FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQ

What do I pack for my trip to Mongolia?
The What to pack when coming to Mongolia will depend on the time of year and what tour you plan on taking. Please see the trip notes for specifics on what to bring for the particular tour being taken. In general the following is a good guide:

Winter (Nov – Feb)

The winter months are particularly cold, with average temperatures of -20oC and can reach -40oC. Therefore warm clothing is essential. Fur and leather coats along with fur boots are best. Thermals are essential. It is difficult to source the clothing needed for this time of year other then in Mongolia, so get the best you can in your own country, and bring lots of layers!! (it is not recommended that you try and tour around the countryside during the worst of winter.

Spring (March – May)

…………………………………………………….

Summer

Autumn

rule of The rule of thumb is to pack lightly and bring casual clothes. A sturdy, comfortable pair of walking shoes is a credit. A sports coat and a nice shirt for man, and one or two dresses or pantsuits for women will suit the most formal occasions to be encountered in Mongolia. Travelers should bring shirts, sweaters and jackets that can be worn in layers to suit a range of local climates. Shorts (for both men and women) are fine for summer days though not recommended when visiting religious shrines. It is reccommended to dress up for comfort, but not for style. Required basic checklist:
Electrical converter and adapter plugs. Mongolia’s electrical system operates at 220 volts.
Common toiletries, cold and digestive medications, lip balm, sanitary napkins and any over-the-counter medicines you generally use.
Chewing gum, mints or throat lozenges to keep your mouth moist.
Reading materials, including a guidebook on the places you will see.
Sunscreen lotion and sunglasses.
A light raincoat or an umbrella except in winter months.
Camera & film rolls. Be aware that while print film is available in most places, slide film may be difficult to find. Also be sure to pack extra set of batteries.
A notebook to keep track of all the exciting things happening on the trip.

What is the wheather like in Mongolia during summer?

This is not about summer, it is about random bits of info. If you explain above what the weather is like in summer then you do not need this section.

? Weather. The weather is actually not bad except dry air during late spring months and extreme temperatures early winter. By the way, the temperature changes fast from day to night. Summer and autumn brings the mildest weather with sunny days and short rain showers and are considered the most pleasant time to travel. For the clothing, we suggest casual attire style and layered clothing. In day time you may need only a T-shirt or at most a jacket, but at night you may need a coat. Down coat is necessary if you travel to western Mongolia or further towards Tavan Bogd National Park. Sun glasses, sun blocking cream, moisture scream are very necessary to be in your packing list.

? What about baggage limits on the domestic flight?
For Mongolian domestic flights you are allowed to have checked and hand luggage. The maximum free luggage limitation for checked baggage is 10 Kilograms total. A fee of $(what amount) per kilo will be imposed for extra pieces or excessive weight. You can also carry one piece of hand luggage plus a normal bag up to 5 kilograms, all of which should fit in the overhead compartment or under your seat.

? What is Mongolian currency?
Mongolian local currency is called Tugreg (T), one US dollar is equal to T1170T tugreg at February 2008. We recommend that you bring your major credit card, traveler’s cheques and a small amount of cash. Most hotels and shops located in downtown accept major credit cards. You can change your traveler’s cheques into local money at the hotel exchange counter or any of the currency exchange centers found along the main street. Personal checks are not accepted. It is recommended that you carry Tugregs for you day to day spending. Please note the exchange rate fluctuates and information provided here is for your reference only.

? Can I drink the tap water there?
Although many local people do drink the tap water, we recommend that you drink only bottled water or boiled water. Bottled water is available everywhere. You may use the tap water to do your washing. Tap water within Ulaan Baatar is generally only problematic due to the excess of heavy metals in the water.

? What is the tipping practice for visitors to Mongolia?
It is a common practice for visitors to tip the tour guide, cook and driver in recognition of their good service. A hotel bellboy expects your tips as well. It is not customary to leave tips at hotels or local restaurants as the bill usually includes a 10-15% service charge. (is this tipping really customary? Or are you making it customary? This is important, as tipping is customary in the USA because they do not pay the right wages, if the people here are being paid the minimum wage then tipping is seen as an offence. ) also if it is not customary and you tell your customers to tip they will think that you are not paying the correct wages to your staff.

? For tour, do you offer a join-in tour? Can I join a group?
Yes, we do. We strongly recommend our short cultural tours to those whose budget is limited. (clearly define your service, is it group tours, individual tours, any date leave? Can you make up your own tour?

? How do I pay you? Can you accept credit card? Can I pay online?
Right now we only accept wire transfer payment for pre-payment. And you can pay us the balance in cash upon your arrival in Ulaanbaatar. We also accept major credit cards. What is your system of payment, outline in detail for business plan and then replicate here.

? Besides your cultural and wildlife safari tours, do you have any other special tours like trekking, hiking, rafting, horse riding, etc?
Yes, we do provide all the above special tours you mentioned, and the mixture of different activities. We offer the trekking tour, long-term adventure tour, hiking during the sightseeing tours, and even rafting. As for the rafting, we arrange it in Terelj National Park during autumn. By the way, if you want to do trekking tour, it needs minimum 5 days plus the sightseeing tour. During the trekking, you will have horses (camel) and horseman (camelman) and a chef to serve you besides our guide. ( it seems as though you are saying the customers can do anything they want, do you have limitations? Focus on what service you are providing) (this section is confusing and does not make sense to a customer)

? I want to book an independent tour or a private tour, but we do not want to do shopping. Can you manage that?
Yes, we can manage that. We offer high quality on the ground services including shopping within most of our tours. However if you do not like shopping we assure you that you do not have to go, we can arrange something else for you in that time or you can have free time to explore a bit on your own. Our guide would be more than happy to show you the essence of local souvenir products and specialties. If you are not interested in any products at all, please specify this point with your travel advisor when making a reservation. (what is the difference between a private tour and a independent tour?)

? Does the price you mention include lunches and dinners? Is there any local styled food included?
It will all be upon your request.(so two people could be paying the same rice for a tour yet received different standards of meals?) If you like, you will be given the chance to taste local cuisine. Usually we will arrange at least one or two special dinners of local flavor, there is a dinner show when you watch the performance of Abtai SainKhan Palace Gr Restaurant (which tour is this on?). We provide a variety of lunches and dinners in order to meet the different tastes of our guests. In regards to food preferences, you do not need to discuss with your travel advisor, just tell your guide after you arrive here. Our guide will arrange suitable meals according to your requirements.

? Can we stay in Mongolia long time, as long as 25 or more days?
You can stay in Mongolia as long as you wish. If you are staying in Mongoia more than 30 days, only thing we should do is to register - that is all. We have provided tours of 20 days, 30 days, even 45 days to some clients before. ( is there no limit to a tourist visa? I would think there is)

? Can I use visa or credit card when I'm in Mongolia?
In general, Yes. But the use of credit cards in Mongolia is limited to big stores, restaurants and hotels located in UB city only! You can withdraw cash in Tugregs from a few ATM machines - but please remember, neither services are available out of UB city!