Traveling in Mongolian winter

Mongolian winter is freezing cold! People might say there are no fun outdoor activities until summer comes. However, if well prepared, Mongolian winter can bring the most incredible and unique experience.

Mongolia is located on the high ranges of Central Asia, isolated from the humid air of Atlantic and Pacific, which creates sharply continental climate. It is characterized by sunny days even in winter, dry air, low precipitation and sharp daily temperature changes. Winter nights can drop to −40 °C in the northern mountains, while summer days can reach 40 °C in the Gobi Desert.

Sunny winter day in Western Mongolia

But don't let the cold stand in your way! The winter months, from December to February, are an exceptionally beautiful time to see endless white steppes and Siberian borderlands. Glittering snow, clear blue sky, frozen rivers and lakes are the image of Mongolian winter. Even though it doesn’t snow much in Mongolia, snow that fall sticks and stays almost until May as the temperature never increases above 0°C.

Without a doubt, winter is the season that shapes the extraordinary Mongolian culture and characteristics. No matter how freezing cold it is outside, every Mongolian continues their daily life. Children go to school from Monday to Friday. Nomadic herders continue looking after their livestock. Winter trip in Mongolia is a remarkable experience – it will show you how good Mongolians are at adaptation.

Highlights of winter trips include frozen Lake Huvsgul (bring your skates!), the Kazakh eagle hunters, and the lambing season in the Gobi. The Ice Festival on northern Lake Huvsgul, living with the Kazakhs in the west and the Thousand Camels Festival in the Gobi Desert are spectacular journeys into winter landscapes that few foreign visitors ever get to see and experience. Also, winter trips offer a chance to participate in the celebration of Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year). Because these events are locally organized and not popular tourist attractions, they are intimate and fun. A true cultural adventure in every sense.

Lastly, Mongolia in winter is a very different country from Mongolia in summer. It offers unique beauty to the scenery, however, winter tourism in Mongolia is not as developed as it’s in summer. Almost all tourism related lodging facilities in countryside stop its operations due to a small number of tourists and running cost. Therefore, trips in winter are heavily dependent on local families and their gers/houses.