advice

Hi Spencer,

Helicopters? No. Get medevac insurance before you go, it's their job to come get you wherever you are if that is your main concern. Did you check Eznis for flights within Mongolia? Not terribly expensive. The weather in August is great. Storms roll through but it won't ruin your trip. Mongols are quite accustomed to getting through washed out roads, even if it means a fair amount of waiting/rerouting. Regardless, don't let fear of rain hold you back. I don't know about the train. There are private trains that are very clean but also very expensive. Tsar's Gold Train would be an example. Flights are about $700 per person. I'm considering taking my 6-month old baby there next Summer to stay with friends in the North, if that speaks to your question about "good for kids". Have fun! Mongolia is great.

1. the train is safe. Look for some posts by Chicagobest who has taken Russian trains with his two young daughters many times. I don't recall seeing cockroaches. While the toilets may not be the cleanest, they aren't too terrible. Dining cars exist but the food isn't great so bring your own. There are hot water samovars in all the cars so you can have coffee, tea, cocoa, instant soup or noodles. I suggest bringing your own food. My kids loved the trains but I would suggest making some stops along the way, perhaps every day or two. Lake Baikal is an obvious choice.

2. Even if you have medical evacuation insurance, it won't matter much. For anyone to come and get you, it will take time to arrange and plus there is the time to get anyplace that has decent medical care as there really is nothing in Mongolia. Either you are willing to take the risk, or not.

Ger to ger has mixed reports on this forum. Try searching. Two other companies that seem to have better reports are Golden Gobi and Stepperiders. You might try contacting them.

1. The area around the capital is not as interesting as the areas a few days drive from UB. Consider flying in one direction and traveling overland in the other. The two main places to visit are the Gobi Desert and Lake Khovsgul.

2. July and August are prime travel time despite the rain as the temperature is most tolerable.

Ruth

The problem with taking kids is the long times spent in cars/jeeps. Much better if you can fly and avoid the 20 hour journeys !
If you do end up taking the children I can give you a local "cure" for travel sickness for kids - send me a PM if interested.
For the Gobi have a look at www.gobitours.com

Hi Spencer,
I've seen a few families with kids in Mongolia; they seem to have a great time!
Re: your point 3 you might consider going to the area around Tsetserleg (i.e. Arkhangai aimag in central mongolia). Apart from popular Terkhin Tsagaanuur (white lake), there are a couple of decent rivers and canyons (i.e. the tsuman and chuluut river valleys, for example) you can explore. The area has the green, rolling hills of central mongolia; and is home to plenty of nomads. 2 miles from Tsetserleg in any direction and you'll be in amongst the Mongolia you're probably envisaging. At only a 6-8 hour comfortable bus ride, it's pretty accessible if you have kids but is still really pretty and not so far that you can't quickly get back to UB in an emergency.

Ger to ger are a decent company. A good and slightly more budget alternative would be Golden Gobi (though don't expect too much email correspondence prior to your arrival in UB). Another option if you want to save money and you will have your own cooking and camping gear would just be to contact the Fairfield Guesthouse in Tsetserleg, who could arrange a local driver or horse wrangler for you and go over some suggested routes and itineraries. Fairlfield is a non-profit run by some very friendly Australian christian missionaries, who are home schooling their kids. They're really friendly, and completely unassuming regarding religion.

August gets the odd afternoon storm, but prolonged rains are relatively rare and it's nice and sunny most of the time; it won't be an issue for you.

PS the trans-siberian is really safe these days; would be fine for kids.

Cheers,

Mongolia is an extremely friendly country for kids, depends on how long and how are you going to travel around. It would be great if you have a tour which has less driving!

Hi,
The train is not good a idea I think.I know a family who did this kind of trip by plane to Ulaanbaatar.They did horsetrips in Khovsgol Lake for 10 days.All together 15 days in Mongolia.Me and my friends was with other group.
If you have insurance than dont worry about the helicopter..I wish not!
They have contacted with local Ger Camp by online.The Ger Camp name is Bonda Lake.You can contact them on
www.mongolianaccommodation.com
They meet the family in Ulaanbaatar and organized all the arrangements for the for that trip.Also we were happy with our horsetrips.
have a nice stay in Mongolia
Andy,

Anyone interested in making in on a 10-day horse-trekking trip in July at Khovsgol Lake in Mongolia? Visit Darhad Depression and Reindeer Herders?The trip is from 1st -10th July. For more infos please continue. Me and my friend (31 and 29 years old from Belgium) arranged last year/2011/ a 10 day horse trekking with Locals at the beautiful Khovsgol (also written as Hovsgol,Khuvsgul,Khovsgol,Huvsgul) lake in the north of Mongolia with a Mongolian guy who has a local guesthouse. The trip starts from the 1st of July at Khatgal (Hatgal) so at the time you get back to Khatgal after 10 days, you can see the Naadam Festival in Khatgal, which starts on the 11th of July and finishes on 12th of July.There is archery,horse race and Mongolian wrestling.You can have a part on it too.This trip also possible in any days from May to October too.But will miss the naadam.
Here is a description of the trip that we made last year with the Bayaraa’s itinerary/wchich was awesome trip/the guy that arranges horse trekking trips since 1993 in Khovsgol at the Bonda Lake Guesthouse.
Here is the detailed description of the 10 days:
The trip will go up to the Lake and up to Darhad depression and come back by Khoridol saridag mountain range. Every day trip is around 25-28 kilometers day in 5-6 hours.
Day 1.Ride up to Janhay pass to the Lake. Camp near lake side area.
Day 2.Ride alone the Lake to Ongolog area. Camp in Ongolog area near the Lake
Day 3.Ride by the Lake to Khar us area/Black spring medicinal spring which going out from the Mountain and drain to the Lake. Camp near spring.
Day 4.Ride by the Lake to Jiglig Pass Camp in the after the pass in Darhad Depression area.
Day 5.Ride to Darhad Depression land visit Renchinlhumbe village. Camp near village with the Darhad Nomad family.
Day 6.Ride by Tuj area to Khoridol saridag mountain range area. Camp in the area.
Day 7.Ride over the KHoridol saridag mountain range. Camp in Uwur Khoridol area.
Day 8.Ride down to Ulhun area by arsai area. Camp in Ulhun area close to Yamaat river valley.
Day 9.Ride to Ulhun pass. Ride over the Pass. Camp in yolt area.
Day 10.Ride down to Urhut area by Marj area and over the hyzyywch pass Khatgal village. Overnight stay at guest house

Costs:
The 10 day trip is between $500 to $600 per Person. The price might change the more people join, but includes the following:
Riding horses, pack horses, English speaking guide, a cook, the meals and the camping gear, national park fees, and two nights at the guesthouse in Hatgal
If in the group total 6 people are going on the trip, a free pick up is included from Ulaanbaatar. The saddles are the more comfortable Russian saddles, as the Mongolian ones are made of wood.
Here is other price obtion list:
460$ for 2 person for 10 days/included:horses and equipments,camping gears,national park fee and guide,Pick up from Muren/
560$ for 3 person for 10 days/included:horses and equipments,camping gears,national park fee and guides.pick up from Muren/
800$ for 4 person for 10 days/included:horses and equipments,camping gears,national park fee and guides,pick up from Muren/

If you are interested please write an email to Bayaraa:
horseback_khovsgolmongolia@yahoo.com
horsetrekkhovsgol@gmail.com
www.horsebackandtravel.mn
we were really happy with this trip and we friendly staff of Bonda Lake guest house in Hatgal.Thats why we recomend you this place.They organize family horsetrips too
have nice stay in Mongolia.Ask for our horses if you go there..Pascals and Johns horses..take them for the trip..amazing horses..very good and fast..very calm..beginners also welcome to this place
Pascal and John

Hi Spencer,
First, Mongolia is great for kids! The people love their children, especialy the Nomads. They will have a ball! There are lots of animals to pet from horses to camels and eagles. There are no snakes or scorpions.

Terelj is pretty close to Ulaanbaatar and is a very nice park with all sorts of rocks to climb and shallow rivers to fish and swim in. There are lots of ger camps. You can go almost anywhere between UB and Muren to the west and find a nice ger camp with Nomads and a river.

Make sure the medical evac is covered on your insurance for airlift. That can be very expensive. I hear there's a bush pilot from Alaska who started a new air charter that goes out and picks people up and can land anywhere. Try Thomas Air. I think the website is thomasair.mn.

The main cause of injury is tourists falling from the horses. The second cause is people passing cars to late.

Best of luck,