Passport

A full passport is required for all of our holidays and this should be valid for at least six months after the completion of your trip. To secure your booking and avoid incurring additional charges, you must provide information on your booking form precisely as it is shown on your passport. Passport and visa regulations can change at short notice, so you are advised to check current entry requirements with your embassy before you travel.

Visa

You may require a visa to enter Mongolia. Your consultant will be happy to advise you on visa requirements.

Vaccinations

For some countries you will undoubtedly require vaccinations for your visit. But Mongolia is generally safe place to travel in terms of health and no specific vaccinations are required. You should consult a medical practitioner or travel clinic for specialist, up-to-date advice in advance of travel.

Health & Safety

You should be prepared to take responsibility for your own safety on holiday. You need to follow local advice, listen to the advice of your guide and not take risks. It is imperative that you have comprehensive medical insurance for your holiday.

Population

The current population is around 3.2 million. About 96% of the population is Mongolians, along with smaller groups of other descent.

Capital and Government

The capital is Ulaanbaatar, which has a population of almost 1,2 million. Mongolia is a parliamentary republic, officially called the Mongolia.

Payment Methods & Costs

ATMs are available in major towns and larger villages and major credit cards such as Visa, Master Card and American Express are accepted at major shops and restaurants in UB. Shops in remote areas and fuel service stations may only accept cash. Traveller’s cheques are accepted at some banks but often with a high surcharge. There are banks at main airports, border posts and major towns. US Dollars, British Sterling and Euros are the most easily exchanged currencies.

Language & Religion

Mongolian is the official language of Mongolia. English is taught in schools and spoken in urban areas. All guides and camp staff speak a good level of English. According to the latest census, 54% of the Mongolians identify as Buddhists, 39 % as not religious, 5 % as followers of the Mongol shamanic tradition, 4 % as Christians and 2% as Muslim (predominantly of Kazakh minority).

Area and Geography

Mongolia is landlocked in the heart of Eurasia, the greatest terrestrial mass of the globe. It is the 6th largest country in Asia and the 18th largest in the world occupying a territory of approximately 1.6 million square kilometers, about the same surface area as France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain and Portugal combined together. The terrain is one of mountains and rolling plateaus, with a high degree of relief.

Climate

Mongolia's climate can be described has highly continental dominated climate with warm summers and long, dry and very cold winter. Known as "the land of blue sky", Mongolia is a very sunny country and has usually about 250 sunny days a year. The country has the world's most typical continental climate with extreme diurnal and annual ranges of temperature. Average temperature in most of the country is below zero from November to March.

Communication

The international telephone code is +976, so you dial 00 976 from the outside Mongolia. To make an international call when in Mongolia you dial 00 plus the country code. Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage is mainly limited to the main inhabited areas. Internet is available in large towns and tourist centres.

Food & Drink

Restaurants and bars can be found in most towns. Although Mongolia is not really known for its cuisine, the standard of food in lodges and camps tends to be of a very high standard. Beef and lamb are the most popular meats, though chicken and pork are also widely available. Most camps and lodges stock a selection of wines to be enjoyed with meals.

Shopping

All major towns have shopping centres and supermarkets stocking basic commodities. There are also 24-hour convenience shops at most fuel service stations. Favourite purchases include Mongolian famous cashmere and antique.