Frequently Asked Questions...

Table of Contents •    What is the best time to go? •    What months in Mongolia are considered Peak Season (High Season), Shoulder Season, and Low Season? •    When is the best time to travel to Gobi? •    When is the best time to travel to Khuvsgul Lake? •    How is the weather in Mongolia? •    What should I pack? •    How to get there? •    What documents do I need for entering Mongolia? •    How do I get a Mongolia visa? •    Are there any health requirements? Do I need immunizations to enter Mongolia? •    What are the baggage limits? •    I am quite confused with various versions I heard about tipping in Mongolia. What exactly is happening? •    How about the money stuff? •    How can we find a laundry? •    Why should I bring a converter? •    What suggestions do you have for the first-timers? •    What are the hotels like? •    Do we eat Mongolian food throughout the trip? •    Is the tap water drinkable? •    Is it safe for foreigners traveling in Mongolia? •    What about the Mongolian tour guides? •    What is the airport tax in Mongolia? •    Any suggestions for travel insurance? •    Do you offer travel insurance with your packages? •    Is the transportation included between the airport and hotels? •    Is language a problem there? •    How to contact my family when I travel in Mongolia? •    How do I check pricing & availability of a package listed on the site? •    How far in advance should I make my travel plans? What is the best time to go? Your best chance of good weather is, of course, at the height of summer in July and August, but it depends on the places to visit, the type of weather you like and your budget. Based on climate, most travelers would agree that the best time to visit Mongolia middle and south part - Mongolia most popular tourist cities, such as Gobi, Karakorum, Lake Khuvsgul, Gorkhi-Terelj NP. is June, early July, August and September. They are actually the traditional peak Seasons in Mongolia travel industry. The best season for Gobi desert and semi desert tour: from June till October. August to October is the best season to travel to Mongolia grassland. Best time to visit Gorkhi-Terelj N.P.: any time. May and September are good times to visit Mongolia: there's a better than average chance of good weather and the queues for popular attractions are hours shorter. During these periods the cost of getting to Mongolia is cheaper and you might even find some decent accommodation. If you don't mind braving the cold and shorter daylight hours, the cheapest fares and hotel prices are available from November to March. Off-season travel enjoys not only lower prices, but also a leisure pace and get more personal attentions due to less travelers on the tour sites. What months in Mongolia are considered Peak Season (High Season), Shoulder Season, and Low Season? Generally and traditionally, the Peak Season refers to July, August and September; the Shoulder Season refers to May and October; the Low Season (almost Off Season) refers to January, February, March, April, November and December. When is the best time to travel to Gobi? The best time to visit Gobi is between June and September. April and October are acceptable as far as weather goes, but all of tourist camps are closed in October. When is the best time to travel to Khuvsgul Lake? Autumn are probably the best times to visit Khuvsgul Lake if you want to avoid the July and August crowds. How is the weather in Mongolia? Spring:         March - June Summer:     June - September Fall:         September - November Winter:         November – February Mongolia is on the same latitude zone as the US and Europe. Some major tourist cities, Karakorum, Lake Khuvsgul, Khorgo-Terkh N.P. and Gorkhi-Terej N.P. share similar weather. Gobi is hotter than other highlights in same weather. What should I pack? Pack lightly, and bring casual clothes. A sturdy, comfortable pair of walking shoes is an absolute. A sports coat and tie for man, and one or two dresses or pantsuits for women, will suit the most formal occasions to be encountered in Mongolia. Travelers should bring shirts, sweaters, and jackets that can be worn in layers to suit a range of climates. Also a pair of comfortable walking shoes, as you is going to have a lot of hiking in sightseeing. Remember: dress for Comfort, not for Style. Wash-and-wear clothing is preferable, although all hotels and tourist camps offer reliable laundry and dry cleaning services. Suggested checking list: 1.    Passport and visa; 2.    Air tickets; 3.    Travel itinerary and contact names issued by your travel agent; 4.    Credit cards or travelers checks besides a couple of hundred dollar cash; 5.    Travel insurance; 6.    Medical assistance programs that you have; 7.    Common toiletries, cold and digestive medications, lip balm, sanitary napkins and any over-the-counter medicines you generally use; 8.    Razor, alarm clock and maybe hair dryer; (Most hotels have a hand hair-dryer in each room.) 9.    Small electrical converter and adapter plugs; 10.    Chewing gum, mints, or throat lozenges to keep your mouth moist. 11.    Reading materials, including a guidebook on the places you will see and a map; A novel could also be good when you are stuck at an airport; 12.    Suntan lotion and sun glasses in summer. Raincoat if you go in July and August for independent tour; 13.    Camera & films. While print films are available almost everywhere, negative film may be difficult to find, and be sure to pack extra batteries; 14.    A notebook, a calculator and a pen you might need any moment. How to get there? Air service from Germany, Russia, Mongolia, Korea and Japan gateways to capital city o Mongolia are provided by MIAT (Mongolian Airline), Aeroflot, Air Mongolia, Korean Airlines, it takes around 2-8 hours to reach Mongolia. How do I get a Mongolia visa? Visas for leisure travel to Mongolia are quite easy to get, usually granted for a one month’s stay. Your travel agent or visa services can also help you, or it can also be obtained from Mongolian embassies or consulates. Are there any health requirements? Do I need immunizations to enter Mongolia? Travelers are advised to check with their doctors before visiting Mongolia. You should bring any special health remedies or medications you require, as well as over-the-counter items. For traveling into countryside, immune globulin is also recommended to combat hepatitis A, as is typhoid immunization. Travel to high-altitude areas such as Western Mongolia is not recommended for those with pulmonary or heart problems. The health quarantine service has the right to prevent any foreigner suffering from AIDS, venereal disease, leprosy, mental illness, or active tuberculosis from entering Mongolia. What are the baggage limits? As different airlines have varying policies, you should check with your carrier for restrictions and allowances. For domestic Mongolia flights, you are allowed to check in few piece of luggage under 10 or 15 kilograms (30 pounds) total. The fee for extra baggage or overweight baggage could be so high as to be prohibitive. The liability of the airlines is limited for lost or damaged luggage. Passengers may apply for insurance coverage above the minimum value for checked luggage. There is no luggage restriction on domestic trains, but travelers who are not part of an organized tour would have to carry their own bags as few porters are available to help. Travelers to Mongolia are advised to take only one suitcase and one carry-on bag. I am quite confused with various versions I heard about tipping in Mongolia. What exactly is happening? Although officially prohibited, 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. How about the money stuff? The official currency is the Tugrug (MNT). Denominations come in 20000 Tugrug, 10000 Tugrug, 5000 Tugrug, 1000 Tugrug, 500 Tugrug, 100 Tugrug and 50 Tugrug. Each Tugrug consists of 100 Mungu. The official exchange rate at this time is 1175 tugrug to 1 U.S dollar. Visitors are advised to carry credit cards – Visa and MasterCard - and traveler’s checks that can be accepted by most hotels and major stores and can be exchanged for cash of MNT. Keep the receipt of the transaction as you might need when you leave Mongolia to change your US dollars back in Bank at the airport. How can we find a laundry? Laundering services are available in hotels and tourist camps, usually through the floor attendant or housekeeping. One-day dry cleaning and pressing services are offered at better hotels. Why should I bring a converter? Throughout Mongolia, 220 volt/50 cycle is used. Appliances designed to operate at 110 volts will need a Converter, although some 4 & 5 star hotels are wagered for use of 110-volt electrical appliances. Two-phase and three-phase sockets are commonly used in hotels. You may also need an adapter plug in order to use your electrical appliances. In case you forget it, try to ask the room service. What suggestions do you have for the first-timers? Join a group and visit the most popular places before you explore this special world by your own. With a mind of adventures and good will, expecting minor changes or not smooth minutes due to cultural or material differences, relax yourself and enjoy your trip. The Mongolian people are friendly to foreign visitors, your guides would be trained, experienced and your most reliable help. Follow his directions and your trip will be smooth and most enjoyable. What are the hotels like? Hotels in Mongolia are star-rated by international standard, from one star to five stars. A 4-star hotel is just like Holiday Inn, Days Inn, etc. in the United States, 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. Do we eat Mongolian food throughout the trip? All breakfasts are western style buffet with juice, milk, eggs, sausage, cereals, and Mongolian traditional and pure nature milk products. Lunch and dinner are Mongolian traditional meat meals and European popular food. Is the tap water drinkable? Tap water is not drinkable except in some of the hotels. All hotel rooms 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. Try to find the brand-named. Is it safe for foreigners traveling in Mongolia? Mongolia is a very safe place for foreigners to visit. Even minor crimes are punished severely, especially if related to foreigners. Vendors at some sightseeing locations may be persistent but are usually polite. Just ignore them if you don’t want to buy something. If you travel with a guide, just follow the guide and his direction. If you explore alone, be alert and use common sense. What about the Mongolian tour guides? Mongolia has hundreds of trained and licensed tour guides. Some of them are professors, librarians, and teachers, working part time. There are exams once in a couple of years. Only the passed are qualified to work. Mongolia’s travel companies are categorized into three classes. Class 1 can work directly with foreign tour operators. Tour guides working for this class are usually more experienced. English language is the first foreign language and most spoken by tour guides. They work according to pre-arranged schedules by his employer and talking about your tour sites is his basic job. Beyond these, he has to talk with the person who sends him. What is the airport tax in Mongolia? Airport tax (they call it airport construction fee) is of 3000 tugrug (about US$3) per airport. This fee must be paid in cash before check-in. Any suggestions for travel insurance? 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. Check your travel agent for more detailed programs. Do you offer travel insurance with your packages? We also offer separate coverage through outside companies offering a broad range of     protection for situations such as medical emergencies, weather, luggage loss or delays, and other coverage of Mongolian insurance companies. Both options will be discussed with you prior to booking to see which would provide the best coverage, at the best price. Is the transportation included between the airport and hotels? In most instances if the airfare is booked with the package transfers are complimentary. If you make your own air arrangements, there may be a charge incurred to use the group transfers. Is language a problem there? Mongolian is spoken throughout Mongolia, and Most people in Bayan-Ulgii speak Kazakh and Mongolian. English is the first foreign language of Mongolia and becoming more and more common. In areas frequented by tourists, you won’t have problem using English. How to contact my family when I travel in Mongolia? You can always use the hotel telephone. But be aware that it could be as expensive as US$2 per minute. On the Lake Khuvsgul, it could be $15 per minute as they are using satellite telephone. Suggestions: #1: leave the phone numbers at home and ask them to call you; #2: send faxes from the business centers at the hotels; #3: send emails from those business centers at the hotels; How do I check pricing & availability of a package listed on the site? To check availability & pricing, simply call 00976-303106. Agents are available from Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Mongolia - Time Zone +8) Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. year round, and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. June to October. If you prefer, you can email your request to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it How far in advance should I make my travel plans? Reservations including airfare must be made at least 21 days prior to travel. Land only bookings can be made up to 10 days prior to travel.  A typical package should be booked 4 to 5 months in advance. Those that include specialty items such as Naadam festival, Trans Siberian train tours as well as a visit to Ice festival in Khuvsgul Lake & Gobi Sunrise package should be booked earlier as the departures are limited and sell out quickly. More questions? Feel free to contact us.