Mongolia: When to Go

The travel season is typically from May to early October, though Ulaanbaatar can be visited any time of year if you can tolerate the bitter cold. Early July has the best weather for the northern part of the country and is also the time to celebrate Mongolia's Naadam Festival. Unfortunately, this is the peak tourist season, when Ulaanbaatar's inadequate accommodation and creaky transport is stretched to breaking point. The rainy season, from late July through August, cools things down and the turn the countryside to green, but will also turn jeep trails into muck. Rains in the north also bring biting flies and mosquitoes. June and September are both pleasant times to visit, and attract fewer visitors.

The best months to visit the Gobi Desert and not get toasted are September and October. Be aware that between mid-October and mid-May sudden snowstorms and extreme cold can ground flights, block roads and cause the country's transport system to stall. Mongolians, especially nomads, consider March and April the worst months. After the long winter, livestock will already be thin, and a lack of rain means many will die, causing financial and psychological hardship. Staying with a nomad family at this time is not recommended if the spring is a harsh one.

Weather

Although it boasts over 260 sunny days a year and is known as the 'Land of Blue Sky', Mongolia has an extreme continental climate with temperatures that have been known to range over 37°C (99°F) in one day. Only in summer does cloud cover shield the sky. Humidity is usually zilch and sunshine is intense. Gobi summer temperatures hit 40°C (104°F) but winter winds often send the mercury plummeting to -30°C (-22°F) or lower. You can see snow in the Gobi Desert as late as April and some lakes remain frozen until June. There's a short rainy season from mid-July to September, but showers tend to be brief and gentle. Because of the high altitude, evenings are cool even in summer.

Ulaanbaatar is possibly the coldest capital city in the world. Temperatures generally start to drop below 0°C (32°F) in October, sink to -30°C (-22°F) in January and February and remain below freezing until April. Horrific dust storms kick up during the short spring (May to June). July to September is pleasant, but it can still suddenly turn cold, and unfortunately, most of the city's rain falls in this period. Summer daylight lasts until 22:00 .