Ulaanbaatar
Bridging the gap between Mongolia’s ancient past and thriving, modern future, Ulaanbataar is a city of contrast. Contemporary architecture and communist-era tower blocks jostle for space with traditional ger neighbourhoods and ancient Buddhist monasteries in this melting pot of a capital city, spread across a plateau in the valley of the Tuul River.
Gateway to the rolling green steppes and Mongolia’s many natural wonders, most journeys through Mongolia begin and end here in the capital city of Ulaanbataar. A thriving hub of Soviet-era squares, high-rise buildings, interesting museums and grand monuments, this urban sprawl is also home to the Gandantegchilin Monastery, the heart of Mongolian Tibetan Buddhism, and the annual Naadam Festival, a three-day extravaganza that dates back to the days of Genghis Khan.
