Is there anywhere more beautiful than Mongolia in the summer? Well, not according to the Lonely Planet, which voted this oft-overlooked country as the top place to visit for 2024!
Is there anywhere more beautiful than Mongolia in the summer? Well, not according to the Lonely Planet, which voted this oft-overlooked country as the top place to visit for 2024!
And if you’re going to visit Mongolia, you might as well come at the height of summer. If you come at the height of summer, you might as well experience the wonders of the ancient Naadam Festival...
Celebrate alongside locals, and get a truly traditional experience.
Here, we’ll outline why our Beyond the Steppe: Mongolia Summer Tour is our standout Mongolia Tour. And just how we’ve built it up over the last decade to contain the recipe for a perfect Mongolia trip.
So, read on to find out about nomadic Kazakhs, ankle-bone shooting, and glacial hiking!
Skip Ahead! 👇
Mongolia in Summer
Why We Do Mongolia in the Summer
Hitting the Highlights
Beyond the Steppe
Naadam in the West (NOT Ulaanbaatar)
4 Reasons That Make Our Mongolia Summer Tour Truly Unique (a Summary)
How to Join Our Mongolia Summer Tour?
Mongolia in Summer
Before we get into the specifics of the trip, perhaps it’s best to start by telling you that summer is THE time to be in Mongolia.
Taking the nickname “Land of the Blue Sky”, Mongolia in June, July, and August boasts reliably gorgeous weather, few clouds, and perfect temperatures.
The self-declared ‘Outdoor Capital of the World’ is something to consider for your summer holiday. Not your winter holiday!
There’s a reason most companies will run few tours over the winter.
The temperature in this country plummets to -40 degrees during the winter months. So any visit here during that period needs to be for a specific reason*...
Whereas the 30-degree weather during the summer is ideal for a relaxing and/or adventurous holiday!
*Such as seeing Snow Leopards! 😉
Why We Do Mongolia in the Summer
If you’ve been looking around for a trip to Mongolia for a while, you may notice that many tours offered to the country will give you a lot of the same.
Abit of the Gobi Desert, a trip through Central Mongolia, and then back into the capital, Ulaanbaatar...
So why do we travel hundreds of miles away from all of that to the far west of the country? Well…
1. We’ve been travelling to this region for over 15 years. Over that time we’ve built up a great relationship with our partners in the region, friends, and even family.
Personally, my wife’s family come from this region of the country. So, through that connection, we’ve been able to have some truly incredible adventures that are completely off the beaten track.
2. Mongolians themselves consider the far west to be the most beautiful region in Mongolia. A hard-fought competition when you remember that Mongolia is almost entirely untouched wilderness.
On this tour, we head into the Altai Tavan Bogd region of the country, a national park near the Chinese border that boasts mountains, rivers, lakes, and even glaciers!
Read more on Altai Tavan Bodg
Hitting the Highlights
In addition to the pure wonder of the landscape, this trip also encapsulates pretty much every highlight which people come to Mongolia to see.
The trip begins in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, and we’ll arrive in the lead-up to Naadam. Just as many city folks are packing their bags and heading out to the countryside!
You may have heard great things about the Naadam festival in the capital.
But to be honest, the Naadam festival in Ulaanbaatar is not all that great.
It’s become a bit of a tourist trip.
Often the further you can get from the city, the more traditional (and enjoyable) the festivities become.
After a day or two of exploring the capital, we board a flight to the far west where we begin our adventure into the wild, untamed countryside.
Living Alongside Mongolians, Nomads & Horses
During our Mongolia Summer Tour, we will camp alongside local families. This means getting the chance to live alongside them and experience some of their way of life.
Whilst also making sure not to intrude too much.
The locals usually enjoy watching us struggle to erect our North Face tents since they can typically construct an entire Ger or Yurt in about 25 minutes. So it’s always good fun to provide them with some entertainment for an evening!
We’ll also have the chance to ride horses.
This is an optional activity that will give us a chance to travel as Mongolians travel. And as they have been travelling for centuries.
This is teamed with the chance to hike through the beautiful landscape of the Bayan Olgii province, and up to the mammoth Potanin Glacier.
Read more on the Potanin Glacier.
Beyond the Steppe
We’ve named this adventure ‘Beyond the Steppe’ for two reasons.
Let's take a look at them below.
Why Beyond the Steppe #1
Firstly, it’s a literal name.
We will see the vast steppe landscape which makes Mongolia famous, but we will go beyond that. We will explore the mountain peaks, deep valleys, craggy rock faces, and stunning grasslands, which are often overlooked on other adventures.
Why Beyond the Steppe #2
Secondly, a more metaphorical name.
During our adventure, it’s unlikely we’ll bump into other foreign travellers since they rarely make it this far.
So we are going very much BEYOND the usual steppe adventure.
Not only will we visit Mongolian families, but we’ll also meet with Kazakhs and Tuvans.
These are Mongolia’s other major ethnic groups which make this part of the country their home and continue to live off the land as their ancestors have for thousands of years.
We’ll even have the chance to taste the foods that have been popular in the region since the days of Chinggis Khan and the Mongol Empire.
Naadam in the West
Historically, The Naadam Festival was the only chance throughout the year for local nomadic families to meet up and celebrate together.
Young men and women would dress to impress, villages would put forward their best wrestlers to compete, and whole regions would come together to enjoy the summer.
This was also the case in the capital city. However these days it’s become a stadium-based event where spectators sit in the stands and watch the wrestling from afar.
Instead of that, we head to Khovd where you’re free to wander around the festival.
Whether you’re looking to try different foods, compete against local kids in carnival games, or watch the three manly sports of Mongolia (horse riding, archery, and wrestling) this local, more traditional festival is the place to be.
Along with the main 3 sports, we recommend catching the ankle-bone shooting. This is where local competitors shoot small ankle bones at a target from a small but powerful catapult.
Also, eat some Naadam Khurshuur. This is a popular food that acts almost like the traditional version of modern fast food with meat inside a deep-fried pastry envelope.
Delicious!
Read our Guide to Naadam Festival Here.
4 Reasons That Make Our Mongolia Summer Tour Truly Unique (a Summary)
1. Summer is the best month to visit Mongolia (prove us wrong!).
2. The Far West is the most beautiful place in Mongolia (as confirmed by locals).
3. You don't want to go to the capital of Ulaanbaatar during Naadam Festival (Naadam Festival in Ulaanbaatar is a tourist trap).
4. It is the closest you can get to saying that you’ve truly experienced the real Mongolia (in just 2 weeks).
How to Join Our Mongolia Summer Tour?
We thought you'd never ask!
All in all, there is, of course, too much to see and do in Mongolia to truly get everything included in one trip.
However, this summer adventure is the closest you can get to saying that, over two weeks, you’ve truly experienced the real Mongolia.
After that, if you feel that you’ve still not had enough... Join our Gobi Extension which heads down south into the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert to explore Vulture-filled canyons, flame-coloured cliffs, and enormous dunes.
I hope to see you soon in Mongolia!
Koryo Tours
Mongolia Group Tours
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