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TRAVEL GUIDE TO MONGOLIA
Airport Taxes
Departure taxes for international travelers in
Mongolia vary by airport and to be paid locally.
Baggage
On Domestic flights,
passengers are allowed 44 pounds of luggage per person. On International
flights, passengers are allowed two pieces of checked luggage. Excess
luggage fees will be charged if you check more than the stated
allowances, and these charges are your responsibility. At most
major airports, baggage carts are available for your luggage, usually
for a small additional fee.
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Climate
and Clothing
Temperature throughout the year in Mongolia can be quite extreme.
Mongolia's tourism season is from May to October because of the
difficult climate at other times of the year. In the summer, the weather
can range from freezing rain and snow to temperatures above 100 F/39 C,
with a possibility of fog, drizzle and torrential storms. Take note that
the mean monthly temperature in Ulaanbaatar is -17 F/-27 C in January
and 64 F/18 C in July. Clothing that you can layer is highly
recommended.
Visiting out of season is not a problem as long as you can tolerate
cold weather, dust storms and difficulties in traveling. If you want to
see the Naadam Festival, you'll need to come in July. However, July and
August are the two wettest months of the year.
Communications
The Mongolian telephone system is in the
process of being modernized but still lacks many of the services we rely
on elsewhere. Dialing Mongolia is relatively simple although may take
several attempts. Mongolia's national code is '976'. Making
international telephone calls from Ulaanbaatar is relatively easy. Most
hotels have International Direct Dial Facilities. Alternatively, calls
can be made from various telephone exchanges around the city. The
'Central Post' Building located on the southwest corner of Sukhbaatar
Square is the largest telephone exchange.
Cheaper calls are available if calling from other telephones in the
city, i.e. offices & hotels, especially between 22.00 and 07.00
weekdays, 17.00 and 07.00 Saturdays and all day Sunday. The large
telephone exchange on Sukhbaatar Square has the facilities for you to
send faxes and emails. The cost for faxing depends on where the fax is
being sent to. As a guide, a fax taking one minute to the United Kingdom
would cost approximately MNT 3000.
Letters and parcels posted abroad can take anything from ten days to a
few months to arrive at their destination, but they do usually arrive.
The current rates are relatively expensive; postcards MNT 400, letters
under 20 grams MNT 550. Registered mail starts at MNT 950. Parcel rates
range from around US$14 to US$27, for a 1Kg parcel, depending on the
destination. An express mail service is available for a limited number
of countries. Prices to send a 1Kg package range from US$25 to US$40
depending on the destination. The central post office in Ulaanbaatar has
a good range of postcards available. Stamp collectors will be surprised
at the range of stamps available.
Internet Cafe's have become increasingly
popular in the capital. Prices start at 800 Tukrig and up per hour.
Currency
Tukrig is the national currency of Mongolia. The exchange rate is
approximately 1120 Tukrig for USD $1.
Most banks and the larger hotels in Ulaanbaatar will be able to change
the major currencies, although US Dollars are the most widely accepted.
It is also possible to change travelers cheques and get cash advances on
your credit card. American Express, VISA and Mastercard are the most
widely accepted in major tourists centers. In the Aimag centres, you'll
certainly find at least one bank, but they will not be able to accept
credit cards or traveler's cheques. They may be able to change US
Dollars but the exchange rate will be a lot lower than that available in
the capital.
In Ulaanbaatar, one of the most centrally located banks for both
traveler's cheque cashing and credit card advances is the Trade and
Development Bank.
Many shops and restaurants only accept local currency, be sure to
exchange your money upon arrival.
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Customs Regulations
Every tourist is required to complete a customs declaration form on arrival,
which must be retained by them until their departure. This allows the
free import and export of articles for personal use during your stay.
The contents of checked-in baggage must be declared on arrival if the
total value of those contents exceed US$1000 in value. The contents of
checked-in baggage must be declared upon departure if the total value of
those goods exceeds US$500.
Electricity
Voltage in Mongolia is 220 volts, so a
transformer will be needed to operate 100-volt appliances.
Electrical appliances will require an adapter that can change the shape
of the plug prongs, as well as an electrical voltage converter that will
allow a normal 110-volt American appliance to take 220 Volt current.
Food and
Water
Most meals are included in
our tours to Mongolia. In the case of Western-style hotel dinners, drinks are never
included and must be purchased individually. Tourists are advised
to buy mineral water or at least boil their water before using it.
Giardia and other water-borne diseases can easily be picked up. Mineral
water is in good supply in the capital and many of the Aimag centres.
Heath
Matters
There are no vaccinations required for entering Mongolia from
anywhere around the world.
However, vaccinations for anti Hepatitis, Tetanus, cholera, plaque and
tuberculosis are recommended. Moreover, everyone must be supplied by
health insurance service before arrival. For detailed medical
information, visitors to Mongolia should consult their physicians. You can also
contact the Center for Disease Control (C.D.C.) 404-639-3534 for updated
information.
Holidays
New year - Jan 1st
Constitutional Day - Jan 13th
Mongolian New year/Tsagaan sar - Feb 13,14th
Mother and Children's day - Jun 1 st
National day (Naadam) - Jul 11-13th
Independence Day - Nov 26th
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Passports and Visas
Canadian citizens require passports and visas. In some
cases, visitors are asked to supply a letter of invitation when applying for
visa. A tour company can usually supply this letter, if necessary.
U.S. citizens need only passports. All visitors who plan to stay more
than one month must register at the Citizens' Information and
Registration Center (the police). Reconfirm travel document requirements
with your carrier before departure.
Time Difference
Mongolia Standard Time is
7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and 12 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.
Tipping
Tipping
is not customary except at restaurants in Ulan Bator, where waiters
expect a tip, especially from tourists.
On tours with private sightseeing, gratuities of $5-$10 for travel
guides, $2-$3 for drivers per person per day is customary.
Bargaining - Most of the shops and markets
in town have fixed prices which are often displayed on the goods. Do not
try to bargain here. At the black market, tourists are unlikely to be
charged very much more than the locals, unless they are buying antiques,
jewelry and other cultural items. By all means try and get a price down
but be reasonable. For example, as a guide, don't try for less than
60-70% of the asking price. And only start bargaining if you're
seriously interested in buying.
Transportation
In each city, a local English-speaking guide will meet you upon arrival
and handle all arrangements, including sightseeing commentary. All transportation is included in our tours and
provided via private car and guides.
Travel by motorcoach will be
by modern air-conditioned deluxe coaches for large groups.
Very limited public transportation services throughout the entire
territory of Mongolia.Trains go from north to south connecting
Altanbulag-Ulaanbaatar-Zamyn-Uud. Other than that public transportation
is basically non-existent in most parts of Mongolia, except the capital
city, and privately run tracks, buses, cars connect major tourist
destinations on a random basis.
What to Pack?
What you need to bring
depends on where you'll go when you travel, what activities you'll be
undertaking. Be sure to check the weather before you depart as
temperatures greatly vary throughout the year. Even when traveling in
the summer months, temperatures can be quite extreme.
Other essential items
include: Valid Passport.
Travelers Checks. Copy of Your Airline Ticket. Warm and Wet Weather
Clothing. Your Medicines. Departure
documents. Travel alarm clock. Camera(s), batteries & films. Sunscreen/Tan lotion. Pocket size
Kleenex. Extra luggage locks/keys. First Aid kit. Soft, foldable
slippers. Extra set of eyeglasses. Folding Umbrella. Comfortable
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