Mongolia

If you have the luxury of coming on a trip at any time of year (rather than only when your boss will give you time off), there are several things to consider.

Temperature

If you like it warm, come at the peak of summer in July/August, when the land is green and lush. For crisp, sunny days, Sept/Oct is ideal, once the heat of summer has passed. An early season trip in June will allow you to see Mongolia's incredible diversity of wildflowers. If you really don't want to see anyone else, a winter trip is for you.

Bugs

Mongolia's reputation for having lots of annoying insects is rather over-rated in our opinion. But if you really don't like the odd mosquito having a nibble, come in Sept/Oct when temperatures start to drop.

Festivals

Mongolia has several festivals that you should try to see if possible, ranging from the small and quirky Yak Festival, through to the full spectacle of Naadam in Ulaanbaatar. Several of our trips are timed so they include one of the festivals (eg the Eagle Festival), or so you can include one as an add-on before or after your main trip.

Our treks generally run between June and early October, but we can arrange trips at any time of year.

For all our Mongolia trips, you need to arrive in Ulaanbaatar on or before Day 1. The group meets in the evening for our first dinner together, before leaving for the countryside the next day. If necessary, you can arrive late in the evening of Day 1 – missing the first meet-up is not the end of the world. A more serious issue is if you arrive in the evening but your luggage doesn't, leaving little chance to find extra clothing etc before leaving the next day.

If you also get delayed, rather than just your luggage, and you don't arrive on Day 1, no worries, we will arrange for you to catch up with the group (you won't be the first person to experience this).

Book your return flight for Day 17, or later. We plan to be back in Ulaanbaatar in the evening of Day 16. If you would like more time to see Ulaanbaatar, arrive on 'Day 0', or stay on after the trip. We recommend one to two days as a good amount of time to spend in the city. We can help with extra accommodation.

Along the way in Mongolia we stop and drink tea with the local nomadic people in their gers. Ger etiquette is a minefield, so we will explain the do’s (eg. place your right hand under your left elbow when receiving or giving things) and the don’ts (eg. touch another person’s hat). As long as you make an effort to get things right (eg. always shake someone’s hand if you step on their foot) you will be forgiven for minor transgressions.

Yes there is (and not because it's unsafe). You probably like to get off the beaten track which is why you are interested in Mongolia. It's worth remembering that even Mongolia has a 'beaten track' so knowing where NOT to go is just as important as knowing where you should go.

Our top picks of places you might like to think about NOT visiting are Lake Khovsgol, Terelj, and the tourist hot-spots of the Gobi.

There are of course good reasons why so many people who visit Mongolia end up going to these same places. They're certainly beautiful, but then Mongolia is full of beautiful places. People tend to get funneled there because they're on the itineraries of every tour company, and it's the easy option. That's fine as long as you don't mind being amongst a throng of other tourists.

The great thing about Mongolia is that it is still possible to go to incredibly beautiful parts of the country where your chance of seeing another foreigner is extremely low. We recommend getting off the beaten track and experiencing the real Mongolia!

Mongolian! If you know Russian, you may find someone who understands you, particularly older people. It is rare to find a Chinese-speaker, and best not to try it out on a stranger. Not everyone looks favourably on their neighbour to the south. Russia on the other hand is often viewed more like an old friend.

It is extremely rare to find English-speakers in the countryside, but in Ulaanbaatar there are young people keen to practice their English with you. Learning a few key words and phrases in Mongolian is useful, and sure to get a laugh out of the locals. We provide you with a small card for your pocket listing important words, especially horse-related ones.

We can provide helpful tips on what to see and do in Ulaanbaatar, when you have an extra day or two before or after your trip with us.

For the must-see sites of Ulaanbaatar start with KAYAK's handy guide to the city: Ulaanbaatar Travel Guide

Many people arrive in Ulaanbaatar a day or two early, or stay on after their trip, so we are happy to arrange extra accommodation for you at the hotel we use. We can also recommend other more basic options (guesthouses), or somewhere for a little extra luxury after your days spent camping in the wilderness.