riding through Mongolia
 

Hi--

A buddy and I are riding from Moscow to Vladivosok next summer. I will be on a VStrom 650; he will be on a bmw 1200 cc bike. We would like to go to Ulaanbaatar but are concerned about roads -- are they paved now, etc.

Do any of you know if, once we get to the Russia/Mongolia border on the west side of Mongolia, the road on into Ulaanbaatar is paved?

If not, is there a different route we can take from Russia into Ulaanbaatar (possibly coming from the north)?

Ron

About the roads and tarmac - http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...any-days-89358

Crossing Mongolia is an absolutely amazing experience and very doable. You can enter western Mongolia at Tashanta/Tsagaanuur down to Ulgii, Mongolia, where you'd want to spend a night or two (Blue Wolf Ger is good).

Then from western Mongolia to Ulaan Baatar you have a choice of southern, central and northern routes.

The southern route is said to be easiest (Ulgii, Khovd, Altai, Bayankhongor, Arvaikheer to UB). I rode that with another rider May 2016. The section from Bayankhongor to UB is all paved, and there’s a lot of paving under way between Ulgii and Bayankhongor – offroad sections are slowly disappearing.

For difficulty on the offroad sections, I’d rate the southern route a 2 or 3, 10 being the toughest. It’s just above beginner level IMHO. You have some sections of light-ish sand, but it was never deep. And a few water crossings (which can change after rains). The largest water crossing is at a ger village, and there’s a fair number of cars, trucks and bikes crossing – no worries.

While I was there, I met at least six or eight BMW 1200 riders who crossed Mongolia by southern and central routes… and many other riders on lighter bikes. I was on a DR650 and my buddy, a TransAlp.

Would be a shame to miss one of the premier adv moto destinations on the planet! Mongolia is so unique, gorgeous and unforgettable. In retrospect I wish we’d done the more scenic central route, but c’est la vie… May was early in the season and temps were colder farther north.

BTW, the north-south road between UB and Russia is completely paved. After crossing Mongolia to UB, I took the road north in Russia and on to Vlad.

The roads in Mongolia, where they exist, are excellent. The Turkish are building them. You can ride from Ulan Ude to Ulaanbaatar on tarmac. When we rode there last year, the northern route was paved as far as Murun.

Hi,
Can some give me some advise about money- matters?
Is creditcard accepted at pumpstations or cash-only?
Where can we change money? At the border?

Djin

Mostly cash (especially in rural areas). Changing money at the border or in cities (changed € and $).. I never bothered using my (credit) card as outside the big cities, I doubt many shops have card facilties.