PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS
When to go to Mongolia?
The climate of Mongolia is continental with a very long, cold and dry winter. The average temperature in Ulaanbaatar is 25°C in winter and 30°C in summer. The best season to travel to Mongolia is definitely summer: June - September. Summer temperatures are pleasant, but can vary during the same day.
Snow covers the steppe for nearly 6 months, with significant variations depending on altitude and latitude. In some parts of the country, especially in the west, it can snow from the beginning of September.
The peak number of foreign visitors to Ulaanbaatar is recorded in July due to the national Grand Naadam festivities.
To stay in Mongolia, it is imperative to have appropriate equipment.
Time zone
Local time: GMT +8 or compared to France +6h difference in summer and +7h in winter with France.
Electricity
220 volts, 50 Hz. Blackouts and blackouts rarely happen in cities.A la campagne,
In the countryside, herders use car batteries and solar panels.
French electrical outlets are compatible almost everywhere.
Money
The monetary unit is the TUGRUG. One euro is worth approximately 3783 tugrug. (APRIL 2023)
Credit cards (preferably Visa international, American Express or Mastercard) are accepted at Ulaanbaatar and Aimag centers.
Checks are not accepted in Mongolia.
Health
The Mongolian climate and food are extremely healthy. In principle, we do not risk much apart from the classic "tourista" due to the change in diet and lifestyle. Fermented horse's milk is a very beneficial drink, but it is better to get used to it gradually and avoid too high doses the first time.
No vaccine is compulsory. However, it is recommended to update your anti-tetanus vaccine. To find out if there are current epidemics requiring a vaccine, you can contact AIR France, tel: 01 43 17 22 00, or the Pasteur Institute, tel: 01 45 68 81 99. In Switzerland, call the Service de Geneva Cantonal Hospital travel advice, tel: 022 372 33 11 or 372 96 04.
For emergency medical treatment, 2 hospitals in Ulaanbaatar receive foreigners.
Post office
Sending packages is relatively cheap through Ulaanbaatar Central Post (1 Enkh Taivan Avenue, tel: 21399). It is also possible, but more expensive, with DHL, Peace Av 15A, 210648 Ulaanbaatar, tel: 310919. The delivery time for mail abroad varies from one to two weeks.
It is preferable to stock up on stamps before leaving the capital, and to post the mail directly to the central post office rather than leaving it at the reception of hotels or in public boxes.
Central post: 1 Enkh Taivan avenue (corner Sukhbaatar square). Open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., until 9 p.m. in summer.
Telephone and Internet
It is possible to obtain direct international communications. The international code for Mongolia is 976, the code for Ulaanbaatar is 1. On the other hand, in certain places on the circuit, there is no telephone network. If it's urgent, your guide has a satellite phone.
In Ulaanbaatar and other cities, you can easily connect to the Internet. But there is no internet in the countryside
To know
In the Mongolian yurt, life is punctuated by tradition, and many rules and taboos govern domestic behavior, even if these rules tend to be relaxed nowadays.
The most common taboos are:
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Lean against or pass between the posts of the yurt. This custom undoubtedly has very practical origins, but also expresses the symbolism of posts as a source of strength in the home.
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Walk on the threshold. It is considered inauspicious to step or stumble on the threshold of the yurt when entering. People traveling in Mongolia in the Middle Ages reported that anyone who stepped on the threshold of the Khan's palace was put to death
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Extend your arms to touch both sides of the doorframe. The cross in front of the house door is traditionally a symbol that a death has come and that visitors should keep their distance. Touching both sides of the doorframe while extending one's arms is therefore considered a bad omen.
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Putting trash on the fire. Since fire is considered the purest of the elements, no waste should be thrown into it.
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Mix dirty and clean stuff. Mongols have a high regard for cleanliness, and they believe that allowing dirty objects to touch clean objects will contaminate the latter. So, in accordance with this custom, it is unacceptable, for example, to put dirty clothes in the family chest.
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Walk or sit north of someone older than you. Although Mongols adhere less rigidly to Confucian values than other Asian peoples, elders are traditionally accorded considerable respect. The oldest and most respected visitors sit at the back of the yurt, with the others sitting beside them in descending order of age.
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Pass between the fire and the bottom of the yurt. The fire and the back of the house are the two most sacred parts of the yurt; the nomads believe that a line of energy passes between these two points, and it should not be broken. All visitors must therefore enter and exit on the same side.
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Walk counter-clockwise. The "nar zuv", literally "the direction of the rotation of the sun" refers in Mongolia to clockwise. The Mongols believe that everything in the universe belongs to the cycles of time and movement, and it is important to move in harmony with these cycles. So when the roof of the house is folded down, for example, you have to walk in the yurt in a clockwise direction.
- Bring weapons into the foyer. Before entering the house, the visitor must remove his knife from his belt and hang it for all to see, thus indicating his friendly intentions.
Other customs govern the manner of receiving guests. Mongolians generally show great respect to visitors, and will welcome anyone into their home without an appointment first. When a visitor arrives he must call "nokhoi khor!" which means "Hold your dog" and that whether or not there is a dog. Someone from the family will then come out of the yurt and invite you to come inside.
The three main types of reception are tsailaga, budaalaga, and dailaga; literally offering tea, offering rice, and offering dinner. The custom of tsailaga is the most widespread, and is followed when a person respectfully offers tea to their visitor, relative or friend; when a nomadic family has just moved in and wishes to meet its new neighbours; or on any vacation. Budaalaga and dailaga are similar but show greater respect for the visitor.