Ulaanbaatar is a city that rewards the curious. Sandwiched between Soviet-era architecture and sweeping steppe horizons, Mongolia's capital is louder, greener, and stranger than most travelers expect, especially in summer. Come June, July, and August, the city comes to life, making it one of the best times to visit.
Read my three-day guide and take my advice as an American travel journalist who lives and works in Ulaanbaatar. I love sharing my insight and recommendations with travelers from around the world. This isn't your typical list of things to do, these are the places I actually go, and where you could even run into me when you visit!
Inside, you'll find the restaurants I return to again and again, the museums that genuinely move me, the overlooked corners of the city worth an afternoon, and the places to stay that feel like a home rather than a transaction.
Ulaanbaatar doesn't always make a great first impression. But sit with it for three days, eat well, wander a little, and let someone who loves it show you around and it just might surprise you.
