BUDGET - WEATHER - USUFUL - SOUVENIRS

WEATHER:
Continental with hot summers (important rain in the North West mountains) and very cold and hard winters. In U.B., during summer you can have 40°C and during winter –40°C. During spring the wind can be very strong or blow very hard. The best season to visit Mongolia is from May to September. April and May are also months to be considered to visit Mongolia as few tourists and weather start to be warmer mild April with sometimes real hot sunny days, but risk of strong wind and also weather can change suddenly in few minutes.
In June and September you can have summer days as winter days so bring all for these 2 seasons!
In summer, take with you some warm clothes as the nights can be cold especially on the North and Central Mongolia. The difference of temperature between night and day can reach 10 to 15°C. From 15/09 the weather starts to become colder and sometimes the temperatures can go down under 0. Celsius. A real cold wind starts also to blow. You must take some warm clothes and real warm sleeping bag. During winter you need clothes to be protect from rain, wind and fierce cold. Take always with you a sleeping bag and a tent as your nights can be cold .

CHANGE
The exchange rate in 2024 around: 1 €=3900.
ATM: only Tugrug, you must go to the cashier to have with your credit card currency money. Actually, ATM takes VISA and sometimes MAESTRO AND MASTER CARD, to the cashier sometimes also others major credit card can be accepted. BE AWARE of the commission you will have to pay by using your credit card, they are still high, also be aware to the limit you can take as the limit in Mongolia is different than the one you have in your own country.
In UB ATM are everywhere . On countryside you can find ATM in major cities and some sums and touristic places.
Better you change all you need in UB as you can change again tugrug against currency money when come back.

BUDGET : You will spend from 15 to-60 euro/day according if you sleep to nomad family, on the guest gers or on the tourist camps (30-60$/night/p.). Free if you pitch the tent. Food: a main course in a restaurant average 10 euro (2024). If you travel hiking or by bicycle is free! If bus according your itinerary and by horse, you will spend guide and rent horses >40 euro/day. If you rent a jeep with driver according number of persons is composed your own group price will be different: from 40 euro if you are 4 and 150 euro if you are alone. The most expensive is rent a jeep with driver but it’s NECESSARY if you want to divide the way of life of nomad families.
CHANGE in local money as you will need it to pay your nights under the gers, restaurants…So count how many nights you think you might spend under the ger and you must have the exact change for each as you can’t ask change from people who probably don't have a cent in their name and your driver can’t have always have enough money to help you out. On countryside there is nothing to to spend except for sleeping and eating! No big shops!

USUFUL/IMPORTANT:
1. OPEN BOX to take with you
2. SOME NYLON BAGS: pliable to put all your food.
3. TENT: better to take it with you because you can stay far away from ger… moreover, the more independent you are the better you will be
4.PLASTIC BAGS to put litter, you can only throw things out in the towns or like us when came back to U.B.
5. on the gers, before to burning anything in the fire: ASK BECAUSE FIRE AS WATER AND EARTH ARE HOLY.
6. PHOTO: Mongolians are very fond of photos; 100 photos is not enough for a whole family! They will dress in their best traditional clothes for you. Advice: ask the addresses in Cyrillic letters so after just stick the address on the envelope (the Post runs well). You can make your photos processed in U.B. You really NEED a large wide angle and Mongolia eats plenty of digital memory! No electricity so takes plenty of batteries, ask for refill on the few monasteries or restaurant you will find. Take an plug adaptation!
7. DON'T MISS flockloristic music and performance
8. WHAT TO DO IN U.B.: don't miss the folkloric dance and music (various places, ask when in UB)
9. BLACK MARKET: aware PICKPOCKETS!!!! Very big and interesting market with antique, traditional furniture and ger, not expensive!
10. BUY A GER: cost around 1000 € if complete and only the wood: 400 €, you need an official permit to export, ask to culture ministry
11. PHRASEBOOK: English-Mongolian and Russian-Mongolian are really helpful, as everybody can read in Mongolia.
12. GAMES: Mongolians like games and play.
13.NGO for Children rights
14.VOLONTEER

SOUVENIRS: ( 2024)
1. Cashmere: price increases each season! New: you can find some item cashmere and silk (pullover and scarf)
• Blanket pure cashmere: from 500.000 Tugrug (plaid)
• Gloves: from 30.000 Tugrugs
• Pullover: from 160.000 Tugrugs
• Scarf: from 70.000 Tugrugs
• Cashmere hat: from 45.000 Tugrugs
• Big scarf: from 180.000 Tugrugs (with new designer from 240.000 Tugrugs)
2. Felt item: be aware to felt quality as you can find from the worse to the finest one for same item. High felt and softness when you touch the item mean finest quality, also the price will guide you as for same item you can pay 3 times more
• Sleepers from 20.000 Tugrugs to 50.000 Tugrugs (finest quality)
Yak wool: pullover made with yak wool are softer than camel wool and really warm too.
4.Camel wool: all kind of clothes are made in camel wool, generally they are brown. You can find item cashmere –camel wool, they are softer and more expensive.

Advice:
• The cashmere, yak wool, felt and camel wool production is not regular in quantity. Don’t hesitate to go in different shops to find color / size/model as shops of same branch will maybe have not all the items. But all shops of same branch even in luxury center or in the fabric will have same price for same item. If possible, go to the fabric as more choice and sale.
• Be aware when item on sale: ask if the % written is already cut down of the price of the item or if you will get it only when you pay to cashier!
• Be aware to look well item you want to buy as quality is not always so good on the fabric as on luxury shops (defects).

more information?: angy8@bluewin.ch