Things to do in Mongolia
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Rinky Dink Travel Mongolia
As the name indicates, this is a small tour company that keeps its trips simple, safe and fun. It has homestays in ger districts and takes you out of Ulaanbaatar to meet nomad families. It is involved in social development programmes in poor neighbourhoods and invites tourists to volunteer for its projects. There is no actual 'office' to drop into - you just contact them and they will pick you up.
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Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
The freshwater Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur is not as forested or as large as Khövsgöl Nuur, but it is closer to Ulaanbaatar, relatively undeveloped and just about perfect for camping (though there are a few flies in summer). The lake, birdlife and mountains are now protected within the 77,267-hectare Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park. The national park fee of around Tug3000 applies.
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Aulum Sayajim beer garden
For a beer in a more quiet atmosphere than the disco, try the Aulum Sayajim beer garden, near the police station. The walled compound contains several cabanas and a tent. On Fridays, the beer is covered with towels so as not to offend the local Muslim population, but they will still sneak you a bottle. The gers nearby are actually for rent, but would you really want to sleep in a beer garden?
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Uvs Nuur Strictly Protected Area
Uvs Nuur Strictly Protected Area (712,545 hectares) Consists of four separate areas: Uvs Nuur, Türgen Uul, Tsagaan Shuvuut Uul and Altan Els. Contains everything from desert sand dunes to snowfields, marsh to mountain forest. Snow leopards, wolves, foxes, deers and ibex are among the animals protected. Part of the Man and the Biosphere Unesco programme, and the Ramsar Wetland Convention.
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Cartography Co Map Shop
There are several maps available of Ulaanbaatar; the best is the 1:10,000 Ulaanbaatar City Map, updated annually. On the back is a 1:200,000 map of the area around Ulaanbaatar. Maps can be found in bookshops and hotels but the best place to buy them is the Cartography Co Map Shop on Ikh Toiruu, near the Elba Electronics shop. You can also buy good topographic maps of Mongolia here.
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Balbal
A well-preserved Turkic-era Balbal is 7km west of Öndörkhaan, past the airport. The squat-figured statue, covered in blue silk hadak (ritual scarf), has a disproportionately large head with pronounced eyebrows and deep-set eyes. His long hair is curled behind his ears, an unusual feature for this type of statue. Locals refer to the statue as 'Gelen', a religious title.
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Aimag Museum
The well-appointed Aimag Museum houses plenty of stuffed Gobi animals, and a collection of sea shells and marine fossils (Dornogov was once beneath the sea). There is also an impressive skeleton of a Protoceratops and a dinosaur egg. Upstairs, look out for the wooden breastplate used by a Mongol soldier of the imperial fighting days. Lighting here is poor so bring a torch (flashlight).
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South Gobi Museum
Surprisingly, the South Gobi Museum has little on dinosaurs - just a leg, an arm and a few eggs. (All of the best exhibits are in Ulaanbaatar or in other museums around the world.) There are a few nice paintings, a huge stuffed vulture and a display of scroll paintings and other Buddhist items. The museum is on the main street, on the other side of the park from the pink Drama Theatre.
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The Moonstone Song & Dance Ensemble
The Moonstone Song & Dance Ensemble at Tsuki House puts on a Mongolian cabaret. You get the lot: contortionists, throat singers, musicians, tsam mask dancers and an electrifying shaman dance done in contemporary fashion. One drink is included in the price of the ticket and food is available. Tsuki House is the modern glass building next to the Circus (on the north side).
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Khaan Buuz
This is a nice Khaan Buuz, west from the Flower Center on Baga Toiruu west. But there are dozens of Mongolian fast-food restaurants and they can be found on every block in the city. They serve up industrial-sized buuz (steamed mutton dumplings), plus soups and bifshteks ondogtei (beefsteak with egg); many of these operate 24 hours. Meals cost around Tug900 to T1500.
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Pamukkale
A welcome addition to the local restaurant scene, Pamukkale is a Turkish-run outfit that serves authentic kebabs and Turkish soups. Unfortunately the doner plate is never available (the locals don't like it) but you may be able to score a tasty chicken dish. The Turkish desserts are also excellent but portions are miniscule so you may need to order a few to satisfy your sweet tooth.
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Zochin Buuz
There is a popular Zochin Buuz on Peace Ave, opposite the Russian Embassy. But there are dozens of Mongolian fast-food restaurants and they can be found on every block in the city. They serve up industrial-sized buuz (steamed mutton dumplings), plus soups and bifshteks ondogtei(beefsteak with egg); many of these operate 24 hours. Meals cost around Tug900 to T1500.
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Museum of Orkhon Aimag
Opened in 1983 and hidden in a concrete complex on the right side of the Marx mural, the small Museum of Orkhon Aimag includes a few oddities including a model of the copper mine (you can see it in 'day' or 'night') and a model of a modern ger with a TV inside. Look out for the two-headed calf, which hopefully is no indication of what the mine is doing to the local water supply.
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Ikh Nart Natural Reserve
Ikh Nart Natural Reserve (67,000 hectares), only a four-hour drive from Ulaanbaatar, is home to hundreds of ibex (mountain goats), black vultures and other wildlife. The natural springs near Khalzan Uul (Bald Mountain) are considered a local health remedy. Burgasan Amny Rashaan is another mineral spring a few kilometres south of Khalzan Uul. Nomadic Journeys has a ger camp here.
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Le Bistro Français
The soft lighting, cream-coloured walls and French art give this bistro a peaceful, romantic ambience. Having settled in, enjoy a starter of Burgundy snails followed by a Chateaubriand flambé with cognac, washed down with a French red wine. We were a little disappointed with the pastas, but the meat dishes are highly recommended. Ice cream and crepe desserts are excellent.
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Argasun
Traditional musical instruments make perfect gifts for friends who are musically inclined. The morin khuur (horse-head fiddle) is particularly nice as a piece of decorative art (and Mongolians consider it good luck to have one in the home). Argasun, is a morin khuur workshop near Aeroflot. Morin khuur range from around Tug100,000 to T450,000.
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Raft Trips
Tuul Gol, which starts in the park and flows to Ulaanbaatar and beyond, is one of the best places in the country for rafting. The best section of the river starts a few kilometres north of Terelj village, and wraps around the park until it reaches Gachuurt, near Ulaanbaatar. Nomadic Journeys in Ulaanbaatar runs rafting trips here for around US$45 per day (minimum four people).
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Bridge Mongolian Language Center
Receiving consistently positive reviews, this language centre offers an intensive two-week survival course, as well as longer courses and individual tuition. Costs are US$5 to US$7 per hour for a private lesson or US$4 per person for a group lesson. Note that the directions it gives on its website are obsolete; it's on the eastern side of the city past the Khan Palace hotel.
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Sports Palace
If you have some time to kill, check out the Sports Palace. You can take a hot shower (around Tug1000) or sauna (around Tug2000 per hour), watch some wrestling or go ice skating in winter at the stadium at the back. There's an indoor pool (around Tug2000), open weekdays only, but the staff may make life difficult by insisting on a medical examination before they let you swim.
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Market
Choibalsan's proximity to China means that its Market is better stocked compared with other aimag capitals. It has lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as an interesting shop selling ger furniture, saddles, Mongolian hats and boots. The back of the market plays host to gambling stalls where locals play cards, dominoes and shagai (a dice game using anklebones).
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Level
Chic bar and restaurant that fuses nouveau Japanese décor with bits of England (telephone box) and Mongolia (ancient Buddhist block prints behind glass). All manner of drinks are served, plus a selection of appetizers and main items, including a mixed meat platter for four people. It's in the 1st floor of an orange apartment, behind the Peace & Friendship Building.
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Zaisan Memorial
The tall, thin landmark on top of the hill south of the city is the Zaisan Memorial. Built by the Russians to commemorate 'unknown soldiers and heroes' from various wars, it offers the best views of Ulaanbaatar and the surrounding hills. The enormous tank at the bottom of the hill - part of the Mongolia People's Tank Brigade - saw action against the Nazis during WWII.
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Chinggis Statue
The main monument in the area is the Chinggis Statue, 13km south of Delgerkhaan village. It was built in 1990 under the sponsorship of Unesco, to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the writing of The Secret History of the Mongols. The symbols on the side of the statue are the brands used by about 300 different clans in the area for marking their livestock.
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Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area
To the northeast, Gorkhi-Terelj National Park joins the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area, comprising over 1.2 million hectares of the Töv, Selenge and Khentii aimags. The Khan Khentii park is almost completely uninhabited by humans, but it is home to endangered species of moose, brown bears and weasels to name but a few, and to over 250 species of birds.
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Shiliin Bogd
At 1778m (5830ft), Shiliin Bogd is the highest peak in Sükhbaatar aimag region in Mongolia's east. The extinct volcano is sacred to many Mongolians and is set in a stunning and isolated area. A jeep can get you about halfway up the mountain, and then it's a short but blustery walk to the top for awesome views of craters across the nearby border to China.
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