Mongolia with children – Lonely Planet

Mongolia is a really particular place. Households who don’t thoughts stepping exterior the acquainted can discover nomadic existence, see pristine nature, and take a look at all kinds of adventurous actions with kids.

Horse and camel driving, historic and cultural museums, and myriad nationwide parks will enable you create unforgettable reminiscences along with your kids in Mongolia, however lengthy journeys alongside dust roads, the shortage of contemporary sanitation amenities in rural areas, and the meat-dominated meals might be difficult for tiny vacationers.

Mongolian households journey rather a lot with their kids, often in their very own automobiles, however in a rustic the place tourism remains to be creating, overseas vacationers have to be ready for some difficulties when touring with kids in Mongolia.

Nevertheless, with a little bit of preparation and planning, you’ll be able to simply overcome any issues. Right here is our information to exploring Mongolia with kids, together with the perfect indoor and out of doors actions for youths, the perfect locations to journey and the important thing issues to contemplate.

Is Mongolia good for youths?

Sure, in case you are in the correct place, on the proper time, and have a concrete plan and put together for the journey upfront. Your children will expertise adventurous actions which can be not like something wherever else on the planet, however touring with kids in Mongolia just isn’t simple.

Particular amenities for individuals with kids are solely obtainable at airports, massive shops and high-end eating places and there are few public playgrounds for kids wherever within the nation.

The place are the perfect spots in Mongolia for youths?

Spending time within the capital, Ulaanbaatar, gives you and your children an opportunity to expertise all kinds of Mongolian adventures, from horse driving within the surrounding grasslands and journeys to fascinating cultural, historic, and sensory museums to sampling conventional Mongolian meals.

If you wish to chill out along with your kids in untouched nature and clear, recent air, go by airplane to Altai Tavan Bogd Nationwide Park or the serene lake of Khövsgöl Nuur, the place you’ll be able to swim in clear waters, journey horses, go to nomadic households and revel in actual Mongolian delicacies in a pristine pure setting. A prepare journey to Selenge Province will present a cushty vantage level for searching over Mongolia’s hanging agricultural landscapes.

The most effective issues to do in Mongolia with infants and toddlers

If you wish to journey comfortably with infants and toddlers, it’s greatest to stay to bigger, extra accessible vacationer locations in Mongolia.

Chill out by a pristine lake at Khövsgöl Nuur

Khövsgöl Nuur is a significant vacationer vacation spot, with good amenities for vacationers, making it an ideal cease for infants, toddlers and pregnant girls. The lake is surrounded by forests and has superbly clear water, so it’s a very good place to relaxation and benefit from the recent air. Though the lake water is chilly, Mongolians imagine that taking a dip is nice for kids’s immunity and helps stop colds in winter. Even when they don’t dive in, children will take pleasure in dipping their fingers and ft within the water.

There are a lot of native nomadic herders across the lakeshore, so you’ll be able to simply prepare horse driving and buy milk and dairy merchandise at low cost costs. There are additionally many snug locations to remain, from atmospheric ger camps to luxurious resorts. As a result of Mongolian meals is dominated by meat, it’s in all probability value selecting a extra tourist-focused resort with a wide range of meals on the menu, and particular choices for infants.

Discover Ulaanbaatar’s museums and parks

Ulaanbaatar (UB) is essentially the most snug place in Mongolia for infants and toddlers, with many eating places serving child-friendly meals and extra inexperienced parks than different components of the nation. The National Garden Park is free to enter, and journey tickets are cheap on the National Amusement Park –  each are nice locations to let your children play.

Playgrounds within the metropolis’s larger condominium complexes are massive, protected, clear, and sometimes accessible to non-residents. Bogd Khan Mountain, which is about 7km from the town heart, is one other rewarding place for young children to play, take pleasure in recent air, and spot wild animals akin to squirrels, hares and Mongolian antelopes.

Greatest issues to do with youthful children

Exploring nature parks and rural locations in Mongolia will assist kids strive new issues and get to know nature. Nevertheless, many roads are in poor restore, and fashionable sanitary amenities and eating places serving child-friendly meals are uncommon within the countryside. With youthful children in your occasion, it’s greatest to go to locations near Ulaanbaatar.

Climb a large sand dune

Solely 280km away from Ulaanbaatar, about three hours away by automobile, the gargantuan sand dunes referred to as Elsen-Tasarkhai (or Mongol Els) are an ideal place for kids to play. You may let your children climb and slide down the dunes, or journey a camel in an evocative panorama that’s not too far off the overwhelmed monitor.

Journey by prepare to absorb views in consolation

Touring on Mongolia’s railways, which protect many options from the Soviet period, is an fascinating expertise for each kids and oldsters, and a extra snug approach to get round than touring by automobile. Although journeys might be gradual, you’ll be able to rise up and stroll round, and there are nice views of the countryside.

If you’d like views of forests, rivers and farmland, strive the nine-hour prepare journey from Ulaanbaatar to Sükhbaatar in Selenge Province. If you wish to journey camels in a panorama of open steppe and dusty badlands, take the prepare from Ulaanbaatar to Dornogovi Province within the jap a part of the Gobi. Visiting the hanging Khamaryn Khiid Monastery, rising in the course of the sand not removed from the provincial capital, Sainshand, is a good way to inject some vitality and vitality into the journey.

Get adventurous in a nationwide park

With its gorgeous alpine surroundings, Terelj-Gorkhi National Park is among the most stunning locations to go to for vacationers with children. It’s a pure playground for actions akin to mountain climbing, rafting and horse or camel driving. It’s additionally an ideal place to go to a nomad household and keep in a single day in conventional ger. And all this simply 55km northeast of the capital.

About 90km west of Ulaanbaatar, Khustain National Park is definitely accessed on a sealed highway, making for a straightforward day journey or in a single day go to. Youngsters can maintain busy in search of takhi (Mongolian wild horses), crimson deer, birds of prey, marmots (in summer season), and different wildlife that may be seen in several seasons.

Greatest issues to do with tweens and teenagers

Touring a bit of farther from the large cities will present some extremely academic and adventurous experiences for tweens and youngsters, however longer journeys can go away them feeling drained and uncomfortable, so don’t be too formidable. 

Discover historic Mongolia on the Chinggis Khaan Nationwide Museum 

If you wish to introduce kids to the historical past and tradition of Mongolia, you shouldn’t miss the Chinggis Khaan National Museum in Ulaanbaatar. Shows dig deep into Mongolia’s nationwide story, however there are not any indicators or labels in English, so it’s endorsed to go along with an English-speaking information.

See Mongolia’s well-known eagle hunters

Some 1636km from Ulaanbaatar, Bayan-Ölgii Province is the house of Mongolia’s legendary Kazakh eagle hunters, and a spot of excellent pure magnificence. Touring right here from the capital takes about 26 hours by automobile or bus, however taking a 1½-hour flight to the provincial capital, Ölgii, is a extra handy and comfy choice with kids in your group. 

A visit to the mountainous landscapes of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park – accessible from Ölgii by 4WD car – can even present a chance to get acquainted with the distinctive tradition of the Kazakh individuals. There are many espresso outlets, eateries, accommodations and outlets in Ölgii metropolis, so you’ll be able to chill out in consolation earlier than the journey.

Go to and stick with a nomadic household

Essentially the most fascinating and adventurous factor for kids to do in Mongolia is to stick with a nomadic household and get to know their distinctive lifestyle. Herder households rise up early within the morning, milk their herds, graze their sheep, clear their yards, cook dinner and carry water as a part of their every day routine. It’s a way of life preserved by means of the centuries and a style of Mongolia’s biggest cultural custom; kids ought to positively strive it. Tour companies in Ulaanbaatar can prepare homestays with nomadic households. 

Planning suggestions

As a result of excessive local weather, household journey in Mongolia is best in the summertime. In winter, the temperature can drop to -45°C, and even in spring and autumn, it may be bitterly chilly and windy. The months of June and August are heat, with little rainfall, and the variety of overseas and home vacationers falls from the July peak, so this can be a good time for household journey.

Visiting in July will provide an opportunity to look at the celebrations and conventional sports activities of the Naadam Festival, however this can be a difficult time to journey by highway with young children, as there are sometimes site visitors jams in cities and on main roads. It is usually value noting that because of local weather change, the Mongolian wet season is beginning to edge into July.

Be very cautious when crossing the busy roads of Ulaanbaatar and information your kids rigorously by means of the site visitors. In case you are touring within the metropolis, take a stroller with solar safety, even when the air is chilly. Nevertheless, strolling with a stroller might be tough as sidewalks are sometimes uneven and there are few buildings with ramps.

Household lodging suggestions for Mongolia

Most abnormal accommodations in Mongolia supply rooms that may cater to households; the suite rooms supplied by luxurious accommodations are a cushty selection for household teams (you might be assured a clear rest room and on-site eating decisions). Nevertheless, not each lodge can present cots or additional beds.

Should you stick with your loved ones in a easy ger camp within the countryside, remember that there are not any particular cots, chairs or tables for kids, and the bathrooms will likely be pit latrines exterior. Some upmarket ger resorts have flushing out of doors bathrooms and sizzling showers, and there are a selection of luxurious resorts which can be totally geared up for households. 

What to eat when touring with kids in Mongolia

Meat and flour are the principle components of conventional Mongolian dishes akin to khorkhog (Mongolian barbecue), buuz (large dumplings) and khuushuur (fried meat pastries), and consuming these meals in massive portions might be dangerous for kids’s digestion. While you discover a market or a big grocery retailer, purchase vegetables and fruit to assist.

There are a lot of eating places serving acquainted worldwide meals in Ulaanbaatar, however there are few when touring within the countryside. It’s greatest to eat in larger courses of eating places with your loved ones, the place you’ll be able to depend on discovering a wide range of meals and good hygiene requirements, plus little one seats, VIP rooms for households, and clear restrooms.

You may eat exterior virtually wherever you need, and native individuals typically picnic on the inexperienced grass of public parks in Ulaanbaatar. Recent milk and dairy merchandise are ample in summer season – we advocate shopping for them from rural herders at a low value. Some markets additionally promote aaruul (dried curd) blended with flour – it received’t attraction to each little one so style first and make your selection.

Should you plan to journey exterior Ulaanbaatar, purchase every little thing you want within the capital earlier than you permit, as household necessities akin to little one medicines, nappies and child system might be arduous to search out elsewhere, or bought at the next value.

Household transport suggestions

Public transport just isn’t very snug and child-friendly however traveling by train is a straightforward approach to attain locations to the north and south of the capital. Public buses journey from Ulaanbaatar to each soum (subdistrict) in Mongolia, however your kids will rapidly get bored and uncomfortable if the journey is just too lengthy. If you wish to journey extra calmly, hire a automobile or 4WD with a driver. It’s best to rearrange a car by means of a completely insured and dependable company, fairly than by means of people.

When exploring the capital, you’ll be able to go wherever in Ulaanbaatar by bus for simply 500 MNT, however this generally is a tough approach to journey with children due to the heavy site visitors congestion. Attempt to keep away from congested areas or stroll if doable. Getting round Ulaanbaatar is barely simpler by taxi, however some personal taxi drivers cost unreasonable costs. All the time talk about the fare earlier than you board, or summon a journey utilizing a cell phone software akin to UBcab.