Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
»
jumper cables
»
standard toolkit
»
steel wire rope with hook ends (handy for hauling a jeep out of the mud)
»
fire extinguisher
Fuel Up
Three types of Russian fuel, and one Mongolian fuel, are available. Petrol stations are
marked by the initials ' ', which is Mongolian for station.
'95'
This is the best and the type used by Japanese jeeps, but it's only generally available
in Ulaanbaatar.
'92'
Slightly lower quality and cheaper but acceptable for most vehicles.
'76'
All Russian-made vehicles use this type, which is often the only fuel available in re-
mote areas.
'Mongol 93'
This the newest fuel, made from Mongolian crude oil (but actually refined in
China).
Repair & Maintenance
Flat tyres
These are a time-honoured tradition in Mongolia and it's essential that you
know how to deal with one. The best solution, of course, is to have a good-quality spare
tyre in your car. In fact, taking two spare tyres is not a bad idea as it's quite possible you
could incur two flats before finding a repair shop. Test the jack before setting off.
Tyre repair
Just about every town in the country has a tyre-repair shop and these are
even available at small villages along main routes.
UB repairs
In Ulaanbaatar, a good place to start with repairs is the Oasis Café & Guest-
house (
Click here
), which has a big yard for parking and caters to overlanders.
Breakdowns
Serious mechanical breakdowns are a definite possibility. Should your vehicle break
down irreparably in a rural area, you'll be faced with the task of trying to get back to
civilisation either on foot (not recommended), by hitching, or by whatever means is
available.
The safest solution is to travel with a small group using two jeeps. Make sure your
driver has tools and at least one spare tyre.
