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Offered languages
- English
This is not a tour. It’s a half day in Ulaanbaatar, ending around a family table with Tsuivan — the dish I miss most whenever I leave Mongolia.
We begin at Chinggis Square and walk into residential neighborhoods where daily life unfolds beyond tourist routes. In a city known for traffic, we slow down, passing markets, schools, and morning routines most visitors never see.
After the walk, we arrive at a Mongolian home in a local apartment overlooking the city.
We drink herbal tea, play Shagai (a traditional ankle bone game), then cook Tsuivan from scratch, rolling the dough, cutting noodles, and cooking side by side, the way it’s made in homes across Mongolia.
By the time we sit down to eat, you’ve made it entirely with your own hands.
You leave with a recipe, a full stomach, and a perspective on Ulaanbaatar most visitors never find — not as a tourist, but as a guest in a local home.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet your host at the base of the Sukhbaatar statue at the center of Chinggis Square (Sükhbaatar Square), central Ulaanbaatar. Your host will be holding a "SEREY TRAVEL" sign and wearing a Serey Travel t-shirt — you won’t miss him. Reachable by bus, taxi or on foot from most central hotels.
The experience concludes at your host's apartment at approximately 2:30–3:00 PM. Guests can walk back to Chinggis Square along the Peace Avenue in about an hour, take a short taxi ride, or walk to the nearby public bus station where several buses run directly to Chinggis Square.
Itinerary
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1Sukhbaatar Square
Meet your host at the base of the Sukhbaatar statue at Chinggis Square (Sükhbaatar Square) — the symbolic heart of Mongolia. This is where your morning begins and where the story of modern Ulaanbaatar comes to life. Introductions, a brief orientation, and then we walk.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Choijin Lama Temple Museum
We pause outside one of Ulaanbaatar’s most quietly remarkable buildings. This was the residence of the brother of Mongolia’s last king — a distinction that helped spare it from Soviet-era destruction. Today it houses some of the finest Buddhist art in the country, hidden in plain sight on a busy city street.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3
We walk the grounds of a park your host has known since childhood. The monster mouth slide — three giant open jaws, each with its own slide — has been free since he was a boy and still draws the same crowds today. Some things in Ulaanbaatar don’t change.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4
A quiet open-air collection of Soviet-era locomotives beside the tracks. We pass through the railway district — unhurried, on foot, the way this neighborhood was meant to be seen.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5
We step inside. The scents reach you before anything else — Mongolian groceries, dairy products, the smell of a city feeding itself. This is where Ulaanbaatar shops. We take it in, unhurried.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6Ulaanbaatar Railway Station
We stop here. Before elementary school, your host noticed older kids buying soda from a nearby workshop and reselling it chilled at double the price. He tried it himself — and kept at it for several summers, helping feed a family of six while his teacher parents stretched one month’s salary across an entire summer break. This is where that story happened.
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7
A Mongolian Home: We arrive at a family apartment on the tenth floor, the neighborhood spread out below. The walk is behind us. We settle in over Mongolian herbal tea and Shagai — a traditional ankle bone game played in Mongolian homes for centuries. Then we move to the kitchen and make Tsuivan together from scratch. By the time we sit down to eat, you’ve made Mongolia’s most beloved noodle dish with your own hands. Guests return to the city center independently from here.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- The walk is approximately 7 km on mostly flat, paved streets — suitable for anyone in reasonable health and comfortable on their feet
- Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather — Ulaanbaatar’s climate changes quickly, so check conditions before your morning
- Children aged 10 and above are welcome, provided they are comfortable walking the full distance
- A vegetarian version of Tsuivan is available — please mention at time of booking
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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