Finding traveling partners in Mongolia

Hello,

I plan to be in UB sometime in September (next yeat, yeah a long time... :)), I'm not exactly limited time-wise ... but I guess the weather would force me to travel southward, into china. But I'm on a pretty tight budget, so, renting a 4x4 with a driver alone is out of the question.

I wonder, from your own experience, should it be a problem for me, finding other travelers to share a jeep/trip with? And how would I raise my chances to find other travelers ? (any known spots in UB? popular hostels? etc).

One last question, I'd love to know how common it is to travel alone in Mongolia (Have you done it ? :)).

Thanks a lot,
Nimrod

Hi Nimrod

You asked: not exactly limited time-wise - I'm on a pretty tight budget
You are a perfect candidate for enjoying the benefits of Mongolian public transport . It is true that there are no western style bus terminals, there are no signs in English, and the time tables are somewhat flexible. But - once you adapt to the Mongolian style of public transport you will find it rewarding. The people are friendly, and it is the cheapest way to travel.

The public transport system
Buses go from Ulaanbaatar to all Aimags (province) centers. From the Aimag center you wait with others for a van to fill up going to a Sum (district) center. If you attempt to go to a tourist attraction that is not on the public transport routs, you will find jeeps or vans ready to be hired to take you the last few miles to your final destination. Any private car can act as a taxi. See Public Transportation for maps time tables and prices.

Finding partners
You asked: should it be a problem for me, finding other travelers to share a jeep
Most budget travellers find partners once they arrive in Ulaanbaatar.
The best places are to look at the notice boards at the popular guest houses like Golden-Gobi, Zaya, UB, LG, Khongor, and other popular budget guest houses .
You can also look at the boards of the tourist cafes like Amsterdam, Bernard, Subaatar-Sandwiches, and other popular cafes .

Traveling alone
You asked: how common it is to travel alone in Mongolia
It is common. You will find partners as you go along.

September
You said: I plan to be in UB sometime in September
September is the transition period from summer to winter, it marks the tail end of the peak tourist season.
The advantage is that it will be easy to find a place in guest houses, easy to find a jeep driver, less rain and the Gobi is not as hot. The North might get below freezing at night.

Good planing - a year in advance
Have a nice trip

Dan

wow, thanks a lot for the quick and detailed answer!

Now, apart from how to deal with the vicious dogs everyone talks about I'm left with no questions ... :)

Ulaan Bataar is probably one of the easiest places in the world (certainly the easiest I've ever been to) to find travel companions, so don't worry about that. Their are message boards at the guesthouses (Nassaan's and UB seems to be the most popular ones), and at popular hangouts for tourists (e.g. the European bakery on Peace ave.), and often tour companies or guesthouses will help to set you up with others who want to go to the same places as you.

I didn't meet many foreigners who travelled by public transport, it may work between the cities but you'd still have to find alternative transport to get to sights. Hitch-hiking between cities or for short distances outside of them is also quite easy (but you are expected to pay a small fee).

But by far the most convenient way to travel around is to find some travel companions (a group of 3-4 is ideal) and hire a minivan and driver. They have 4x4 tyres, and are much more comfortable than actual 4x4's. I took one trip to the Gobi, one to the Great White Lake, and a homestay not far outside of UB, and arranged all these through Nassaan's guesthouse, I was quite happy with their service. They have good drivers who usually speak (some) English.

Thanks for the tips, seraphim. It's definitely good to know.

yes i agree - just show up and find a group. i found golden gobi was a great place to meet other travellers to arrange a tour (i went in august this year). i did 2 tours with GG and found they were exceptional! great guides and drivers. i had booked a 14 day tour from overseas and when i got there the local operator was GG anyway. i paid a lot more $ booking in advance compared with another short tour i did with GG which was less than half the cost.