Things to Do in Mongolia in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
December Weather in Mongolia
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
15°F (-9°C)
High Temp
68°F (20°C)
Low Temp
2.0 inches (51 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ Skin freezes in ten minutes. At -35°C (-31°F) wind chill, cheeks whiten fast. Cover every millimetre.
⚠ The capital's air turns hazardous. Kids and elders stay indoors. Everyone else straps on N95s before stepping out.
⚠ Rivers become roads overnight. Springs thin the ice from below. Trucks vanish when the surface sighs. Drive with caution.
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + The world's most dramatic winter landscape. Snow-covered steppes stretch 100 km (62 miles) in every direction under cobalt skies that photographers dream about. No filter needed. Bring extra batteries. Cold drains power fast.
- + Eagle Festival season peaks mid-December in Bayan-Ölgii. Kazakh hunters demonstrate 4,000-year-old golden eagle techniques in fur coats that took months to prepare. The birds dive like missiles. Crowds are thin. Photo gold.
- + Skies so clear you can see the Milky Way from downtown Ulaanbaatar. December nights offer the darkest, starriest skies of the year. Step outside. Look up. Gasp. Repeat.
- + Authentic winter culture without the summer tourist filter. Locals live their traditional winter lifestyle, not perform it for visitors. You watch real life. No staged dances. Just survival.
Considerations
- − Your phone battery dies in 30 minutes at -25°C (-13°F). Electronics fail constantly and car batteries need replacement every morning. Bring backups. Keep them warm. Expect nothing.
- − Ulaanbaatar's air pollution hits crisis levels. Coal smoke and vehicle exhaust create a brown haze that burns your throat and requires N95 masks. Eyes water. Chest tightens. City coughs.
- − Transport becomes unreliable. Rural roads ice over completely, domestic flights cancel frequently, and the Trans-Mongolian train runs 6-12 hours behind schedule. Build flexibility into every plan. Patience required.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Winter Eagle Hunting Demonstrations
December is when Kazakh eagle hunters in western Mongolia show their skills before the harsh January freeze. Watch golden eagles dive for fox fur dragged across snow fields while hunters in traditional fox-fur coats (-40°C rated) explain techniques passed down since Genghis Khan's era. The eagles perform better in December's still air than any other month. Windless days rule.
Booking Tip: Book through licensed operators 3-4 weeks ahead. December demand exceeds available ger accommodation in Bayan-Ölgii. Look for tours that include heated traditional gers and experienced drivers who've navigated winter mountain passes. Ask for references. Check tires. Insist on satellite phones.
Frozen Terelj National Park Horse Trekking
Ride Mongolian horses across snow-covered steppes where the only sounds are hoofbeats and your own breathing crystallizing at -20°C (-4°F). December's frozen rivers become natural highways through valleys normally inaccessible. The granite formations of Turtleagin Uul take on alien shapes under hoarfrost, and you'll likely have entire valleys to yourself. Silence roars.
Booking Tip: Only book with operators providing sheepskin saddle pads and traditional deel coats. Synthetic gear fails in this cold. Confirm they carry emergency satellite communicators as December weather can shift dangerously fast. Ask about backup horses. Frostbite kills.
Ulaanbaatar Winter Cultural Immersion
Experience how locals survive winter. Join families making boortsog (fried dough) in overheated Soviet apartments, learn throat singing techniques that sound different in dry winter air, and visit the Winter Palace where the last king's fox-fur robes weigh 15 kg (33 lbs). December's cultural activities happen indoors, making them immune to weather cancellations. Tea flows. Stories deepen.
Booking Tip: Arrange through cultural centers rather than hotels. They connect you with real families, not staged performances. Book 1-2 weeks ahead as December hosts fewer cultural events than warmer months. Bring small gifts. Vodka works.
Khuvsgul Lake Ice Festival Photography
The 'Blue Pearl of Mongolia' becomes a 136 km (85 mile) ice sheet in December, with ice bubbles frozen mid-burst and pressure ridges creating natural ice sculptures. Reindeer herders from nearby taiga forests set up winter camps on the ice, offering the only chance to photograph authentic teepee dwellings against a frozen lake backdrop. Light is blue. Cold is pure.
Booking Tip: Requires 4WD vehicles with winter tires and experienced drivers. Lake access roads become ice sheets themselves. Book 6-8 weeks ahead as only 2-3 operators run December trips to Khuvsgul. Demand is tiny. Spaces rarer.
Traditional Fur Craft Workshops
December drives the fur economy. Watch artisans transform wolf, fox and marmot pelts into coats rated for -50°C (-58°F) using techniques unchanged since the Silk Road era. The smell of raw leather and wood smoke fills workshops where every cut determines if a herder survives winter. You can commission custom pieces at winter prices 40% below tourist season. Haggle politely.
Booking Tip: Visit the Narantuul Market fur section early mornings when craftsmen work. Afternoons they sell to wholesalers. Bring cash and a local translator as these aren't tourist-facing businesses. Touch respectfully. Ask before photos.
Where to Stay in Mongolia in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Early December
Golden Eagle Festival
Kazakh eagle hunters compete in traditional games on frozen steppes near Ulgii town. Events include eagle calling contests, fox skin dragging races, and traditional horse games. Temperatures hit -25°C (-13°F) but the cultural authenticity is unmatched. You're watching 4,000-year-old hunting techniques in their natural element. Bring hot tea. Stay moving.
Mid December
Ice Festival at Khuvsgul Lake
Locals celebrate lake freeze with ice skating, horse sled races on the frozen surface, and traditional shaman ceremonies to bless the ice. Reindeer herders bring their animals onto the ice for photos you can't get any other time. The festival feels more authentic than similar events elsewhere because it's for locals, not tourists. Join carefully. Respect first.
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View Mongolia Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Ulaanbaatar's apartment buildings use Soviet-era radiators that overheat to 30°C (86°F). Dress in layers you can remove indoors or you'll sweat through clothes that won't dry. Strip fast. Redress faster.
December in Ulaanbaatar assaults the nose. Coal smoke and burning tires fuse when the mercury dives below -20°C (-4°F). The stench clings to every alley. South of the Tuul River, the affluent districts breathe easier. Head there for a lung reset.
December horses carry winter fat. The extra bulk slows them. Yet the weight anchors each hoof to slick ice. Riders stay safer now than in summer when flies spook the herd. Trust the winter horse.
Mongolians sip suutei tsai all day. Eight to ten mugs of salt milk tea fuel every household. Salt retains scarce moisture. This is survival in the driest air outside Antarctica.
Avoid These Mistakes
Never book tight connections here. December storms scrub flights without apology. The next seat might leave three days later. Pad every plan with 48 hours.
Diesel gels at these temperatures. Even five-star generators cough and die. Pack paper maps and a thick novel. The dark lasts longer than you think.
Contacts become tiny ice lenses. At 65% humidity and -30°C (-22°F) they glue themselves to your corneas. Wear glasses. End of discussion.
Bare skin welds to cold metal. Camera bodies suck heat faster than steel. Buy gloves that swipe screens. Keep your fingers.
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Top-rated things to do in Mongolia this December
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