mongolia faq

There are two ways  to get to Mongolia, by air or by train.

All direct flights come into Ulaanbaatar-most of them from Berlin, Moscow, Seoul, Tokyo, Istanbul or Beijing, provided by MIAT (Mongolian Airline), Aeroflot, , Korean Airlines and Turkish Airlines. The famous Trans-Siberian railway from Moscow to Beijing via Ulaanbaatar is also particularly exhilarating way  into the country.

Visas for leisure travel to Mongolia are quite easy to get, usually granted for a one month’s stay. it can be obtained from Mongolian embassies or consulates in your country.

If there is no Mongolian Embassy in your country, one month visas can be obtained on the spot once you arrive at the airport or railway border points. There will also be a visa fee of 53$ US. We will supply an official confirmation letter (by email or post) for your visa application once you book a trip with us.

Mongolia is one of the safest places in the world, but be aware of theft of your money or goods in public places in Ulaanbaatar and during public holidays. The cases are rare in countryside.

Kids should at least be 2 years old. Weather conditions, bumpy roads, standard meals (mostly meat) and sanitary facilities are not ideal for very young children. 

Mongolia is generally healthy to travel and no specific vaccinations are required. However some vaccines such as hepatitis A, B, poliomyelitis, typhoid, tetanus and rabies are recommended to be done few months before departure.

This of course depends on the type of trip you are taking, its length and the time of year. We recommend traveling as light as possible. Better to pack in portable bag rather than hard suitcases that are difficult to fit into vehicles and on the backs of camels or horses. A sturdy, comfortable pair of walking shoes or boots is an absolute. Travelers should bring shirts, sweaters, and jackets that can be worn in layers to suit a range of climates. Wash-and-wear clothing is preferable, although all hotels and tourist camps offer reliable laundry and dry cleaning services. The luggage limit on domestic flight is 15 kg, with a 2-3$ per kg surcharge depending on your destination. You can leave any items which are unnecessary for the countryside trip at the hotel. Some hotels charge for baggage storage, some not. 

A sturdy, comfortable boots for walking

Rubber slippers to wear in Ger camps

Rain coat

Warm coat or jacket

Scarf, hat and gloves (not in July or August)

Casual pants or shorts for man

Couple of casual dresses for woman

Long & Short sleeved T-shirts, shirts and sweaters (from each 2-3 pcs)

Headscarf or sun hat, and sunglasses.

Suntan lotion, lip balm

Common toiletries-included toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo and soap etc. (Mongolian tourist camps do not provide those things but you can buy them also from Mongolia).

Sanitary napkins, razor or maybe hair dryer

Mosquito spray, ear plugs, helmet (if horse riding) and a sleeping bag (depending on the type of trip)

Water plastic case with 1 liter of capacity

First aid kit or medicine box.

Pocket knife

Small electric converter and adapter plugs

Watch with alarm, torch

Camera, film, binoculars.

Hotels in Mongolia are star-rated by international standard, from one star to five stars. A 4-star hotel is just like any typical same standard hotels in Europe, or better: private bathrooms with tubs, TV, central air conditioning, direct long distance calls, restaurants service meals around-the-clock, post, shops, sauna, fitness, commercial center and beauty parlor are also available.

The tourist camps use traditional Ger (National dwelling of Mongolia) for accommodation and these sleep 2-4 people. The Ger camps also have a separate washing block that contains western style shower and toilet facilities. There are also laundry, restaurant (apart from dining you can also charge up camera batteries or other electric items), and souvenir shop. Click here to learn more about tourist camps

In Ulaanbaatar, there are variety of Mongolian, Western, Asian cuisine restaurants available, serving food at reasonable prices.

In countryside, all tourist camps provide western style buffet with juice, milk, eggs, sausages, cereals, and Mongolian traditional and organic milk products for breakfasts. Lunch and dinner are Mongolian traditional meat meals and European popular food.

Tap water is not drinkable except in some of the hotels. All hotel rooms and camps are supplied with a thermos of boiled water, to make tea or drink as you wish. Bottled water is recommended. It can be purchased for about $0.25 to $0.75 per bottle everywhere. Also we will supply mineral water during your trip.

Most of the major currencies (EURO, GBP, CNY, JPY, and RUB etc) are exchangeable to Mongolian National Currency (MNT) at any bank in Mongolia or most of the hotels in Ulaanbaatar. Mongolian National Currency is Tugrik. 1USD=1990 Tugrik (January 2016).You can check the rates from following link;

http://www.golomtbank.com\mn\home\rates.

Only a few banks accept and issue Traveler’s Check, but Credit cards are preferred over the Traveler’s Check.

Visa, MasterCard, American Express and JCB cards are acceptable in all major towns, also you can withdraw cash from any ATM.

Travel to a country far from your home, one should always expect the unexpected. It is part of the nature of travel. Travel insurance always helps. With a small sum of premium, it covers trip cancellation, baggage damage or loss, accidents on the trip,etc. We recommend that our clients purchase standard travel insurance through your insurance company.  

Tipping is now widely accepted and expected by tour guides, hotel staff and tour bus or car drivers, in recognition of their good service. In restaurants, if no tip is added to the bill, a 10 to 15 percent tip is advisable. Books, music tapes and personal items, as well as money, are appropriate tips for guides and drivers. It is best to ask your travel agent, Mongolian tour operator for the amount you should pay. Usually it is based on your group size and time you travel. For example, for a group of 16 people: hotel porter is $1 per member for helping with baggage, $2 per member per day to national guide and local guides respectively, $1 per member per day to bus drivers. Your group leader would collect the tips and give to the guide(s) and driver when the group is finishing the tour. 

Reservations including airfare must be made at least one month prior to travel. A typical package should be booked at least 3 months in advance. Those that include specialty items such as Naadam festival, as well as a visit to Ice festival in Khuvsgul Lake & Golden Eagle festival packages should be booked earlier as the departures are limited and sell out quickly.

Budget arrangement is basically local guest Ger accommodation. Local guest Gers are, normally local nomadic family run small businesses and rent extra Gers for travelers and it is attached to the main travel destinations. Comparing to the tourist Ger camps, local guest Gers doesn’t provide shower facilities and you will be served mainly Mongolian authentic dishes. Apart from that local guest Gers are comfortable enough, clean and if you are looking for cheaper options local guest Gers can be excellent choice. If you choose Budget arrangements you will see and enjoy everything’s as same as Standard arrangements and it is great way to discover Nomadic lifestyle in depth.