Mongolia is a rare country whose originality is best expressed by non-colorful expressions from advertising brochures, and dry figures and bare facts .So: the density of the population is 1, 7 people per square kilometer, 40% of the citizens of the country live in the main city of Ulan Bator, there are 13 horses per Mongolian, there are 260 sunny days per year, the temperature is from -40 ° C in winter to +40 ° C in summer .Add to this a discouraging mix of adherence to traditions - yurts here are not a relic of the past, but full-fledged and, often, the only possible homes, and openness to Western values ​​- shepherds are passionately chatting on mobile phones, and young people go to study in European universities..Among other things, Mongolia is boundless emerald steppes and purest blue lakes, snow-capped Altai peaks and hot expanses of the Gobi desert, magnificent monuments of Buddhism and the revived history of Genghis Khan, finally - vivid festivals, generous cuisine and incredible hospitality..Tourism in the country at a decent level thanks to foreigners who have long traveled to Mongolia for fishing, trekking, caravans and autotours .

The capital is Ulaanbaatar.

The main cities are Erdenet, Darkhan.

How to get to Mongolia

"Aeroflot" flies from Moscow to Ulan Bator 5 times a week: three own flights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays and two joint flights with "Mongolian Airlines" - on Thursdays and Sundays .Time in flight - just over 6 hours .Flights land in Ulan Bator airport under the double name Buyant-Ukha - Genghis Khan .Direct air traffic is also available from Irkutsk, more planes fly irregularly from Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Ekaterinburg and Ulan-Ude .Residents of the northern capital, as well as citizens of Ukraine and Belarus, will have to travel with a change in Moscow..

In addition, from Moscow to Ulan Bator you can arrive by train, departing from Yaroslavl station twice a week and following the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway. On the way, you have to spend 4 days and 5 hours. Residents of Irkutsk were more fortunate: departures every day and only 36 hours on the road.

The neighboring regions of Russia and Mongolia are also linked by regular bus routes.

Visa to Mongolia

Russian citizens do not need a visa for a tourist visit to Mongolia.

Customs

Import of foreign currency is possible in an amount not exceeding 2000 USD. It is recommended to declare a currency, as its export is possible only within the amount specified at the entrance. Import and export of Mongolian tugriks without additional documents are allowed in the amount of no more than 815 MNT; if this amount is exceeded (which is unlikely to happen, as nowhere else in the world tugriks are useful), documents will need to be provided confirming the legitimacy of the purchase of the national currency.

It is duty-free to import 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, 1 liter of spirits, 2 liters of wine and 3 liters of beer, personal goods worth not more than 1000 USD per person. Photo, film and video equipment is imported in quantity of 1 pc of each name.

It is forbidden to import drugs, psychotropic drugs and explosives, weapons and ammunition, animal and plant tissue samples, and pornography. When exporting customs, you need to show furs and skins, gold, precious metals and precious stones, as well as items of cultural or artistic value. The cost of each name should not exceed 500 USD; if this amount is exceeded, you must pay a duty of 10% to 100%.

Money and currency exchange

In Mongolia, it is most convenient to import US dollars - they are universally willingly changed to the national currency, and they often make the calculations .The European currency is less beloved by Mongolian banks, however, it can be changed to tugriks, mainly in Ulaanbaatar .In general, you can exchange money in the offices of banks and exchange offices, the rate is approximately the same .Banks and exchange offices work from 9: 00-9: 30 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 15: 00-17: 00 .The market change was better avoided, despite the fact that they offer an interesting course - the probability of fraud is high .From the capital to the outback it is recommended to go with a cash reserve in tugriks - there is a high probability not to find any exchangers or ATMs .In the capital, and with ATMs, and with payments "credit card" problems will not arise .

Useful phone numbers are

Embassy of Mongolia in Moscow: Borisoglebsky per. 11; tel .: (495) 691-46-36, (499) 241-15-48 (consular department)

The Russian Embassy in Ulan Bator: Enkhtayvany gudamzh, A-6; tel .: (11) 312-851, 327-071; website

Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Darhan: Zaluuchuudyn gudamzh, 13; tel .: (7037) 39-96; website

Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Erdenet: tel .: (7035) 30-09; website

Codes of some cities: Ulaanbaatar - 11 and 21, Erdenet - 1352 and 2352, Darkhan - 1372 and 2372.

Fire service - 101, police - 102, ambulance - 103; reference - 109.

Safety of tourists

Mongolia is generally a safe country for tourists. In Ulan Bator, one should beware of pickpockets, especially in the vicinity of the central station and markets, as well as at bus stops and in public transport itself. Traveling on horseback in the country, you need to be vigilant and organize night watch: during sleep often steal personal items and even horses. Another danger is a flock of wild dogs, among which there are occasional cases of rabies.

Hospitality and respect for the owner is the basis of Mongolian ethics, which results in many nuances of behavior .Ignorance of all details to the alien is forgivable, however the basic rules are better remembered and observed .Do not give up refreshments, you need to take at least a small piece or take a sip of the proposed drink (you need to hold the cup at the bottom) .Take the proposed should be the right hand, the same applies to a joint meal of the general dish .You can not lean on the central pillar in the yurt, stand on the threshold and whistle .In addition, it is better not to touch the head of another person, especially the child, and turn your back to the senior .Fire for Mongols is sacred: you can not trample it, pour water and throw garbage into the fire .

Transport

You can move around Mongolia by intercity buses, trains and planes .The rental of all-wheel-drive jeeps with a driver is a plus .Travelers also have more exotic modes of transport - from bicycles and motorcycles to horses..Public transport runs mostly between Ulaanbaatar and the major cities of the country; If you need to arrive from one settlement to another, almost inevitably you will need a transfer in the capital .Most buses are an old Soviet model .Modern minivans serve Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan and Erdenet .Buses leave from the bus station, there you also need to buy tickets (you will need a passport), in which the baggage allowance is specified .For the surplus will be asked to pay .There is a timetable, and Mongolian drivers try to observe it .

The train can be reached from Ulaanbaatar to Darkhan, Suh-Bator and Erdenet. The Mongolian railways developed not without the participation of the Soviets, so that the division of cars into classes is known: a coupe, a reserved seat and seats. Comfort - the most that neither is the base, in addition, the MOR often sell "extra" tickets for the sold out directions. Tickets are better to buy in advance, especially in the period from June to August. When buying, you will also be asked to show your passport.

In Mongolia, you can also travel by plane: there are 44 airports in the country, of which only 12 have designed runways. Flights are relatively inexpensive, however, the difference in price for the local population and foreigners is still significant. National air carriers - "Mongolian Airlines" (MIAT), "Aerom Mongolia" (the most popular) and Ez Nis.

For avid racers Mongolia is a real paradise: on ideally flat steppes it asks to drive at high speed. The hospitality of the Mongols alleviates the hardships of the nomadic motorcycle life: wherever you stay, you will be guaranteed a table and shelter.

Horse tours are another highlight of Mongolian tourism. Local residents, as they say, are born in the saddle and are able to ride long distances without fatigue. Those wishing to follow their example should remember that the traditional wooden saddles, and this detail is better to clarify before the start of travel. For foreign tourists on request, customary leather saddles can be provided.

Rent a car

To rent a car in Mongolia you need a valid driver's license, a "credit card" or cash for a deposit and an amount of 50 USD per day. Rent a car in general is not recommended - a new car is difficult to find, in addition, "in the history" of the vehicle for certain there will be several accidents. In addition, roads are often left to be desired, especially in spring and autumn, since most of them are unpaved roads. Great and the danger of getting lost. The best solution is to rent a jeep with a local driver. Rent will cost from 70 USD per day.

The climate of Mongolia is

The climate of Mongolia is sharply continental, with a frosty winter and hot, dry summers. In Ulan Bator, the average temperature in January is -25 .. 30 ° C, in July - to the exact opposite: +27 .. 32 ° C. Most of the precipitation is spilled in the north and north-west of the country, the southern areas and, in particular, the Gobi desert can not see rain for several years.

In general, the most favorable time for visiting the country is from mid-May to October, with the peak of the season in July-August. In September-October, it's good to travel around the Gobi - the day's heat drops, and the nights are not too cold. In early spring and late autumn in Mongolia, you can feel all four seasons during the day: the weather changes swiftly, and changing clothes from a T-shirt to a jacket and back happens several times a day. See also the current weather forecast in Mongolia.

Hotels in Mongolia

Hotels in the civilized sense of the word - multi-storey buildings with separate rooms and all amenities can be seen only in Ulan Bator .Mongolian hotels have an official category from 1 to 5 stars, appropriated by a special state commission ."Five" modern, with a very high level of service and the corresponding "European" price tag - from 180-200 USD .Four-star institutions are also not cheap, among the "treshkas" are more old Soviet-style hotels .Meals are mainly based on breakfasts .Voltage in the network - 220 V, 50 Hz .

Outside Ulaanbaatar and major cities, the only option is the yurt. Most yurt towns belong to private individuals and are "imprisoned" for excursion and adventure tours. The range of services varies from base accommodation to the type of camping to luxury options with all conceivable amenities. Meals - as a rule, half board or full board. The cost of accommodation starts from 35 USD per day.

Shopping

Cashmere, the precious wool of a mountain goat - the main wealth of Mongolia is .In the spring, during moult, the animals are carefully combed and painstakingly choose the thinnest undercoat hair (neck hairs are of special value), of which then yarns are weaved and make headgear, scarves, socks and other knitted goods .Cashmere things exceptionally soft, warm and almost weightless .Buy cashmere better in specialized stores, the most famous brands - Goyo, Gobi Cashmere and Buyan .In rural areas, you can also buy cashmere products - the design may be lame, but the heating properties will remain unchanged .

Mongolia is also known for copper mines located in Erdenet and Oyu-Tolgoi. As a consequence - a lot of copper knickknacks (for example, bookmarks), jewelry and interior items, which are sold everywhere in souvenir shops.

It is worth paying attention to the Mongolian carpets - in Erdeneta there is a carpet factory, the quality of its products is recognized by the international certificate ISO 9001. There are also funny slippers with a "carpet" top.

Still from the country you can bring items of national costume: traditional hats and winter fur hats with ornament, caftans, riding boots, leather slippers decorated with national embroidery. Small souvenirs: Mongolian figurines in folk clothes, statuettes of horses, goats, yaks, images of Genghis Khan, Tursuki - flasks lined with felt, with wooden cork, boxes.

Kitchen and restaurants

Meat and dairy products are the basis of Mongolian cuisine .Mongols prefer lamb and goat meat, beef and horse meat are found on the menu less often, and sometimes such exotic ingredients as marmot meat come across .Variants of cooking - a wagon and a small trolley: boiled, baked, fried, dried, dried and t .д .Popular dishes: poorly boiled meat "Horchog" and its antipode - cooked to the division of the fibers "bolhoyruk", roasted with hot stones lamb "boodog" (glowing stones are placed inside the carcass and bake it from the inside), cooked in the same way goat "Bakhan" , pancakes with onions and meat stuffing "hushur", steam dumplings "buz", jerky meat "wrestler" and many other antivegetarian dishes .

However, the fans of healthy food will not remain hungry in Mongolia either - for them there is no less variety of dairy and sour-milk dishes: all kinds of unsweetened yoghurts, koumiss and sour milk "ayran", ryazhenka "tarag", cottage cheese - usual and dried "arul", soft cheeses .Mongolian pastries are made from fresh dough and cooked in a frying pan with a lot of oil; popular pies with meat or horse "khashur", pancakes "bortzog", milk buns "halmag" .Even tea Mongols drink with the addition of milk - while not brew, and a long cook in a bowler .

Alcoholic drinks use vodka from mare's milk "archa" and its stronger version of "shimin-arch", as well as homemade moonshine "airag". All over the world, both foreign drinks and "state" vodka are sold, of which the best are Genghis Khan, Soiombo and Golden Genghis. Mongolian beer is rather not bad, popular grades are the same "Chingis", "Borgio" and "Sengur".

You can have a snack during the day or have a good lunch at numerous restaurants in the country's cities. The province also has catering facilities along the popular tourist routes. Moving independently, it is better to have a supply of food with you, and for lunch it will not be reprehensible to go "to the flame" in the yurt of nomads. Food will cost very inexpensively: for a bowl of noodles with lamb ask 2000-4000 MNT, a portion of "buza" will cost 1200-2000 MNT, the price of airaga pier is 1000 MNT.

Entertainment, excursions and sightseeing of Mongolia

Monuments of Mongolia are monuments of the great empire of Genghis Khan and its descendants, Buddhist shrines and an unusually beautiful and diverse nature. In addition, there is an interesting way of life, virtually unchanged over the millennium.

Interesting places in Ulaanbaatar: the modern city center and the Peace Bell, the mausoleum and the monument of the national hero Sukhbaatar, the Parliament building and the Palace of Culture, which houses the Art Gallery, the Winter Palace of the Emperor Bogdan, the Khan's rate .In the vicinity of the capital are the famous monasteries - the largest Gandan with a significant temple of Genrray-Sing, a wooden monastery and a museum of Buddhist art Choydzin-Lam, a picturesque Manzushir monastery, standing on a cliff over a wide valley .The Museum of Natural History of Ulan-Bator hosts one of the world's largest collections of fossil remains of dinosaurs .

The most famous archaeological park of Mongolia - Karakorum, the former capital of the empire in the 13-16 centuries. Here you can see the palace of Khan Ogadei, the ruins of the quarter of artisans, temples and city walls. Nearby is the first Buddhist monastery of the country - Erdene-Zu. The most ancient monuments of the history of mankind are rock paintings in the Chultyn-Gol area and the canyon of the Chulut River, runic stele 6-8 centuries, abundant in the steppes.

Natural attractions of Mongolia: Lake Hovsgol, the deepest in Central Asia, a popular place for fishing and ecotourism, and the valley of the Selenga River, which flows into Lake Baikal, the sacred mountain Bogdo-Ula, the birthplace of Genghis Khan, whose surroundings have the status of an environmental zone. The Gobi Desert is not only the sandy landscapes that go beyond the horizon, but also the largest cemetery of the remains of prehistoric animals from 120 to 70 million years ago.

Active leisure in Mongolia - river rafting, accommodation in yurts on high mountain pastures and in camping grounds, sport fishing, horse tours and motor rides.

Festivals

The central event of the year is the colorful festival of Naadam, in which all Mongolia participates without exaggeration .The holiday takes three days, from 11 to 13 July, during which competitions are held in three "real men" sports: wrestling, horse racing and archery .The main celebrations take place in Ulaanbaatar, but small festivals are also held in all provinces of the country .The winners of the competitions are publicly respected, and judging by the luckyness of one or another wrestler can be on the number of yellow stripes on the traditional cap - they indicate how many times he became the champion . Photo of Mongolia (29)