Mongolia is mostly known as the land of nomads who managed to conquer almost all of Asia and parts of Europe to become one of the largest empires on earth. Mongolia has been under a great deal of influence from the Soviet Union in its recent history and has changed its form of government in the early 90s. Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital of the world on average. The country offers incredible tours which show the life of nomads from the horse saddle.

Traveling info

All visitors to Mongolia are required to have a valid passport. All visitors are required to have a visa with the exception of Indian nationals who are exempt for this requirement. Tourists who wish to drive in Mongolia may use their national driving license to do so as long as their stay does not exceed a month. If the stay exceeds such period an International driving permit is required. Beware that the IDP does not substitute for the original driving permit and is only a translation of it. Both documents must be present whilst driving.

Traveling hazards

Driving in Ulaanbaatar can be extremely difficult due to poorly maintained streets, broken traffic lights, poor street lighting, a shortage of traffic signs, and undisciplined pedestrians. The knowledge and skills of the driving population have not kept pace with the dramatic growth in the number of automobiles on the streets in recent years. There are few paved roads outside of the capital and no street lights, and driving outside of Ulaanbaatar after dark is unsafe. There are many metered taxis in Ulaanbaatar. There are a few car rental companies, but safety and maintenance standards are uncertain, so rental vehicles should be used with caution. Local tourist companies can provide cars with drivers. Public transportation within the capital is widespread, cheap, and generally reliable, but it is also extremely crowded which may not be particularly safe in regards to petty crime.

Environmental hazards

Despite the large size of Mongolia, there are relatively few animals which pose a threat to humans. Most dangerous of these animals are wolves. These animals can be found throughout Mongolian steppes. Despite large numbers sightings are rare. These animals will generally avoid humans however attacks do happen. Apart from the wolves, there is a species of brown bear, namely the Gobi Bear which is critically endangered and one of the smallest of its kind rarely exceeding 140 kg in weight. There are 3 venomous vipers in Mongolia. Although bites are not extremely dangerous however being a bit far away from any urban areas might be more dangerous due to the difficult access to emergency services. The more remote the area the more dangerous it gets. Mongolia is a landlocked country meaning swimming is rather not popular. Considering the rather cold climate, few people decide to swim in lakes or rivers.
Mongolia is a country where the following natural disasters occur frequently, blizzards, heavy snow, dust storms, rainwater floods and others such as earthquake, wildfires, droughts, and desertification.

Health hazards

There are currently no outbreaks of any diseases in Mongolia according to the CDC. There are however several vaccines which are recommended to ensure a disease-free trip. These vaccinations are the routine vaccines also known as MMR vaccines, Hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies vaccines. Mongolian public healthcare service delivers services at a moderate quality. Although services in the capital and major urban areas are generally modern, outside of the cities these get a little worse or are non-existent in the most remote areas. Mongolia is vast and the population is spread throughout the country making it difficult to provide everyone with adequate health services. Private clinics are mostly located in Ulaanbaatar and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon considering few tourists arrivals. Visitors should consider purchasing medical insurance and make sure it covers emergency airlift as remote areas might be difficult to reach by car.
In case of an emergency dial 103.

Crime

Crime remains a concern in Mongolia, both violent and petty crime exists however it has decreased in the recent years. Most crime statistics are reported from Ulaanbaatar. Crime occurrence in smaller urban areas remains unknown. Street crime remains common in Mongolia, with victims seemingly targeted at random. Locations that attract thieves include the Narantuul covered market, the State Department Store (a name derived from Mongolia’s socialist past), the Mercury food market shopping center, the Seoul Street restaurant and bar district, the section of Baga Toiruu between the Urgoo Cinema and Ulaanbaatar Hotel, and crowded sporting events. There are no criminal code provisions covering sexual harassment, although Mongolian law includes a definition of sexual harassment and charges employers with taking steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. A law on combating domestic violence was adopted in December 2016. Female visitors are urged to be cautious when traveling alone, in isolated areas, and in situations in which alcohol consumption is prevalent. There is no terrorism risk in Mongolia. Possessing or using drugs is strictly illegal in Mongolia, and if you are caught you may end up serving time in prison. Police are quite strict on this measure, so be sure not to run afoul of the law in your stay in Mongolia.

Summary

Despite being a rather unpopular destination Mongolia offers some unforgettable experiences of the wild steppes. Tourists may witness the life of some of the last nomadic peoples in Mongolia or experience the city living in one of the coldest capitals on earth. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
http://mongoliavisa.com/visa-requirements-fees.html
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/mongolia