Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia and reputedly the coldest capital city in the world, is a fast-changing, contrast-filled place that is the gateway to the country's vast wilderness and nomadic heartland. Home to nearly half the nation's population, it is a chaotic mix of Soviet-era architecture, gleaming new towers and traditional felt-tent ger districts sprawling up the surrounding hills. Its highlights include the great Gandan Monastery, a centre of Mongolian Buddhism, the grand central Sukhbaatar Square, and museums rich in the country's history and dinosaur fossils.

What you actually see

• Gandan Monastery - the great active Buddhist monastery.
• Sukhbaatar Square - the grand central square and government palace.
• The National Museum - the museum of Mongolian history and culture.
• The dinosaur fossils - the museum of Gobi dinosaur discoveries.

When to go

June to September, the short summer, for the most pleasant weather and as the base for exploring the countryside; the famous Naadam festival falls in July. Winters are brutally, dangerously cold, among the coldest of any city on earth.

Honest expectations

It is a chaotic, congested, fast-developing city rather than a beautiful one, with heavy traffic and, in winter, serious air pollution from the ger-district stoves; its appeal is as a gateway and a window on modern Mongolia rather than a destination in itself. Normal city precautions apply. Most travellers use it briefly as a base before heading to the countryside, which is the real draw.

Nearby

The Genghis Khan statue, the Terelj park and the vast countryside are within reach.