Mongolia from India: Gobi, ger camps and the Naadam festival
Plan Mongolia from India: visa, flights to Ulaanbaatar, the Gobi Desert, Terelj and Kharkhorin, Naadam in July, ger camp stays, best months and costs.
By the Agrima Holidays Team · Updated October 2026 · 2 min read
Why Mongolia
Mongolia is a country of open steppe, desert and mountains with one of the lowest population densities on earth. Nomad families still move their gers with the seasons. For travellers from India, the draw is space: dunes in the Gobi, horses on endless grassland, and nights under skies with no light pollution. Buddhism links the two countries, and Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar welcomes Indian visitors warmly.
Visa for Indians
Indian citizens need a visa for Mongolia. Apply online for the Mongolian eVisa, or through the Embassy of Mongolia in New Delhi. Allow two to three weeks. Your passport needs six months of validity. We provide the hotel and ger camp bookings for your application. Rules checked in October 2026.
Getting there
There are no nonstop flights from India. The usual routings to Ulaanbaatar run through Seoul, Istanbul, Bangkok or Beijing. A transit in mainland China may need a transit visa, so we prefer Seoul or Istanbul. Allow 12 to 16 hours of travel.
Where to go
- Ulaanbaatar: Gandan Monastery, Sukhbaatar Square and the National Museum
- Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, an hour away, for Turtle Rock, horse rides and a first ger night
- The Chinggis Khaan equestrian statue at Tsonjin Boldog
- Kharkhorin, the old capital, and Erdene Zuu monastery
- The Gobi: Khongoryn Els dunes, the Flaming Cliffs at Bayanzag and Yolyn Am gorge
- Lake Khuvsgul in the north, for longer trips
Naadam festival
Naadam, held from 11 to 13 July, is the national festival of wrestling, horse racing and archery. The opening ceremony in Ulaanbaatar stadium is the big event, and smaller Naadams run in provincial towns. Hotels and flights fill months ahead, so book by March for July travel.
When to go
- June to August: warm days, green steppe, the main season
- Late May and September: cooler, fewer travellers
- October to April: very cold, below −20°C in Ulaanbaatar in January
Nights in the Gobi drop sharply even in summer. Carry a warm layer.
Ger camps and food
Tourist ger camps have beds, a stove and shared shower blocks. Simple, warm and clean. Mongolian food is meat-heavy: mutton, dumplings and dairy. Vegetarians manage in Ulaanbaatar, where Indian restaurants operate, but need planning in the countryside. We brief every camp on vegetarian meals.
What our trips cost
Our Mongolia packages start from the prices on their package pages: the six-night Mongolia Classic, the seven-night Mongolia Adventure and the eight-night Mongolia Grand Tour, on twin sharing, without airfare. Naadam dates cost more.
Tell us your dates and we send a plan within 24 hours on working days.
