Ulaanbaatar walking tour & city guide

The square and the temples

Sükhbaatar Square is the heart of the city. On its north side the Government Palace is fronted by a large seated statue of Chinggis Khan, and a statue of the revolutionary hero Damdin Sükhbaatar on horseback stands in the middle of the square, which fills with families and events on summer evenings. Just to the south, the Choijin Lama Temple Museum is a group of early 20th-century temples, now surrounded by modern towers.

West of the centre, Gandan Monastery is the country's most important working monastery, where monks in maroon robes chant in the halls and pigeons gather in the courtyards; its main temple houses a standing statue of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara more than 25 metres tall. South of the river, the Bogd Khan Palace Museum preserves the winter palace of Mongolia's last monarch, and the hilltop Zaisan Memorial looks out over the whole valley.

A classic walk: Sükhbaatar Square to Seoul Street

Start at Sükhbaatar Square and walk past the Government Palace, then cut south to the Choijin Lama Temple Museum. From there, follow Peace Avenue, the city's main east-west street, past the State Department Store, and turn onto Seoul Street, a lively strip of shops, cafés and evening lights.

On another morning, take a taxi to Gandan Monastery to hear the monks chant, then walk back east towards the centre along Peace Avenue, or continue by taxi to the hilltop Zaisan Memorial for the view at sunset.

Good to know

June to September is the best time to visit, with warm days and cool nights; the Naadam festival of wrestling, archery and horse racing takes place in mid-July. Winters are extremely cold, often below minus 30°C, and smoke from coal stoves can make the air heavy. Traffic is often slow, so walking is the easiest way to see the centre. Popular trips from the city include Terelj National Park and the giant Chinggis Khan Equestrian Statue.