Prepare well for your trip to Mongolia! Know what to bring and what to expect, do the necessary training and you will have a wonderful time. Please read the following frequently asked questions and get in touch if there's anything else you want to know that's not mentioned here. When you book on a tour you will be given a Tour Dossier that lists everything to bring and what to expect.
No. We operate all the tours ourselves independently. We do not sell other company's tours, but we do the ground operations in Mongolia for several travel companies arround the world.
Some travel companies copy each other's itineraries and offer them at a cheaper price without having researched or traveled themselves. All our tours have been genuinely well researched by us. All our vehicles, bikes and equipment belong to us, are maintained by us, and are of a good enough standard to withstand Mongolian conditions. We do not hire occasional staff or use hired vehicles. Some cheap companies rent their vehicles with drivers and take students as guides. We do not hand over our clients to other people and we run all trips ourselves with our own staff. Only in China and Russia we use reputable agents to organise extension tours.
The first reason is because in some cases we are working as the ground operator for other tour operators around the world so it is actually us, Motorcycle Mongolia, doing the trip in Mongolia. The second reason is because sometimes our routes, text and photographs have been copied and used by other local companies without our permission. Therefore you have to research well and check the company carefully before booking a tour.
On camping tours there is a fixed menu for meals and we cannot provide different food for people with special dietary requirements. On ger camp tours it may be possible for vegetarians to request meat-free meals, but have to be prepared to accept whatever the cook can manage. The cooks are employed by the ger camps, not by us.
We have several vehicles including Land Rover "Defender 110 and 130", IVECO "DAILY 4x4, DAF 4x4, Russian UAZ Forgon and Kamaz. It depends on the size of your group as to which vehicle we choose to use.
In Ulaanbaatar you will be staying at the three star 'Continental Hotel' in the city centre. When out on tour you will either spend the nights at ger camps or camping in tents, depending on the route and how remote it is. Where there are 'Ger Camps' each group of two, three or four friends, will have a traditional ger furnished with beds, a wood-burning stove and table. There are toilet, shower and washing facilities at the camp. On some tours, for example the eastern route to the birthplace of Genghis Khan, you will be camping in the wild in our hardy dome 'Tents'.
If you want to arrive in Mongolia early, or stay longer after your tour has finished, we can make the extra hotel reservations for you at the Continental Hotel. If you want to travel in China or Russia, we can also help with arrangements using our experienced agents based in Beijing and Moscow.
We do not sell international air tickets to Mongolia but we work with ATOL holding travel agents who can provide the flights. We can suggest the cheapest and most convenient routes to Ulaanbaatar. Most people coming from Europe use Aeroflot, Miat Mongolian Airlines or Korean Air. The alternative is to fly via Beijing in China and on to Ulaanbaatar using Air China or MIAT.
Some visitors do not need a Mongolian visa (tourists traveling on a US passport currently fall into this category). See the complete list: 'Mongolian Embassies & Consulates' . Sometimes an official letter of invitation is required to accompany the visa application. We will provide this if necessary.
Our clients have used the Continental Hotel for several years and always given positive reports on the service, rooms, restaurant and other facilities. It is located near to the city center, on the airport side of town, a few minutes walk from shops, bars and restaurants. We do not recommend that our clients stay in cheaper accommodation where security cannot be guaranteed and much time wasted struggling through heavy city traffic. However, if you prefer to stay in a different hotel, you can arrange it yourself.
Several nationalities do not need a Mongolian visa. See here: 'Visa Information'. Everyone requiring a Mongolian visa must get it before traveling. We do not take responsibility for people traveling without a visa and expecting to obtain one on arrival in Ulaanbaatar.
When you make a booking, you will receive a Tour Dossier in which there is a complete list of all you need to take in the way of equipment, clothing, medicines, etc.. Generally speaking you need to bring everything to cover all eventualities because outside Ulaanbaatar you cannot depend on anything being available. For motorbike tours you will need proper off-road motorcycling gear including helmet, rigid boots and body armour. Click here for more: 'Off-Road Protective Clothing Kits'.
None of the motorcycle tours are suitable for beginners. Participants must be good confident riders, able to ride our tall enduro-style motorbikes and should preferably have some off-road experience. You will be riding on loose stones, rock, mud, hard pack and sand, and occasionally on tarmac. Some routes are more technical than others, so check before choosing a trip to make sure the trail matches your ability. The tours are not technically very difficult but the daily riding distances are long so you need to be fit and have stamina.
On motorbike tours the distance may be only 100 km or as far as 400 km per day; it depends on how many interesting things there are to do along the way and the distance between ger camps. If riding on a good asphalt road surface then we can of course ride much further.
Yes. Your travel insurance must cover you for riding a motorcycle of 450CC in Mongolia. Some insurance companies class this as a dangerous activity and charge an extra premium. If your driving licence is not endorsed for motorcycles, you must check with the insurance company if they will cover you. If you have an accident and need to make a claim, the insurance will not pay out if you have not informed them correctly before the start of the tour.
Yes, you must have a valid driving licence from your own country. If your driving licence is not endorsed for motorcycles, you must check with the insurance company if they will cover you.
Unfortunately our motorcycles are not intended for 2 - people and they have no rear footrests, so people cannot ride pillion. However, a non-rider is welcome to travel in one of the support vehicles.
Full face helmet, proper motocross rigid boots, knee pads, elbow pads, body armour (chest and spine protector), gloves. You also need riding trousers and a jacket. There is a huge variety of kit available on the internet or at motorbike shops, at a range of prices. If you protect yourself well that will be better. You can see here: 'Off-Road Protective Clothing Kits'.
No. We do not rent our motorbikes except to people joining one of our fully supported tours with us.
We do not normally charge for normal wear and tear or replacement parts resulting from mechanical failures, nor for minor scratches to bodywork. A charge would be made as a result of crash damage and generally includes such things as bent handlebars, dented exhaust, foot pegs or wheel rims.
Yes, All our motorbikes are insured "Third Party" but not for damage.
If you are not experienced at off-road riding, you should get in some practice before the trip and take some lessons if possible. If you are fit and good at riding, you will enjoy the trip more and it will be safer. However, a few of our clients have been injured in training and had to cancel their trip, so please take care!
No. We will purchase all replacement parts ourselves from a reliable source. We use genuine new spares only to ensure the reliability of our bikes. You can request to see the "Spare Parts Price List" at any time.
A road motorbike helmet should be OK as long as it is full-face. Remember you will look different on your off-road KTM motorbike.
No, boots normally worn for road motorbike riding will not be suitable and not allowed.
Yes, you can bring your own parts and accessories. Please let us know well in advance.
You are welcome to join one of our motorbike tours, riding your own bike. Please ask about the price.
We have the tools that we are likely to need for maintenance and repair of our own motorbikes. We also take some spare parts. If you bring your own bike, it is up to you to decide what tools and parts you might need. You must remember that there are no bike shops in the remote places in which we travel, and even in Ulaanbaatar parts are unavailable.
We have some helmets and boots available to hire in various sizes, but you have to ask at the time of booking.
Between 4 (four) and 12 (twelve) riders, plus our staff.
Often single people join our trips. Typically a group would be made up of several single people and some friends who have signed up together.
Mongolian weather is unpredictable, so you should be prepared for hot sun, rain, wind and hail. It is not uncommon to see all four seasons in a single day. Generally speaking, July and August are the best months. If your tour is in June or September, the weather might be cooler and it is less likely to rain.
Your Question Not On The List?
If there's anything else you want to know and you can't find the answer listed here, do not hesitate to get in touch and we will do our best to help.
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