Mongolia Relay
Mongolia, with the right local people behind it.
Independent travel planning and introductions to local Mongolian guides, drivers and operators — for travelers who want a private trip, and for those who don't want a tour at all.
A real person reads every message. No obligation, no booking engine, no pressure.
What we are
A Mongolia specialist, not a booking site
We research Mongolia travel in depth and publish it openly. When you want help, we design a realistic trip with you and connect you with local people to run it.
Who it's for
Private and independent travelers
Couples, families, solo travelers, older travelers, photographers and riders who want a trip built around them — not a seat on a fixed departure.
Why trust us
Honest answers first
If you don't need a guide, we'll say so. Prices we quote from others are sourced and dated. We say exactly what we've verified. How we work →
Two kinds of travelers. We help both.
"I want a tour"
A private trip, designed with you
Your own driver and guide, a route that fits your days and pace, camps chosen for comfort. We introduce the local team and give you a clear written quote.
"I don't want a tour"
Just the right driver, or just the right answers
Many travelers only need a good driver, a sanity check on their route or straight information. That's fine — our guides are free, and we'll help with only what you need.
Find your kind of trip
Realistic routes, honest driving times
7 Days in Mongolia: Central Mongolia and the Orkhon Valley
A realistic 7-day Central Mongolia itinerary: Hustai, Elsen Tasarkhai, Kharkhorin, the Orkhon Valley and Tsenkher hot springs, with driving times and trade-offs.
10 Days: Gobi Desert and Central Mongolia Overland
The most popular first-trip combination: 10 days overland through the Gobi and back via Ongi, Kharkhorin and Hustai. Day-by-day plan, driving times and the trade-offs.
6 Days at Lake Khövsgöl (Fly In, Slow Down)
A slow 6-day trip to Lake Khövsgöl: fly Ulaanbaatar–Mörön, three nights on the western shore for riding, hiking and boating, and fly back. Light driving, big landscapes.
5-Day Gobi Trip (Flying In and Out)
How to see the Gobi in 5 days: fly Ulaanbaatar–Dalanzadgad, Yolyn Am, two nights at the Khongoryn Els dunes, the Flaming Cliffs, then fly back. Driving times, costs and trade-offs.
Understand Mongolia
The decisions that shape your trip
Do You Need a Guide in Mongolia?
Do you need a guide in Mongolia? When a driver alone is enough, when a guide earns their fee, and when you can travel fully independently. An honest answer.
How Much Does a Mongolia Trip Cost?
What a Mongolia trip costs in 2026: budget vs mid-range vs private, the cost of drivers, guides, fuel, camps and flights, with sourced published prices and what drives the total.
Gobi vs Khövsgöl: Which Should You Choose?
Gobi Desert or Lake Khövsgöl? A side-by-side comparison of landscape, driving, comfort, activities, season, cost and who each suits — to help you pick one or plan both.
Self-Driving in Mongolia: Is It Realistic?
Can you self-drive Mongolia? Licence rules (IDP + home licence), rental costs, tracks, navigation, fuel, breakdowns, insurance, and where self-driving works.
How Many Days Do You Need in Mongolia?
How long to spend in Mongolia: what realistically fits in 5, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days, how many regions per trip, and why distances matter more than the number of sights.
Best Time to Visit Mongolia (Month by Month)
When to go to Mongolia: a month-by-month guide to weather, festivals (Naadam, eagle festival, ice festival), crowds, prices and which regions are best in each season.
Experiences
Ways to travel Mongolia
Private Tours in Mongolia: How They Work and What You're Paying For
What a private Mongolia tour actually is — driver, guide, vehicle, camps — how it differs from a group tour, realistic costs, and how to tell a good private trip from a poor one.
Hiring a Private Driver (or Driver-Guide) in Mongolia
How hiring a private driver in Mongolia works: day rates, what is and isn't included, vehicle types, driver vs driver-guide, language, and how to avoid common misunderstandings.
Horse Trekking in Mongolia: Where, How Hard, and What to Expect
Horse riding in Mongolia from a two-hour ride to a multi-day trek: the best regions, what Mongolian horses and saddles are like, experience needed, safety, insurance and season.
Naadam Festival: Dates, Tickets and How to Experience It
Mongolia's Naadam festival of wrestling, horse racing and archery: national Naadam dates in Ulaanbaatar, tickets, local countryside Naadams, crowds and how to plan around it.
Eagle Hunters and the Golden Eagle Festival in Western Mongolia
Visiting the Kazakh eagle hunters of Bayan-Ölgii: the Golden Eagle Festival (early October), the smaller Sagsai festival, family visits, winter hunting trips, logistics and ethics.
Staying in a Ger: Tourist Camps vs Herder Families
What sleeping in a Mongolian ger is really like — tourist ger camps vs herder-family homestays, bathrooms, heating, food, etiquette and how to choose the right level for you.
How Mongolia Relay works
Five steps, all handled by people
- Tell us what you want to do. Dates, who's travelling, what matters. A few lines is enough.
- We talk it through. By email, WhatsApp or a call. We'll be honest about what fits — including when you don't need us.
- We match local people. A driver, driver-guide or operator suited to your route, group and style.
- You get a written quote. Total price, inclusions, exclusions, payment structure, who runs your trip, cancellation terms.
- Your trip runs, and we stay in touch. Local people deliver it; we're your point of contact.
Local people
Drivers, guides and operators — and what "verified" means here
Mongolia's best trips depend on specific people: a driver who knows the Gobi tracks, a guide whose English and patience make a long day easy, a horseman who matches horses to riders.
We're building a small network carefully. We only publish a profile when we've checked what we say about someone, and we always state what we checked and when. Today we publish the criteria and the guides; individual profiles will follow as verification is completed.
Guides, drivers and operators explained · How we verify · Checks you can do yourself
Mongolia Relay
Start with a conversation
Tell us roughly when, who and what you're hoping for. We reply within 48 hours with honest suggestions — and no obligation.