The travel season is from May to early October with the Eagles Festival, though Ulaanbaatar can be visited any time of year if you can tolerate the cold. From mid-October to mid-May, sudden snowstorms and extreme cold can ground nights, block roads and cause the transport system to break down completely.

June and September are both very pleasant times to visit. Early July gives you the best weather for the northern part of the country. July and August are the rainiest months, which can make jeep travel on dirt roads difficult. July is also the time to see the Naadam Festival. Unfortunately, this is the peak tourist season, when Ulaanbaatar's inadequate accommodation and creaky transport is stretched to breaking point.

The best time to see the Gobi is June, September and October. May isn't a bad time though there can be wind storms during this time and weather can be unpredictable.