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Mongolia

Considering we got stranded in a sludgy bog after getting the car stuck in a river, suffered a few minor breakdowns in remote locations, endured difficult journeys on horseback to end the evening with a steaming pile of boiled sheep organs, and woke up with a kangaroo mouse in my ger bed — it might be surprising to know that Mongolia ranks among my favorite trips to date. Its vast wild places, ancient traditions, and lack of tourist infrastructure make it an appealing destination for travelers looking for adventure. Forgo the neatly packaged tour and let Mongolia surprise you. 

Ask anyone and you’ll be encouraged not to visit Mongolia independently. While some warnings are warranted (like the road conditions) you can 100% visit Mongolia on your own without a guided tour. Some areas of the country are even easy to navigate. 

Mongolia is a rural country. While I generally hate this phrase — “frozen in time” comes to mind. Outside the capital that is. A full 1/3 of Mongolians live comfortably in Ulaanbaatar, a large modern city and where nearly everyone starts their journey in the country. But even here the animist traditions and superstitions bleed into daily life. A massive skyscraper sitting empty and half-constructed on main street has been abandoned because the developer found out it had ghosts.

Further afield you’ll find small clusters of white gers rather than towns. People living off the land as farmers. Self-sufficient like almost nowhere else in the world. But with boiling 100+ summer temps and -60 winters — they pretty much have to be the heartiest people on earth. It’s in these vast open plains and mountains that you’ll meet the real Mongolia. The Mongolia mostly unchanged by millennia of rulers. From the Soviets to Chenggis Khan. 

All my Mongolia blog posts are geared toward travelers like ourselves who are crazy enough to tackle this vast country independently with a rented vehicle or overland vehicle of their own. But if you want to visit Mongolia with a guided tour many of these posts could still be helpful to you in understanding what your experience will be like in the country. 

Mongolia Travel Guide

Recommended Cities: Ulaanbaatar, Tsagaannuur, Gobi Desert, Central Gobi, Terelj National Park, Hustai National Park.

Minimum Recommended Trip Length: 3-4 weeks minimum.

One Bucketlist Item You Cannot Miss: A weekend stay with the nomadic reindeer herders of the Tsaatan Tribe.

Things to Consider Before You Go: Mongolia can be done in so many different ways with a variety of budgets. But to have the *best possible* trip please avoid online tour agencies and wait to arrange trips until you arrive. While information on traveling Mongolia independently is sparse (I’m trying to change that) it’s totally possible. There is public transportation, hitchhiking is safe, and roads aren’t too difficult to follow in most instances.

Visa Requirements

For most nationalities, you can stay for up to 90 days in Mongolia visa-free! You can check your visa policy here.

Estimated Backpacker Budget

On a Shoestring: $50/day 

Flashpacker: $100/day 

Backpacker Luxury: $300/day

Keep in mind these are backpacker budgets for TWO PEOPLE. On a shoestring expect to be taking public transport, cooking your own meals, camping for free, & skipping the more expensive tourist attractions. Backpacker Luxury opts for hotel rooms, eats mostly in restaurants, and splurges on activities, for this price you could also rent a car. Flashpackers are the middle ground & often do a mixture of both.  

Mongolia Blog Posts