©
Marie Cavalié
Mongolia Travel Guide
©
Marie Cavalié
Be patient and determined! Make sure you're in shape and look on the bright side! Because getting around Mongolia will be, without doubt, the biggest energy buster you'll have during your trip! Your body won't easily forget the contortions or the potholes you meet along the way!
The capital has a good bus network, whether you're looking to travel to the countryside or visit Mongolia's different towns. Mongolians will often advise tourists against travelling by bus in Ulan Bator, due to the number of pickpockets who ply their trade on the network. Don't listen to them! Yes, there are pickpockets, but if you don't flash the cash or show off valuable objects, then you shouldn't have any problems. Even so, if travelling by bus makes you jittery, you can always use of one the many taxis that circulate around the capital.
The capitals of each Mongolian 'aimag' or region have an airport operating regular flights, but this is an expensive travel option. If your budget is tight, then buses are the way to travel. Mongolia does not have a developed rail network and there's only one operational line, the Trans-Mongolian Express , which runs from Moscow to Ulan Bator and on to Peking.
Before boarding a bus, whether it's for a 4hr or 12hr journey, be prepared for the fact that travelling by bus in Mongolia is an adventure in itself! There are certain things you can to do to make the journey easier. Taking a a holiday in Mongolia requires a certain attention to detail, of which you may not be aware. Firstly, Mongolian buses are archaic Russian models, so make sure your bags are firmly closed - the luggage compartments get very dusty and the last thing you need is belongings that are caked in sand!
Before embarking on a long journey, another little tip is to do some stretching or yoga beforehand. Quite simply because you'll be spending hours huddled up in a bus where everyone is crammed in. For example, the bus is tearing across the vast, desert steppes and the person next to you decides to open a bottle of 'airag', a drink made from fermented mare's milk. The passing landscape is stunning, but you can't even peek out of the window as you're squished in and trying to navigate your neighbour's elbow, which by this point is probably, unintentionally of course, giving you mild concussion. As the bus continues at a hair-raising speed, a pothole or bump in the road appears... the bus leaps, as do all its passengers. Along with the said mare's milk.
Yep, you've got the gist, travelling around Mongolia, far from being glamorous, tends to be exhausting.
This is when the going can get tough. You love nature, you see yourself galloping across the steppes or spending a relaxing time in a nomadic encampment. Beautiful dreams but expensive ones too, particularly if you're a solo traveller. That's because buses don't run operate on the steppes and, as there are no roads in the Mongolian outback, you'll need to hire a Jeep. Plus petrol costs a fortune in Mongolia and spending in excess of £70 per day is par for the course. The best option is to hook up with other tourists and travel en masse - a cheaper, practical solution. But also, in many ways, the most tedious... Particularly if you can't find any tourists heading your way.
Travellers who are have their own transport won't, obviously, encounter this problem. Rather than throwing yourself in at the deep end during a trip to Mongolia, it's best to plan your journeys in advance, making sure you have enough supplies and petrol. If not, things can rapidly go downhill in this vast, highly underpopulated country.
