First, you have to make some new friends after your arrival in Ulaanbaatar. It is the perfect place to get together a group of people to share costs for a trip into the wilderness. Use some of the online groups and discussion forums to find like-minded people to join the trip.
Most travelers hire a driver and a guide in Ulaanbaatar because it’s quite difficult to get around Mongolia by public transport. The train goes straight through Mongolia from south to north, and only major cities, provincial capitals, and a few towns are accessible by public bus. So, choose an experienced tour driver with good English-speaking command that can be an all-around assistant during your trip, vehicle must be a reliable 4wd vehicle with a good A/C system, possible to recharge your devices.
Tours usually start and end in Ulaanbaatar. If you hire a driver for a one-way trip only to your destination, expect that driver may charge both ways. When hiring a driver, you are expected to pay driver's food and accommodation in the countryside. Charges may include gasoline, may not include gasoline. So, make sure to clarify everything in advance. That is how it goes in Mongolia.
Speed limits
Speed limit within Ulaanbaatar is 60km/hour. On the highways it is 80km/hour. Think like this way: average car speed is 30-40 km/hour on bumpy dirt road, and ~70km/hour on not bumpy dirt road. So, do expect to spend 5–6 hours in car per day. Do not make very tight plan. Gobi trip is not possible in 2-3 days. There is a law on tourism that bans tour drivers to start driving before 6 am in the morning and after 10pm in the evening. Be realistic and do not challenge the driver’s skills on the bumps of dirt roads and test your back and stomach unless you plan an absolutely sporting raid. So, plan enough days to cover all sightseeing spots.
When you look at the print road map, note that only dirt roads are practically everywhere in Mongolia. Some of the asphalt roads are often worse than the dirt trails. After a long drive, plan some time to spend by a lake or a river and relax for a few more days without going anywhere (hiking, horse riding, fishing, and swimming).
Navigation
For navigating around, download the Mongolia map to the GPS app of your device before coming to Mongolia. Choose the one that works without Internet signal when you drive in the countryside. Refer to Google Maps for directions only which way to go, do not follow the exact road when traveling in the countryside of Mongolia. Google Maps is good in cities, not accurate enough in the countryside of Mongolia.
If you’re easy to get car sick, prepare carsick medicine in advance. Like I mentioned, there’s no actual road to drive through in the Gobi Desert so the path will be extremely bumpy and you will most likely end up making a huge mess in the van or car. Some vehicles may not be dustproof, so expect some dust especially in the Gobi Desert.
Packing list
In summer, don’t forget to bring insect repellent. At night in the ger, sometimes there are some unexpected visitors attacking you while you’re sleeping. That can be very annoying!
Take light clothing that can cover and protect you from the wind and the sun in the summer. However, you might want to wear t-shirts and shorts with sandals. In the car might be ok. When trekking in the Gobi Desert, if you wear sandal, shorts, your feet will just burn. Climbing to the sand dune with sandals or riding a horse with sandals and a t-shirt are not a good idea. So, better take lightweight trekking shoes.
If you can’t live without technology, Mongolia is not a place for you, unless you just stay in cities. Your phone is just to take photos and when the battery dies out, you can put your phone away, too. There’s no place for you to charge your phone in the nomad ger. So, bring a power bank, and recharge whenever possible in the car while taking a road trip.
Pit stops
Going to the toilet might be a problem. In the wilderness, there is no proper toilet to use. Although there is no privacy in nature, we do have a choice. Bring something that helps you to digest, like a pill or yeast, whereas most of the time you’re eating meat and very less vegetables. There might be days that you can’t do the job.
Flexibility
Do not exclude that you may have to shorten your route due to unforeseeable circumstances such as local weather conditions, medical quarantines, etc. or to modify it spontaneously in order to experience an exciting event on the road (a local Naadam, traditional ceremony, wedding, etc). It is important to let your emotions thrill. You will have to cross small villages in the countryside on the road for food, drinks, and fuel supply.
Gasoline
About gasoline. Regular 92 is most commonly available throughout the country, but gasoline quality in the countryside especially in remote villages is not good quality. Fill up your tank in major cities and towns if possible. When you drive to the far western provinces of Uvs or Bayan-Ulgii, the far you go from Ulaanbaatar the price of gasoline will become more expensive.
Card or Cash?
For filling up the car, most places take credit cards including Visa. Some don’t though so have cash as an option as well. Never rely on only one payment method.
Finally, travel with a local (like me:)) that can design the best suitable route according to your wishes and possibilities. Treat them nicely, make friends with them, they will also be nice and friendly to you.
Most travelers hire a driver and a guide in Ulaanbaatar because it’s quite difficult to get around Mongolia by public transport. The train goes straight through Mongolia from south to north, and only major cities, provincial capitals, and a few towns are accessible by public bus. Choose an experienced tour driver with good English speaking command that can be all-around assistant during your trip, vehicle must be reliable 4wd vehicle with good A/C system, possible to recharge your device.
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