Mongolia
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Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
I was trying to get some travel information about Mongolia and visited your website. Under the item 'visa' it says: entry visas and exit visas are required of all nationalities and may be obtained at the airport... I also visited the official government website and under the same item it says: Please note that the visa regulations have recently changed. It is now NOT possible to buy visas at Mongolian borders or at the airport upon arrival. Visas must be obtained in advance.
Karine Maerevoet, Belgium (Jun 02)
According to the visa requirements, an invitation from a hotel is no longer required.
C Wrentmore, UK (Apr 02)
Travel Tips
The only way to make an international phone call out of Ulaan Baatar was in the post office situated on Peace Avenue(or: Enkh Taivny Orgon Choloo). You can buy phonecards there for international use but there is no instruction on how to use them. Fortunately an english speaking Mongolian helped us. This is what you do: scratch off the silver layer and a code becomes visible. Then call a local number indicated on the card. A computervoice(english) will ask for the code. So far it's simple, but the then the computervoice asks for your personal code. Nowhere can you find what this means. The correct answer is: THE LAST FOUR NUMBERS of the code you typed earlier. Simple but you have to know it.
Also you have to be aware of persons standing very close to you waiting in line to make a call. If you scratched your card long before it's your turn, you should hide the card because if others see the code they can use it before you do. This happened to us and we lost 8 dollars worth.
Jack & Sabine Vanhouwe, Netherlands (Aug 03)
We took to heart the comments on treating Mongolia like a remote camping trip, but in fact found pretty much everything in local supermarkets. With the exception of fresh vegetables which the locals were buying in huge quantities at the border stop in Erlian. There is even a well stocked french supermarket near Sukhbaatar Square, Ulaan Baatar.
Ulaan Baatar also has an ATM machine now, located on Peace Avenue, also close to Sukhbaatar Square.
Ian Douglas, Australia (May 02)
There are no ATM's in Mongolia at all, nowhere in the entire country. I just returned from Beijing and Ulaan Bataar and, as a lazy American, counted on ATM's for cash.
Maryann O'Malloy, USA (Oct 01)
Moving About
For anyone considering train 263 on to Irkutsk, Russia, be warned that this can hardly be described as a through train. Around 5am, one carriage is left stranded at the border. You wake up locked in on the Mongolian side with no toilets to use, then after two sets of border formalities, spend several hours locked out of the train on the Russian side at Naushki, with disgusting station toilets. Food on the station runs to kebabs bought through the fence (at pretty steep prices). There are a couple of kiosks nearby for water, bread and a few other supplies. The whole border crossing, with the wait between non-connecting Russian and Mongolian trains is about 10 hours. To top it off you pass the views of Lake Baikal in the dark, arriving at Irkutsk around 9 am.
Ian Douglas, Australia (May 02)
Scams & Warnings
Transiberian Railway: trains to Ulaan Baatar. Waiting at customs in the frontier town people who are dressed in exactly the same way as the customs officers try to sell you 'life insurance certificates' from any Mongolian life insurance company (which might not exist). They tell you that every visitor must have this additional, obligatory insurance, otherwise you cannot enter Mongolia. This is not true, do not pay anything, even if they insist quite a bit. If you cannot get rid of them look for a Mongolian speaking person for assistance and you will soon be left alone.
Mark, Switzerland (Apr 02)
Transiberian Railway: I've travelled the Transiberian railway a few times (I'm a tourleader) and every time this good looking man or lady in an official uniform tries to sell life insurance for about $10.00 each. They tell you that since last January or whenever, some rules have been changed and every tourist needs to have this form. This is not true. He or she will try to convince you but don't buy this insurance! Just have a big mouth and they will go away.
Monique Gijsbrechts, Netherlands (Aug 01)
Gems, Highlights & Attractions
Having just returned from about 10 days trekking (pony and foot) in the area east of Khovsgol Nuur from Khatgal to Chamin Unde and back, I think it deserves more than just a passing mention. The scenery is stunning - alpine, with larch covered hills rising from wide meadows in the valleys, flowers everywhere. Towns/settlements and the odd permanent wooden houses with their livestock enclosures look like something out of old western films. Clearly not much visited by westerners, we excited friendly curiosity wherever we went. Places to obtain food are few and far between: really only Chamin Unde has a number of shops selling a very few basics and top-up food, so anyone visiting this area would need to take all their food with them. If you're into isolated wild camping, this is a good place to go. A guide would be essential, as the guidebook says, and maybe a spare roll mat to pad out your saddle if you intend to do a lot of riding.
John Twigg, UK (Aug 03)
Tuvkhen monastery, Olziit Soum, Ovorkhangai aimag, is no longer in ruins. It has been renovated from a 1937 photograph and old timer memories. In a remote, tiny valley 2,500 metres above sea level, it was first built in 1683 (other sources say 1653). Zanabazar lived here for 30 years - this is where he created the Soyombo, now the national symbol, the Mongolian script and 21 Dari Ekh statuettes (some of which were stolen in 1997, but since recovered). The original wooden buildings were largely demolished by the communist regime in the late 1930's.
It is reached by a difficult three kilometre track, traversable only by foot, horse or four wheel drive vehicle and is backed by a high steep cliff, called 'sentii' (throne), where they say Zanabazar was first consecrated as a monk. There are three 'footprints' in the rock, one said to be of Zanabazar, one of a child, one of a horse. None seem to have been carved or chiselled artificially. There are cracks and niches in the rock, said to be where Zanabazar would isolate himself to meditate.
There are two wells no more than five metres apart, whose waters are of a distinctly different colour and two pines with entwined branches to which Zanabazar is said to have tethered his horse.
You will need to have a guide to get you there and camping gear and supplies to stay, but it is a stunningly beautiful atmospheric and peaceful spot for a day or more of meditation and far too isolated for coach loads of package trippers.
David O'Connor, (Jan 02)
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