6 Days Mongolia Gobi Desert Tour: Epic Gobi Adventure (May to Oct.)

Ger camps, featuring the traditional roundhouses of nomadic life, are the main accommodation in the countryside during the tours. The ger camps are located close to the main attractions or in scenic areas in the appropriate day’s driving distance from one another.

Mongolian camp has approximately 15-40 gers, a large ger restaurant or a house restaurant serves European and Mongolian meals. Some ger camps have game rooms and open playgrounds. Flush toilets and showers are located in separate blocks from the ger accommodations. There are several ger camps featuring attached private bathroom gers and those gers are considered ensuite.

If you wish to stay at the ensuite gers, please inform us in advance and we will gladly arrange the ensuite gers for an additional fee. The ger camp staff work hard to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay for their guests. Some of the ger camp staff speak basic English while others speak English and other languages fluently.

Many tourists find that “The gers are a cozy and comfortable accommodation.” A ger is a traditional Mongolian felt-covered roundhouse style structure with a wooden frame; the main feature of gers is that they are collapsible and portable homes, suitable for nomadic living. The exterior and interior walls and roof of modern gers are covered with white canvas making them more comfortable and airy living spaces. A center-top window and bottom natural air conditioner design of this round shaped, circle dwelling allow the gers to always have air circulation and good energy.Therefore, gers at camps are not equipped with air conditioners, as Mongolia’s windy climate, along with the roof window and lower openings, provides effective natural ventilation.

Each ger accommodation features 2-4 single beds with clean linens, an alter, night tables, a dining table, chairs, hangers and a charming wood burning stove. Slippers are available at the showers or provided in the gers. Visitors find that staying in a ger is an essential part of their Mongolian experience. The camp ger is lockable with a padlock as a precaution.

The gers have a single electric light bulb and some of them include a socket (220-V Asian-style plug and you may bring your adapter) to charge batteries. In other camps in remote areas, guests also have the option to charge batteries at camp restaurants and lodges. Ger camps in remote areas supply electric power by generator, available at certain times of the days. The paths are lit in the evenings, and lights are turned off at night in order to not attract flies and other insects. Therefore, bringing a flashlight/torch is recommended.

The wood-burning stove warms the ger quickly but keep in mind that ger camps in the Gobi desert have a limited supply of wood. Ger camp staff should attend to the fire several times when required and on request. Guests have the option to request a small amount of wood to self-manage their ger stoves. However, for safety reasons, it is recommended not to light the fire on your own. Exta blankets are provided upon request.

Internet or WIFI is not available at remote ger camps but 3G sim cards may be purchased in Ulaanbaatar for internet access near towns and at ger camps located within the network reception area.

Wi-Fi is available at hotels in Ulaanbaatar. In the countryside, internet access is limited. However, you can purchase a local tour SIM card with data for 3G/4G access in towns and at ger camps or attractions located within network coverage areas. This will help you stay connected both in the city and in parts of the countryside, although internet speeds may be slower.

The Ger camp features a large central ger or lodge-style restaurants to serve Mongolian and European style meals. The meal ingredients of nomadic Mongolians have always been nature-derived and simple, which has been kept today. The ger camp meals are basic, real food, with the main ingredients being beef, mutton, chicken, pork (randomly), pastry, noodles, rice, seasonally available vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, beets, lettuce, pimentos, radishes, onions and garlic etc. There are bars at the restaurants offering both soft and alcoholic drinks.

The ger camp bathrooms are mostly separate houses used by all guests. Many ger camps have central electricity and hot running water available 24 hours; however, some ger camps, which use solar or fire heating systems, may offer hot water only at specified times of day. Therefore, guests are asked to make use of hot water at those times.

Please note that flushing toilets and hot showers may not be available for guests traveling in spring (March, April, May) and autumn (September, October) when the cold weather disables use of the water pipes.

The bathrooms have electric lights, mirrors, basins with running water, flush toilets and other modern facilities. Guests may bring personal amenities such as a toothbrush and toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and a hairdryer if needed. One kit costs around 9 USD, but it is not usually sold at the front desk of the camps. Therefore, it is recommended that clients bring their own kits suited to their skin and hair type, or purchase them from convenience stores (CU or GS25) or supermarkets in Ulaanbaatar. Most public showers at ger camps are equipped with hairdryers (however, there are no hairdryers inside the gers; a hairdryer costs around 16-30 USD). Most private showers at ger camps have a hairdryer in the bathroom.