Plan a spring trip to Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi. Explore neighborhoods, restaurants, places to stay and practical local advice from AVARA's full editorial gu…
Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi — TL;DR
Mongolia's steppe-to-desert gateway, where Golden Gobi's epic free breakfast meets nomad ger stays out on the Gobi Desert.
Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi overview
June to September (summer) offers the best conditions for Gobi Desert tours and camel riding, avoiding Mongolia's harsh winters.
Ulaanbaatar's hostels cluster near Baga Toiru, a wide poplar-lined street of international restaurants, and serve as the departure point for organized multi-day Gobi Desert and steppe tours.
Mongolian Tögrög (₮)
Mongolian. English is limited outside tour operators.
ULAT (UTC+8)
Ulaanbaatar's hostel scene continues to function as a tour-booking hub as much as a place to sleep, with Golden Gobi's epic free breakfast and Town Yard Hostel's nomad-family connections reflecting a city built around launching travellers into Gobi Desert camel treks and steppe ger stays rather than around its own nightlife.
Where to eat, drink & do in Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi
Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi neighborhoods
Baga Toiru district A wide street lined with poplars with international restaurants, including Korean and Mexican, a couple of blocks from Hostel One.
Hostel One district Home to a Korean restaurant, coffee shop, KFC, and underground bar in the building near Hostel One.
Gobi Desert and steppe touring region Reached via tours organized from Ulaanbaatar, offering camel riding in the Gobi Desert and staying with nomads in gers on the steppe.
Practical info for Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi
Getting around in Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi? Ulaanbaatar's hostels cluster near Baga Toiru, a wide poplar-lined street of international restaurants, and serve as the departure point for organized multi-day Gobi Desert and steppe tours.
When to go in Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi? June to September (summer) offers the best conditions for Gobi Desert tours and camel riding, avoiding Mongolia's harsh winters.
What's changing now in Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi? Ulaanbaatar's hostel scene continues to function as a tour-booking hub as much as a place to sleep, with Golden Gobi's epic free breakfast and Town Yard Hostel's nomad-family connections reflecting a city built around launching travellers i
Seek out Hostel One's privacy-curtain dorms in Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi? Small 4-bed mixed dormitory rooms with bunk beds, privacy curtains, bedside plugs, and fast Wi-Fi, a more modern hostel option.
Base yourself in Baga Toiru district in Ulaanbaatar & the Gobi? A wide street lined with poplars with international restaurants, including Korean and Mexican, a couple of blocks from Hostel One. Known for international dining strip.