Mongolia travel tips: talk, cash, SIM, etiquette

A few practical details are worth knowing before a trip to Mongolia. This is not meant to cover everything; it focuses on the situations travellers meet most often.

Communication: one idea at a time

Many translation apps still cannot speak Mongolian aloud, leaving travellers to show text on a screen. Mongol Talk can play Mongolian speech and also supports voice input. Keep each turn to one short, clear idea, wait for the answer, and then ask the next question.

Cash and exchange

Cash in Mongolian tögrög (₮) is still the main way to pay in the countryside. Large shopping centres and hotels in central Ulaanbaatar usually accept cards, but small shops, markets, festival stalls and rural businesses often need cash. Before leaving the city, exchange or withdraw enough at a bank or licensed exchange counter, and keep some smaller notes handy.

SIM cards and getting online

Tourist SIM cards are usually available at the airport or from mobile-network shops in the city. Before heading into remote steppe country, download offline maps and save useful phrases to your Mongol Talk favourites. Screenshots can also be a helpful backup when mobile coverage drops.

Basic etiquette

• When entering a ger, traditionally you should not step on the threshold. Try not to turn your back towards the family’s shrine area.
• Passing or receiving something with both hands, or with the right hand, is generally considered polite—especially for food and milk tea.
• Ask before taking photographs, particularly in a herder’s home or at a religious site.
• If your host offers milk tea or dairy food, a small taste is enough to show respect; you do not need to force yourself to finish it.

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