Ölgii, Mongolia · UTC+7 ☆

Ölgii is in the Hovd Time timezone (HOVT/UTC+7). Western Mongolia’s provinces use this offset while the rest of the country runs on UTC+8, with no daylight saving.

Ölgii is Mongolia’s westernmost provincial capital, sitting at 1,710 meters in the Altai mountains near where Mongolia, Russia, and China come close together.[4] The city is the capital of Bayan-Ölgii province, which is around 93% Kazakh,[3] making it the heart of Mongolia’s Kazakh community, a people who began settling in this region from the mid-19th century onward, with a significant wave seeking Mongolian citizenship in 1912, and who have maintained their language, culture, and eagle-hunting traditions in these remote mountains.

Mongolia’s western provinces use IANA Asia/Hovd, UTC+7, year-round. The rest of Mongolia is on UTC+8. Ölgii’s western timezone offset reflects its position at the far edge of the country. No daylight saving applies.

At 48.8 degrees north at high altitude, Ölgii has an extreme continental climate. Winters are severe: temperatures can drop below -40 degrees, and snow covers the ground from October through April. Summers are short and intense. The Altai light in summer, at nearly 16 hours of daylight, is brilliant and sharp at this altitude.

eagle hunters of the Altai

The Golden Eagle Festival, held each autumn in the nearby countryside, has become internationally known. Eagle hunters demonstrate the ancient Kazakh practice of hunting with trained golden eagles, timed to the autumn hunting season before winter closes the mountains.

9am in Ölgii is 2am in London.

Read more about time in Mongolia →