Travel Essentials › Mongolia
Travel Essentials
Plugs: Types C and E, 220 V. Emergency: One number for everything 105, Police 102, Ambulance 103, Fire 101. Tipping: Not traditional, but 5-10% in restaurants and tips for guides and drivers are now common in tourist settings. Tap water: Drink bottled or treated water.
Types C and E, 220 V
| One number for everything | 105 |
| Police | 102 |
| Ambulance | 103 |
| Fire | 101 |
Not traditional, but 5-10% in restaurants and tips for guides and drivers are now common in tourist settings.
Greetings. "Sain baina uu" is the usual hello, with a handshake. Among family at Tsagaan Sar (the lunar new year), the younger person supports an elder's elbows from below (zolgokh). Greet elders first and use both hands to offer anything.
Ger etiquette. When visiting a nomadic family's ger (yurt), step over the threshold without touching it, move clockwise inside, and accept offered milk tea or snacks with your right hand or both hands.
Respect for elders and hospitality. Elders are shown particular respect; hospitality is a strong cultural value, and turning down offered food or drink outright can be considered impolite.
Sacred sites (ovoos). When passing a stone cairn (ovoo) on a journey, it's traditional to walk around it clockwise three times, sometimes adding a stone, for good luck.
Mongolia is a safe destination with very few tourist scams and low violent crime; petty theft in Ulaanbaatar and occasional inflated prices for foreigners are the main concerns, especially outside the capital.
Overcharging in bars/nightclubs. Foreigners are sometimes overcharged for drinks in Ulaanbaatar nightlife; check prices before ordering and stick to reputable venues.
Inflated taxi fares. Unfamiliar visitors may be quoted higher fares; use a ride-hailing app or confirm the price beforehand.
Unlicensed tour operators. Informal 'guides' may overpromise on countryside trips; book through a licensed, reviewed tour operator.
Women travelers. Many women travel solo in Mongolia comfortably and report feeling safe, though official US guidance recommends caution about solo travel, especially outside Ulaanbaatar where harassment can be more common; joining a guided countryside trip is a common and sensible choice.
Legal · Use Caution
Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1993 and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is banned by law, but same-sex marriage is constitutionally banned and adoption isn't available to same-sex couples; social acceptance lags behind the legal protections.
| Coffee (café) | MNT 8,200 | $2.30 |
| Local bus or metro ride | MNT 500 | $0.15 |
| Mid-range restaurant meal | MNT 35,000 | $10 |
| Hostel bed / budget room (night) | MNT 40,000 | $11 |
| Mid-range hotel (night) | MNT 140,000 | $39 |
| Daily budget, mid-range traveler | MNT 180,000 | $50 |
2026-09
Mid-June to late August is peak season, warm and dry with the best access to the countryside and the Naadam Festival in July; May and September are quieter shoulder months with milder weather, while winter (December-February) is bitterly cold.