Bayan-Ölgii, Mongolia’s Kazakh west

• By air: we usually book MIAT or Hunnu Air from Ulaanbaatar. Our current schedule information: flights to Ölgii run on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and to Khovd on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Each takes roughly two hours. As far as we know, MIAT flies year-round. Schedules can change, so we confirm flights when you book.
• Via Khovd: we can meet you at Khovd airport and drive you to Ölgii, about 2–3 hours. Overnight stops depend on the itinerary.
• Book early for October: we recommend booking festival flights 6–8 months ahead. We don’t hold seats, and flights fill up.
• Time difference: Ölgii and Khovd are one hour behind Ulaanbaatar. At 6:00 in Ulaanbaatar, it’s 5:00 in Ölgii. Allow for this when planning connections.
• Baggage: domestic allowances are low. MIAT’s is currently understood to be 15 kg in total, checked plus hand luggage. Check the airline’s current rule before you pack.
• Arrival: we meet you at Ölgii airport. If a flight is delayed or cancelled, we take you back to town or your hotel and work out a new plan.

Outside Ölgii, most travel is off-road in Land Cruisers or Soviet-built vans. A Land Cruiser takes 3–4 guests and a van 5–7. Guided tours generally include a driver-guide. Ölgii to Sagsai is under an hour, and Ölgii to Altai Tavan Bogd is about five to six hours. On treks and migrations, trucks carry most of the luggage and camels carry food and supplies.

Check Mongolia’s official e-visa site, evisa.mn, to see whether you need a visa and whether you can apply online. Rules change, so check close to your travel dates. We have helped travelers from Pakistan, Qatar, Tunisia, Lebanon, Indonesia and other countries. If you can’t apply online, an eligible local tour operator may be able to help with your application. Ask us, and check current eligibility and processing times on the official site. Our Mongolia travel guide has more planning help.

The park lies in the border zone, so a border-zone permit is generally required. It is issued by the military unit in Ölgii (unit 0165) and needs a request letter, passport copies, your dates and route, and copies of the vehicle and driver’s ID. It is often issued within a few hours. You can apply yourself, but it is usually easier through a local operator or guide who can confirm the travel arrangements. Park rangers also collect a protected-area fee, around MNT 15,000 per person at the time of writing. The process, timing and fee are set locally and can change.

On our tours we arrange both, and the fees are included. We just need a copy of your passport, which we also use for domestic flight bookings.

Facilities outside town are basic and vary, and bathrooms may be shared.

Our chefs cook varied meals with vegetables, chicken, beef, noodles and rice. With families you’ll share Kazakh home cooking and fresh dairy. Most local food is halal, and beef and mutton are the usual meats.

Vegetarian meals are available, so just mention it when you book, along with any other dietary needs or allergies. Some restaurants in town serve alcohol. It’s optional and never expected.

Prices depend on the itinerary. Depending on the trip, they usually include transport, accommodation, food, a guide, a tour chef, permits and most trip costs. International flights and travel insurance are not included. Exact inclusions vary by tour. Contact us for a quote.

Tips aren’t expected for public services. Tipping your tour crew is optional and up to you, and your guide can advise.

• Money: ATMs work in Ölgii, and some places take cards. Carry Mongolian tögrög (MNT) for the countryside. Exchange offices are near the central market, locally called the Black Market.
• Paying for your tour: Visa and Mastercard through our booking page, where card payment details are shown.
• SIM cards: Unitel is widely used in western Mongolia, and Mobicom also works. A SIM card costs about MNT 40,000 at the airport, or about MNT 20,000 if you buy one yourself in Ölgii; prices can change.
• Signal: mobile signal is available in most places we visit, but may be slow or absent in remote areas. Most hotels have Wi-Fi, and some camps and family stays have internet.
• Charging: you can usually charge phones and camera batteries at family stays, and some families have 220V converters. For larger groups we may bring a generator or large power bank. Bring your own power bank too.

These are average daily highs and lows for Ölgii town. They are not mountain forecasts, and the high Altai can be much colder.

Source: NOAA climate normals for Ölgii, 1991–2020, approximate.

What to pack: warm clothes, a down jacket, a pullover, and warm, comfortable boots. Bring layers for cold mornings even in summer. We can lend some warm clothing, but not enough for larger groups, so plan to bring your own.