Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GUIDES
Few people in the countryside speak anything other than Mongolian and Russian,
so a guide-cum-translator is very handy, and almost mandatory. A guide will ex-
plain local traditions, help with any hassles with the police, find accommodation,
explain captions in museums and act as a linguistic and cultural interpreter.
Fiindin
uide In Ulaanbaatar you can find guides through travel agencies and
guesthouses. In the countryside, there is nothing to do but ask - try the hotels and
schools. Guides are easier to find between 15 June and 1 August, when schools and
universities are on summer break. The pickings are slimmer at other times of the
year.
Pre--trip m
ding a g
g a guide
ip meetiing It's a good idea to meet your guide before setting off on a two-
week trip to the Gobi. Try to spend a little time with him/her to gauge if the match
will be a good one - we have heard plenty of horror stories from travellers sent into
the countryside with well-meaning guides who can barely speak English.
Cost For getting around Ulaanbaatar, a nonprofessional guide or a student will cost
a negotiable US$15 to US$25 per day. To take one around the countryside from the
capital you will have to include expenses for travel, food and accommodation. In an
aimag capital, a guide (if you can find one) costs about US$10 per day, plus any ex-
penses. For a professional guide who is knowledgeable in a specific area, such as
birdwatching, and fluent in your language, the bidding starts at US$40 to US$60
per day.
Start-Up Tours
Some of the more entrepreneurial guides, fed up with working for tour operators and
guesthouses, have set up their own mini-companies - some official, some not.
Finding a start-up
Guides advertise their services using word-of-mouth, a website, social
media, ads at cafes and business cards passed out at the train station to new arrivals.
Some recommendations appear on Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree.
Negotiating
Many of these guides offer top-notch service at low costs by cutting out the
middleman. However, there are obvious risks in dealing with a transitory company, so
don't hand over all your money up front; ask to pay a little before the trip and the rest at
the end of the tour (if all goes well). They usually ask for a 50% deposit.
Research
Do some homework first by asking for references or search online to see what
past travellers have posted. Also check that they have a 4WD vehicle and proper camping
and cooking equipment.
