Traversing the Mongolian steppes and meeting nomads has been your dream for years, and this summer, you've made your decision: you're heading to Mongolia. The crucial question then arises: What budget should you plan for your trip?

We break down for you all the possible expenses for a trip to Mongolia, from your airfare to the budget you'll need on the ground so you can organize your stay under the best conditions.

Budget for your international flight to Ulaanbaatar

Mongolia remains an uncommon destination, with few flights serving the country, which has only a single international airport. With limited competition, international flights to Mongolia are relatively expensive.

When should I book my flight to Mongolia?

Flight prices will depend on your travel period, but also on when you decide to book your ticket. For Mongolia, it's necessary to book your airfare in advance to get the best rates: ideally 6 to 4 months ahead for travel in June and September, and 9 to 6 months in advance for stays in July or August.

Flight ticket prices by vacation period

For those who choose to travel to Mongolia outside school holiday periods, with advance booking, it's possible to find round-trip tickets between €500 and €600. Otherwise, for travel in July or August, the lowest prices for a round-trip ticket will start around €700 but will be limited. For this period, expect to spend around €800/900 round-trip.

Last-minute flight prices

As recommended above, it's better to book your flight to Mongolia in advance. However, no one is immune to sudden wanderlust, and you may find yourself needing to book your flight at the last minute.

Booking your ticket less than 3 months before departure for a stay during Naadam or the peak season in early August could cost you between €1,500 and €1,700.

For the quieter periods of May, June, and September, we rarely see such record prices, and fares typically hover around €900/1,000 for a booking within 3 months of departure.

Average budget observed: €900

Your "pre-departure" budget

Before arriving in Mongolia, some expenses may be necessary or even mandatory depending on the itinerary you choose.

Mongolian visa

Among mandatory expenses is the Mongolian visa, which will cost you €60 per person if you handle the process directly through the Mongolian consulate.

If you don't have a consulate nearby, visa services exist. With our trusted partner Action visa, you'll need to budget €90 per passport + €10 return shipping to your home (up to 15 passports per processing).

Travel insurance

For any trip, travel and repatriation insurance is highly recommended. However, before subscribing to insurance, check your credit card contract. These typically offer comprehensive coverage and will protect you for up to 90 days of travel.

Insurance for a 14-day stay in Mongolia or supplementary coverage should cost you between €20 and €40 approximately.

Health

Although vaccinations are not mandatory for Mongolia, they can represent a cost to consider.

Please note that for a stay in the northern part of the country, and particularly in the taiga with reindeer herders, the tick-borne encephalitis vaccine is highly recommended. This vaccine costs €45 and is not covered by social security.

The rabies vaccine costs €48. Given its weight, the very low risks, and the fact that Mongolian steppes are dotted with dispensaries, we recommend instead seeking post-exposure prophylaxis in case of a bite on site.

Other vaccines can be administered such as typhoid and hepatitis A.

Find our Mongolia health advice here.

Equipment for Mongolia

Finally, you may need to invest in some equipment. The budget can vary depending on the type of trip you choose, the quality of the equipment you purchase, and what you already own. With Horseback Mongolia, we'll provide you with a sleeping bag and camping gear as well as all cooking equipment. If you don't have these, you may appreciate a sleeping bag liner and camping pillow, and you'll need a headlamp.

A good pair of shoes will also be necessary as well as a fleece for evenings. We estimate the average budget here at €150, but it can be zero if you travel frequently and already own most standard equipment.

Average "pre-departure" budget: €250 to €300 with modest equipment investment, €100 to €150 if needed.

Your budget on the ground in Mongolia

For simplicity, we'll estimate a budget for a 2-week stay in the land of eternal blue skies.

The estimate provided will give you an idea of the average cost for such a trip while knowing that significant variations are possible depending on the traveler.

Essential expenses in Mongolia

First and foremost, it's important to know that in Mongolia it's very difficult to travel on your own. Buses are heavily centralized from Ulaanbaatar and only serve towns in surrounding provinces. The point of visiting Mongolia is to enjoy its wild nature, so it would be a shame to limit yourself to more urbanized destinations.

The best way to discover the land of nomads is to have your own vehicle, and unless you're an expert in off-road driving and mechanics, hire your own driver as well.

Similarly, it will be strongly recommended that you be accompanied by an interpreter guide to best enjoy and exchange with the local population. Once you leave Ulaanbaatar, you'll find it very difficult to meet people who speak English, let alone French. Those with time can combine, for example, a guided tour with an unaccompanied homestay immersion.

Since the costs of vehicle rental, driver salary, fuel expenses, guide salary, accommodation, and full board for your team are fixed, your stay's price will be closely tied to the number of people you travel with. Depending on how many people you want to travel to Mongolia with, you need to ask yourself: do I want a private, custom trip for myself and my family/friends, or do I join a small group of travelers?

Group trip rates in Mongolia

For a private trip for 2 only, you'll need to budget an average daily cost of €140 to €170 per person.

If you travel in a small group of 5/8 people, this budget will vary from €90 to €120 per day depending on the options chosen.

At Horseback Mongolia, we offer trips through Mongolia at fixed and very competitive prices, regardless of the final number of participants (3 to 10). Departures are also on fixed dates. With this option, the average daily budget can range from €85 to €110 per person.

Average budget on the ground for a 2-week circuit in Mongolia: €1,400.

To this budget you can add an average of €100 per person for miscellaneous expenses on site and small souvenirs and €30 to €40 for tips to your team.

To summarize:

Minimum budget to plan for a 2-week stay in Mongolia: €1,700 / €1,800 per person

Average budget for a 2-week stay in Mongolia: €2,400 / €2,600 per person

Comfortable budget for a 2-week stay in Mongolia: €3,500 / €4,000 per person, especially for a private trip for 2.