Mongolia: The Lands of Genghis Khan

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. Some road construction &/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of €324.50pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

A visa is not required for your trip to Mongolia. Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. Please Note to enter Mongolia, your passport must have an expiry date of at least 6 months after the date you arrive We strongly advise you check your destinations’ Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity.

Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your e-ticket and final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Weight restrictions will be finalized on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0871 360 2000, quoting HX313.

IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.

You will be travelling across the vast expanses of the Gobi Desert and it is advisable to pack a smaller/ lighter bag as you will be on and off vehicles most days with your luggage.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace of Mongolia: The Lands of Genghis Khan is rated Challenging. This is largely due to the driving distances on roads that are not always of a good standard and multiple one night stays in basic accommodation. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet or traveling long distances for more than four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, and may be getting on and off coaches as well as climbing steps which may be irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels and camps throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary.

The currency in Mongolia is the Mongolian tugrik (MNT). Currency will need to be exchanged in Mongolia. US Dollars and Pound Sterling are recommended for exchange. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. While credit cards are accepted in some hotels, restaurants, and larger stores in Ulaanbaatar and other tourist areas, they may not be widely accepted in more remote areas. It’s a good idea to carry cash for smaller purchases and transactions outside of major cities.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels.

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. Approximately £300- £400 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases. It is at your customary/discretion to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend to tip approximately 5 USD per person per day. This is a total of 70 USD per person to budget for tips on your trip. Tips will be collected at the end of your tour. Tips are accepted in the local currency.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your Local guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Mongolia. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.

Ger Camps

During this tour you will have various nights in Ger Camps. Accommodation and facilities are simple, although most camps are equipped with a toilet and shower block and have electricity running from a central generator. Individual gers are simple but always cosy and comfortable. Whilst this is a unique experience facilities in the desert are of a lower standard than those in hotels through the tour.

In the city breakfast is western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch and Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours.

In the countryside, meals are simple and most of are served as set menu. Some Mongolian and European meals are provided.

Vegan, vegetarian options are available, all meal requests need to be sent over to our suppliers before travel. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. 2 bottles of water are supplied per day.

Alcohol is readily available in shops, restaurants, and bars throughout the year. However, first day of every month is not available to buy alcoholic drinks.

Mongolia is primarily a Buddhist and Shamanist country. Naadam is Mongolia's largest and most significant traditional festival, usually held in June/July. It features the "Three Manly Games" of wrestling, horse racing, and archery, as well as cultural performances and celebrations. During Naadam, many businesses and government offices may close for a few days to observe the festivities.

On your arrival in Ulaanbaatar you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Travel On, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/ Travel On representative will show you to your transfer vehicle.

If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:

Travel On Contact Number: 976 9404 4858; 77 555 222 Email Address: info@travelon.mn

Please find below the emergency contact details for Travel On Contact in Mongolia

Telephone number 24 hr: 976 9404 4858 E-mail: ceo@travelon.mn