Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia built at its present location in 1778. Prior to this, the capital city had moved from place to place more than 30 times. The first recorded capital of the recent Mongolian Empire was created in 1639 at the Shireet Tsagaan Nuur of the Mongol Els (the territory of the present Ovorkhangai Aimag). At the time the city consisted of gers (felt tents) and was moving from place to place for 140 years before being established where it is now, just beside the Gandan monastery by the Tuul river. Even today, more than half of Ulaanbaatar population live in these traditional dwellings. Some move out into the countryside in summer taking their ger with them. The city of Ulaanbaatar covers the area of 1,359 sq. km.

Ulaanbaatar is the administrative, political, economic, cultural and scientific center of the country. 609,000 people live in this city, which makes one quarter of Mongolia's population. The livestock around the capital totals 270,200 heads.

RED STAR TRAVEL invites you to explore Mongolia, the "Land of Blue Sky", one of the last unspoiled travel destinations in Asia. Learn about its exciting nomadic culture, its history as motherland of the great Mongolian warrior - Genghis Khaan, who had the largest empire in the world's history. Check out rocky mountains, stunning lakes, vast deserts, rolling grasslands and unique wildlife. Get acquainted with Mongolia's historical heritage in the numerous museums and monasteries in and around Ulaanbaatar.

CHINGGIS KHAAN HOTEL * * * * *

The leading hotel in Ulaanbaatar. Located downtown, within easy reach of the main tourist attractions and the business center of the city. 30-minute drive to the International airport and 15-minute drive to the railway station. 182 comfortable rooms: 140 standard singles and doubles, 40 suites, 2 presidential suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, air conditioner, color satellite TV, international direct-dial telephone, mini-bar. 24-hour room service. Western-style restaurant (international cuisine). Mongolian restaurant (Mongolian national and oriental cuisine). Bar. Coffee shop. Business center. Currency exchange. Casino. Billiards room. Fitness center: sauna, indoor swimming pool, gym, massage salon. Laundry. Dry cleaning. Towncar service. Security service. Room rates - from $104.

BAYANGOL HOTEL * * * *

Located in the business center of the city. Opened in 1963. 19 km to the International airport and 2 km to the central railway station. Walking distance to the main tourists attractions, theaters, circus, local market. 209 rooms: 190 standard rooms, 19 suites. All rooms feature private bathroom with shower, TV (satellite Star TV), international direct-dial telephone, mini-bar. Bayangol restaurant for 300 seats (Mongolian and international cuisine). Nomin restaurant for 30 seats (European and Mongolian cuisine). Night Bar. Banquet room (cocktail parties for 40-50 people). Business center: facsimile facilities, photocopying, computer services. Conference rooms from 8-seat to 60-seat. Currency exchange. Beauty shop. Laundry. Towncar service. Security service. Room rates - from $95.

BISHRELT HOTEL * * *

Centrally located. 5-minute drive to the City Hall. Opened in 1997. Close to the functioning Gandan Monastery, Natural History and Fine Arts museums. Walking distance to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Central Bank of Mongolia, the Development bank. 21 comfortable rooms: 17 standard rooms, 4 suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, TV, telephone (international connection available through the front desk only). Business Center: facsimile facilities, photocopying, office space. Restaurant. Towncar service. Security service. Room rates - from $82.

FLOWER HOTEL * * *

Located downtown. Built by Japanese-Mongolian joint venture. Opened in 1995. 184 rooms. All rooms feature private bathroom with shower, color satellite TV, international telephone, tea/coffee-maker, mini-bar. 3 restaurants (Japanese, Chinese and European cuisine). Karaoke bar. Coffee shop. Business center. Souvenir kiosk. Sauna. Towncar service. Security service. English and Japanese-speaking staff. Room rates - from $65.

NEW CAPITAL HOTEL * * *

Located downtown, near the British and Indian Embassies. 18 km to the airport and 8 km to the railway station. Opened in 1993. 22 rooms: 20 twins and doubles, 2 suites. All rooms feature private bathroom with shower, satellite TV, international direct-dial telephone, mini-bar. 24-hour room service. Restaurant for 50 seats (Mongolian and Western cuisine). Night bar. Banquet rooms. Business center. Currency exchange. Gym. Sauna. Billiards room. Safety deposit box. Laundry. Towncar service. Security service. Room rates - from $75.

STAR HOTEL * *

Located in the suburbs of Ulaanbaatar, 20-minute drive to the airport and 10-minute drive to the railway station. Opened in 1992. 11 rooms: 6 standard rooms, 3 junior suites, 2 main suites. All rooms feature private bathroom, TV with international channels, direct-dial international telephone, mini-bar. Room service. Restaurant for 40 seats. Facsimile facilities. Laundry. Towncar service. Security service. Room rates - from $77.

Ulaanbaatar Museums

Bogd Khaan Winter Palace Museum. Located on Chingis Khaany Orgon Choloo (Near the WWII Tank Monument). Operating hours: 10am - 5pm, closed on Thursday. The palace of the last king, Bogd Javzandamba VIII - the eighth living Buddha. Built between 1893 and 1903. Bogd Khaan lived in this palace for 20 years and when he died (in 1924) the communist government prohibited any ongoing reincarnations. There are 6 temples on the territory of the museum. The Winter Palace itself contains a collection of gifts received by the king from foreign dignitaries. Other buildings are also worth visiting because of their interiors and exhibits stored in them. The gift shop has an excellent selection of souvenirs - tapes, books, paintings, leather and cashmere products.

Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts. Located on Khudaldaany Gudamj (at Barligachidyn Square). Operating hours: 10am - 5pm, closed on Thursday. The museum houses a great collection of paintings, carvings and sculptures, among which are some rare religious exhibits such as tangkas and Buddhist statues. Souvenir kiosk. Modern paintings and other art for sale.

Fine Art Gallery. Located on Ih Surguuliin Gudamj (in the Cultural Palace complex). Operating hours: 10am - 5pm. The gallery displays the best paintings by Mongolian artists from the communist times. Most of the works represent the so-called "socialist realism" style.

Theatrical Museum. Located on Ih Surggliin Gudamj. Operating hours: 10am - 5pm, closed on Thursday. The museum is devoted to the history of Mongolian theater. There are rare photos of Mongolian actors and actresses. Wonderful collection of puppets.

Natural History Museum. Located on Suhbaatar Gudamj. Opened in 1998. Operating hours: 10am - 5pm, closed on Thursday. Collection consists of about 844 exhibits. Along with some displays about Mongolia's recent history, the museum houses stuffed and embalmed animals, birds and fish, and even two complete dinosaur skeletons from the Gobi desert.

Mongolian National History Museum. Located on Khudaldaany Gudamj. Operating hours: 10am - 4:30pm, closed on Wednesday. Among other exhibits, the museum houses a wonderful collection of traditional costumes and hats representing most minor ethnic groups living in Mongolia, a furnished ger, domestic implements, religious items and musical instruments.

Natsagdorj Museum. Located off Chingis Khaany Orgon Choloo. Operating hours: 9am - 6pm. The museum celebrates Mongolia's most famous poet and writer Dashdojiin Natsagdorj. Among its exhibits are some rare photographs of the writer.

Ulaanbaatar History Museum. Located on Enkh Taivany Orgon choloo. Operating hours: Monday - Friday, 9am - 1pm, 2pm - 6pm. Saturday, 9am - 2pm. The museum's exhibits cover Mongolian history since the times of Genghis Khan's empire.

City Tour by bus, 2 hours

The tour starts from the Sukhbaatar square downtown. This square is surrounded by state, cultural and art establishments. Visit the Bogd Khaan museum to see fascinating Mongolian traditional clothing, household items and implements used by the state and religious head of Mongolia. On to the Historical museum and the Museum of Fine Arts. The State Central Library housing a valuable collection of ancient books, including the centuries-old intellectual masterpiece - Ganjuur and Danjuur - two books written with pure gold on bark and silk. Take pictures of the spectacular city view from the top of Zaisan hill. The Natural History Museum featuring stuffed animals of all kinds. See the National Academic Drama Theater (in Sukhbaatar Square), State Opera and Ballet Theater, Museum of Hunting Trophies.

Continue to the Gandan Monastery (the center of Buddhism in Mongolia), where wise old lamas sit peacefully as they read their sutras. The monastery has started functioning after 60 years of being suppressed by the communist government. You will witness amazing Buddhist rituals, mysterious chanting of monks and believers in their prayers. Check out the incredible 30-meter tall gold-plated statue of God Avaloki Teshvara-Megjid Janraisag. As an old legend has it, everyone who worships this god will have perfect eye-sight as well as some prophetic abilities. You may have your fortune read by one of the many fortune-tellers.

Evening performance (folklore concert, classical/national opera, circus). Art performance featuring Mongolian traditional dances, acrobatic show, performance by the best Mongolian opera singers.

City walking tour, 3 hours

Visit the Natural History Museum with its famous collection of dinosaur fossils and astonishing dinosaur eggs. The displays about wildlife are magnificent, you will find some rare animals, birds, fish and even insects as well as the herbs used in Tibetan medicine.

Sukhbaatar square. See the monument to Sukhbaatar, Opera and Ballet Theater, State Parliament House, Palace of Culture housing the Art Gallery, National History Museum.

The bridge over the Ulaanbaatar-Beijing part of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Right after you pass the twin towers of the Bayangol Hotel, you will go across this bridge from which you can see old steam locomotives, among which there are both main line engines and narrow-gauge ones. A must-see for train buffs.

The Zaisan Memorial. Built on top of a hill by the Russians to commemorate unknown soldiers and heroes from various wars. The place offers the best views of Ulaanbaatar.

Tour of the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

You will travel to Terelj Resort set in a picturesque valley 70 km from Ulaanbaatar. The Gorkhi Mountains covered with thick woods are rich in wildlife. Fascinating rock formations of Mesozoic era, green meadows covered with edelweiss and dazzling variety of other wildflowers, sparkling waters of mountain rivers are the reason why the locals call this place "the museum of natural wealth". Precious stones have been mined here for over 100 years. In 1960, a huge crystal of clear quartz was found at the Gorkhi deposit. The territory of the National Park covering 2,864 sq. km is protected by the state law since 1993. A traditional ger camp is located in the valley of the Terelj river. 30 km. from the camp, in the middle of the park, you will see the Gunjiin Monastery - one of the few Manchurian-influenced temples in Mongolia to survive over the centuries. The memories of this paradise will linger long after your return home.