Mongolia Travel Safety

Precautions

After dark, stick to well-lit busy streets and do not walk alone. Be particularly cautious in the area surrounding the State Department Store in Ulaanbaatar, where foreigners have been mugged. Beware of pickpockets and ensure that your personal belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times. Individuals posing as police officers have robbed foreigners, particularly in Ulaanbaatar's Sukhbaatar Square area. If approached, ask to see police credentials or offer to go to the police station. Exercise caution in crowded areas, including open-air markets, the central post office and Gandantegchinlen Monastery, as well as when using public transportation. Foreign companies have received threats of violence.

Road safety

Traffic drives on the right. Drivers have little regard for traffic regulations and do not follow safe driving practices. Accidents occur frequently. Driving can be hazardous, especially in rural areas. Road conditions, especially between the capital city and provinces, are poor. Access to rural areas can be hampered by heavy snowfalls during the winter months. Exercise caution while driving and anticipate potential hazards.

Identification

Carry adequate identification at all times, such as your passport and registration documents. Keep a photocopy of your passport in case it is lost.

Taxis

Use reliable, licensed taxis equipped with meters. Regular taxis (private cars without taxi signs or meters) are unsafe. Taxi drivers and thieves waiting for potential victims to step out of a taxi have robbed passengers, sometime violently. Book a taxi through your hotel.

Women's safety

Based on the crime situation of the Mongolia, women should be vigilant all the time and aware of the surroundings. Females should be cautious while dealing with strangers and acquaintances. Women may be subject to unpleasant male attention, sexual harassment and verbal abuse. Avoid flash of money or valuables in public. Exercise a high degree of precaution during travel.

Crime

Foreigners have been targeted by street crime, especially in Ulaanbaatar and other major cities and in tourist areas. Cases of assault and robbery significantly increase in Ulaanbaatar during major holidays, including the Naadam Festival in July, the Mongolian Lunar New Year and International Women's Day and Soldiers' Day in March. Violent crime has occurred, even in daylight and on busy streets.

LGBT

Although Mongolian law does not specifically prohibit sexual acts between individuals of the same sex, there is also no law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. LGBT individuals often face violence and discrimination, according to the Mongolian National Human Rights Commission, and have faced police harassment and surveillance.

Illegal or restricted activities

Possession and use of any type of drugs including cannabis is illegal. It's illegal to buy, sell, kill or capture any protected wild animal or trade its parts without a license. If you're caught purchasing or trafficking illegal goods you'll be prosecuted and could receive a prison sentence and fine.

Identification

Failure to carry your registration card or passport may lead to a fine.

Driving

You must carry an International Driving Permit.