Mongolia is calling

[SuePa]

Thanks for sharing your trip. I'll be there in a few weeks, so it was handy to get a few insights.
Somehow, I don't think I'll be enjoying the food.

 

[craven morehead]

I’m heading to Mongolia, it has been a place that I’ve wanted to go to for a while and over the years I have planned to get there but it has not worked out. It was on the 2024 plan then dropped off and then came back. I have done little planning other than to find a tour that will see me staying with a couple of nomadic families. The only questions I asked was around electricity (to recharge devices) and the ability to connect to the internet and cell coverage. Turns out the only electricity is 12v from solar and the cell coverage should work in most locations. My MiL has taken more interest in the trip and had sent me links to YouTube videos some of which had useful information and I will cover these as the trip progresses.
I am just winging it, 3 days in Ulaabatar, a 5 day tour and a final night in the city. When I say winging it everything about this trip has been fluid, it was only last night (around 36 hours prior to departure) I cancelled all my flights and rebooked in order to avoid a long layover in Japan and Korea, now going via Hong Kong and Korea and will arrive at UBN some 10 hours earlier than originally planed.

So let the journey begin.
ADL QP
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My travel to SYD was originally in J but as I cancelled and rebooked the original flights 36 hours prior to departure I couldn’t get QF J so Y it was but I did have a shadow.
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Like most early morning flights out of SYD Int the connections from ADL may not work so I am staying at the Rydges.
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Sounds very interesting

 

[Justinf]

Loved this although you should have gone in winter you woos

 

[Matt_01]

Were you able to communicate with the host families in any meaningful way? Are they generally happy with their current lifestyle?

At the start of the tour I was provided with a small booklet that had how to communicate with the hosts at a basic word/phrase level, e.g. hello, good by, good afternoon/ evening how to introduce yourself ask names etc. and was advised the hosts appreciate you trying to communicate at this level. All other communications was via the interpreter and they are willing to let you know herd sizes, were they move from/ to details of their history, and family. On family this is very important to them so it is best to bring photos of any family you have as they will be keen to know about your family and see pictures. If you are staying with them they will be keen to show you how they make butter, yogurt and other foods, you will also may be offered to assist in making things like dumplings and they seemed to have a laugh at my lake of ability and I would suggest that if you know how to make them they would be impressed. The hosts would generally spend time with you on arrival and at meal times and between these times they get on with doing what they do on a daily basis and are quite happy for you to watch, be involved and ask about daily life. For my tour the guide was never very far away and if I wanted to asked a question that I was not sure if I should ask I would check with her first. The 2 families I stayed with were very different and these details were posted up thread. As for life style they generally seem happy with their choice. Under Russian control the nomadic way of life was essential forbidden although there were still some, when the Russians left in 1990 almost a third of the population chose to return to the nomadic life.

It is not an easy life style choice and my guide informed me her family were nomads however when she was young there was a very bad winter and they lost all their animals and her parents decided to move to the city.

 

[Matt_01]

Thanks for sharing your trip. I'll be there in a few weeks, so it was handy to get a few insights.
Somehow, I don't think I'll be enjoying the food.

Are you going on a tour, if you are the tour operator will most likely give you details for phases and the do's and don'ts and there are a few of these. @Mattg is also heading to Mongolia in a few weeks I have given him my book. Provided you give the tour operator and special food needs they should be able to accomodate these. I will write up a summary of the trip but have not yet got to that.

 

[Matt_01]

Loved this although you should have gone in winter you woos

I am aware that Ulaanbaatar is the coldest Capital City in the world. During conversation with the senior host at the second family he informed me that in his winter location it can get down to -40c and wanted to know what was the coldest place I had been to. Through the guide I let him know it was -29c in Harbin, China he gave a smile nodded and responded. The guide interpreted his response and informed me he was impressed and I have been invited back to say with him in the winter. The the senior host at the second family was quite a character and very accomodating.

 

[Matt_01]

On the way home the Annual Asian Lounge crawl was on and I had put my hand up to run it. I will not post details as they can be found here and I am handing back the reigns to Jess.

 

[Mattg]

Thanks for sharing your trip. I'll be there in a few weeks, so it was handy to get a few insights.
Somehow, I don't think I'll be enjoying the food.

When are you going? I'll also be in Mongolia in a few weeks.

I saw @Matt_01 on the weekend at the AFF lounge crawl and it was good to hear first-hand about his experience.

 

[SuePa]

Are you going on a tour, if you are the tour operator will most likely give you details for phases and the do's and don'ts and there are a few of these. @Mattg is also heading to Mongolia in a few weeks I have given him my book. Provided you give the tour operator and special food needs they should be able to accomodate these. I will write up a summary of the trip but have not yet got to that.

When are you going? I'll also be in Mongolia in a few weeks.

I saw @Matt_01 on the weekend at the AFF lounge crawl and it was good to hear first-hand about his experience.

I'm arriving in Ulaanbaatar 10th July and joining a tour with Wild Frontiers 13th July. I didn't realise when I booked, but I'll be there for one of the major festivals called Naadam. I decided not to go to the opening ceremony, but I'm sure it will make the city more lively.

 

[Matt_01]

Just my thoughts as Mongolia was a place I had wanted to go for a while but timing had not worked out. In no particular order after my first visit:

• I'm I glad I went and would I go back - Yes
• Can you get there from AU on FF points only - pre covid with OW you could if flights were available using QF and CX. Post covid CX have not yet resumed flights to UBN, but it is possible with *A and Sky Team however this was all to difficult so this trip was a combination of OW rewards and revenue flights with MIAT.
• Do you need local currency (Tugrik) - if travelling out of Ulaanbaatar I would highly recommend it, some places like the major road side stops will accept credit cards, local towns most likely not.
• Most things to see in Ulaanbaatar are within a 1km radius of Sukhbaatar Square, the accomodation may be considered a little more expensive but IMO still reasonably priced.
• The traffic in Ulaanbaatar is nuts - on one day it took around 3 hours to move 7-10km.
• If going on a tour think about what you want to see and the tour size. I picked a small group max of 4 min of 2. I ended up paying for 2 and I was the only one on it. Tours like these leave daily all year round on certain days of the week. I was able to find one that worked for the time I had available. Sure I had to pay for 2 PAX but it was essentially private tour (at half the cost) and there were were a couple of side visits and things that were not on the program that I really enjoyed.
• Back onto the tours - when booking consider looking at the size as when talking to my guide some large groups get to 'visit the Nomads but do not stay with them' also some tours stay in camps which is tent accomodation and they bring along their own cooks. Also not all Ger Tourist Camps are the same, in some camps the bathrooms/ loos were in the Ger and considered luxury. Some camps are more traditional Gers and have bathrooms/ loos (flushing) that are in shared facilities and others are just Ger accomodation with squats.
• From above BYO loo paper, is a must and it is considered normal.
• Depending on the time of year you are travelling bringing 'wet ones' or something similar is also normal which is good an alternative for personal hygiene if travelling in a group, in the summer you may/will start to stink.
• They mainly eat meat - if you are vegetarian or vegan you will most likely struggle.
• For the Lactose intolerant - some may struggle as milk tea (warmed non pasteurised milk) is normally drunk when greeting and it is expected to the consumed.
• I am not used to non pasteurised milk products (butter, yogurt, etc.) so had taken a bunghole pill before travelling and then every day for 2-3 days and everything was fine.

 

[Matt_01]

Somehow, I don't think I'll be enjoying the food.

You may get a good guide and they pick up on what you will and wont to eat.

 

[SuePa]

You may get a good guide and they pick up on what you will and wont to eat.

It's not too important.
I prefer more veges and not a big fan of milk, but I have plenty of surplus to use up before I starve to death.
I'm really excited about the trip.

 

[kookaburra75]

I am struggling to keep this TR up to date as I am still posting about day 1 and I am currently late afternoon on day 3.The ability to connect to the net is just intermittent or not available, day 1 once out of the city no coverage, day 2 limited coverage, day 3 I can connect to the 3G coverage at times. This TR maybe a data dump when I am back in the city

Thanks for putting together your trip report. It's fascinating to read about Mongolia, and the people you met. I'm convinced that the word "Travel" is based on the Greek phrase "...when nothing ever goes to plan"

 

[Mattg]

I'm arriving in Ulaanbaatar 10th July and joining a tour with Wild Frontiers 13th July. I didn't realise when I booked, but I'll be there for one of the major festivals called Naadam. I decided not to go to the opening ceremony, but I'm sure it will make the city more lively.

Nice. I'm leaving a week before you arrive though so will miss you.

 

[SuePa]

Nice. I'm leaving a week before you arrive though so will miss you.

Are you on a tour?

 

[Mattg]

Are you on a tour?

Nothing specific planned yet. Will have about two weeks there - planning to chill in Ulaanbaatar for the first few days and will look at some tour options after arriving.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Wonderful report, thanks!

Also highly recommend Travelan - available from ChemistWarehouse. Take one tablet before any meal and it prevents the onset of upsets or illness. There’s allegedly some science behind it! Have used it extensively in India, Thailand and Indonesia, never been sick once (touch wood!).