Mongolia
How do I get to Mongolia?
- By Air: Airlines with flights to Ulaanbaatar: Mongolian Airlines (MIAT), Air China, Korean Air and Aeroflot. The majority of the visitors arrive from Beijing, Moscow, Berlin, (Frankfurt), Seoul, Tokyo, (Osaka), Hohhot and Irkutsk by air through Chinggis Khaan International Airport located 18 km to the south west of Ulaanbaatar.
- Visitors can also enter and leave Mongolia by the Trans-Siberian Railway connecting Ulaanbaatar with Beijing and Moscow.
Can I charge my camera battery in the countryside and what kind of power plugs can be used?
- Yes, you may charge your batteries in your own gers/ rooms or restaurants of the ger camps in the countryside. The standard voltage is 220 volts/ 50 Hz in Mongolia. Sockets require a two-pin type, European standard plug or adapter. Be sure to bring your own plug converter as most places in Mongolia do not carry them.
How about the currency in Mongolia?
- Mongolian national currency is Tugrug. Exchange rate is 1 USD= 1250 tugrug as of Jan, 2011. All major currencies can be freely converted at banks, licensed exchange centers and hotels in Ulaanbaatar. Traveler's checks are hard to cash.
Can I use my credit card and US dollars everywhere in Mongolia?
- ATM machines are widely available in major parts of Ulaanbaatar. Hotels and tourist shops accept credit cards: Visa card, Master card and American Express. Credit cards are not acceptable in the countryside.
- You can use USDs in hotels, tourist ger camps, souvenir shops and tourist shops. Important: damaged or older (produced before 1996) USDs are not accepted in most places.
Mobile telephone and Internet service?
- Country code: 976 and Ulaanbaatar city code: 11. International direct dialing is available at most hotels and pre-paid International calling cards are also available. GSM 900 and CDMA networks are operated by Mobicom, Skytel, Unitel and G-mobile companies Mobile telephone networks are accessible in Ulaanbaatar, all province centers and most towns. You can buy mobile sim cards to use in your mobile. It is not expensive.
- Internet access is available at business centers, hotels, internet cafes on the streets of Ulaanbaatar as well as some post offices of province centers.
Medical care and Safety?
- Generally Mongolia is very safe country except for pickpockets in crowded and touristy places. It is not required to get vaccination against hepatitis, plague etc. Visitors are advised to have suitable travel insurance/ medical insurance with an insurance company of your country. Please do not forget to bring any medications you may need. SOS Medica Mongolia is an excellent International clinic in Ulaanbaatar, in case you need medical care. www.sosmedica.mn
What is the typical Mongolian souvenir?
- There is Mongolian cashmere, wool and felt products, antiques, handicrafts, national clothes, art works, oil and water color paintings, colorful rugs, wooden toys and puzzles, post cards and stamps, leather and fur products. Visitors taking antique and fossils out of the country are required to have an official documentation to do so. Licensed antique shops provide the necessary documents (receipt) upon purchase. Alternatively, permission can be obtained from the Ministry of Education, Science & Culture in Ulaanbaatar.