Best Tours in Ulan Bator, Mongolia

Ulan Bator is the capital and largest city of Mongolia and an enormous cosmopolitan of pulsating commerce, wild traffic, bustling nightlife, and bohemian counterculture. It is the cultural, industrial, and financial heart of the country and home to over 1.3 million people.

The city was founded in 1639 as a nomadic Buddhist monastic center and permanently situated in its present location in 1778. After the establishment of the Mongolian People's Republic in 1924, it got its current name Ulan Bator, literally meaning "Red Hero". Today the Mongolian capital is undergoing an industrial revolution and is rapidly growing.

Among the main highlights of this unique town to visit during your Ulan Bator tour is the symbolic totem of independence, the famous Sukhbaatar Square, named after a revolution hero. Damdin Sukhbaatar declared Mongolia's final independence from the Chinese, and today a statue of him atop a horse stands in the middle of the centrally located square.

Another must-visit to add to your Ulan Bator itinerary is the outstanding Gandan Monastery. The monastery was built in 1809 on the order of Qing dynasty Emperor Jiajing and today serves as a Buddhist college. Gandan's major highlight is the biggest Bronze Buddha in the world. The 28-meter-high statue is covered in gold and decorated with numerous sparkling jewels. Because of its unique appearance and historical value, the bronze Buddha is considered one of the most precious national treasures of Mongolia.