Major city · Mongolia
KarakorumХархорин
Stay 1–2 nights: Erdene Zuu and the old capital site are a half-day, the Orkhon valley adds a second day. No car, no valley.
Karakorum (Kharkhorin) is the site of the 13th-century Mongol imperial capital and the closest town to it, about 360 km by road from Ulaanbaatar. The town itself is small and walkable; the draw is Erdene Zuu Monastery, the excavated palace remains and the Orkhon valley beyond. Most travellers arrive on a 2–3 day loop with a driver-guide, not on public transport alone.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- MNT
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- avoid Nov–Mar (cold, many camps and cafés closed)
- Airport
- KHR
- Nights
- 1–2
Rules in force · 5
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- Mongolia ↗Check entry rules for your passport on the official government e-visa portal; some nationalities enter visa-free for a limited stay, others need an e-visa.
- Mongolia ↗In a ger: step over the threshold (never on it), move clockwise, receive food and drink with the right hand, and do not point your feet at the stove or the altar.
- Mongolia ↗Plan road trips by hours, not kilometres: paved roads are few, and 100 km of dirt track can take three hours.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Karakorum102 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Karakorum, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Mongolian tögrög (MNT, ₮).Mongolia-wide
- SIM or eSIMUnitel, Mobicom, Skytel and G-Mobile sell prepaid SIMs at the airport and in town; bring your passport to register.Mongolia-wide
- Tap waterNot drinkable from the tap.Mongolia-wide
- TippingRestaurants in Ulaanbaatar: Not expected; round up or leave 5–10% in tourist places if no service charge.Mongolia-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/E. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Mongolia-wide
- SafetyLow crime, high exposure: the real risks are livestock on the road, rough valley tracks, sudden weather and long distances with no phone signal.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsWestern toilets in Ulaanbaatar.Mongolia-wide
- Emergency numbers102 police · 103 ambulance · 101 fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidayscheckMuseums often close one or two days a week (usually Monday or Tuesday — check each); many countryside sights and ger camps close mid-October to May…Mongolia-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckKHR Kharkhorin Airport (4 km (2.5 mi) north of town; flights from Ulaanbaatar are irregular — check before planning around them).KHR Kharkhorin Airport (2.5 mi (4 km) north of town; flights from Ulaanbaatar are irregular — check before planning around them).
- Getting aroundThe town is flat and small: Erdene Zuu, the museum and the main guesthouses are within 1–2 km (0.6–1.2 mi) of each other, walkable in summer.The town is flat and small: Erdene Zuu, the museum and the main guesthouses are within 0.6–1.2 mi (1–2 km) of each other, walkable in summer.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or tea₮3,000–8,000
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₮25,000–50,000
- Museum or sight ticketErdene Zuu temple tourcheck₮3,000, plus ₮5,000 to photograph inside
- Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personMNT 25,000
- Mid-range bedGuesthouse or hotel double room, a night, per roomMNT 150,000
- High-end bedGuesthouse or hotel double room, a night, per roomMNT 350,000
A day, not counting the bed: Budget MNT 60,000 · Mid MNT 130,000 · High MNT 260,000
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- KHR Kharkhorin Airport (4 km (2.5 mi) north of town; flights from Ulaanbaatar are irregular — check before planning around them)KHR Kharkhorin Airport (2.5 mi (4 km) north of town; flights from Ulaanbaatar are irregular — check before planning around them)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
−14°C (7°F)7°F (−14°C)
Feb
Avoid
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
Mar
Avoid
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
Apr
not flagged
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
May
not flagged
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Jun
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Jul
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Aug
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Sep
Best
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
Oct
not flagged
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
Nov
Avoid
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
Dec
Avoid
−12°C (10°F)10°F (−12°C)
Best: Jun–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Mar. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)), coolest Jan (−27°C (−17°F)−17°F (−27°C) low), wettest Jul (13 rain days), driest Jan (1). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Karakorum: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
−14°C (7°F)7°F (−14°C)
−27°C (−17°F)−17°F (−27°C)
1 rd
Feb
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
−24°C (−11°F)−11°F (−24°C)
1 rd
Mar
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
−15°C (5°F)5°F (−15°C)
2 rd
Apr
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
3 rd
May
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
5 rd
Jun
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
9 rd
Jul
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
13 rd
Aug
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
12 rd
Sep
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
6 rd
Oct
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
3 rd
Nov
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
−15°C (5°F)5°F (−15°C)
2 rd
Dec
−12°C (10°F)10°F (−12°C)
−24°C (−11°F)−11°F (−24°C)
1 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The town is flat and small: Erdene Zuu, the museum and the main guesthouses are within 1–2 km of each other, walkable in summer. For Xar Bulgas, Tövkhön Monastery or the Orkhon waterfall you need a vehicle and a driver — arrange it in Ulaanbaatar or through your guesthouse. Shared jeeps and minivans to Ulaanbaatar, Hujirt and Tsetserleg leave from the container market area in the middle of town.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Xar Bulgas and the Orkhon inscriptions
goDoor to door: Half a day
Drive west out of town, cross the Orkhon and follow the tracks north — about 13.5 km (8.4 mi) of mixed paved and unpaved roadDrive west out of town, cross the Orkhon and follow the tracks north — about 8.4 mi (13.5 km) of mixed paved and unpaved road
Uighur Khaganate capital ruins and the earliest Turkic inscriptions; no facilities, take water.
Tövkhön Monastery
cautionDoor to door: Half to full day
Drive south up the west bank of the Orkhon; park fee per person, then a rough climb
Upper road is in poor condition; the view from the top is the point.
Orkhon waterfall (Ulaan Tsutgalan)
overnightDoor to door: Full day
Drive southwest on the west bank, cross at the bridge and continue west
Too far for a comfortable return; sleep in the valley or at a camp.
Tsetserleg
goDoor to door: 3–4 h
Shared jeep or minivan from the container market
Provincial capital with a market and a monastery; a natural next stop west.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Town centre, Erdene Zuu road
Guesthouses, hostels and cafés within walking distance of the monastery; best if you arrive by bus.
Steppe edge and Orkhon riverbank
Hotels and ger camps 1–3 km (0.6–1.9 mi) out; quieter, need a car or a lift for dinner.Hotels and ger camps 0.6–1.9 mi (1–3 km) out; quieter, need a car or a lift for dinner.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ₮60,000–110,000 excl. bed
- Mid
- ₮110,000–220,000 excl. bed
- High
- ₮220,000+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Guesthouse or hotel double room1 × 2 nights × MNT 150,000 | MNT 300,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × MNT 130,000 | MNT 520,000 |
| Erdene Zuu grounds entry2 × MNT 0 · Grounds free; temple tour and photography inside cost extra — check | MNT 0 |
| Driver-guide and vehicle, per day1 × MNT 250,000 · check | MNT 250,000 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × MNT 30,000 | MNT 60,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | MNT 113,000 |
| Trip total≈ MNT 310,800 per person per day, bed included | MNT 1,243,000 |
2026 estimate in tögrög; transport to Karakorum and tours excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Bus Ulaanbaatar → KarakorumDec 2024 fare; departs 11:00, about 7 h with a lunch stop — check the 2026 fareDec 2024 fare; departs 11:00 AM, about 7 h with a lunch stop — check the 2026 fare | ₮37,400 |
| Simple meal in a café | ₮10,000–25,000 |
| Coffee or tea | ₮3,000–8,000 |
| Erdene Zuu temple tourcheck | ₮3,000, plus ₮5,000 to photograph inside |
| Tövkhön Monastery park feecheck | about US$3 per person |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₮25,000–50,000 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Horses, cows and their droppings on roads and pavements — watch your step, especially after dark.
- Long unpaved stretches on the Orkhon valley tracks; a standard sedan will not do, and the last climb to Tövkhön is rough.
- Summer guesthouses and ger camps fill on weekends; book ahead in Jul–Aug.
- Card payment is unreliable outside the bigger hotels — carry tögrög cash.
- The bus from Ulaanbaatar may not be heated and leaves once daily; a missed seat costs you a day.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 102
- Ambulance
- 103
- Fire
- 101
Pocket card
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KarakorumХархорин
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
Энэ хаяг руу явна ууTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police102
- Ambulance103
- Fire101
Embassy
No embassies in Karakorum; most are in Ulaanbaatar — check your own country's list before travelling.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Bus Ulaanbaatar → Karakorum: ₮37,400, departs 11:00, about 7 h (check)₮37,400, departs 11:00 AM, about 7 h (check)
- Shared jeep Karakorum → Tsetserleg: from the container market, 3–4 h (check)
- Driver-guide and vehicle, per day: about ₮250,000 (check)
Say or show
- Сайн байна уу — Hello (sain baina uu)
- Баярлалаа — Thank you (bayarlalaa)
- Хэд вэ? — How much is it? (khed ve)
- Жорлон хаана байна? — Where is the toilet? (jorlon khaana baina)
- Надад жолооч хэрэгтэй — I need a driver (nadad jolooch kheregtei)
- Туслаарай — Help (tuslaarai)
Cash is king outside the bigger hotels; the nearest reliable ATMs and banks are in town, not in the valley.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Karakorum. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Nov–Mar (cold, many camps and cafés closed) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport and bus-arrival contract for KHR and the Ulaanbaatar bus: last departure, taxi fallback, first-night bed.
- Four walking clusters with anchors: Erdene Zuu, the old capital site and stone turtles, the museum and calligraphy centre, the container market.
- Place pages with verified hours and fees (Erdene Zuu, Kharkhorum Museum, Erdenesiin Khuree) and eat pages with last orders.
- Orkhon valley access fixtures: road condition, park fee, camp list, so the valley day can go green.