US Dollar are often accepted, especially in Ulaanbaatar, but it is also useful to carry some cash in the local currency, Mongolian currency is Tugrik that costs 1 dollar 3450 Tugrik in any banks in Mongolia will be more than happy to exchange your currency, as will most of the hotels you will stay in.
Other
The tourist camp is traditional ger (national dwelling of Mongolia) for accommodation and these sleep the people. The ger camps also have a separate washing block that contains western style flushing toilets in cubicles and shower cubicles. There are also laundry, eating, shopping facilities and electric items
Mutton, rice and noodles from the bases of the Mongolian diet, so your meals will be based around this. However, the trail rations may include vegetables, egg, peanut butter, cheese and sometimes yak! Tourist camps provide western meals. Please let us know in advance if you are a vegetarian.
The tap water in the cities is safe to drink, but mineral water is recommended. We will supply mineral water during your trip.
The official and spoken language of the county is Mongolian. Many people know Russian as their second language as they were taught this at school. An increasing number of people are now also speaking English. It is appreciated by locals if travels learn some basic Mongolian before their trip. A few words are surprisingly easy to master and will help tremendously in communicating with local people. They are spoken some English phrase words.
There is a great variety of night time entertainment in Ulaanbaatar. There are a number of concerts and cultural performances, from Opera to traditional Mongolian throat singing performances that can be seen at the Opera Theatre or the Drama Theatre. Several new bars, some with outdoor seating have been opened in the center of town. For night clubbers a number of venues have opened recently playing a mixture of Western and Mongolian modern music. Dining out is becoming a good option with a variety of international restaurants on offer
Mongolian roads are often very bad. Constantly changing or disappear altogether due to bad weather. There are some paved roads in countryside but due to the large potholes it is often more comfortable driving on a dirt road.
Medical service are available everywhere. All necessary expenses connected with any medical treatment have to be paid by the patient.
You can ride horse even if you have never ridden a horse. We have experienced guides who will teach you how to ride horse. However your trip could be slower than expected for the first time.
Yes, you can be assured that it is safe. There has never been reported case in someone was hurt by an animal while staying overnight in a tent. Furthermore, risk from human is minimal. In the countryside the Mongolian people are very peaceful and try to show their hospitality to outsiders. We have not had any such problems in the past.
Unfortunately, this is not guaranteed. But if you are traveling along the popular tourist route, you will be able to take hot shower everyday.
Mobile services are getting widely connected throughout the country with central towns and villages. By 2008 all towns and villages will be connected by mobile services completely. GSM and CDMA both used. Pre-paid international call cards are widely used.
The driving distance is at maximum of 350km per day and average one is 190km. Average distance for hiking is 16km per day. For horses and camel riders are 25-30km per day. For experienced riders, who want to gallop on horseback, it will be 40-50km. Generally, this depends very much on the terrain.
Adventure tours, hiking and horse riding tours are graded based upon the average daily distance to be covered, the terrain and likely weather conditions. Other classic tours and jeep expeditions is with vehicle support.
You should bring warm, water or wind proof clothes, a hat or headscarf to protect you from the sun and winds would be good idea to have. You need insect repellent, sun cream, water purifying tablets and all your camera equipment.
Payment
Mongolia is the best place to buy cashmere product, sweaters, gloves, scarves, dresses, blanket, etc. As the country is one of the world’s producers of raw cashmere it offers very competitive prices as well as good design and quality. Variety of art crafts and souvenirs attract to foreign travelers. Mongolia has unique nomadic culture and arts.
Preparation
In Ulaanbaatar you will stay in hotel. During any trips around the country, you will be camping in tents and in traditional Mongolian Ger. All accommodation offered by our company is personally checked by our staff to ensure high standards.
Internet cafes have hit Ulaanbaatar and there are numerous internet cafes along the street in the city. Hotels usually have a business and internet rooms. There is central post office in Ulaanbaatar where you can buy nice stamps, postcards and envelopes. There are some internet services and postal services in small towns in countryside. The post is reasonably reliable although it may take some time to reach its destination.
Can I charge my camera batteries or electric items in my ger camp? The standard voltage in Mongolia is 220V. Mostly sockets that accept round twin forks are used. If your gadget plug has flat forks you need fork adapter/converter. Also you can charge up camera batteries and plug other electric items in the ger camps.