Search inspiration
Search inspiration
Museums, monasteries, markets. Spend three days immersed in Mongolian history, culture and art.
Ulaanbaatar, where the wild steppe meets modernity. Photo courtesy of Eric Rubens.
Mongolia’s capital is a bustling, industrial metropolis, full of delicious food and fascinating history. As my first solo trip after having a baby a year ago, I packed everything I could into a whirlwind 72 hours and I’m happy to report, it’s possible to enjoy everything Ulaanbaatar has to offer---from learning about nomadic life on the steppe to enjoying the hustle and bustle of the city---in 3 perfect days.
Wake up to the wide-open sky of Ulaanbaatar, a city cradled by sprawling mountains. Start your first day in Mongolia with a delicious breakfast at fromagerie MACU, also known as the Mongolian Artisanal Cheese Union.
Opened in 2019 by Michael Morrow, MACU highlights cheese crafted by local nomadic dairy farmers. Its products are beloved by Mongolians and expats alike. Take a seat in the airy front room at a table decorated in a red and white checkered tablecloth and order a cappuccino, rich with foamed milk. For food, the English Breakfast features yak and mutton sausage, and the French omelet is filled with vegetables and Khusd Gouda, a nutty, pungent and sharp cheese.
Make sure to leave room for a pastry; the fresh cinnamon rolls are the perfect amount of sweetness, studded with raisins and swirled with Sri Lankan cinnamon.
If you make it to MACU after breakfast hours, the menu has various lunch and dinner options, including a carbonara featured in its own mini documentary.
After breakfast, the National Museum of Mongolia is only a 15-minute walk away. Taking viewers through centuries of Mongolian history, the museum’s first floor starts with early human artifacts from the 6th and 7th century. Ascending the floors, room after room opens up with neat, organized exhibits that lead you through the progression of Mongolian society. Witness every face of this dynamic country, from its early days, focused mostly on nomadic life and culture, through the Soviet influenced Socialist period to Mongolia’s current democratic existence.
Now that you’ve learned about Mongolia’s historical context, head to Chojin Lama Temple, an oasis within the hustle and bustle of central Ulaanbaatar, for a glimpse into the city’s spiritual firmament.
Chojin Lama Temple dates back to 1904 and comprises many smaller temple buildings. Each one has a unique focus in the life cycle of the faith—meditative prayer or tantra—and is filled with awe-striking Buddhist artifacts. Walk among the depictions of cold and hot hell or the five senses come to life through intricate papier mâché renderings. Breathe deeply. You’re standing on holy ground.
Lunch is at Chojin Lama Temple Restaurant, a plush Mediterranean-Mongolian fusion spot where carnivores, vegetarians and pescatarians can all find something delicious. While the restaurant is famous for its steak and generously portioned mezze platter, its creamy lentil soup is an unexpected standout—spicy, warm, creamy; the perfect finish to a morning of culture and history.
From there, plunge into the beating heart of urban Mongolia at Naraantuul Market, the country’s largest open-air bazaar. A 15 minute car ride away from where you’ve been exploring in central UB, Naraantuul is a kaleidoscope of textures and colors: fur hats, horse harnesses, piles of plastic-wrapped dumplings, antique swords and traditional embroidered tapestries. It’s a bit chaotic but deeply engaging. Bargaining is expected, and getting lost is inevitable—but in the best way.
By now, you’ll be craving some peace, so head over to National Amusement Park—Ulaanbaatar’s charming version of Central Park. It’s one of the few open green spaces in the city, where families picnic, dogs chase sticks and children weave between low-slung trees. Sit on a bench as kites flutter overhead and the afternoon’s golden light softens the skyline. (And if you’re less in the mood for peace and more in the mood for action, the adjoining amusement park has roller coasters, carousels and other kid-friendly attractions.)
As night falls, head to Rosewood Kitchen and Enoteca for a cozy, yet elegant Italian meal. Handmade pasta, Mongolian lamb cooked sous vide and wines that transport you to Tuscany, Rosewood uses Mongolian ingredients like wild herbs, goat cheese and buckwheat to plate European classics grounded in local flavors. Sip a gorgeous glass of red while swiping fresh bread through olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Lounge at your table, people watching the many Mongolian families enjoying a night out on the town.
Start the second day bright and early at Millie’s Espresso, a cozy, well-loved spot owned by a Cuban expat, serving what many claim is the best dulce de leche on this side of the equator. The coffee is excellent, the pancakes are fluffy and the atmosphere is kitschy and homey.
From here, hire a car to Dashchoilin Monastery. Unlike yesterday’s Chojin Llama Temple, Dashchoilin is still used by devout Buddhists, boasting traditional structures and a towering, futuristic glass building that serves as one of three temples and hosts a giant Buddha nearly 30 feet high. It is also a central part of Ulaanbaatar’s religious history, representing a return to Buddhism after the religious oppression of the Socialist period. In the temple’s modern addition is a coffee and tea bar where locals gather for a steaming cup while sharing upcoming weekend plans. I recommend trying a plate of boortsog and urum, traditional Mongolian fried bread, served with fresh dairy milk curd, and getting a cup of ginger tea for the road.
As you sip your tea, you’ll be trading the skyline for the sprawling Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, about an hour from central UB. The busy sprawl of the city will give way to hillsides dotted with colorful houses. Soon, you’ll start to see livestock roaming the side of the road. When the rolling hills you admired from a distance become vast grassy mountains, dotted with short, craggy trees, you’ll truly be on your way. En route, you’ll make a quick pit stop at the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, a massive 131-foot silver statue of the great khan atop a horse. He stares east, watching over his empire. A short elevator ride takes you to the horse’s head, where you can stand on its mane and enjoy a panoramic view of the Mongolian countryside.
Once you enter the national park, you’ll check in to Terelj Hills Lodge, a cozy retreat that offers hotel-style lodging and traditional Mongolian gers (yurts) outfitted with wood-burning stoves and plush beds. However, unlike an actual nomadic ger, here you’ll have your own bathroom, shower and heater.
Have a quick lunch in the lodge, meet the friendly staff and eat simple, delicious fare (think grilled lamb and vegetables or roasted chicken with perfect crackling skin). But don’t fill up! Because soon, with the help of a local guide you booked in advance, you’ll visit a nearby nomadic family for a hands-on experience in making cheese and dumplings.
When entering the family’s ger, start with your right leg first, duck your head to avoid hitting the low wooden beam and don’t step on the entry-way plank. Once in, you’ll be served steaming hot salted milk tea. Sip, chat, settle in. But don’t get too comfortable. Soon, you’ll be kneading dumpling dough and filling them with a beef and mutton mix spiced with savory onions and garlic. This is buuz, or Mongolian steamed dumplings. While the dumplings steam, you may be offered some yogurt vodka or airag (fermented mare’s milk), which has a clean, zingy aftertaste. It’s the perfect complement to the pillowy, meaty buuz.
You can work off your dumpling coma with a quick hike to Gorkhi-Terelj monastery, perched among craggy mountains and wild grassland. The walk is steep but not taxing, the path dotted with posters with Buddhist sayings. When you enter the monastery’s cool darkness, you’ll be grateful for the chance to slow down, take a deep breath and reflect.
After some meditation, head back to the lodge where staff will prepare a Mongolian tea ceremony and dance. Salted milk tea is made by combining boiling milk, water and tea together and pouring the mixture into long arcs to aerate the drink. The ceremony is elegantly accompanied by the lodge staff’s dancing, with music piped over speakers. Though you’re sitting in the Lodge’s main dining hall.
Finish off the day with a simple dinner of local meats, hearty stews and roasted vegetables illuminated in candlelit intimacy. Head for an early night’s sleep, but not before you take a moment to look up. The night sky is likely to be blanketed with stars.
After a sunrise breakfast of scrambled eggs and freshly baked bread, head further into Terelj Hills Park for a half-day of horseback riding. A nomadic horse family will guide you through the grasslands on sure-footed Mongolian ponies. Be carried across rushing rivers, through pine forests and into wide valleys dotted with wildflowers and grazing yaks. Feel the brisk air on your face. There’s no need to dig your heels too far into the stirrups; these ponies know what they’re doing and won’t bolt.
Before the drive back to Ulaanbaatar, there’s one more thing waiting at the lodge---an exclusive experience with a Kazakh eagle huntress. The bond between this majestic bird and its huntress is truly moving, a relationship of deep mutual respect and reliance in a centuries-old hunting tradition.
To miss rush hour traffic, head back around noon and go for a late lunch at Biwon, a Korean eatery in the sleek Central tower. Korean culture is very popular in UB, and it’s common to find traditional dishes steeped in Mongolian flavor. Get a delicious bowl of fiery Korean soup made with local Mongolian beef: the best of both worlds.
Mongolia brims with a rich culture influenced by religious and nomadic traditions. See for yourself at Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts. Named for the 17th-century artist, monk and polymath, the museum is a quiet jewel housing bronze sculptures, delicate paintings and Buddhist iconography. It’s a place to reflect and absorb the layers of Mongolian artistry beyond the epic narratives.
Continue discovering Mongolian culture with a traditional music performance, often held at the Mongolian State Philharmonic or smaller venues. The morin khuur’s rich notes (horsehead fiddle) and throat singing (khöömii) are like nothing else—haunting, echoing, deeply tied to the land and spirit. Even a short concert can feel transcendent.
Your final dinner is at Bull Hot Pot, a favorite among locals for its interactive, hearty meals. Here, cook meats, mushrooms and noodles in bubbling pots of broth right at your table. The ingredients reflect the country’s rich palate: lamb, beef, wild greens, tofu and handmade dumplings.
On your walk home to your hotel, you’ll look up again and wonder where all those stars went from the night before, now hidden under UB’s cosmopolitan cityscape. Still, you won’t forget the wonder of visiting one of the oldest civilizations on earth, experiencing Three Perfect Days in Ulaanbaatar.