16 Day Mongolia Inc Horse Festival

Prior to the payment of your full balance, the final price may change if there is significant variation in the AUD:USD exchange rate. Our trip pricing is determined by what the exchange rates are at the time of publishing the trip.

The pricing on this trip is based on an exchange rate of 1 AUD:0.67 USD.

A deposit of $1,650 is required to hold your spot. Payment can be made by credit card (fees apply) or bank deposit.

There is a cooling-off period of 2 weeks. (Applicable to all bookings made 110 days in advance.)

We have implemented a ‘lifetime deposit’ guarantee. Deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable at any time, right up until the first day of the trip.

The final balance of the trip is required 95 days in advance of the departure date. Our suppliers require upfront payment well in advance to guarantee availability.

Please refer to the full terms and conditions for further information.

This is the most frequently asked question we get!

Nearly everyone is in their 50s and 60s, with some people above and below (but of course, everyone is welcome!)

Most Patchies come alone and are matched with a room-mate. Remember, you don’t need to pay for a single supplement if you come solo. We will place you with a similarly-aged roommate.

The typical Patchie has travelled a LOT, is a well-seasoned adventurer, and is not easily thrown by small things. However, many Patchies tell us that this is their first ever group tour. Many of our guests have avoided tours to this point as they’re not attracted to being herded around in large groups.

Oh, and one last thing:

Patchies are warm, generous, and kind. We knew it would be like this, but we weren’t expecting it to be *quite* like this. We’re so blessed as a business to have the customers we do; we consider ourselves to be some of the luckiest people in the world.

Travelling in Mongolia is as unique as the country itself – endless stretches of rugged countryside, winding tracks, and the friendly smiles of locals greet you in the most unexpected remote places. But Mongolia has its own rhythm, and there are a few things that make it quite different from other popular travel destinations.

With a short travel season, remote camp locations, and a dependence on food and goods imports, ger camp accommodation is pricier than you might expect for its simple setup. Since these camps run on a limited four-month season (compared to the seven- to twelve-month tourist seasons in many other countries), we hope you understand the imbalance between cost and quality.

And it’s not just the accommodation that’s pricey – transport, fuel and staffing costs have increased too, since the influx of post-covid travellers – including from close-neighbouring countries like South Korea. 

Mongolia has only recently moved away from its Soviet-influenced past, and their service culture is still evolving. Thirty years of democracy have brought change, but it’s been a slow journey.  They are still finding their own path in tourism and service standards, so please be patient.

Some visitors try to compare Mongolia to travelling in parts of SE Asia, but in truth, there’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world! The landscapes, the nomadic way of life, and the genuine charm of its people who have lived this way for centuries, are all unique. Come prepared to embrace the adventure, and you’ll be awed!

We can easily accommodate vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets, or any variation of the above. Let us know in advance so we can prepare as much of the food that needs to be brought with us from Ulaanbaatar. Note: the food will be simple and may get repetitive. We cannot cater for those with severe nut allergies. If you have any other medical requirements, please advise.

Mongolia has dropped its visa requirements for all Australian and NZ citizens.

Alcohol is widely available in Mongolia. It will be available for sale at all ger camps at affordable prices and can be bought in Ulaanbaatar.

Airfares are not included. There are lots of good options through Japan, Korea.

Solo travellers will be matched with a room-mate. Of course, if you prefer to have your own space, you can reserve the private room supplement.

Note: In the home stays, the private supplement is not available.

During tourist season, especially in July, August and September, you’ll find gers all across the Mongolian countryside. 

There are two types of Ger-stays you’ll encounter on this trip. 

First, there are the more polished ‘tourist ger camps’ with higher service standards – where it’s more like staying in a remote caravan park (but in gers instead of vans or tents). As we mentioned earlier, you’ll usually have access to shared toilet and shower block facilities, as well as a communal dining hall.

The other types are homestay-style Gers, owned by local families. They are simpler, more rustic and authentic to the nomadic way-of-life. Beds aren’t usually as comfy and you shouldn’t expect facilities like showers. Toilets are squat, and more often, whole-in-the-ground long-drop-style (we hope you’re getting the picture by now that you will be roughing it!) inside a little lean-to, set in the middle of a paddock. 

Because you have the  opportunity to stay with local families, you’ll experience their daily life and completely unplug from your usual routine. Your local hosts will warmly welcome you into their homes, even though most don’t speak English. Your guide will be there to help with translations, making sure you can connect and share with these wonderful people.

Most of our trips have a tip kitty because many cultures have interesting and diverse rules when it comes to tips. We’ve found it to be the easiest way to combat over-tipping, under-tipping or having the tip fall into the wrong hands. Our goal is for guests to relax and know that the complexities of tipping are taken care of, on their behalf.

For your Mongolian adventure, we ask your contribution be: 190,000 Mongolian Tugrik (equivalent to $55 USD at exchange rate $1USD : 3,465 Mongolian Tugrik) and given to your guide on Day 1. Your guide will use this to cover small tips along the way for included meals, hotel staff and other services.

What is not covered is a customary tip at the end of the trip for your guide and drivers. If they’ve ensured that your trip is memorable, we recommend the following guidelines:

Guide: 240,000 to 310,000 Mongolian Tugrik per person (equivalent to $70-$90USD)
Drivers: 70,000 Mongolian Tugrik per driver / per person (equivalent to $20USD)

(Exchange rate used – $1USD : 3,463 Mongolian Tugrik)

It is not recommended to bring the Mongolian Togrog currency to Ulaanbaatar, as you can obtain it easily at money changers and ATMs. In countryside towns, you can obtain money but it’s best not to rely on changers or ATMs available. Your expenses during the trip will be minimal and mostly confined to the alcohol you buy at ger camps. Bringing gifts for your host families is also highly encouraged. Aussie-themed gifts and clothing are highly welcomed as are toys for the kids. Fabric, scarves, warm socks, and gloves are also very welcome.

Mongolia is a big and untamed country. The landscape is rugged, with open plains that stretch on for miles and miles. Ulan Baatar (UB) is its only big city and the rest of the country has a small splattering of regional hubs. 

Once you leave UB, much of the country is only accessible by makeshift tracks made by vehicles that have travelled before you. So, the journey from one place to the next can be quite long and bumpy.   On those long drive days, you’ll be stopping along the way to break it up and have a stretch. By lunchtime, your driver may steer you unexpectedly to an isolated store in the middle of nowhere, make a lunch stop with a welcoming nomadic family, or pull up on the side of the track for you all to share a simple picnic.

Imagine an old Combi van on steroids – That’s what these 4WDs are usually like and your group will travel in a mini convoy of them – with 3 to 4 per van. Think of this trip as a true off-road experience, with 4WD-style rides that make you feel like a real explorer.

You will need a universal power adaptor on this trip as Mongolia uses multiple types of power outlets. There are no power plugs at our ger camps, but you can charge your devices in our vehicles.

You’re visiting Mongolia at the perfect time, with warm days and cool evenings. The potential for days over 30 degrees is real, so be ready with light layers. Rain showers are not uncommon, so please come prepared for this. On the long driving days, it’s recommended to wear blouses with long sleeves and pants for your comfort. For the cool mornings and evenings, we recommend you bring at least one warm jacket or sweater, and a light sweater. Comfortable walking shoes will serve just fine.

We take animal welfare seriously and do not work with providers who treat their animals poorly. Please note that animals often coexist with their owners in what can be very difficult conditions. This is part of the reality of life for them and we accept this.

Airport transfers are included. You can plan to arrive at any time, but we recommend arriving in the morning to give yourself time to settle in.

You’ll need a reasonable fitness level to participate in this trip, but nothing extreme. If you can walk for several hours e.g. 8-12km at a moderate pace on undulating terrain, you’ll be fine. There will be some uphill/downhill walking and the dune walk will be tiring, although very much worth the effort. All activities are optional, meaning that if you don’t feel like it, you can skip it.

Some days do involve long stretches of driving and you need to be the kind of person who enjoys road trips. Any such necessary long drives are offset by photo stops, picnic lunches, roadside pit stops, tea/coffee breaks, and of course seeing points of interest, leg stretching walks and dropping in on nomadic families. Our trusty transport is a UAZ Purgon, comfortable and built to withstand off-road Mongolian driving conditions. We’ll have 2-3 of these. You will adore our skilful drivers.

Once you’re on the road, you’ll be mostly using either squats toilets, or very basic longdrop squats. Sometimes you may even decide to take a ‘bush wee’- but be warned, bushes are hard to come by out on the steppe and in the Gobi Desert!

In UB your comfortable hotel room has an ensuite. Once you’re on the road, tourist ger camps usually have caravanpark-style toilet blocks. Home stays get even simpler again (remember – many Mongolians still live a nomodic existence, so toilets are usually hand dug drop squats – and sometimes the modesty screens are pretty makeshift!  

Meanwhile, Mongolia’s capital is a whole different world, with bustling traffic and little public transport, creating an exciting contrast to the peaceful, open countryside. So, get ready to experience both ends of the spectrum: a lively city with plenty of hustle and wild landscapes that feel like they go on forever.

Whilst a few ger camps will have Wi-Fi we advise all guests not to rely on this being available, and if you absolutely must have access during a trip, you can purchase a local SIM card with data. Just ask your trip leader for assistance.

Our guide for this trip will likely be female, but this is not guaranteed. We have a pool of highly capable guides, but the nature of Mongolian culture means that our planned guide may be called away before the trip to assist their family.

We recommend flying to Mongolia, as the train times are not conveniently matched with our departure day and time. Continuing your trip via train, may be possible, but given the current conditions it is possible that onward travel to both Russia and China is not possible.  Also, August is a bad time of year to visit Beijing due to the weather (too hot!) with bad air quality and we do not recommend it.