Mongolia, beautiful mountain kingdom (Mongolia)

Member Name: cezzybunny

Product:	Mongolia
Date:	10/09/09 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, friendly people, beautiful

Disadvantages: Not too easy to get to!

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Mongolia, having spent 2 weeks getting there by train from Latvia. Myself and a friend ended up booking a 4 day - 3 night tour with a community organisation called Ger to Ger. We were out in the countryside in the Bulgan province and every day stayed with a different nomadic family, travelling between gers using horses, camels and ox carts. Having not really ridden a horse before, I was relatively sort of experienced by the end of the four days. Well I could get the horse to go and stop....! The trip was really good value for money, costing about £120 for the trip, not including the bus tickets, about £10 return. We stayed in spare gers, and ate relatively basic but filling food. All in all we had an awesome time and I've got a load of memories which will stay with me forever. You can book these trips, or send enquiries using the website-www.gertoger.org

We spent a few nights staying in Ulaan Bataar, which is set in the hills of central -- northern Mongolia. We stayed at Idre's guesthouse in the capital city, which cost £4 a night for a bed in an 8 bedded dorm. There wasn't much availability in the city as it was at the time of the national Naadam - national games. So worth booking ahead if you are going to Ulaan Bataar in early August. Food in UB is pretty cheap, I'd advise looking up the Mongolian BBQ (it's in the lonely planet), it's about £7 for an all you can eat buffet there - pick your ingredients for a kind of stir fry, and they'll cook it in front of you. Much amusement.

Mongolia is a very cheap place to travel, and well worth a visit. I think most people visit as part of a trans-siberian trip, though I believe return flights start at about £650 return from London to UB.

Summary: A great little country, get there before everybody else finds it..!