Travel Guide: Camping in Mongolia

Mongolia is a beautiful country, a rough and rugged destination with a climate that is in the extremes. Temperatures drop below zero even in its supposedly arid regions, such as the Gobi Desert. However, despite these, planning and going on a camping trip to Mongolia’s countryside is worth it.

Getting a visa

Filipinos don’t need to apply for a visa (as of this writing) when visiting Mongolia for up to 21 days. You have the option to either travel by land or fly into the country.

How to enter Mongolia

There are no direct flights from Manila to Ulaanbaatar; you can transit through South Korea or China before flying into Mongolia. Flights can be expensive; your cheapest but longer option is to travel by land from Beijing. You don’t have to take the Trans-Siberian train to enter Mongolia.

You can take the train to either Jiningnan or Hohhot from Beijing, and from either city you can board another train to Erlian. The latter is the closest town (around 15 to 20 minutes by car) to the border between China and Mongolia.

A hard seat from the capital to Jiningnan costs around CNY 53.5 to CNY 72, and a hard sleeper is around CNY 115 to CNY 136. Alternatively, the train from Beijing to Hohhot costs around CNY 75 to CNY 91 and the hard sleeper is around CNY 142 to CNY 175.5. From Hohhot, the hard seat to Erlian costs around CNY 54 for a hard seat, and the one from Jiningnan is around CNY 24.5 to CNY 50.5.

Once in Erlian, you can take the bus to Zamiin-Uud in Mongolia; the fare is around CNY 40. After making it to Zamiin-Uud, you can take the overnight train to Ulaanbaatar; the fare is around MNT (Mongolian Togrog) 38,050. Alternatively, you can take a direct bus to Ulaanbaatar from Erlian – this costs around CNY 180 and can take up to 10 hours.

Best time to visit

Ideally, camping trips in the country are done from June to September, the summer months (June to August) are peak season. October and November are still good times to go, but there will be fewer and fewer tourists to share expenses with, and temperatures will hover around zero during the day or may even be below zero throughout the day.

What to wear

You can wear light clothing during the summer, but you may need to bring some warm clothes and a jacket at night. Autumn and winter require more layers of clothes throughout the day as some daytime temperatures are in single digits or below zero.

What to bring

The camping trip may be just one night, two weeks or longer, here is a list of some of the things to bring:

• Toilet paper
• Water (at least 1.5 liters per day)
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Your own bottle or cup/s
• Snacks and drinks
• Cash (there are no ATMs in the camping grounds and the nearest one may be hundreds of kilometers away)
• Extra battery for your camera or phone (there are a few places where you can charge your gadgets)
• Powerbank
• Towel
• Toiletries (soap, shampoo, others)
• Sleeping bag
• Wet (baby) wipes
• Extra clothes that will last you the entire trip
• Cards, board games, books, and others as entertainment during down time

The amount of the things you need to bring depends on how long your trip will be. Your driver may stop in towns to re-stock on food, drinks, use the toilet, or let you charge your devices.

Where to stay

For budget-conscious travelers, you have plenty of options because there are hostels and guesthouses which offer low-priced dorm and private rooms for a night or two, before your camping trip around Mongolia. UB Guesthouse is one of the places you can consider, their dorm beds start at US$8 or MNT 20,000 per night.

Visit their website for more details or send them an email at ubguest@hotmail.com. They also offer group and private tours for guests who want to camp for just one night, for weeks or just for a daytrip.

What to expect

Depending on the agency or accommodation you book a camping tour from, you will most likely ride a refurbished and customized Russian van for the duration of the trip. Agencies accept both US dollars and the local currency.

You will spend more time on the road than on the destinations you’ll get to. The drives are around 6 to 7 hours one way, through scenic landscapes where you’ll see small towns, grazing livestock, horses and sheep, rolling hills, the barren steppes and snow-capped mountains.

If you booked through an agency, the driver will be your guide and cook. The tour includes 3 meals and accommodation in tourist camping grounds or with nomad families. Depending on the season you visit, some campsites will have a shower area (these are most likely closed towards the end of autumn and winter).

The toilets are outside the yurt and vary in quality; some are just a hole in the ground with makeshift partitions and a roof with no door, and others are in an actual room with a comfortable seat.

The yurts use an old fashioned furnace and not a central heating system. The family you stay with or a caretaker will put in the firewood, coal or manure to keep the fire burning at night. You might have to put in the wood, coals and others in the middle of the night to reignite the fire to keep you warm. It can still get cold inside the yurt, especially during winter.

Camping in Mongolia is a unique and memorable experience; as long as you are prepared, you won’t have any problems and will be comfortable the whole time.

How much you’ll need 

Depending on the size of your group and the destinations included, a trip may cost you US$45 or MNT 112,500 to US$55 or MNT 137,500 (at an exchange rate of MNT 2500 = US$1) a day which covers, transportation, some meals and accommodations.

Exchange rates may vary on the dates of your trip. Cost of living is low in Ulaanbaatar, your biggest expense during your stay is camping in Mongolia’s countryside. – Rappler.com

Joshua Berida is a full-time writer and part-time wanderer with insatiable wanderlust. He plans his next trip during a current one. He plans on exploring the Philippines and beyond. Read about his adventures on thewanderingjuan.net.

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