- Important points
- Choosing wings
- Hotel or apartment
- Transport subtleties
- Nightingales are not fed with fables
- Useful details
- Best Trip to Mongolia
A country of amazing steppe expanses, where for many kilometers around you can not find a single living soul, and national traditions, which are as strong as the spirit of a Mongol warrior, is gradually gaining momentum in the tourist market as an exotic destination. During a trip to Mongolia, the main companions of a tourist are certainly the bright and indefatigable sun, snow-capped mountain ranges and bundles of colored flags encircling Buddhist stupas.
Important points
- A Russian tourist will not need a visa to travel to Mongolia.
- Experienced travelers do not recommend renting a car in the land where Genghis Khan was born. The quality of the roads and the condition of the cars offered leave much to be desired. In addition, one can easily get lost in the Mongolian steppes.
- To buy tickets for trains or buses for transfers within the country, you will need a passport.
- The difference in prices for tickets of local airlines for Mongols and foreigners is very significant.
Choosing wings
Direct flights between Russia and Mongolia are carried out from Moscow and several cities beyond the Urals:
- Aeroflot has flights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. A direct flight on Russian wings will take a little over 6 hours, and a ticket will cost about $ 680.
- Mongolian Airlines also takes passengers on board several times a week. Prices start at $ 800.
- The flight Moscow - Ulaanbaatar on Turkish Airlines planes via Istanbul will be much cheaper. The price of the issue is from $ 550, the journey will take 13 hours without taking into account the docking.
- The Chinese fly to Ulan Bator from Sheremetyevo via Beijing. Air China ticket prices start at $ 650.
Travel to Mongolia can also be taken by train. The Moscow - Ulan Bator train leaves twice a week from the platform of the Yaroslavsky railway station in the Russian capital and arrives at the Mongolian railway station in a little over four days. Ticket price - from $ 90.
Hotel or apartment
The bulk of Mongolia's hotels were inherited by the republic from the times of socialist realities. The number of rooms in the "three-ruble" rooms is mostly old Soviet-style hotels, but the "five" are already distinguished by the modern level of service and comfort. The last point is reflected in the pricing policy, and a hotel room in the capital with five stars on the facade will cost an average of $ 150 per night.
If you search, there are also modern 3 * hotels in Ulaanbaatar, but the price per day in such a hotel can shock an inexperienced tourist. A double room will cost $ 60-$ 100. True, for this money, guests receive wireless Internet, a fitness center, a free airport shuttle and shower accessories. In a word, the new "treshki" in Ulaanbaatar is quite worthy of more stars than they were assigned.
However, standard accommodation options when traveling in Mongolia are only available in the capital and some major cities. Outside of them, the only tourist home is the Mongolian yurt. Yurt campsites are adapted for tourist needs and are equipped with quite civilized amenities. The cost of an overnight stay in a yurt starts at $ 30 for the most uncomplicated comfort.
Mongols also rent out private apartments in the capital, and this accommodation option is well worth considering. An apartment with three bedrooms, in which a company of at least six people will be accommodated without interference, with a kitchen, bathroom and the Internet on specialized sites, is easily booked for $ 40 per day. Prices for a private room in an apartment with a landlord hover around $ 15 per night.
Transport subtleties
Mongolia has a well-developed network of domestic railways, air routes and bus routes. All roads in the country invariably lead to Ulaanbaatar, and therefore most transfers take place there.
Buses connect all cities and large villages of Mongolia. The trains are divided into reserved seats and compartments that are familiar to a Russian resident, and the cheapest seats are. The price of a ticket in a compartment from Ulaanbaatar to the border town of Zamun-Uud, for example, will be about $ 20. The cities are 750 km apart.
Intercity passenger transportation is provided by buses and minibuses. The fare is minimal, and the vehicles look absolutely identical to the Russian ones.
Nightingales are not fed with fables
In short, the food in Mongolia is hearty, the portions are large, and the prices are very nice. For example, a three-course lunch for two in a mid-range restaurant will cost $ 25, for a standard hamburger plus fries and drink at McDonald's you will have to pay $ 7, and you can have a bite of fresh pasties at a roadside cafe for only $ 4.
Prices for the most popular dishes in inexpensive Mongolian canteens are as follows: salad - $ 1, hot meat dish - $ 2.5, soup - $ 2, tea - $ 0.5.
Useful details
- There are up to 260 sunny days in Mongolia a year and the luminary in these latitudes is unusually active. Remember to pack a high factor sunscreen in your suitcase.
- Renting an off-road vehicle with a local driver for traveling across the steppes and other off-road terrain is the best option for independent travel in Mongolia. Traveling according to this scenario will cost $ 70-$ 80 per day.
- A liter of gasoline costs about a dollar.
Best Trip to Mongolia
The harshly continental Mongolian climate is a real winter and summer with corresponding temperatures. In July, residents of Ulaanbaatar often observe + 35 ° C and higher on thermometers, and at the height of winter, mercury columns drop to similar levels. The most comfortable conditions for walking around the capital are offered by the weather in spring and early autumn.
In the Gobi Desert, even despite the intense daytime heat, it can be very cold at night, and therefore the best time to travel to this region of Mongolia is the first half of autumn.
One of the most striking cultural events in Mongolia is the Naadam festival, which takes place in mid-July. The entire male population of the country takes part in it. The highlight of the program is competitions in typical Mongolian skills: archery, horse racing and wrestling. National triathlon winners receive a special patch on their hat and are respected by neighbors and colleagues.
