Mongolia in Autumn: 7 Epic Things to Do in Fall
A complete guide to the top 7 things to see and experience in Mongolia in Autumn. Eagle Festivals, the most beautiful helicopter ride to the burial site of Chinggis Khaan, and more. Plus, important things to know when you plan a trip to Mongolia in the September, October, and November shoulder season.
As a local, autumn is my favorite time of year in Mongolia. Temperatures have cooled down, the hordes of tourists have left, and the countryside landscapes are as picture-perfect as ever.
It’s also the time of year when the famed Eagle Hunters start training their prized eagles for the upcoming winter hunting season. Which means, Eagle Festivals galore! While most people travel to Mongolia for the Golden Eagle Festival, I prefer the small festivals that happen in September. Keep reading for information on when those smaller, alternative festivals happen.
Beyond traveling to western Mongolia to meet the Eagle Hunters, Ulaanbaatar is also a great place to spend time during these shoulder months. During this time the capital shines with an array of interesting festivals and events, from book fairs to the last outdoor concerts of the year. And I can’t forget one of the best parties of the year – Oktoberfest!
My point is, don’t rule out autumn as a great time to visit Mongolia!
Table of Contents
Are you planning your trip last minute?
🚕 Book a Cheap Airport Transfer (great, budget-friendly option when landing in Mongolia)
🛌 Best Places to Stay:
Hostel One (favorite overall hostel with central location and clean facilities)
Urgoo Hotel (local boutique hotel with clean rooms and great location)
H9 Hotel Nine (boutique hotel located next to Sukhbaatar Square)
👉 Top Things to Do in Ulaanbaatar:
Cooking Class in a Local Home (unique way to spend a day and meet a local family!)
Mongolian Calligraphy Class: 1-Hour Lesson (try your hand at traditional Mongolian script)
Ulaanbaatar City Tour (best way to get to know the city with a local guide)
Ride a Mongol Horse (a quintessential Mongolia experience)
Rent a Mountain Bike in Ulaanbaatar (explore Ulaanbaatar and the areas around it differently)
🐴 Best Trips to Book to Experience Mongolia:
Kharkhorin, Khustai, Mini Gobi & Ger Under the Stars: 3-Day Tour (see the largest population of wild horses in the world)
Best of Mongolia 5-day Trip (check off the quintessential Mongolia experiences to have)
7 days Central Mongolia and Great Gobi Experience (the best tour for seeing the famous Gobi Desert)
Cons to Visiting Mongolia in Autumn
There are however a few important things to know about visiting Mongolia in September, October, and November.
First, most ger camps start to close in September. Since ger camps aren’t built with the infrastructure to handle winter weather, and the winter off season doesn’t attract many travelers, most tourist camps close from September to May.
For anything thinking of entering the country at that time, that means you’ll have limited places to stay. If you plan to book a tour, be sure to ask the tour company what adjustments they will need to make to your itinerary for this reason.
Because of this, one place I don’t recommend traveling in these months is the Gobi Desert. These routes are designed to take advantage of the ger camps and homestays that are available in the warm, summer months. Come September, when temperatures drop and people move to their fall camps, accommodation options become much more limited.
Second, the fall season is when nomadic families need to spend time preparing for winter. This is an extremely important time for them.
This time is used for collecting hay, moving the family and herds to their fall camp, and really fattening up their animals. Men are particularly busy at this time, going to harvest hay, usually somewhere far away from where they live, to store for the impending harsh winter months.
Since families are busy preparing for winter during these months, they don’t have time to invite in tourists and be gracious hosts. With the men gone and the women taking care of the house, it’s a lot to ask to be invited in as a guest. Especially considering that Mongolians pride themselves on their hospitality.
Finally, kids are back in school. If you are able to arrange a homestay to visit and spend time with a nomadic family, it will most likely only be the parents and elders who are around. Children go to school in the town nearest to their camps, staying overnight there like a boarding school.
All that being said, Mongolia is still a great place to visit in autumn. Just remember these things and you can still plan a great itinerary.
Mongolia in Fall: 7 Best Things to Do in Autumn
The best things to do, see, and experience in Mongolia’s autumn months.
1. Golden Eagle Festival (First Weekend in October, Annually)
The Golden Eagle Festival is the largest festival of its kind, attracting more than 2,000 spectators each year.
At this famous festival, more than 80 of the best Eagle Hunters from around western Mongolia gather to put their well-trained eagles to the test. Testing their eagle’s speed, agility, and accuracy, whoever wins this competition becomes instantly famous. It doesn’t hurt the grand prize is also around 4 million Mongolian tugriks (about $1,115 USD).
The Golden Eagle Festival might be the most popular Eagle Festival, but it isn’t the only one.
Smaller Eagle Festivals take place every weekend in September around Bayan-Olgii Province. These smaller Eagle Festivals include the Sagsai Eagle Festival, Altantsugt Eagle Festival, and the Altai Eagle Festival.
Dreaming of meeting an Eagle Hunter in real life? Live and train with a champion Eagle Hunter during our 2026 Eagle Hunter & Festival Tour →
2. Horseback Yak Migrations in the North and Northwest (First Snowfall, October)
With the first snow, families in northern Mongolia’s Khuvsgul and Ovs Provinces begin their long, annual migration to their winter camps.
Families pack everything they own securely on their yaks to be transported across the mountains. It’s a long, arduous journey over some of the tallest mountain passes in Mongolia, taking many families upwards of a week to make the expedition.
Following the yaks, who also help make paths in the snow for the other animals to follow, family members all take on this trip on horseback. Their days are spent herding the yaks, cows, horses, sheep, goats ahead and alongside them, stopping at nightfall to construct a small, simple ger to sleep in every evening. The next morning, each member of the family will wake before dawn to begin repacking the yaks and saddling the horses for another day of travel.
Migrations are an essential part of the nomadic culture and are one of the most unique travel experiences you can have in Mongolia.
Are you an experienced horse rider and ready to take on the challenge of joining a family on their annual fall migration? Fill out this Google Form and join a winter migration in October 2026 →
3. Witness the Reindeer Migration in the Taiga
Much like their yak herding neighbors, the reindeer riding Dukha (also known as the Tsaatan) people also migrate at this time. The difference being, instead of moving yaks, cows, horses, goats, and sheep, they move herds of hundreds of reindeer. It’s an absolutely rate and incredible thing to see – and an even more exceptional one to be a part of.
During the Dukha people’s move, families move from the far reaches of the taiga where there is great grazing in the summer. Coming down in elevation, families move closes to the towns of Ulaan Uul and Tsaagan Nuur for the long winter season.
Dukha families prefer to stick together, which makes for an incredible sight. Imagine seeing thousands of reindeer making their way down through the mountains to their winter camp all in a single row. It’s simply jaw dropping.
4. Helicopter to Burkhan Khaldun, the Believed Burial Place of Chinggis Khaan
This has been on my bucket list forever. And, still is. One day I’ll have the means to make it happen.
Why is this trip on my Mongolia bucket list?
Legend has it the burial place of Chinggis Khaan is in a Strictly Protected Area of the Khentii Mountains on top of a sacred mountain called Burkhan Khaldun.
The area, which is only accessible by hiking, horseback, or helicopter, is one of the most sacred and protected places to visit in Mongolia. Just mention the name Burkhan Khaldun to any Mongolian and they’ll tell you how important this mountain is, and how all of them dream of one day going there. Myself included.
While technically you can travel here any time of the year, my opinion is that September’s brilliant fall colors make this the perfect time to make the flight.
Depending on your budget and your time constraints, add in a stop and land on the shores of the nearby Khagiin Khar Lake. Nothing is better than surrounding yourself with the Khentii Mountain range and the excuse to spend even more time soaking in this adventure.
Email us for helicopter pricing and booking:
- 4 seats: Airbus H-123 for $2,500 USD/hour
- 8 seats: Airbus H-145 for $3,500 USD/hour
5. Khentii Ten Thousand Horses of the Steppe Winter Festival (November, Annually)
Speaking of Chinggis Khaan, every November in his home province of Khentii, nomadic horse herders from around the country gather to celebrate the Ten Thousand Horses of the Steppe Winter Festival.
The festival, a true testament to Mongolia’s most revered animal, tests herders skills in a series of competitions. From roping to herding, racing and taming, Mongolian herders compete against each other to see who is the ultimate horseman.
One unexpected highlight of the festival is the long song competition. Singers belt their their best odes to these renowned creatures, capturing the hearts of everyone in the audience. It’s one of the best parts of the event.
The festival takes place over two days in late November in Batnorov soum, Khentii Province.
In a country where horses are godly, this is the one festival that’s surprisingly always overlooked by tourists, but shouldn’t be missed.
6. Ulaanbaatar Book Fair (Mid-September, Annually)
For a different kind of adventure, the Ulaanbaatar book fair is a can’t miss, especially for book lovers. Imagine thousands of books in every language, all available in one place. From international and Mongolian book classics to more obscure reads, this book festival is a place you can lose yourself in for hours.
For a week each September the festival takes over Sukhbaatar Square, attracting thousands of visitors. It’s a great time to collect classic Mongolian literature, in every language!
7. Oktoberfest (September and October, Annually)
October means Oktoberfest! And trust me when I say Mongolians know how to do it right. Mongolians do love a good party, after all.
Every year the venue changes, but one thing always remains the same. Expect a giant hall filled with long tables, flowing steins of beer, live bands, and plenty of Ulaanbaatar locals to toast with long into the night.
Weather in Mongolia in September, October, November
As Mongolia changes from summer to fall, expect temperatures to start dropping quickly. Days especially will get shorter and broodier starting in mid-September.
The shift is quick, and so is the color change of the leaves. If you want to experience Mongolia’s magnificent fall colors, the time to visit is mid-September. By the end of September and into October the trees will quickly change from a spectacular yellow, orange, and red to barren and brown. Be sure to plan your travels around this time wisely!
The best regions to visit to experience Mongolia’s vibrant fall colors are Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, as well as Darkhad Valley and the Ulaan Taiga and Khoridol Saridag ranges.
The Altai Mountains, especially around Baga Turgen Waterfall in Turgen Uul Valley, are also stunning this time of year.
The average weather forecast for September is usually still pleasant. Mornings and afternoons are enjoyable with a light jacket and beanie. Nights, however, are cold and will require a woodfired stove and heating. If you’re staying in a ger, make sure you have plenty of wood, coal, or dried dung to keep you warm throughout the night.
You can still tent and wild camp in September, but you should have a very warm sleeping bag.
October average temperatures mean thicker coats, hats, scarves, and gloves during the day. At night temperatures will now be freezing.
Tent and wild camping on your own will start to be challenging. This time of year you should plan to stay with a local family, in a hotel, or at lodge with heating.
In November, expect full blown winter temperatures in the day and in the evening.
Camping is not recommended.
Author: Breanna Wilson
Hi! Sain uu! I’m Breanna, an American travel writer and adventurer living in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for more than 5 years. I’ve written for and been featured in Condé Nast Traveler, CNN, Forbes, and the New York Times, among others. Read more of my Mongolia travel articles here.
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