When people ask, “Why would you go there?’ My response is, “Why not?” And that was definitely true of Mongolia. I got more, “Why would you go there” questions about Mongolia than almost anywhere else I’ve been. I don’t think it was intended to be rude; it was just genuine curiosity. It’s not a place Americans commonly visit (yet), and it’s sort of unknown outside of what we learned in Jr. High about Genghis Khan. But there are so many good reasons to visit! As always, I want you to be more prepared than I was for my first visit. I love to take notes on what I was googling in advance and what I learned there on the ground that I wasn’t expecting. So here they are, y’all: The best tips before you visit Mongolia!
Where is it?
You’ve heard of Mongolia, you may even vaguely associate it with the Mongols and Gengis Khan. Maybe you know it’s somewhere around China–is it part of China? No, it’s not part of China. Mongolia is a sovereign nation that borders both China and Russia, and you’ll definitely notice that it’s a crossroads of both. I flew non-stop from Tokyo-Narita (NRT) to Ulaanbaatar (UBN) in about five hours.
More here: My Honest Review of Our Trip with Vacations Mongolia
Get Cash, but Your Card Works, Too
Bring your ATM card! Many businesses will take a credit card, but smaller businesses prefer cash. The country’s currency is the Mongolian Tughrik (MNT), and you can find plenty of ATMs in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. Download the XE app for up-to-date currency conversions. We had no problem using our credit cards in Ulaanbaatar and around Nalaikh, but farther afield, cash may be more important. Have extra cash at the end of your trip? Instead of exchanging it for your preferred currency at a terrible exchange rate, use it to pay for your hotel at the end of your stay or last-minute food and gifts at the airport. Use up the cash first, then pay the remainder with your credit card.
Read on: The Best 7 Things to Do in Ulaanbaatar
That’s Mongolian They’re Speaking and Writing
Mongolians here speak Khalkha Mongolian, but English, Russian, Chinese, and many other languages are spoken here as well. Their written language is Cyrillic, like Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, etc., but it’s definitely Mongolian, not Russian. This is entirely different from all other Asian languages, and shows Slavic and Russian influence. However, you’ll see Latin letters and Arabic-inspired Mongolian writing as well. It’s actually really impressive that they use all three!
Keep reading: What It’s Like Visiting a Nomadic Family in Mongolia
Be Prepared for Car Time
Mongolia is not inter-connected with public transportation as some other Asian countries are. It’s too sparsely populated, and too large for that to be practical. So, that means you’ll be spending a lot of time in the car, especially if you’re venturing outside of Ulaanbaatar. A car and driver were included in our tour with Vacations Mongolia, which was great, since I’m so not a road tripper. You could drive yourself, but if you don’t have to, let someone else do the driving for you–including the off-roading to visit a Nomadic family, if that’s part of your itinerary.
(Coming soon) Read more: The Best Food We Ate in Mongolia
Chinggis Khaan and Genghis Khan are the Same Person
I’m not sure why there are two different spellings, but the Mongolian transliteration of the famous conqueror’s name is Chinggis Khaan. The English transliteration is Genghis Khan. So, don’t be confused or think you’re in the wrong place. And you will see a lot of references to Chinggis Khaan, so get familiar with the name!
(Coming soon) Read on: What to Do on a Day Trip from Nalaikh
Mongolia is Vast
Mongolia is a very large country–over 600,000 square miles. It’s the world’s 18th largest country, in fact. Most of that area is sparely-populated, or not populated at all, and there are actually more wild horses here than people. There are 3.5 million Mongolian people, versus 5 million horses! The landscape includes desert, steppe, and mountains, and it’s more interesting and beautiful than you might expect. The wide open spaces are almost other-worldly.
Also helpful: Should You Buy an Airplane Seat for Your Baby?
Ulaanbaatar is the World’s Coldest Capital
This is a crazy fact that I just have to include here. You probably won’t be visiting in winter, so you won’t need to worry about this, but I was shocked to find that it’s not Reykjavik, Nuuk, Helsinki, etc. Because of Ulaanbaatar’s surrounding landscape and geography, it regularly sees low temperatures in the -20s… And that’s Fahrenheit! Even in May, there were days we needed our puffy coats and knit hats to stay comfortable. Summers can get up into the 80s, so definitely check the forecast and pack accordingly!
Keep reading: What to Pack for a Baby in Winter
Mongolia is Extremely Dry
Partly because of the Gobi Desert, partly because of the cold, partly because of the geography, you’ll notice that Mongolia is super dry. A couple of hotels even had a panel in the elevators to touch before you pushed the floor button so you could avoid static shock! As a result, they have very nourishing skincare. Lhamour is a high-end, Mongolian skincare brand with truly luxurious products, from soaps and lotions to facial moisturizers and cleansers. Bonus: Their prices are very reasonable for a luxury brand when you buy the items in Mongolia!
(Coming soon) Read next: Our Favorite Animals in Mongolia
Want more? Check out my dedicated Mongolia Page!
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