the greatest outdoors
Bored of identikit resort holidays? element continues its exploration of the unspoilt wilderness of rural Mongolia, the perfect adventurous antidote to Turkey and Spain.
TEXT OLI REDMAN feedback
One of the biggest surprises I encountered while in Mongolia was the number of people spending a very short time in the country. Hoards of overenthusiastic backpackers seemed so keen to “do” the Trans-Mongolian railway that they were prepared to skimp on the star attraction of the route. It is, of course, possible to have a rewarding short holiday in Mongolia, but honestly, leave within a week and you might as well start drinking Baltika Zero and sleeping with a blow-up doll. You just won’t be getting the real deal. A trip into the Mongolian wilderness takes considerable time, but the rewards are many. Not only does Mongolia boast beautiful and intimidatingly remote landscapes, it is also home to Mongol and Kazakh nomads whose way of life has remained mostly untouched for centuries. I should, however, voice one caveat: large amounts of patience and hardiness are required for any trip outside Ulan-Bator. Even cold showers are mostly an unattainable luxury; a weekly dip in a glacial stream is the most you can hope for. Transport is also hard, as most roads are nothing more than rutted tyre tracks in the dirt. Breakdowns of various sorts are common, and usually entail a long wait for a “mechanic,” generally a fat bloke brandishing a screwdriver, to do some “maintenance,” generally consisting of swearing and hitting things in equal proportions. In one case, our driver stared thoughtfully for several minutes at the petrol pouring out liberally from around the fuel cap. “It’s fine,” he eventually declared, and before you could say “blazing death trap,” we were on our merry way again. If your finely pedicured toes are starting to curl in horror as you read this, then this isn’t the destination for you. Hardened travel masochists will know, however, that these hiccups are all part of the fun. Fortunately, trips into rural Mongolia are relatively easy to plan. The easiest way to organize one is through one of Ulan Bator’s guesthouses, which are also good places to put together groups in order to share the costs. Any guesthouse or tour agency will be able to rent out a jeep or minivan with a driver and guide-translator for $35-50 per day. In this way, you have absolute control over where you go and what you do. Ulan Bator’s numerous tour agencies, like Black Ibex and Blue Mongolia, can also save you the effort of thinking and provide a wide selection of set itineraries including jeep tours as well as more adventurous hiking, climbing, fishing or kayaking trips. Expect to pay around $50 per day for a basic package, and up to $80-100 for more luxurious arrangements, including a cook, more adventurous activities and a more comfortable vehicle. As there are so many similar firms, with agencies appearing and disappearing at a rapid pace, it’s well worth shopping around and asking others about their experiences. Independent travel is theoretically possible, of course, but the unreliable transport and ever-present language barrier will make organizing even the most basic details of any trip troublesome. One possibility for determined solo travelers is to travel in the traditional way: by horse. Horses are available to rent in many touristy areas, and you can also organize multi-day horse treks through almost any travel agent in Ulan Bator. You could even buy your own horse for $150-200 and simply head off across Mongolia’s famously vast and empty steppe. You’ll need to find someone to help negotiate the sale, but outside Ulan Bator you won’t need to look far to find a herder with horses for sale. In case you’re wondering, you can sell the horse again before you leave. As you wander through the countryside, yurt owners will extend their stoic welcome, in accordance with nomadic traditions; in a land where there are no hotels, hospitality becomes a more powerful obligation. You will receive a bed, or at least a floor, and more dairy products to eat than you even knew existed. Please don’t abuse this hospitality; it’s appropriate to leave a small gift or some cash when you leave, and don’t outstay your welcome. Although you won’t see as much of the country if you travel by horse, it’s still a great way to experience the countryside and the culture first-hand, rather than through the window of a car. Once you’ve decided how to travel, the biggest question is where to go; unfortunately, Mongolia contains far too many places of interest for me to describe in any detail here. The Gobi is popular and relatively accessible, with spectacular scenery including the 300-meter dunes at Khongoryn Els and the Flaming Cliffs at Bazangad, where the first dinosaur fossils were found. The area around Khovsguul Lake, in the North, draws rave reviews from everyone who goes near it. I met one girl who had spent five days there on horseback while it rained without a single pause, and still swore that it was the best part of her trip. If you have a little more time, then the West offers stunning mountainous vistas, and is also home to Kazakh nomads whose culture is far more intact than in Russified Kazakhstan. This region is inaccessible even by Mongolian standards. Mongolia is an unpredictable country, and while any trip into the countryside will certainly involve a certain amount of frustration and discomfort, you shouldn’t let this put you off. Take a lesson in pragmatism from the Mongolians you meet, and your experience of this country is sure to be an unforgettable adventure. • Getting there — MIAT flies from Sheremetevo on Thursdays and Sundays for $750 return, you can also fly on Aeroflot four times a week during the summer for $700 return. Trains leave from Yaroslavsky Vokzal at 9.30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, take 4 days and cost 8,500 rubles for kupe, or around 5,500 for platskart. • Visa — U.S. citizens can stay visa-free for up to 90 days. Most other nationalities require a visa, which is easy to obtain. Although officially only some nationalities require an invitation, the consulate in Moscow tends to arbitrarily demand them of everyone. You can buy an invitation for $30 from selenatravel.com if you decide you need one. • Accommodation — There isn’t any, so take a tent. It’s generally possible to rent one from a tour operator, but the quality can vary. • Weather — Be prepared! It is said that in Mongolia you can experience four seasons in one day, and that’s no exaggeration. In two days in the mountains, we saw baking sun, torrential rain, gales, thunderstorms, hail, snow and sleet. And that was in July. Be sure to take suitable clothing. |
