Mongolia in winter: what a December to February trip is really like

Most people go to Mongolia in summer. In winter the steppe turns white and the country is properly cold. We've run winter trips there since November 2024, with travellers from Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. Here is what to expect.

Our trip notes put it at −15 °C to −30 °C on some days, and the wind on the open steppe makes it feel colder. Travellers' reviews say the same: Jamie G. recommended the trip to anyone who wants "to experience -27 degree winter for the first time", and Audrey Y. called it a "Totally 10/10 trip, even at -20degree winter!"

It's also very dry. Monthly precipitation in Ulaanbaatar is only a few millimetres in winter.

Our 7-day Mongolia Winter Adventures trip is rated relaxed-pace: short walks and gentle activities, with drives and heated gers in between.

1. Ulaanbaatar. Arrive, explore the capital and have a welcome dinner of Mongolian food.
2. Mini Gobi. Climb snowy dunes and ride a Bactrian camel. Night in a ger camp.
3. Aglag Monastery and horses. A light hike past granite rock formations and Buddhist carvings to a forest monastery, then your first horse-riding lesson.
4. Terelj National Park. A second riding lesson and the giant Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue, where you can hold a golden eagle for a photo.
5. Dog sledding. Turtle Rock, a hike to the Aryabal Meditation Temple, then 5 km by dog sled on the frozen Tuul River, and a traditional dinner.
6. Ski or snowboard day. Three hours at a ski resort, skiing or snowboarding (you choose one; private lessons aren't included). Back to Ulaanbaatar for a hotpot dinner and a farewell party.
7. Fly home. Plan to be at the airport 2–3 hours before your flight.

The order can change with the weather. "Guides went above and beyond to take care of us and rearranged the schedule to work around bad weather to ensure the main items in the itinerary could be done," wrote Kai C. after the December 2025 trip.

• Riding is taught from scratch. The two lessons start with the basics: mounting, balance, steering and controlling your horse. Horse and camel riding are the slightly more challenging activities, and wind can make them tougher.
• The ski day is a taster, not a ski holiday. You get three hours on the slopes. Croix N., who joined in November 2024, enjoyed "the beginner snowboarding class—everyone was so supportive, always looking out for one another."
• The dune climb takes 45 to 60 minutes on foot at the Mini Gobi, on a gentle incline.
• Cars and gers are heated. Each 4WD car takes up to five people.

In Ulaanbaatar you stay in an apartment, in twin or triple rooms. Outside the city you stay in ger camps, four people to a ger. Gers are heated by a stove or floor heating, and sleeping bags, pillows, sheets and blankets are provided.

MIAT Mongolian Airlines flies non-stop between Singapore and Ulaanbaatar only in a short winter season. In 2026–27 it runs from 15 December to 16 January, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, in about 7.5 hours, and the flight from Singapore lands at 2:55am. That fits our 20–26 December departure: the Saturday 19 December flight lands early on day 1, and the Saturday 26 December flight home leaves Ulaanbaatar at 9:30am.

For other dates you'll need a connection, about 10–12 hours in total according to our trip pages. One option is Hong Kong: MIAT flies Hong Kong–Ulaanbaatar non-stop every day this winter, in about 4 hours 40 minutes. MIAT doesn't fly from Kuala Lumpur.

The airport transfer is included. The group pickup at Chinggis Khaan International Airport is at 2pm on day 1, so aim to land before noon.

Our trip notes are blunt: at −15 °C to −30 °C, winter clothing is essential. Dress in layers you can take off quickly in the heated cars and gers: thermal base layers, a warm mid-layer, a down jacket, windproof trousers, insulated waterproof boots, gloves, a warm hat and a neck warmer.

That's from SGD 1,573 (MYR 5,029, HKD 9,656) per person on 20 October 2026, with international flights extra. Prices change with exchange rates and as departures fill. Each departure has 20 seats and runs with a Sotravel trip leader and English-speaking local guides.

On the January and February dates you can reserve a seat for SGD 0, and the 20% deposit is charged only when your departure is confirmed. The two December departures are already confirmed, so on those you pay when you book.

"Group is not too big! And it's a very immersive nomadic experience," wrote Cherie L. after the February 2026 trip. Belle B., who joined from Malaysia in December 2025, called it "My best winter trip ever!"

Want snow without −30 °C? Our Kazakhstan Winter Adventure runs from late December to early March. Its trip notes put the region at about −15 °C to 5 °C, colder in the mountains. You get Kaindy Lake, a ride to the second Kolsai lake, the Alma-Arasan hot springs and a free day for the Shymbulak ski resort, from SGD 1,652. More winter and summer trips are in our Mongolia group tours guide.

Traveller quotes come from Sotravel trip reviews, shown as first name and initial. Reviewers receive a small travel credit for leaving a review, whatever their rating.