Mongolia Walks & Tours

Experience the daily pattern of Mongolia’s nomadic traditions by arranging a stay in a family’s ger

Mongolia’s biggest drawcard is its incredible scenery: choose from grass-covered steppes, sparkling lakes or forested high mountains and plan a hike or camping trip, or do as the locals do and grab a horse (and a guide!) and venture out into Mongolia’s pristine wilderness

Arrange a camel trek into the otherworldly expanse of the Gobi Desert

Explore the ruins of Karakorum, the 13th century capital of Genghis Khan’s Mongol Empire in the beautiful Orkhon Valley

Catch a performance of traditional Mongolian folk dance, music and throat singing in Ulaanbaatar

While in the capital, learn about Mongolia’s rich history with a visit to the Zanabazar Museum of Fine Art

Don’t miss the Naadam Festival, the country’s biggest annual party, where you can experience traditional costumes, dance, music, food and religious ceremonies as well as watch local men and women compete in a huge two-day tournament of the country’s three beloved ancient sports of wrestling, archery and horse racing

Shop for food, fresh produce, clothing, trekking gear, saddles, religious trinkets, traditional handicrafts, souvenirs and just about anything else you can think of at Ulaanbaatar’s giant Naran Tuul Market (nicknamed Khar Zakh or “Black Market”)—but beware of pickpockets and be sure to leave anything of value at home

See an entirely different side to Mongolia by visiting in winter: rug up like the locals do and head to the frozen Lake Khövsgöl for the annual Ice Festival, or watch fluffy Bactrian camels and their herders race and play polo at the Gobi Desert’s Thousand Camel Festival

Mongolia’s location deep within central-eastern Asia, at generally high elevation and latitude and far from the moderating effects of any ocean or significant body of water, gives it a classic continental climate with long cold winters, short mild-to-hot summers, and dramatic annual and diurnal (daily) temperature fluctuations.

A major feature of Mongolia’s climate is its zuds (or dzuds), harsh winter conditions that kill millions of head of livestock each year, devastating Mongolia’s pastoral economy and the livelihood of its people. Mongols classify four different types of zud: white, black, cold and ice/iron. The white zud occurs when heavy snow stops animals from accessing the grasses beneath. The black zud occurs when freezing temperatures and a lack of snow cause drought, depriving animals of grasses. The cold zud occurs when temperatures are so low that animals must conserve energy rather than graze. The ice/iron zud occurs when heavy rains freeze on the ground, stopping animals from accessing the grasses beneath. In each variation, millions of animals can be lost, and herders can face multiple zuds in a bad year.

Precipitation is generally low, with Mongolia being well known for its remarkable number of clear, sunny, blue-sky days, averaging between 220-260 per year. Pre-Buddhist animist Mongols worshipped the “Eternal Blue Sky”, and Mongolia is lyrically referred to as “The Land of Eternal Blue Sky”.

Having said that, the weather is unpredictable and can turn ugly in an instant, with thunderstorms, hailstorms, sandstorms, heavy rains, ice, snowfall and fierce blizzards being a part of life.

Mongolia experiences extreme annual and diurnal (daily) temperature fluctuations. The temperature can vary as much as 44°C (80°F) between January and July, and variations of up to 30°C (55°F) in happen a single day.

In the capital of Ulaanbaatar, average daily temperatures vary from a minimum of -25°C (-13°F) to a maximum of -14.4°C (7°F) in January; to a minimum of 10°C (50°F) to a maximum of 21.8°C (71°F) in July.

Mongolia is +8 hours ahead of UTC/GMT

Mongolian is the primary and official state language, spoken by 95% of the population. The language was written using the unique Mongolian vertical script until the 1940s, when it was replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet. The traditional alphabet is now being slowly reintroduced in schools, with the government planning to officially reinstate the traditional Mongolian alphabet at some point.

Many different dialects of Mongolian are spoken throughout the country, as well as other languages: Khamnigan Mongol, Kazakh, Tuvan and other Turkic languages.

Russian is the most common foreign language in Mongolia, followed by English. Korean is becoming increasingly common due to the many Mongolian ex-pats working in South Korea. Chinese, Japanese, German and various other European and Asian languages are also spoken.

Tögrög

USD cash is the most easily convertible currency although bear in mind that many other currencies such as AUD, GBP, NZD, CAD are also widely convertible in Ulaanabaatar.

In recent years ATMS have become very common in Ulaanbaatar, as well as vendors (big and small) accepting credit card/debit card payments. We recommend that whilst having some cash with you is always a good backup, withdrawing local currency via an ATM as the simplest way of procuring cash. TIP: You can withdraw cash at the airport on arrival with the help of the guide/driver who meets you. Just make sure your card is activated for overseas usage, and you know your card access details. Please note that ATMs in Mongolia do have maximum withdrawal amounts per transaction which is usually somewhere between 400,000-800,000 MNT. This may mean that before heading out into the remote country you make more than one withdrawal.

It is very difficult to change money outside of the capital Ulaanbaatar, so please ensure that whatever you intend to spend during the journey you have in local currency.

Please note that if bringing USD cash denominations less than $50 incur a poorer exchange rate.

ATMs outside Ulaanbaatar are few (they do exist in Olgiiy) and VERY unreliable.

Many shops and restaurants (only in Ulaanbaatar) accept visa, Mastercard, Amex and JCB.

Cash advances can be made at the banks for a fee.

+976

Electricity in Mongolia is 230 Volts, at 50 hertz. The most common pin type is C. (2 round prong).

Electricity in Mongolia is 230 Volts, at 50 hertz. The most common pin type is C. (2 round prong).

Your safety is our number one concern. Our safety track record is exemplary thanks to careful management and thorough consultation with local partners. Our industry leading risk management procedures have become a skill that we continue to refine. Our leaders in the field are highly trained and have safety as their number one priority. Expert leaders, risk assessments, quality inclusions and your financial security all come standard when you travel with us.

Please refer to our Travel Advisory page for updates on recent events, travel warnings and advice.

We strongly recommend that all clients take out travel insurance at the time of booking to cover against sickness, accident, loss of baggage, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption, emergency evacuation, cancellations, etc. Insurance information is enclosed with your pre-departure information. Please contact us if you would like to obtain a quote for your trip duration.

We suggest that you consult your doctor, local government inoculation centre or a travel medical specialist in order to get the most current advice regarding vaccination requirements.

Money and valuables should always be stored safely when travelling. Keep your passport with you at all times and do not leave it in your main luggage. You will need it to change money and check into hotels. Where safety deposit boxes are available, we recommend that you use them. Keep jewellery and valuables to a minimum.