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Asia East Asia Mongolia

UlaanBaatar

Stories and Photos from my travel to the capital city of Mongolia.


Destination 》Asia 》East Asia 》Mongolia 》UlaanBaatar

Year Visited: 2019 – July

After spending a week in Beijing, China with my younger son and exploring UNESCO World Heritage sites, I, along with my friend, entered into Mongolia by land-crossing. We started our 42+ hours journey by taking an overnight bus from Beijing to Erlian (Erenhot), a border town in Inner-Mongolia, China. From Erlian we took a bus to Zamin-Uud, a border town in Mongolia. We spent few hours in Zamin-Uud before taking an overnight train to UlaanBaatar, the capital city.

After roaming around for 3+ months in South-East Asia and China, arrived to Mongolia, a new country (#103) for me, so excited to be here.
At Zamin-Uud railway station, waited here for more than five hours for an over night train to UlaanBaatar.
The overnight train from Zamin-Uud, a border town, to UlaanBaatar, the capital city. Journey time, around 14 hours.
With my best friend and travel buddy for Mongolia.
Old  Soviet made train; very excited for this train journey. I get this feeling every time I visit new country, excitement of exploring the unknowns.
Got two Mongolian Beers for the train ride. One good thing about long train journey across Central Asia and East Asia is you are allowed to consume alcohol onboard the train.

After 42+ hours journey, finally we arrived in the capital city. UlaanBaatar also known as Ulan Bator or simply just UB, is the largest city in Mongolia, standing as its political, commercial, industrial and cultural hub.  Much of the modern architecture of Ulaanbaatar started to shape in the 20th century with the influence from Soviet architecture. The modern day UlaanBaatar showcases a mix of Soviet architecture, ger settlements, Buddhist monasteries and 21st century high rises. 

Welcome to UlaanBaatar, beautiful KM 0 Landmark in the Chinggis Square.
At the Chinggis Square (formerly Sukhbaatar Square). The big open space in the center of the city with an equestrian statue of Damdin Sükhbaatar, who declared Mongolian independence from China in 1921,  as well as a seated statue of Genghis Khan that sits at the door of the Government House.
My friend at the Chinggis Square.
UlaanBaatar is a modern city with many high rises.

The Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Monastery is a Mongolian Buddhist monastery originally built in 1809. The 13th Dalai Lama stayed here in the residence in 1904. In the 1930s, the Communist government of Mongolia, under the influence of Stalin, closed this monastery. With the end of Marxism in Mongolia in 1990, restrictions on worship were lifted, the monastery has been restored and revitalized. It currently has over 150 monks in residence.

The main gate of The Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Monastery.
Closer view of the main gate of The Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Monastery.
The Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Monastery.
The main temple of Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Monastery.
Statue of Avalokiteśvara, with its height of 26.5-meters, it is the tallest indoor statue in the world. The original statue, made of copper, was dismantled by Russian troops in 1938. After the end of the Soviet era, the statue of Avalokiteśvara was rebuilt in 1996, funded by donations by the Mongolian people. It features 2,286 precious stones and is gilded with gold leaf.

The Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan was built between 1893 and 1903 by Mongolian masters. The complex is one of the few Mongolian historical attractions which have neither been destroyed by the Soviets or the Communist forces.

The Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan
The Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan
At the The Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan.
Surrounded by beautiful landscaping, 15 m tall Buddha statue near ZaiShan (Zai Mountains)

After exploring the capital city for few days we took a public bus for KharKhorin to experience the Naadam festival in Mongolian countryside.

After two weeks of exploring this beautiful country, I took a direct flight from UlaanBaatar to Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan to start my three months backpacking trip across the Central Asia.

Window on The World's avatar

By Window on The World

In May 2017, 23 days before I was going to complete 50 years, grabbed an opportunity and took an early retirement.. Picked up a backpack and traveling ever since.. Love to travel around the world, experience different culture, local cuisine & drinks .. and take pictures.. so far been to 108 countries and still counting...

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