Notes / Mongolia: where dinosaur eggs were found
Mongolia: where dinosaur eggs were found
In 1923 an expedition dug up dinosaur eggs in the Gobi. Here is the country they came from, and what to know before going.
Long ago, dinosaurs laid eggs in Mongolia. On 13 July 1923, Roy Chapman Andrews's expedition found some of them in the Gobi. The eggs were first thought to be Protoceratops eggs. Later they were assigned to Oviraptor. The expedition was one of the Central Asiatic Expeditions led by the American Museum of Natural History.
Sand that rises high
The Khongoryn Els dunes sit in the far south of the Gobi. They rise to about 80 metres, and their tops can reach 300 metres.
Most people live in one city
Ulaanbaatar, the capital, is home to roughly half of Mongolia's population. Its city proper had about 1.8 million people in 2025. It is the usual starting point for trips into the countryside.
Kharkhorin, a small town, is linked to Karakorum, the Mongol Empire's capital in the 13th century. The town has about 14,800 people (2017).
When to go
Summer is the main visiting season, roughly June to September. Most rain falls in July and August. Naadam, the national festival, is held in mid-July. Winters are below freezing.
Something to eat
Buuz are steamed meat dumplings, a staple of Mongolian cooking and widely sold in Ulaanbaatar. Airag, fermented mare's milk, is the most prominent national beverage. Salted milk tea with butter is another everyday favourite.