The
best time to visit Mongolia:
May to September is the best season, with the
peak season in July for the Naadam Festival.
July and August are also the wettest months
of the year, but be assured, our climate is
such that you will still have many sunny days
at this time. The best time to visit the Gobi
is June or September for most people. However,
you can always plan your trips and visits depending
on your destinations and preferences.
How to get to
Mongolia:
All direct flights come into Ulaanbaatar – most
of them from Beijing, Moscow, Seoul or Berlin.
The Trans-Mongolian train from Moscow or Beijing
makes a particularly exhilarating entry into
the country. There are domestic flights and
trains from Ulaanbaatar to the rest of Mongolia.
Many of the tours use a 4WD Japanese and Korean
vehicle to transport you to your destination.
Visa requirements:
Your passport should have 6 months validity
on it, and you will also need a visa. Visas
are available from the Mongolian embassy in
your or your neighbor country. One month visas
can be obtained on the spot once you arrive
at the airport or railway station – you will
need an official confirmation letter from Black
Ibex Expeditions if you choose to do this. There
will also be a fee of $53US. The following materials
are required to obtain Mongolian visa:
• 1. Valid passport
• 2. One passport sized photo
• 3. Application form PDF
The accommodation:
In Ulaanbaatar, you can stay in a hotel with
or without reservations (reservations are preferred).
During any trips around the country, you will
be camping in tents and in traditional Mongolian
dwelling--ger. All accommodation offered by
Black Ibex is personally checked by our staff
to ensure high standards.
Things you should
bring:
When you are visiting in the summer, warm thin
layers of clothing are the best, try and bring
a hat or headscarf to protect you from the sun
and winds. Insect repellent, sun cream, water
purifying tablets and all your camera equipment
as these items are not plentiful in Mongolia.
If you are planning to backpack, you should
have a high quality tent, mattress and sleeping
bag, and a cooking stove and other equipments.
All of these items are available to buy in Ulaanbaatar
should you have any difficulties.
The food:
Mutton, beef, rice and noodles form the basis
of the Mongolian diet, so your meals will be
based around this in the countryside. However,
you will not have difficulty of dealing with
limited kinds of meals in Ulaanbaatar. The trail
rations may include vegetables, eggs, peanut
butter, cheese and sometimes yak meat! Please
let us know in advance if you are a vegetarian.
Making payment
in Mongolia:
US Dollars are often accepted, especially in
Ulaanbaatar(UB), but it is also useful to carry
some cash in the local currency, the Tugrik.
1USD=1160 Tugrik /October 2006/ Visa, Master
and American Express Cards are accepted in major
shopping centers in UB. You can take cash from
your card (usually Visa) from ATMs set in banks,
hotels and shopping centers in UB. Thus, bringing
Visa card is highly recommended. There are no
branches of International Bank; however, international
bank wire transfers are possible. Several banks
accept and issue Travelers Check. Traveler Checks
may be cashed into Tugriks for 2% commission.
Because there are hardly any ATMs in the countryside,
you should bring enough cash (either US Dollar
or local currency) with you during the trip.
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