Ulaanbaatar Today

Mongolia has recently emerged as a magnetic destination, particularly among young travelers. Slumbering beneath a sky ablaze with stars, upon grasslands stretching to the horizon, is not just a travel experience — it can be a profound journey of healing. The gateway to this extraordinary place is Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar.
At the heart of Mongolia, this city retains authentic traces of its traditional past, while revealing new charms amid the vibrant energy of rapid urban evolution. Its streets are a living tapestry: Gentlemen in sharp suits stride alongside elders clad in traditional deel robes; ancient monasteries hold their ground within forests of towering new buildings; modern apartment blocks rise near the distant, familiar silhouettes of traditional ger (circular tent-like structure) dwellings. This organic coexistence of the new and the enduring defines the city.
Gazing across the urban panorama, one sees the roofs of traditional temples and hillside gers peeking from behind recently erected skyscrapers, reminders of the enduring spirit of nomadic life. It’s mind-boggling that this very place, where Eastern tradition and Western modernity now so strikingly intertwine, was once traversed by the indomitable Genghis Khan and his armies, who conquered much of the known world in the 13^th century.
For a sweeping perspective of contemporary Ulaanbaatar, a visit to the Zaisan Memorial is essential. Ascend the 612 steps up to the viewpoint, and a breathtaking panorama of the entire city unfolds. Erected to honor the successful joint effort of Mongolian and Soviet soldiers against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Battles of Khalkhin Gol in 1939, the memorial’s inner walls feature murals depicting the amicable relationship between the two nations.
As night descends, Ulaanbaatar becomes a uniquely luminous spectacle amid the vast, dark expanses that constitute most of Mongolia. When the world outside the city is enveloped in darkness, urban constellations of neon ignite, bathing Ulaanbaatar in their glow. Even if a nighttime visit to the Zaisan viewpoint proves difficult, the city’s nocturnal beauty can be readily admired from numerous high-rise restaurants and bars downtown.

Past and Present, East and West: Intersection of Two Worlds

At the very heart of Ulaanbaatar lies the iconic Sükhbaatar Square, a popular spot for visitors and locals alike. For many Mongolians, it’s a significant place that serves as the backdrop for many of life’s unforgettable moments. At the north end of the square, the imposing Genghis Khan Statue commands attention, evoking the era of the Great Mongol Empire.
The equestrian statues flanking Genghis Khan are Bo’orchu and Muqali, his two most loyal generals. At the far ends of the building are statues of his dynastic successors: his third son, Ögedei Khan (on the left, facing the monument), and his grandson, Kublai Khan (on the right). Standing before these statues, one can almost hear the echo of horse hooves thundering across the plains.
Another figure holds a central place in the square — General Damdin Sükhbaatar, after whom the plaza is named. Revered as a founding father of modern Mongolia, Sükhbaatar was instrumental in establishing the Mongolian People’s Republic and is celebrated as the hero who led the nation to independence. Tellingly, the only two individuals whose likenesses grace modern Mongolian currency are Genghis Khan and Sükhbaatar. Observing his equestrian statue closely, one notes his right arm pointing eastward, toward the rising sun, signifying Mongolia’s aspirations for prosperity and progress.

Following the trail of Genghis Khan further westward leads us to Karakorum, the 13^th century captial of the Mongol Empire. About a 400km drive from Ulaanbaatar, the ancient city is located within the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins of Karakorum and the surrounding verdant grasslands offer a profound tranquility, a stillness where time seems suspended. Within Mongolia’s former capital, the iconic image of its Silver Tree lives on, depicted on the nation’s 5,000 and 10,000 tögrög banknotes.

Embrace of Nature

Central to Mongolia is its abundant nature, including desert landscapes. If unable to visit the Gobi Desert in the south, one can still encounter a Mongolian desert at Elsen Tasarkhai (often referred to locally as Bayan Gobi). About 4.5 hours west of Ulaanbaatar, these sand dunes dramatically emerge just as one begins to wonder if a desert could truly exist at the end of this journey.
Approaching this peculiar landscape of vast quantities of sand that seem to have been deposited here by an unseen hand, one feels a potent presence heralded by dozens of friendly camels. Mongolia is home to these two-humped camels. Climbing onto a camel, atop a saddle reminiscent of Aladdin’s magic carpet, the humps provide a surprising sense of stability. It’s dizzying high off the ground, yet the camel’s leisurely pace is calmly reassuring. Experiencing the desert at this gentle rhythm is astonishingly, almost surreally, mystical.
Immersing oneself in Mongolia this way, it takes little effort to gradually acclimatize to its slower pace, its inherent freedom. There’s the verdant green of the steppes, the vast blue sky filled with cotton-ball clouds, the breathtaking sweep of the Milky Way cascading across the night sky and the nomadic herder who, despite being approached unexpectedly at a remote ger, offers visitors warm milk tea (suutei tsai) without a hint of surprise. All these elements come together like a warm embrace, a soothing balm for the hurried, forward-focused soul often lost in the bustle of modern life.

• Choi Sunmi currently works at the Mongolia Country Office of Global Civic Sharing, an international development NGO, in cooperation with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). She is actively engaged as a Mongolia specialist in diverse fields.