You Gotta Wander

Mongolia is not your usual country where everything seems apparent to you. However, this guide will help you with getting up to speed quickly about what you need to bring, sign, get, and know before you come to Mongolia!

General overview of Mongolia

Highways will end halfway through your road trip into the Gobi, car rides will be bumpy to the point where you will be cured of your motion sickness, and summer can bring on some pretty sharp cold winter nights.

But Mongolia is also a country where you will see some of the longest stretches of flat land going on for kilometres, where you will see the night sky with such clarity that you’ll never get anywhere else, where you or your group may be the only humans in sight for stretches of land at any given time, and where drivers give way to herds of horses, mountain goats and yaks.

Some people might have different views, but Ulaanbaatar is still transitioning. Whilst Sukhbaatar Square is the central point of the capital city, the busy areas around it, including where the museums are and where the restaurants are, never provide that cosiness and bustling energy for tourists. The area around the State Department Store can be busy, but there does lack a sense of cohesiveness and approachability that tourists may otherwise be able to find in cities such as Saigon, Hanoi, Beijing, Paris, Kathmandu, or Melbourne. In Ulaanbaatar, many of the tourists are South Koreans, Russians and Chinese people. You will be surprised at the amount of South Korean-themed restaurants here.

During the Soviet-aligned era, the Soviet-aligned Mongolian government implemented a policy to build towns within 60km of each other. What this means is you will find towns that are very rudimentary, and with barely any people on the streets. This is before you get to the sporadic nomadic ger camps around the countryside. But behind all this is the amazing backdrop of the Mongolian landscape.

As a tourist, if you venture into the country side, you will spend hours sitting in a Jeep or Russian van, and these will be one of the more uncomfortable rides you’ll ever experience. Destinations in the Gobi are far apart, and there is no such thing as an ‘estimated time / duration’ for the journey. They only look at how far the destination is. Go figure. But what does that all matter when you’re experiencing some of the marvellous landscapes in the world?

All in all, I fell in love with Mongolia for everything it offers. With that in mind, let’s dive in.

The Mongolian economy – a perspective

Mongolia is a landlocked and predominantly climate-harsh country, and so most of its produce and products, more broadly, come from other countries. As with any export, the receiving country pays the export prices plus any tariffs. As a result, many everyday essential items are priced quite high.

Now consider that against the backdrop of the minimum and median wages in Mongolia. The country’s minimum wage is around 800,000 Mongolian Tugriks (MNT), with the median wage around 1.9 million MNT. This equates to around $309 Australian Dollars (AUD) a month as minimum wage, or $735 AUD a month in median wages.

This will definitely give you a sense of how expensive Mongolia is, especially for locals. A visit to any CU Mart or GS25 convenience store and you’ll be surprised how many of the products are priced similarly to products you’d find back home in Australia or the US. For example, a Nong Shim Ramen cup noodle costs around 6,000 MNT ($2.32 AUD). At Woolworths in Australia, the same goes for $2.50, and at an Asian grocery in Australia, this might drop to $2.10 or $1.90. Yeh…

Getting to Mongolia

To get to Mongolia, you can fly to Ulaanbaatar directly from several cities, but the options are quite limited to seasons. If you want certainty, then flights to Ulaanbaatar always operate from Astana, Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Seoul, and Tokyo on MIAT Mongolian Airlines.

Flying into Mongolia

I’ve compiled the following list of cities from which and airlines on which you can fly to Ulaanbaatar directly. This list is accurate as of August 2026 and is based on Flight Connections information.

For up to date information, visit Flight Connections through this link: https://www.flightconnections.com/flights-to-ulaanbaatar-ubn

MIAT Mongolian Airlines is not part of either Star Alliance, SkyTeam or OneWorld. As such, points earned on its Blue Sky Mongolian loyalty program are not readily transferable to other airlines.

However, MIAT Mongolian Airlines does have codeshare agreements with Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Air China. This allows for single ticket travel from anywhere those airlines fly to, via their respective hubs, and onwards to Ulaanbaatar. Again, it is not clear the extent to which points earned on flying MIAT Mongolian Airlines codeshare with these airlines are transferable.

Flying from Melbourne, the best option for me was to fly to Beijing via Air China – I was able to earn Star Alliance points through KrisFlyer on this flight. The flight was $1,600 return Melbourne to Ulaanbaatar via Beijing. However, Beijing Capital International Airport is not a great airport to transit through as it is currently undergoing a lot of renovations and there are not many restaurants or relaxation areas unless you have access to the Air China lounge. You can access this as a Star Alliance Gold member or the relevant Air China Phoenix Miles program.

If you are a Star Alliance member and are in the Northern Hemisphere already, flying Turkish Airlines via Istanbul is the best option. Istanbul International Airport is better to fly through than Beijing Capital International Airport, and the Turkish Airlines onboard experience is really good all-round.

If you are a SkyTeam member, then flying through Seoul on Korean Air is the best option. Korean Air has a wide network spanning Europe, the Americas and Oceania.

Train to Ulaanbaatar

In addition to flying into Ulaanbaatar, you can also take the train into Ulaanbaatar from either Moscow or Beijing. At the time of writing, it is not advisable to travel to Russia (at least for Australians). Generally, some of the ratings on SmartTraveller are slightly questionable, but in the case of Russia, I’d advise please check SmartTraveller regularly for any updates: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/

I have a page that covers the Trans-Mongolian train between Ulaanbaatar and Beijing – it is a must do!

The train from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar departs Beijing Station (near the Temple of Heaven) every Saturday, and arrives in Ulaanbaatar early Sunday afternoon.

In general, it is impossible to book the Trans-Mongolian train via the official Mongolian website if you are outside of Mongolia. This is even with a VPN. As such, you must book through a third party operator.

I booked my tickets from Ulaanbaatar to Beijing via Travel China Guide, and they sell tickets from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar too. You can book through this link here: Travel China Guide – K24/K23 Ulaanbaatar – Beijing – Ulaanbaatar train booking. Ticket prices from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar are as follows (as at August 2026):

Class / Item	Price (Chinese Yuan)	Price (Australian Dollar)
Deluxe Soft Sleeper (2 bunkers per room)	¥2,273	$471.52
Hard Sleepers (4 bunkers per room)	¥1,518	$314.90
Service Fee (Travel China Guide)	¥210	$43.56

For tickets from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar, it is also possible to buy tickets in person in Beijing. You must go to the the China International Travel Service (CITS) Head Office. This is on the 7th floor of the CITS Tower (国旅大厦), Number 1 on Dongdan Beidajie (东单北大街). You must have your passport with you to book your ticket. The passport number on your ticket must match the passport you use to travel on the train with and exit China with.

You can also buy tickets via their website, but this seems to be only available for tickets from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar.

Getting to and around Ulaanbaatar

Airport to Ulaanbaatar

The X19 bus

I strongly advise you take the X19 bus from Chingghis Khan Airport to Sukhbaatar Square. It is only 15,000 MNT for an adult, and the bus is one of those fancy premium buses with USB-A charge ports every seat, reading lights and AC above you.

When you pass through Mongolian Immigration and exit towards the luggage carousels, you will see the following signs that show the timetable and the various ways to get to Ulaanbaatar.

You can pay for the bus ticket in 4 ways: (1) cash; (2) QR code ticket; (3) UB Card; and (4) physical credit card (Apple Pay does not work). I paid mine in cash via the driver (I’ve seen other blogs say that cash is not accepted – this has changed!). When you walk out of the terminal, the bus is on the right hand side. If you approach the driver, just hand him 15,000 MNT and you’re set. Other people have booked their tickets (including QR code ticket and UB Card) via a kiosk in the terminal, but the terminal can get very busy so you might be scrambling to find the kiosk. The kiosk is apparently near the foreign exchange counter on the departures floor (not the arrivals one).

The bus will take around 90 minutes to get to Sukhbaatar Square and is not any faster than a taxi.

Any other blog telling you to avoid the buses is questionable.

UBCab

UBCab is the Mongolian version of Uber – Uber does not operate in Mongolia.

Many blogs have stated that it is impossible to register for UBCab using a non-Mongolian number. However, I managed to register for UBCab using my Australian number, and managed to get Apple Pay working for it.

Obviously, if this is your preferred way of travel as soon as you touch down, I strongly recommend doing so well before you arrive in Ulaanbaatar.

I have screenshots below showing my account registered in my Australian number.

To get Apple Pay working, the trick is to load your My Wallet balance up before booking a trip. I would continuously add 15,000 MNT to My Wallet via Apple Pay before each trip. I book the trip, get in the car. Then when the driver ends the trip on their phone, the trip fare is deducted from My Wallet and so no cash is required at all. Just make sure you see the driver end the trip on their phone – they swipe right this green button.

Around Ulaanbaatar

One thing to note about Ulaanbaatar is that the traffic can be absolutely horrendous during school terms. When I landed in Ulaanbaatar, I was amazed at how conventional (i.e., non-existent) the traffic jams were compared to what everyone else was saying online. However, when the school term started, I finally experienced this traffic jam. To get to a place that was on 3.5km away, it took us 40 minutes during the day (lunchtime), whereas it took us 13 minutes to get to the same place but at 9pm.

Ulaanbaatar is not a nice city to walk around. There are no distinctive “hubs” per se that make your walk feel shorter. If the journey is a 2-4km walk, it will feel like a pretty long walk with nothing to look at along the way. As such, you may want to consider other ways of getting around the city instead of walking. In addition to the above on UBCab, there are several other ways to get around Ulaanbaatar

Scooters and bikes

In Ulaanbaatar, you will see everywhere some scooters and e-bikes along footpaths and at street corners.

At the time of writing, I never saw anyone on these in Ulaanbaatar and when my partner tried to sign up for the e-bikes, the app was in Mongolian and the app had no English functionality. However, feel free to try your luck and tell me how it goes!

Public transportation – bus

As mentioned above, it is possible to travel on buses using just cash. However, if you wish to use it more frequently, it may be prudent to get a UB Card at the airport using the machine next to the kiosk to buy bus tickets.

Apparently there are issues with topping up the UB Card using the UBCARD app and through cash top ups at convenience stores such as CU Mart. To avoid these hassles whilst travelling around Ulaanbaatar, you may wish to load a lot of money onto your UB Card at the airport (maybe 100,000 MNT).

Information on bus stops, waiting times and routes can be found on the UB Smart Bus app (Apple, Android).

If anyone is interested, apparently construction on the Ulaanbaatar Metro was set to commence in June 2026, and handover planned for 2030!

Around Mongolia

Public transportation – bus

This is an option – but not the best one! They can be uncomfortable depending on the bus you get, and only go to the major towns in Mongolia. They may not get you to more remote destinations.

To get tickets you can book them online through here National Road Transport Centre – Online Booking system. However, for certainty, it is best to get the tickets in person at the Dragon Centre Bus Station in Ulaanbaatar. You may wish to go there a few days before you depart Ulaanbaatar to ensure you get a seat, especially during the peak summer season.

Renting a car

As of August 2026, I would strongly advise against this option.

Whilst I was touring around the Gobi, there were lines (up to 3 kilometres) at the front of petrol stations and lasting up to 6 hours. Due to the US / Israel – Iran War, Mongolia has undergone a petrol shortage. There were odd / even number plate on certain days restrictions, as well as a 18 to 26 litre cap on fuel that can be bought on any given day. Whilst Mongolia received a shipment of petrol when I finished my tour, there were still lines at petrol stations for several days after the restrictions were lifted.

Tour operators had priority to get petrol, whereas individual persons, including self-driving tourists, had to wait in line for several hours a day.

Ultimately, however, this option may end up being cheaper than some tours. Some others were telling me that car rental operators were charging $60USD/day to hire a 4×4 car. You may need to get your own food, petrol, water, camping equipment and other necessities. However, even then, this may be an option for some people. Some other blogs have mentioned a $200USD/day price to hire a car (which includes tents, sleeping bags, cooking utensils and repair kits), at which point this option may be more expensive than a tour. It all depends on the type of car you are getting, and any inclusions.

You will need your own International Drivers Permit. You must make sure your permit is issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention, and not the 1949 Vienna Convention.

You may wish to have a read of these great blogs that have outlined the ins and outs of overlanding in Mongolia: Can You Road Trip Mongolia? – Beyond the Bucketlist; What to know when you rent a car in Mongolia – Meanwhile Mongolia.

Hiring a driver

Instead of renting your own car, you might want to consider hiring a driver either through rental car companies, or through Facebook groups.

One of the added benefits of hiring a driver is that if they rent a car on your behalf, they may benefit from cheaper car rental fees as they are local individuals. They also know the roads better and so that takes away on big part of the equation for you.

You should check what costs you are responsible for, such as food for the driver, places to sleep, and petrol costs. At the end of the day, they are spending a significant amount of time away from their family, so treat them more than just a driver.

Some of the Facebook groups that are active and not too scammy as of August 2026 include:

Mongolia Travel Tips

Backpacker Travel Mongolia

Backpackers in Mongolia

Beware, some of the individuals that will get into contact with you will respond very fast and you may feel overwhelmed. However, they all have good intentions!

When to visit Mongolia

Summer (June to August)

This was when I visited (August, to be specific), and I loved visiting Mongolia during this time.

This is considered the peak season in Mongolia, and most tours and hotels are in operation during this period. I had read other blogs that said that this period will see “crowded museums” and “full flights”. Nothing could not have been further from the truth from my experience. The flight from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar was quite empty…

Temperatures in Ulaanbaatar are generally amazing (compared to Australian summers!). Averages vary between 20 to 29 degrees Celsius for maximums, to 6 to 9 degrees Celsius for minimums.

If you venture into the Gobi, or to higher elevations to the west (Altai Mountains) and north (Lake Khuvsgul) of the country, temperatures can either be lower or at least more extreme. Note in mind that if you are in the Gobi, the gers do not have air conditioning… But if it gets cold, some will have fireplaces for you to light a fire. But the wood they give can burn quite quickly!

It is also when rain is most likely to fall – when I was in Ulaanbaatar, it rained for 2 of my 5 days there. And when it rains, it pours and it lasts! I was surprised at how fast the pavement dried up between rain spells – just proof of how arid the area around Mongolia is!

Some other things to look out for during summer is that the famous Naadam festival occurs during this time! There is also the wild horse riding competition (the Mongol Derby), where many contestants around the world come to Mongolia to ride horses from one end of the country to the other! You may catch them along the way.

Autumn / Fall (September to November)

Towards the end of my trip, I started experiencing the coming of autumn. This was immediately noticeable with the massive traffic jams in Ulaanbaatar because of the resumption of the school term!

The weather also got much more cold during this time. Between September to November, daily maximum averages go from 14 degrees Celsius to -8 degrees Celsius towards the end of autumn. Minimums go from -1 degree Celsius to -21 degrees Celsius. These averages get even better in winter ;).

My tour company advised that they generally ran tours to the west of Mongolia (to the Altai Mountains) during this period because of the Golden Eagle festival. You might want to visit during this time to visit that amazing part of Mongolia, and to partake in the festival.

Winter (December to February) and Spring (March to May)

Personally, I think I might pass on this period of the year. Ulaanbaatar is known as the coldest capital city in the world (in the peak of winter in January, the average maximum is -18 degrees Celsius and average minimum is -32 degrees Celsius). It is also when Christmas and New Years travel is at its peak, so prices will be high for flights that go through major hubs that also celebrate these two events.

Having said that, snow does fall across the country. You may be able to see the Gobi covered in snow – the Gobi is also known as a cold desert, in contradiction to a hot desert such as the Sahara.

The Mongolian Lunar New Year is also during winter, and if you are interested to see how different East Asian cultures celebrate Lunar New Year, this one may interest you!

Otherwise, you could wait until spring to enjoy slightly warmer weather in Mongolia. Between March to May, daily maximum averages go from -2 degrees Celsius to 15 degrees Celsius towards the end of spring. Minimums go from -18 degrees Celsius to -1 degree Celsius. During this period, the Gobi will be gradually recovering from the snow falls, so you may be able to catch the Gobi with snow during spring.

As mentioned before, Mongolia’s climate is quite harsh and therefore is unable to support mass agricultural activities outside of pastoral farming / animal husbandry. One of the major climate phenomenons that happen during winter and spring is the dzud. This can come in the form of short periods of warming followed by a string of days at sub-freezing temperatures (an iron dzud), creating an ice cover that prevents agricultural activity, or high snowfall preventing livestock from reaching the grass below the snow (a white dzud). It is not uncommon for millions of livestock to die during winter and spring because of these dzuds, and given summer is quite short lived, agricultural activities besides pastoral farming / animal husbandry is typically impractical to sustain.

SIM and e-SIM cards

You can get an e-SIM at Chingghis Khan International Airport with Mobicom. Unlike Airalo, which is basically just a white label for international roaming plans, getting an e-SIM directly with a Mongolian service provider will give you a Mongolian number, and supports the local economy.

As you get off your plane, you will see billboard signs throughout the immigration area and the luggage carousel with QR codes. These QR codes once scanned, will navigate you to the e-SIM set up process on your phone. They are a Mobicom plan, that gives you 1GB phone data for free and expire in 24 hours. This is to allow you to then connect to the network to buy a 7GB, 15GB or 60GB phone plan. Surprisingly, the set up process never asked for my passport or undertake any form of Know Your Customer (KYC) process…

Size	Price	Period
15 GB	20,000 MNT	7 days
25 GB	30,000 MNT	15 days
60 GB	60,000 MNT	30 days

For best coverage throughout rural Mongolia, Mobicom is highly advised. SkyTel and UniTel are better for usage in major city centres. I got Mobicom, and this was based off this website’s advice: https://www.esim.net/esim-mongolia. Other travellers were on UniTel and could not access service in many areas in the Gobi. Others who got Mobicom also said they were advised to get Mobicom over other services.

If you have a phone that does not support e-SIM, you can also acquire a physical SIM in the arrivals hall at the airport.

Once you have either, you can easily top-up your mobile plan via the website. If you got a physical SIM, note down the ICCID on the SIM card holder before you throw it out! You will need it to top up via the Mobicom website. You can easily check your balance by dialling #210*, and replying “1” twice.

Other blogs that say that you can’t get a SIM or e-SIM at the airport, or you need a local to get a plan for you, are now incorrect.

Cash or card?

Before I went to Mongolia, I was advised by several online sources that card transactions were hard to come by, and so I prepared myself to have a wad of cash.

Nothing couldn’t be further from the truth.

Everywhere in Ulaanbaatar that I went to accepted card payments (Mastercard and Visa) – even the laundromat did! This extended to convenience stores and small boutique grocers in towns in the Gobi.

However, it is advisable to have cash ready on hand. Mongolian vendors accep MNT payments, but tour operators and drivers are happy with USD as well.

The time you will need to have cash is at the end of your tour. Tips for the drivers and guides tend to be around USD$100, each. You should have this amount stashed away ready and in addition to MNT cash you want to use for snacks or other discretionary items. My partner and I, as well as another couple, were not told about the amount of tip, and ended up giving away all the cash we had at the end of the tour. Thankfully we didn’t need that cash in Ulaanbaatar anyways!

If you wish to convert USD or other widely used currency (such as AUD, CNY, EUR, GBP) into MNT, you can do so at the numerous currency exchanges or, as we found, there is an exchange machine in the Zaisan Complex shopping centre. You put in any of the above currencies, and it spits out MNT. The rate offered was also nearly the same as the live exchange rate on XE Currency Exchange. Take the stress out of converting currencies and let a machine do it for you!

Cultural need-to-knows

Language

The number of ethnic Mongolians in Inner Mongolia, however, is higher than the number of ethnic Mongolians in Mongolia (4-5 million vs 3.3 million). It is important to note that the history of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia is complex, and is entwined with Chinese history.

Whilst there is Mongolia, there is also Inner Mongolia! Mongolia is an independent country, but Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region in north-east China. Both areas speak Mongolian, but both areas write the language differently. Mongolia writes Mongolian in Cyrillic due to Soviet-aligned governments during the Soviet Union era, whereas Inner Mongolia writes Mongolian using the traditional phags pha script – that script you see with very long words.

The younger generations of Mongolians are now quickly picking up English, but do not expect Ulaanbaatar to be English speaking – many still do not know English. There are a number that can speak Russian.

Food

I was pleasantly surprised by Mongolian food, but it is definitely not a cuisine that is worth raving home about like Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, Thai or Greek cuisine.

It is mostly root vegetable and meat-based – none could have guessed given Mongolia’s climate, am I right! I suggest you buy a small bottle of soy sauce and Mongolian chilli oil to accompany you throughout your travels throughout Mongolia!

Some must try dishes are:

1. Tsuuivan

This is a fried noodle dish, and often includes lamb or goat meat. If you have soy sauce and chilli oil with you, this dish is amazing!

2. Khorkhog

Khorkhog is the Mongolian answer to roast / BBQ meats. If you are Australian or American, you may have come across a dish called “Mongolian Beef”. This is not that.

It is generally mutton or lamb roasted with hot river stones, roasted together with carrots, potatoes. The container is then covered with a lid to trap the heat and ensure the meat and vegetables are cooked from the inside out. Once cooked, the meat tastes natural and not gamey, and is served according to choice.

If you are game, this dish is traditionally (but not commonly) cooked in the carcass of the animal whose meat is being roasted / BBQ’d. If you want this, then request Boodog instead. I was not game enough for this!

3. Buuz

A boiled dumpling dish, can’t get any better than this! They generally have lamb or goat filling, and the sauce at Modern Nomads was a sort of soy sauce mixed with vinegar and spring onions. It was actually one of the best dumplings I have had!

4. Baga Tamir soup

I could not find the exact recipe for this on Google, but essentially it is a goat or lamb based soup, and has potatoes, vegetables, dumplings a generous amount of pepper in it. It was such as hearty soup and I ordered it at Modern Nomads! Other recipes online seem to have different variations, ranging from thick soups to clear broths. See their menu on this Google Maps entry (the menus on their website do not seem to load internationally).

5. Khuushuur

A fried big dumpling dish. These are big pocketed dumplings, and can have the same fillings as buuz.

I strongly suggest that you go to Modern Nomads to get a decent induction into Mongolian cuisine! There are other Mongolian cuisine restaurants in Ulaanbaatar, including one in front of the State Department Store (which I did not get a chance to try!).

Drinks and alcohol

Now, some people do not like these drinks I am about to mention. However, I strongly suggest you give it a crack.

1. Airag

This is also known as their “beer”. It is essentially fermented horse milk that is churned at least several hundred times. The taste is quite sour, but it has a lot of probiotics and other gut bacteria! I did not like it at first, but I loved it at the end and was having the whole bowl! It is best served cold, and every family brews their own – so from family to family, you’ll appreciated the different taste profiles. When offered by the ger host, always receive with two hands!

2. Shimiin arkhi or Arkhi

Hands down the best vodka I have ever had. And no one can change my mind.

Essentially, this vodka is brewed from fermented curds of mostly goat’s milk, but can also be horse or sheep. When the milk undergoes fermentation, alcohol is produced as a by-product. The curd is then boiled to distill this alcohol by-product.

The vodka is very smooth, and you may forget you are actually drinking vodka. This is probably because the strength varies, which can sometimes be 12% (comparable to a wine). As with airag, taste and alcohol profiles will vary from family to family!

3. Suutei Tsai

Now, this was personally not my favourite. Maybe because I was expecting tea and this was not what I thought tea would taste like.

Either way, this is essentially Mongolian tea served with yak’s milk, but can be served with other types of milk. It includes tea leaves, milk, millet and salt.

Religion

Mongolia is predominantly Buddhist (at 52% per the 2020 census), and mainly of the Vajrayana Buddhism sect, a subset of Mahayana Buddhism. This sect is the basis of Tibetan Buddhism, and Buddhism in Mongolia arose from when the emperors of the Yuan Dynasty converted to Tibetan Buddhism. However, Mongolian Buddhism has its own characteristics, including several integrations of Mongolian shamanism aspects into Buddhist practice. Many monks and temples were persecuted and destroyed during the Soviet-aligned era, and so please visit these temples, pay respects and make a donation where possible to support the ongoing recovery of these cultural landmarks.

Mongolia also espouses Mongolian Shamanism (or Mongolian Tengerism), which is reverence of the natural world and ancestors. This is the basis for Mongolia’s current reverence of Genghis Khan, as they view him as the embodiment of Tenger. Whilst many Genghis Khan shrines were destroyed during the Soviet-aligned era, there are several that exist in Inner Mongolia, China (such as in Ordos City).

Other things to know – visas, electricity, key items to bring

Australia is one of 62 countries that can enter Mongolia visa-free for up to 30-days. See the full list of countries here: Mongolian Electronic Visa – evisa.mn. Visits over 30-days must be subject to an application for an e-Visa.

There is information out there about foreigners being required to register their stay in Mongolia. Whilst the Mongolian law states that this is the responsibility of the accommodation provider, some sites say that only visitors staying over 30 days must register. Either way, you should check with your accomodation provider and email the Immigration Agency of Mongolia at visasection@immigration.gov.mn for further information. During our stay, I was not informed by my hostel of any registration requirements but they may have registered me anyways. My stay was less than 30 days.

I strongly suggest you bring a sizeable power bank – at least 100Wh – that also has a solar-charging function. If you are flying Air China, they allow up to 100Wh without permission, whilst anything between 100Wh to 160Wh must be expressly approved first. If you are taking any flights within China, your power bank must also have the triple C (CCC) certification logo. However, if you transiting or flying out of China to an international destination, CCC certification is not required.

Mongolia uses Type C and Type E sockets (the two circular holes). The standard voltage is 230 volts and the frequency is 50Hz. You must use a travel adapter if your appliances are not Type C or E socket-compatible.

I also brought a solar panel mat (36Wh output) that was very useful during stays at ger families. The gers housing tourists did not have any electricity, and so sometimes you could not charge your devices overnight. As you are in the Land of the Blue Sky, you should capitalise on that and adopt solar energy! Between 6am and 8:30am, I managed to charge my Apple Watch from 0%, my partner’s Apple Watch from 0%, and iPhone 15 Pro Max from 30% to 100%! Obviously, you can get more creative with the solar panel mats you find!

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