Eat

Chinese Uighur Cafe

It serves spicy Uighur dishes with lots of vegetables and spices. It is a welcome departure from the normal meat and flour of Mongolian canteens.

coffee

Getting there: This hidden gem is in the bazaar near the entrance. Walk towards the main gate, walk past the jeeps, turn left at the gate, then make first left.
Hours: 11AM-5PM. Closed on Mondays
Price: 2500-5000 ₮

Directions Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: Ölgii, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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Bazaar
The bazaar is a sprawling collection of small shops, kiosks, and street vendors in the center of the city. Meat, vegetables, fresh dairy, and packaged food can be bought next to Chinese clothes and goods, next to local crafts makers and souvenir shops. Outside the market, you can find shared jeeps to various villages and neighboring provinces, outdoor billiards tables, and small cafes. The bazaar serves as a central gathering place for commerce in the province, and is a must see place in Ölgii. Safety or theft is not a big issue in the market though there may be drinking near the billiards tables.
Tue-Sun 12:00-18:00As of 2013, all parts of the market became free to enter
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This cooperative is a providing women with employment by sewing. They have some beautiful Kazakh embroidered bags, pillowcases, placemats, coats, Kazakh hats, and even Christmas stockings!
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Museum
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You should take time to visit it before heading out to the countryside to see the displays of Kazakh culture, local history, and wildlife. The 3-story museum has an entire floor dedicated to various tribes living in Bayan-Ölgii including the majority Kazakhs, Uriankhai, Dörvöd, Tuva, and Khoshuud, including a complete Kazakh ger (much larger and more colorful than Mongolian gers). There are also costumes and ancient artifacts from each tribe. The second floor has local history from the Communist era, and the ground level covers local wildlife, with many stuffed animals, and has a gift store full of Kazakh handicrafts. Outside is a small display of ancient small Turkic Stone Men (ones in countryside are much bigger).
8AM-noon, 2PM-4PMAdmission 5000 ₮, Photos 5000 ₮
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Kazakh Craft
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Starting at 3000 ₮ for a wallet over 200,000 ₮ for antique wall hangings