In 2024, I finally visited Mongolia.
I used to vaguely dream of visiting Mongolia someday. But I didn't have enough courage, so I kept postponing it for a long, long time.
But in March 2024, I was too fatigue with my life, and I needed to do something very different, something that would make me stay alive. I impulsively decided to visit Mongolia and booked the flight right away. I wanted to feel the vast nature and the land of Genghis Khan.
Companions
After I booked the flight, I looked for companions. People cannot travel alone in Mongolia if they want to visit places like Gobi Desert, because only locals can drive... find the way... in middle of nowhere! We have to travel off-road where there are no signs or roads. So you must travel with locals.
In korea, we call it a "Package tour". I am not sure what this kinda travel is called in other cultures.
Anyway, I searched for companions with the same travel schedule, ppl around my age who accept solo travelers like me.
** Normally the group tours are limited to 6ppl, because a van can accomodate 1 driver, 1 guide, and 6 travelers, 8 ppl in total. So most people travel in pairs, and that is why it is not easy to find a group that accepts solo travelers.
Luckily I found one. There were already 5 in the group, and they were a bit younger than me.
Having good companions means everything.
As traveling in Mongolia is not really easy, so people get annoyed easily. It is important to have good companions. I was the lucky girl.
They were so optimistic which made our trip more bearable. Our moto was this: “Even better! When would I ever get a chance to do something like this again?”
Even though the ride was tough, no one complained. Even when there are bugs in our beds, we didn't nag about it. Even when we couldn't take a shower, we laughed and somehow managed. When our car broke down for 7 times? We just tried to amuse ourselves. We tried to enjoy every moment in Mongolia, no matter which hardship come our way.
Much easier than I expected.
I thought traveling Mongolia would be very frustrating. There is a change that I cannot wash properly, I cannot use toilet as much as I want, and that the road trip would be really bumpy, it could hurt my back or I might have a car sick. I worried and worried so much.
But it turned out everything was far more fine than I expected. It was not tough at all. I really enjoyed my trip. Even though I couldn't wash, I wiped my body with wet wipes (There are wipes for the BODY 👍), brushed my teeth with a bottle of water. It was bit hard not to wash my hair, but I used several items to make my hair less greasy. ahaha.
With bumpy ride? As I worried, I had carsick, so I just slept. I was a professional sleeper in an off-road van with nothing but a neck pillow!
Bugs? Yes. I thought Mongolia is a dry country, so I assumed there wouldn't many bugs. But it turned out I visit just in time for them to flourish. If I had visited in June or early July, I wouldn't have encountered so many bugs...ahaha But in Mongolia, everything went a bit differently. I just endured the bugs. I never imagined I could do that!
Despite the inconvenience, Mongolia is really worth visiting country.
THE NATURE 🌱🍃
I am not a person who chases nature. I love visiting Europe or historical sites. Never looked for the nature.
But the Mongolian steppe! The Gobi Desert! the wind, the stars! I never expected that I could enjoy this country so much. I loved the vast nature. Just land, the horizon, the sky, the sun, the sand, the stars, the wind! That's everything. The great nature. Literally every moment was beautiful.
I was almost about to cry. I don't know why I felt that way or how to explain it. But one thing I can tell you is that I really want to visit Mongolia once more. There is something in that nature.
Summer is the best season to visit ☀
In winter, Mongolia gets too cold to travel. The summer is the best time to go there. The weather is nice with moderate temperatures.
I have visited from late July to early August, and I learnt that that's the time the bugs start to come out. Just keep that in mind.
I recommend visiting Mongolia 🇲🇳
Riding a horse across the vast steppe. The wind, the weather! The freedom. Oh, I just loved it. I cannot quite put it into words. Just go. Feel it for yourself.