20 temples and 300 monks. Destroyed in 1932, the only remaining temple has been restored and a museum at the site tells the story of the Monastery.
The surrounding area is perfect for walking through green woods, meadows and mountain clear water streams.
13th Century Theme Park is built and established in real time micro kingdom of the 13th Century to make the real experiences for the tourists during their stay by genuinely providing true environment of the way of living. Within this country, the rule of the law is strong and there is no television, electricity and phones are allowed for the real experience.
Highlights: King’s palace, herder’s camp, shaman’s camp, educational and craftsmen camp.
Gun-Galuut National Park is a local protected area for conservation of global threatened species. Enjoys to see Gun-Galuut vast steppe seems to meet the sky, the imposing mountains, a home land of rare creatures, small lakes, a paradise of birds, Kherlen, the longest river of Mongolia and Tsengiin Burd wetland, in where water and wetland birds lay their eggs. Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve.
