Mongolia is an increasingly popular tourist destination. However, you may not have considered travelling here before. Travellers may wonder “Is Mongolia safe?”, “Do I need a Mongolian visa?”, and “When is the best time to go to Mongolia?” With these 20 tips, you can start planning your 2020 excursion to this wild and fascinating Central Asian country.
With four seasons, and located north of China and south of Russia, travelers may wonder what the weather in Mongolia is like. There are four seasons, and each of them bring an interesting new vibe to the country. In a country as large as Mongolia, there are bound to be variations in the Mongolian climate. Each region and season can have variations, but in general there is always something to do no matter when you decide to visit Mongolia. Here are some tips to help you to choose the best time to visit Mongolia.
With a name that literally means “Axe Hero” in Mongolian, you would expect great things from such Mongolian man. And great things he did – he’s credited with being the “Father of the Mongolian Revolution.” Sukhbaatar’s life was not very long, but the man was instrumental in making a modern country. He was a gifted military leader and found a lot of success in turbulent times.
Chinggis Khan did a lot for Mongolian nomads and the world. He administered an empire, enforced security so merchants could safely trade, and created military tactics that would inspire leaders for centuries afterwards. However, there’s one accomplishment that may surprise you – he brought writing to Mongolia.
Since you have chosen Mongolia as your travel destination, you might be familiar with the fact that Mongolia is a post-soviet country. From 1921 to 1991, Mongolia has been part of the Comintern- a soviet alliance with Soviet Russia in its head. Most of the districts and urban structure of the city has been built during that era with the help of the Russian masters. Ulaanbaatar was mainly designed by Soviet architects, who have employed classicism.
Ulaanbaatar is a cool city. There’s so much to do – nightclubs to go to, museums to see, hushuur to eat, and even more. Sometimes though, you might need a break from the traffic and crowded streets. If you’re looking for a trip outside of UB and are a fan of nature, art, or Buddhism, this monastery is right up your alley. The pine trees, river, and hills that protect the monastery are an easy hour drive from urban Ulaanbaatar, and offers a nice place to recuperate after the bustle of the city.
As you have probably heard in almost every trailer video about Mongolia- throat singing is a favorite art of Mongolians. For people who think that singing can only produce one note at a time, hearing a throat-singing would be a pleasant surprise. With the help of unique technique that have been handed down from as early as human evolution, throat singers can produce two or more notes at the same time, creating a perfectly harmonious sound. Even though throat singing can be heard in Canada and in Native American culture, the most infamous center for the throat singing is undoubtedly Central Asia, especially Mongolia.
Hustai Nuruu National park is a gem in the outdoor spaces of Mongolia. It’s a National Park especially established to preserve the last wild horse on earth – the Przewalski’s Horse. In setting aside land for these animals, the park is an oasis of natural life. While the open spaces surrounding Ulaanbaatar are usually free of obstructions, wildlife has concentrated and flourished in Hustai Nuruu under the watchful protection of the caretakers of the land.
Surviving two destructions and centuries of rejection, Erdene Zuu is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Mongolia, probably in East Asia. The building of the temple was ordered by the Abtai Sain Khan- grandfather of Zanabazar the Great when the Tibetan Buddhism was declared as the main religion of Mongolia in 1586. For Mongolians, who employed nomadic lifestyle, this kind of building or generally anything that stays in one place was not that common. So, the temple has naturally become the religious center, thus the heart of the Mongolia. The geographical situation was carefully thought out too, it’s built in Kharkhorin- near the old city of Karakorum.
Dos “Ovoo” When you go to the countryside, you would see a little heap of rocks sometimes decorated with a blue or yellow “khadag” or a piece of cloth. Usually located on top of the mountain, these are called “ovoo”. Most of the time, you don’t have to stop at every one of them, but when you do, or when you climb a mountain and get to the “ovoo” you should carry three rocks with you and round the ovoo for three times, throwing a rock for each of your round. The “ovoo”s have several purposes- to pay respect for the local deities, to mark geographical locations etc. The coolest story of them all is that during the war time, each one of the soldiers would put a rock on their departure from their home town and get it back when they come back from the war. The remaining rocks would be memorial for the soldiers who have lost their lives during the war. It may not be true, but it’s something that Mongolians believe and respect, so it would be rude to get a rock from the ovoo, or disrespect it in any way.
11 20, 2011
