Ulaanbaatar: Modern and Ancient Mingling in Mongolia

Exploring Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital city from its modern malls to its ancient monasteries. Ulaanbaatar is a rather industrial tangle framed by soft rolling mountains that gently beckon you away from the city and out into the vast, unspoiled countryside.
 •  3

By

Since nearly every trip to Mongolia begins and ends in Ulaanbaatar, I though I’d share with you photos from my first impressions; the first two days spent wandering around the city.

What can you do there?

People-watch and window-shop while strolling down the main street, Peace Avenue.

Have an off-beat cocktail and snacks while looking out over the city from the 17th floor rooftop bar at the Ramada.

Visit the Gandan Monastery, the largest and most famous functioning monastery in Mongolia.

Chill out at the glass and statue-filled Sukhbaatar Square and watch a diplomatic ceremony.

Sink into a window seat at the Kempinski Hotel for a glass of champagne and a sea-buckthorn creme brûlée and fortify yourself with a little treat before you head off into the Gobi Desert for a week or two.

 

Where Did I..?

  •  Sleep
  •  Eat

Rosewood Enoteca for a great lunch, and come to think of it, a great dinner, too.

Kempinski’s Khan Palace for dessert

Caffebene which is in no way a take-off of the Coffee Bean. Nope, not at all. But great sweet potato lattes – for real!

Read More About Mongolia

Looking for a way to get out into the world again but now sure where to go? In this video I’m going to share with you how to find your destination LOVE match for your next vacation.

Before I left to traipse across the Eurasian steppe, my bigger task was figuring out how the heck to prepare for a trip to Mongolia. I had to pack for the daytime heat and the nighttime cold of the Gobi Desert, one challenge of traveling to Mongolia. I didn’t have a lot of room in my suitcase but had to accommodate...

Weeks before I left, I scoured online resources, trying to find out what vegetarians eat in Mongolia. I contacted other bloggers who had visited, only to find out that on two different occasions a goat (a GOAT!!) was slaughtered in front of them and that was sustenance for the week. For anyone who knows my supreme...

My friend Ragan and I crossed the Mongolian Desert for a week eating nothing but pickled cabbage, potatoes and the occasional found bag of crushed airline pretzels. As each day progressed and another plate of vinegar-marinated vegetables was consumed, our thoughts became overtaken by...

2 Shares
Tags:
About the Author

Hi. I’m Juliana Dever and according to science I have some sort of "exploration" gene. Embracing this compulsion, I spend a lot of time hurtling around the planet in metal tubes experiencing other cultures and writing humorous essays about it. Enjoy.

3 Comments

  1. Carolyne / at /Reply

    My girlgrined really wants to go there, but I’m still not sure. She is so going to use your post against me !! Great photos.

  2. Lesley Pesnicak / at /Reply

    I am going in September. This has been the most helpful blog by far. Thanks!

    • Thanks for the comment Lesley, I’m happy my post was useful!

Leave a Reply

Only 4 Spots Left on the Croatia 2024 Tour --->