my trip to Mongolia

helloooo ~ I was asked to help a few friends recently so i thought to share some travel details from my month long trip to Mongolia. Check out this page below for informations about guides, trip ideas, respecting the culture, and some more. I’ve also uploaded some photos if you want to see what i saw. I hope this helps!!! Feel free to get in touch. 🙂

📸 photo album

mongolia 2024

mongolia 2024 film files 🎞️

you made it!! — arrival notes..!

• Pre-arriving… make sure your visa is in check: for example, US passport = 90 days visa-free. If you stay longer, register as a temporary resident in the first 7 days.
• Download Google Map (here’s mine, click map below!) and download Offline Maps on Wifi before arriving.

• Airport to UB: I took the shared bus/taxi option from the arrivals area that leaves every ~20 ish minutes (when they have enough people) and it was a van for 8ish people, cost me about $20USD (I think) and took an hour or two. Expect traffic.
• UB Bus App: Download
• UB Cab App: Download
• Bus fare: ₮500 (get charge card at CU store)
• Buy charge card from CU or TUTS bus stop station stores Fixed amount no matter where you go (500 tugrik)
• VPN: Windscribe
• Banking App: Golomt Bank
• SIMs: Mobicom (english app), and Unitel (best coverage), or Hotspot (i never do this, but maybe you like this route)

Packing… depends on you. Camping gear maybe. What do you already have? Are you backpacking?

• You can buy tons of stuff at good prices on Facebook marketplace or at the local Narantuul market or Sunday market. Windbreaker. Rain gear. Horse riding pants and boots (I used shin-height rain boots), etc. There’s a lot of flies in the Olgii region when we started our horse trip. Cover your skin! Use a face mask. UV and Rain hats. Gloves for holding the horse reigns. etc. etc.

• Recommend to buy traditional clothing called Deel (like a kimono) and lighter weight is called Terleg. Great for hiking. Of course also Vodka: Golden Chingis and Arkhi brands. Bring wet wipes for toilets Cashmere, “Gobi” brand is nice.

my rough trip itinerary

• Week 1: Naadam Festival in UB, purchased ticket through seller that arrived to my hostel (UB Guesthouse)
• Week 2: Horse trek in Khagiin Khar Nuur (Black Lake, Töv Province)
• Week 3: Altai Mountains & Malchin Peak (Bayan-Ölgii)
• Week 4: UB

Töv Province

• Khagiin Khar Nuur (Хагийн Хар Нуур / Khagiin Black Lake)
• 1-week guided horse trip through forest and lakes

Altai Mountains (Bayan-Ölgii)

• Hike Malchin Peak and glacier
• Fly there, long bus back to UB
• Kazakh eagle hunters

future trips wishlist

• Tsagaan Suwraga Hural
• Khongor Sand Dunes (Gobi Desert sand dunes)
• Gobi in general (October is good)

Local guides

I found local facebook groups the best way to go. It’s what the mongolians use and gives you a more authentic and sometimes cheaper experience if you’re up for it, and flexible on dates etc. It meant i had to pay via bank transfer prior to the tour date, but i felt i trusted the guide, and it turned out incredible 🙂

• facebook group to find some trips: Хагийн хар нуурын морин аялал/ДУРСАМЖ БҮТЭЭ /Guide: Tumenbayar Enkhtur (@tumen_travel)
• Otgonbat Uuganaa – the Advisor of Mongolia
• Nurmukhamed Battur https://www.instagram.com/motonomadrally
• Saruul & Gergeous Mongolia 🙂
• Dorjjav Erdene @dorj_jav
• https://www.reddit.com/user/Harry-Profit 
• Breanna Wilson https://meanwhileinmongolia.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/bekkulman
• https://www.facebook.com/bagabandi.tumurhuyag
• https://www.instagram.com/Aylagch_bek
• Driver Hizirhan Gainolla on FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551801872430

ulaanbataar notes

I stayed at UB Guesthouse dorm room, and also an Airbnb on my return visit.

Naadam

• Races happen outside the city — arrive early or camp, traffic will be bad. I didn’t go. You take bus from capital to Hui 7 Hudag (the place where you can see the horse racing) or hitchhike or share a car from your hostel.
• Get tickets early (ask “Ider” at Mongolian Vision Guesthouse)

Day trips from UB

• Selenge (two night trains and one full day, about 100,000-150,000 tugrik for taxi for the day)
• Energy center at Khamriin Khiid Monastery

Some places to check out:

• Narantuul Market
• Naadam Festival (July 11–13)
• PlayTime Music Fest (July 4–7)
• Language exchange happens at The Bridge restaurant, Thursdays at 7PM
• Gyms: Nadaam Club Gym (mall) and Shangri-La gym & pool

A word of caution on pick-pockets. I got my phone jacked walking near a bar with some friends, the area got tight for 10 seconds and my phone was gone. Luckily i was able to activate Lost my iPhone and set a homescreen message with my friends number to help retrieve it. Long (funny) story involving police station, language interpreters, cigarettes, facebook marketplace groups, ATMs, and a 2am meetup to get my phone back. Basically the police can’t do anything if you don’t go by their (super bureaucratic) processes. Next time, go to police right away and they can file the report and check cc-tv. I think UB is one of the top 5-10 in the world for phone jacking, so be careful na.

Some culture tips

• Respecting nature ~ there’s some incredible respect for nature in this country. For example, i experienced a distinction of our human dirt and the pure, clean nature, for example trying not place dirty foods or chemicals into fresh water sources. Washing with soaps, or shampoo, should be done with a bucket away from the main lake or river (also using restroom). There’s also a myth about talking bad in nature (even a joke about how much a hike is difficult), there’s some saying that the karma of nature hears you and will get back to you.
• Hold your right elbow with your left hand when you give and receive stuff, like money, or a shot glass.
• Gift-giving: Small gifts for nomads — lighters, toys, soap, vodka, perfume samples
• Respect: Apologize immediately and/or shake hands if you bump feet (on bus, or anywhere)
• Sometimes…gender roles: Men serve first; women may not sit beside unrelated men
• A nice saying: “Invest in good shoes — they’ll take you to good places.”
• Be prepared: Locals use back braces for long drives and horse rides. You should too.
• Transport reality: LOTS of traffic, and LOTS of white Priuses
• “margash” is a concept that’s like the Mongolian version of “mañana” or “island time” which means if someone says we will leave at 7am expect it to be closer to 9/10am

Some words to use, or not

Bayarlalaa	Thank you (Mongolian)
Rakmet	Thank you (Kazakh)
Za za za	Okay, alright
Shaaa	“F**k”
San-ban-oh	Hello
Thai-a-way	Let’s go

Some foods to try

• Khuushuur – Fried meat dumplings
• Tsuivan – noodle dish with meat and vegetables.
• bifshteks – beef steak 🙂
• Buuz – steamed dumplings
• Pirozhki dumplings
• guriltai shul – soup with meat and fried noodles
• khorkhog, lamb or goat meat
• Suutei tsai – Salty milk tea
• Goat milk cream with fresh bread (served in ger)
• Fresh goat liver — offered after butchering
• Boortsog – Fried dough snacks
• Raisin juice – Sweet and local
• Boodog – Goat/marmot BBQ with hot stones inside
• note ~ be careful in the wild (on horse treks, or in ger tents), i got a little food sick from a very appealing khuushuur dumpling, it was too greasy and i’m not sure if the meat was good! bring some stomach meds.

🐴 horse trek research

i found them all to be a bit expensive, so i booked through a facebook group (linked at the beginning, recommend use translator and finding activities on there)

Horse Trails Mongolia

• Contact: Amaraa
• ~$170/day
• horsetrailsmongolia.com
• Itinerary plan (google doc): Western Mongolia: fly to Ulaangom and go to lake, drive to Kharkhiraa Turgen Mountains (desert to snow), horse to Yamaat Ibex Mountains (Altai Mountains), Erees Davaa (Zig Zag Pass) and Olon Nuur valley, Bor An (Red Valley) and Glacier Valley, Narrow Ridge (still Kharkhiraa Mtns), Hargait Valley, Khagi, Boom (Damn), Khovd River, drive to Olgii town (eagle hunting), fly back UB.

Saraa’s Horse Trek Mongolia

• Remote, less touristy options
• Tsaatan trek
• Zavkhan desert trek

others ~

• Sunpath Mongolia (Contact: Doljmaa Songorov)
• Zavkhan Trekking (Contact: Jen, ver expensive)
• Keltic Nomad Travel (semi-solo experience, contact Khandsuren Tsetsenkhuu)
• Equus Journeys (contact Iris and Francisca)
• Randocheval

🏍️ Motorbiking in Mongolia

I’d love to take a trip with an Enduro. Look at my guide friend above (Nurmukhamed Battur) and reach out if you’re interested.

Routes

• UB → Terelj → Elsen Tasarkhai (Mini Gobi) → Orkhon Valley
• Gobi Desert loop
• Self-guided ideas: Motorbike Terelj Route

Rentals & tours:

• Motorbike Mongolia
• Motonomad Rally
• Cheke Bikes

Check out The Hu as one of Mongolia’s top bands, they sometimes perform around Naadam time, and if so, I highly recommend going!

a nice documentary about nomadic life:

My trip recap videos

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enjoy this beautiful place ❤

-steff