Joe McConnell
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Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
CNN
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Due to its isolation and short summer season, Mongolia has long been an overlooked destination for travelers.
But as the country moves to further open up to tourism, easing entry requirements for international visitors and modernizing its infrastructure, 2023 may be the best time to do so.
Here are 10 reasons why travelers should start planning their dream trip to Mongolia now.
With the Mongolian government declaring the period from 2023 to 2025 as the “Years to Visit Mongolia,” citizens of 34 other countries can now visit the country visa-free until the end of 2025.
With the addition of several European countries, including Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as Australia and New Zealand, the total number of countries and territories on the visa-free list rises to 61.
The full list is available here.
After years of delays, a pandemic, and numerous controversies, the new Chinggis Khaan International Airport finally opened in the summer of 2021.
With the capacity to handle approximately 3 million passengers per year (double that of the old airport), the addition of 500 new aircraft parking spaces, and the infrastructure to support an increase in domestic and low-cost flights, the airport represents a welcome addition to the country’s efforts to grow tourism.
Low-cost flights to Hong Kong operated by EZNIS Airways have been relaunched since the airport opened, and talks are reportedly underway to restore direct flights to the United States.
The recently opened Genghis Khan Museum offers a wonderful new insight into Mongolia’s tumultuous history.
With more than 10,000 artifacts spanning 2,000 years, the museum explores the history of the Mongols and the empire they created and then lost.
The museum’s exhibits are displayed on eight floors, with six permanent and two temporary exhibition halls. Free guided tours in English are offered every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
When you think of Mongolia, the last things that come to mind are music festivals and art installations focused on environmental protection in the heart of one of the world’s largest deserts.
But all this is changing thanks to festivals like Playtime, Spirit of Gobi, INTRO Electronic Music Festival and Kharkhorum 360 Visual Art & Music Experience.
Bringing together international bands, DJs and musicians from all over the world and Mongolia’s eclectic mix of rappers, bands and folk singers, the country might be one of the most underrated places in the world for festival-goers.
The annual Naadam event has always been a great reason to visit Mongolia, but now that the festival has just celebrated its centenary, 2023 is the perfect time to attend.
Although the origins of the festival date back to the time of Genghis Khan, when he used horse racing, wrestling and archery competitions to keep his warriors fit between battles, Naadam only officially became a national holiday 100 years ago.
Today, the festival, held in Ulaanbaatar at the National Sports Stadium, is more elaborate than it was in the days of the Great Khan.
A seat to the opening ceremony on July 11 is always one of the hardest tickets to snag in the city.
Try Archery the Mongolian Way
Horseback archery is enjoying a renaissance in Mongolia thanks to guys like Altankhuyag Nergui, one of the sport’s most accomplished archers, and his archery academy, Namnaa.
Here, locals learn the fundamentals of Mongolian archery before mounting horses and taking their new skills to the next level.
During the summer months, students and members of the academy put on weekly shows for interested spectators. The academy also offers one-day training sessions for those who want to try this intense sport.
Speaking of bringing Mongolia’s oldest traditions to life, the revival of Mongol bichig, the traditional Mongolian script written from top to bottom and read from left to right, has also seen a notable comeback in recent years.
Visit the Erdenesiin Khuree Mongolian Calligraphy Center in Karakorum to learn from master calligrapher Tamir Samandbadraa Purev about this important cultural heritage. And while you’re there, browse the yurts filled with Tamir’s work.
Couple the launch of Husqvarna’s new Norden 901 Expedition motorcycle with the new Eagle Hunter Tour announced by Nomadic Off-Road and you have one of the fastest adventures in Mongolia.
The tour takes six riders 1,700 kilometers from Ulaanbaatar to Bayan-Ulgii, where the riders will meet their hosts, Mongolia’s famous eagle hunters.
The only thing faster than this adventure is how quickly Nomadic Off-Road tours sell out.
Professional musher Joel Rauzy has been leading dog sled trips on the frozen Khuvsgul Lake for 18 years.
With fewer crowds, lower hotel rates, and the chance to see one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes completely frozen over, winter in Mongolia is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Rauzy’s company, Wind of Mongolia, offers tours of the lake, where each person is assigned their own sled and dogs for the journey. Following Rauzy’s lead, mushers will circle the lake. Activities include ice fishing, while travelers stay in winter yurts and spend time with nomadic families along the way.
Scandinavian Design Comes to Mongolia at Yeruu Lodge
Situated in the heart of Selenge Province on the Yeruu River, Yeruu Lodge is the brainchild of Norwegian founder Eirik Gulsrud Johnsen, who visited Mongolia for the first time in 2017.
With a minimalist Scandinavian-style restaurant and dining area, a handful of fully equipped yurts for guests to stay in, two bocce courts, kayaks, a driving range, mountain bikes and a yoga area, the lodge is an ideal destination for nature lovers.
Completely independent from the electricity grid, the lodge runs on solar panels, uses thermal heating and all the water on the property comes from an internal well and is recycled after use.
Additionally, all glass, metal and plastic used in the lodge is recycled, and food scraps are turned into compost, which is used to grow vegetables, berries and herbs on site.
The lodge is scheduled to open in April 2023.
