Preparation
Mongolia is a country where it is difficult to travel alone, because of the language and the lack of classical landmarks (signs, public transport…). Your trip is therefore often framed by the local experts, which is the best gateway to a culture of the country. Locals, who will help you understand and help you get to your destination.
They are the ones that will enable you to discover our great steppes, mountains and deserts, our history and our culture, and also will bring you closer to the nomadic families by teaching you about how the people behave and help you communicate more. The locals will do everything they can to make sure you travel in great conditions and, maybe help you love our country.
Of course, it is partly because it is always necessary to have these two local escorts by your side that the price of a trip in Mongolia remains superior to other more touristic destinations. However, it is also thanks to them that trips to Mongolia reveal deep human feelings that are rarely found elsewhere, and remain unforgettable…
The guides are mostly young students specialized in foreign languages, due to the lack of existing training for this trade; they are therefore interpreters above all. They can tell you about the history and the modern life in the cities, but for the real nomadic lifestyle, they give the best experience along with their colleague. The experienced driver, who is often older and who knows the countryside more intimately, allows them to be an interesting traveling companion.
Moreover, the Mongols are inherently modest and introverted; do not hesitate to ask them your most burning questions about Mongolia, they often tell you more interesting facts if you press.
Drivers seem to be the indispensable element of a steppe journey, the conditions being difficult: bad roads, non-existent signs, knowledge of the indispensable mechanics. They are often drivers of craft, who are used to living in the countryside, they know the roads and know how to locate any destination. The roads are etched in their minds.
Even if you decide to explore and take a different route, but lack reliable maps and other means of tracking tools, don’t worry, any nomad family on the way can show the driver exactly how to get to your destination. These short meetings with locals will be a cherished part of the journey and regularly serve as an excuse for an invitation into the yurts.
Similarly, it is good to know that a question that always comes to us finds very little resonance with the Mongols: “When exactly will we get there?” Your drivers mostly know how many kilometers you have to go, and the approximate time it takes. But to respond to it is to challenge people and sometimes believed to bring bad luck. Who knows what unforgettable adventure might happen en route?
Enjoying the beauty of the road by letting go of these issues remains the best way to truly immerse in your journey.
For travels in large groups, there are many times a service of a cook is required. Without repeating too much of what we said about Food & Dining, we will just remind you here that making balanced and diverse meals every day is difficult in the countryside, if your groups don’t have a dedicated cook to help with the flow of your unforgettable vacation.
The horse-riding guides, camel herders and our other colleagues are not professionals as we know, but often people of the nomad family (or in connection with) where we ride or interact with the animals. They know how to deal with the animals and are there to ensure your safety;
It’s up to you to ask for any advice if necessary, but above all trust them and follow their tips and tricks!