Mongolia Hotels

Real reviews from real travelers

Top Mongolia hotels

Ulaanbaatar Hotels: 293 Reviews - 847 Photos
Ogiy Nuur Hotels: 5 Reviews - 44 Photos
Moron Hotels: See nearby hotels
Hovsgol Nuur Hotels: 4 Reviews - 18 Photos
Harhorin Hotels: 9 Reviews - 71 Photos
Gatsuurt Hotels: See nearby hotels
Gachuurt Hotels: 5 Reviews - 45 Photos
Erdenet Hotels: See nearby hotels
Erdene-Dzuu Hotels: 22 Reviews - 140 Photos

Mongolia Local Customs

by JessieLang

Previous Next

Local Customs
by JessieLang
Local Customs
by JessieLang
Interior
by JessieLang
Local Customs
by JessieLang
Working on the fire
by lalikes

Comments

1 - 0 of 0

Save money, Book now !: Booking.com Excellent choice, Low rates
Save Up To 50% On Hotels: ORBITZ.com Get our lowest price or get 110% back, automatically!

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Eat local food - Filled Pockets

by illumina

One of the most common meals in Mongolia, particularly in small cafes or fast-food restaurants, is Khuushuur, fried pies/pasties usually made with minced beef or mutton, but available in veggie form in some places (we found a cabbage/carrot version, and a delicious potato version). Plain meat can be a bit bland, and they are occasionally made with spices which can be quite hot!Accompanied with local tea - made with salt and butter!There are alternatives to Khuushur, called Buuz and Bansh - they are made from exactly the same ingredients, the only difference is size, shape and method of cooking! Buuz are small, like dumplings, and steamed, while Bansh are boiled rather than fried.http://www.mongolfood.info/en/recipes/filled-pockets.html

Buddhist Temples are holy Places

by Tulka

In Mongolia more than 90% of the population is Buddhist, Originally comes from Tibet in sixteenth Century. All around Mongolia used to have more than seven hundred temples and buddhist complexs But unfortunately almost all of them were distroyed during the Communist Purge in 1937 and many monks were killed as well. Just few temples were kept as original shape in reason to serve as musuems instead of practising buddhism. Gandan Monastery is the biggest active monastery in Mongolia many local people are coming from every corner of mongolia to pray and practise buddhism in Gandan Monastery. There are several big festivals during the Lunar New Year in Winter. Another Big complex of temples are Erdene Zuu Monastery which locates in Khar Khorin well known as Ancient Mongolian Capital Town.

4 more images

Building a Fire in Your Ger

by lalikes

I grew up with a fireplace in my home but my boyfriend didn't but he mastered the fire building in our Ger. It gets really cold during the night in the Ger so it's important to keep the fire going which we did NOT master during out stay. One night we froze to death and the other night we were sweating our asses off.

2 more images

Dogs

by illumina

They say don't stroke the dogs in Mongolia, as they are responsible for guarding the house/ger and family and aren't used to being pets. No-one seems to mind, however, and the dogs absolutely love it and will beg for more! Possibly best to keep it to a minimum unless you want a crowd of affection hungry mutts following you around!

Drinking Customs

by illumina

If someone pours a drink for you, don't reach for it before they hand it to you, wait for them to offer it. Never take it with your left hand, only the right, and it's even better if you support your right arm with your left hand on the elbow.If you're drinking while travelling (believe me this is quite likely), the first shot of vodka should be thrown to the winds (in 3 or 4 bursts) for good luck - it's quite acceptable to chuck it out the window, though if you have time at the start of the journey, get out of the vehicle and do it properly. If you pass any ovoos, you'll probably do the same again.

Shamanism

by ValbyDK

The earliest religion of the Mongols was shamanism, and it's still practiced today. An ovoo is a pile of stones and animal bones and skulls. It's seen everywhere in Mongolia - especially in the National parks, but also in Ulaanbaatar. The ovoo is a part of the shaman religion.

Nomadic family on the move

by Willettsworld

We arrived at the Hustai National Park Ger camp at about lunchtime after driving from Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and through the middle of a busy UB. Just as we approached the national park's main gate, a nomadic family were trying to enter their small truck, complete with packed ger on the back, through the gates but the poles of the ger were sticking out of the sides of the truck making it very difficult to squeeze through the gate. It was good to see a nomadic family on the move and it was the only one I saw during my stay in Mongolia.

Naadam Festival - Horse racing

by Willettsworld

There are normally six categories of horse racing depending on the age of horses: for example, a two-year-old horse, called a shudlen, will race for 15km, while six andseven-year-old azrag and ikh nas horses race for up to 30km. There are no tracks or courses; it is just open countryside. Jockeys - boys and girls aged between 5 and 13 years old - prepare for months for special races, particularly at Naadam. Horses are fed a special diet for weeks beforehand. The competition is not without its dangers: in 1999 a young rider was tragically killed during one of the horse races. Before a race, the audience, all decked out in traditional finery, often sings traditional songs. The young riders sing a traditional anthem called a gingo before the race, and scream 'goog' at the horses during the race. The winner is declared tumnii ekh, or 'leader of ten thousand' which the last horse is given the...

Naadam Festival - Archery

by Willettsworld

Archers use a bent composite bow made of layered horn, bark and wood. Usually, arrows are made from willows and the feathers are from vultures and other birds of prey. Traditionally dressed male archers stand 75m from the target, while women archers stand 60m from it. The target is a line of up to 360-round gray, red and/or yellow leather rings (known as sur) on the ground. Usually there are only about 20 or 30 rings. After each shot, special judges who stand near the target (but miraculously never get injured) emit a short cry called a uukhai and raise their hands in the air to indicate the quality of the shot. The winner who hits the targets the most times is declared the best archer or mergen.

4 more images

Naadam Festival - Wrestling

by Willettsworld

I started watching the wrestling at the beginning of day 2 (July 12th). Mongolian wrestling is similar to wrestling found elsewhere, except there are no weight divisions, so the biggest wrestlers (and they are big!) are often the best. Mongolian wrestling also has no time limit- the bout will continue with short breaks. It will end only when the first wrestler falls, or when anything other than the soles of the feet or open palms touch theground.Each year some 35,000 wrestlers take part in regional heats before 512 go through to the first round of nine at Naadam. Before each elimination bout, wrestlers limber up and honour the judges and their individual attendants (zasuul) with a short dance called a devekh, or 'eagle dance'. After the bout, the loser must perform the takhimaa ogokh, walking under the right arm of the winner, who then makes a lap of honour around the flag on a pedestal...

4 more images

Top 3 Hotels in Mongolia

The Continental Hotel Ulaanbaatar

1 Review and 33 Opinions during my stay in UB I was completely cought of guard by this hotel. now they have a new fitness...

Hotels in Ulaanbaatar

Chinggis Khaan Hotel Ulaanbaatar

1 Review and 62 Opinions Very good high end hotel. Modern, recently built. Very good service. We went there with very low...

Hotels in Ulaanbaatar

Show Prices

Bayangol Hotel Ulaanbaatar

2 Reviews and 95 Opinions I stayed here for a couple of nights - the first and last night’s of my Mongolian tour. This 4-star...

Hotels in Ulaanbaatar

34 Hotels in Mongolia

Explore the World

Odessa Local Customs