Mongolia - Fly Drive

Glenboy

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Day 0

Mongolia was always on the “to-do” list but the time needed to travel there, tour around and travel back was never available. Shipping an 1150 GSA there and back didn’t seem like a viable alternative either. Then, a couple of years ago along with Pat and John (“Trick” and “Jaws100” of this parish) we went to Morocco on a fly-drive for a week which turned out to be a really great experience.

So Pat and I began to talk about doing something similar for Mongolia. John wasn’t interested in this trip so we are joined by Frank (“frankie boy” on here) - Frank has a wealth of experience, having ridden the Americas from Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia and a significant chunk of Africa.

There are several providers of rental bikes and guided tours in Mongolia but after lots of research we decided to go with renting bikes from Cheke Tours in Ulaan Bataar and doing our own trip. The big international brands like BMW, KTM, Honda, Yamaha are available to rent but if you experience an issue with one of these outside UB you could be looking at significant downtime while waiting for a part and local mechanics are not very familiar with them. Cost is also a factor with these bikes costing from about €125 per day to rent.

Cheke rents Shineray Mustangs which are basic Chinese made bikes and which are very popular with the locals and are being used by an ever increasing number of the nomadic herdsmen instead of the traditional horse. They are only 150cc but having read many reports and blogs where they have been used before we reckon that they will suit our needs. One advantage is that they can be repaired anywhere and by any village mechanic. The other big advantage is the cost, €13 per day.

So we booked our flights, traveling with Hainan Airways from Dublin to Beijing and onward to Ulaan Bataar with Mongolian Airlines (MIAT). We could have gone via Moscow with Aeroflot but the preference was for China even though this meant longer flight times. MIAT also run a number of flights between Frankfurt and Berlin to Ulaan Bataar during June, July and August. I had been to Beijing before but the lads hadn’t so we decided to spend an overnight there, see the Great Wall, Tianamen Square, etc.

We got visas for a double entry to China (€60) in Dublin but subsequently discover that if you are transiting through Beijing and have possession of an onward connection you can be admitted for up to 144 hours without a visa. Damn!

We wanted to make the most of our day in Beijing so had booked a local guide (who was excellent) through Airbnb - he picked us up in a very plush Buick six-seater and about 2 hours later we arrive at the Great Wall at Huanghuacheng.

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After building up an appetite climbing and walking on some very steep sections we have a very nice lunch in a local restaurant.

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Then it’s back to the city to see Tianamen Square and do a tour of the Forbidden City.

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We were feeling a bit peckish after that so we got a taxi to the Sanlitun area for something to eat and a few beers before heading back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep. Frank had booked this and it was excellent, it was near the airport and included a shuttle to the terminals, perfect for our early departure the next morning for Ulaan Bataar.
 
I'm thinking of going to Mongolia and, like you, am beginning to think the cost of shipping my bike there may not be worth it - unless I ride all the way home which is still an option. Looks like shipping to Vladivostock would be at least €2000 unless anyone knows a cheaper way to UB?

So, look forward to reading how you got on
 
Fantastic Glenboy. Doesn’t matter what you ride - looking forward to the RR.
 
Day 1

Day 1

We arrive in Ulaan Bataar at about 12 noon after a pleasant 2.5hr flight from Beijing with Mongolian Airlines (MIAT). The guys get through immigration control without any issues but I’m given the “Would you step this way please” routine and am brought to an inner office. Turns out there’s an error with the dates on my visa which was issued in Dublin. The officials are very pleasant and get me to fill out an identical form to the one I filled out in Dublin (I hope I provide the same answers) take my photograph and issue me a new visa. A half hour later I’m through, we reclaim our luggage and step out into the very warm Mongolian sun.

Our good friend Gary had given us the contact details of a local lady who had worked previously in Ireland and she had arranged to meet us at the airport on arrival. We planned to spend the afternoon getting sorted with SIM cards, currency, maps, and any last minute bits and pieces we might have forgotten to get - being a local she was a great help with this.

We wanted to get the paperwork etc sorted with the bikes this afternoon too in order to save time in the morning so we went out to Cheke’s in the late afternoon and picked our bikes. I chose mine based largely on the condition of the tyres which were good. I didn’t notice a few small differences, mostly cosmetic, between mine and the lads bikes which were due to it being an older model. It turned out that it had a smaller fuel tank which would prove to be a significant factor at a later stage. Our initial impressions of the bikes weren’t great. They were small, seemed flimsy and basic and after a quick spin around the block it was clear that the brakes were crap. Anyway, the die was cast at this stage.

Cheke’s mechanic gave us a lift back into town (she’s based out near the airport) and he agreed to pick us up again at the hotel the next morning. We had a nice evening in UB, which included a ramble to find a monument to the Beatles which was actually quite good, had some excellent steaks and local beers in a restaurant by the main square, and then a few whiskeys in a trendy bar which finished off Day 1 nicely.

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We were booked into a place which Pat had sourced, the Khuvsgul Lake Hotel and Hostel in central UB. It was excellent. The three of us were in a 4 bed room which cost us €9 each. A fourth guy was booked into the same room and although his stuff was there he never appeared - happy days!

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The view from our room on the 22nd floor. UB is experiencing a huge amount of development with lots of high-rises being built but also with lots of sprawling shanty districts on the edges of the city which you can see in the distance.
 
Day 2

UB (Cheke’s) to first camp spot

I’m a great believer in democracy but for this trip it goes against me. My preference was to head south to the Gobi and loop back to UB through the Orkhon valley. Pat and Frank wanted to go to the west and northwest towards Khuvsgul lake and then loop back through the Orkhon valley. Ah well, it’s good to have a reason to return.

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After getting the bikes sorted out and packed up we hit the road. Three French guys arrive and are heading off on a week long trip and then a guy from Chile turns up. His name is Eduardo and he has a similar plan to ourselves. Our paths were to cross several times over the next two weeks.

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That's Cheke on the left. We found her very good to deal with. She has excellent English and speaks French too.

She had recommended taking the road to the south for about ten or twelve kilometres and then heading north on an off-road track which would bring us back up to the road west out of UB. The hire contract expressly forbade taking the bikes into Ulaan Bataar itself - more on that later.

So the plan is to join up with the tarmac road heading west out of UB for a bit and then head northwest off-road towards Bulgan. I can’t help wondering how the bikes will hold up as we rattle our way across stony tracks, sandy stretches, washboard, dirt tracks, etc. Irrationally, I keep expecting it to fall apart under me or at least for one or more of my bags to fall off. It takes a couple of days for me to become comfortable in the knowledge that the bike would most likely survive anything and always seems to know best when it comes to deciding which line to take through a tricky bit.

We are only gone a few hours when my bike develops a problem. We have stopped at a village to get some water and it turns out that my bike won’t restart. It would start on a push or reluctantly by kickstarting. A few of the local men gather round and are anxious to help.

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One of them is trying to kickstart it. Note the sign which gives away that we are parked outside the town's restaurant.

The lads diagnose the issue and seem to be convinced that the problem is with what looks like an ignition coil close to the battery. They seem quite certain and we are happy to go with that. There isn’t a replacement to be had here so we decide to continue to the next town and hopefully get one there. The next town turns out to be Lun. A howling wind is blowing by this time with a coarse, sandy dust getting in everywhere. We’re hungry too so we go into a little cafe for some food. What’s on offer is displayed by some pictures, great! This is not for making life easier for tourists but more to do with low literacy levels. We get something that seems to be a mix of mutton and vegetable pieces and it turns out to be very tasty indeed. Feeling encouraged, we order three teas but these come with yak milk already included - absolutely horrible and we barely take more than a few sips.

We have learned a very important word for our Mongolian vocabulary - “mekaniko” so make enquiries as to where we might find one and are directed towards the other side of town. We pull up at what seemed to be a petrol pump and small shop for auto and moto parts. The wind is still howling and when I take off my helmet I can feel the dust getting into my ears, my hair, my nose, everywhere. I point out the part I need to the old guy who is there and he goes in to his Aladdin’s cave and starts looking for one. It is quite dark inside and a very welcome relief to be in out of the wind. He digs out various similar parts but none is a match for the one I need to replace. He signals for me to hop into his pickup and that he would bring me to someone who would have the part needed. Instead we follow him to a house on the other side of the village and he indicates to me to wait at the gate while he goes in. This sounds fine to me as there is a very vocal Doberman-like dog in the yard.

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After a few minutes he re-emerges with another old guy who is carrying a few tools. He removes the part and goes back in to the house for a rummage. It isn’t long before he’s back out with a used but thankfully identical part. He fits the replacement but still the bike won’t start.

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After much scratching of heads we begin to think that the problem might be with the battery so we swap it with the battery in Frank’s bike and sure enough, the problem moves too! Now we know that either the battery is a dud or my bike isn’t charging properly so we decide to keep a watching brief and see how it goes.

After Lun we go off-road again for about an hour or so before deciding we should find a spot to camp for the night. We spot a ger (yurt) on the hillside in the distance and head over towards it to see if we could camp beside it. As we approach, a guy emerges and waves. We hop off the bikes and shake hands. It’s clear that this is not a good place to camp as the wind is still blowing strongly and there’s no shelter. He invites us in and it’s great to in out of the wind. Green tea is offered and a very convivial conversation takes place. We can’t understand a word he’s saying nor he us but it doesn’t matter at all. Pat gives him a miniature bottle of whiskey and he’s delighted. It’s a very welcome rest and after another round of handshakes we’re on our way again still looking for a camp spot. After a bit we come to a spot by a river where there’s a small bit of shelter from a rocky outcrop. It proves to be a tricky job to get the tents up in the wind but eventually we’re all set up and settle down to our first night’s camping on the Steppe.

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Excellent

Waiting for more.
 
Day 3

1st campspot to 2nd campspot

We awaken at about 7 and set about boiling some water. After a quick visit to the riverbank to brush teeth and splash water on groggy faces we’re ready for some porridge followed by some green tea. Thankfully the wind died down during the night and it’s a bright sunny morning so taking down the tents and packing up is no bother.

Will we make it to Bulgan today? It will be largely off-road and there’s about 110 km to do so we’ll see. It’s very pleasant this morning and the ground is dry so we make steady progress. It’s beginning to feel like we are in Paradise.

We are surprised at the variety of terrain we encounter - we expected wide open grassy spaces and we certainly got that, but we also get sandy areas, gravel patches, stony parts and stretches of bare earth which could be tricky if the weather was wet. Lucky for us it’s sunny and warm.

Lots of this ...

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and this ...

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We come across lots of these spiritual shrines where people passing add a stone to the pile to help keep the gods happy. We do the same.

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At one point I try to get my camera to take one of those self-timer shots. I'm convinced I'm doing everything right but despite several attempts it just doesn't work. My subjects get increasingly bored and I eventually give up ...

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We keep heading to a village where we know there is a bridge over the river and find that there is a shop and petrol station there along with a few houses. Despite the fact that the place is very dusty like everywhere else, the inside of the shop is surprisingly clean, and even though it's small it seems to have everything, the water that we need but also some very tasty ice-creams. I'm amazed to see that along with the staples it also has things like USB sticks, memory cards, etc.

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This shows Main St with the petrol station across the road

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As late afternoon becomes early evening we look for a camp spot and find an ideal place near a dried out river bed and set up camp. We have a welcome bite to eat, plenty of chat and watch the sun set over the distant horizon before turning in for a good night's sleep.

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Day 4

2nd campspot to Bulgan

We awaken early to a gorgeous sunrise and get the stove going. Water is boiled and porridge is made and we have just begun to relax with our green tea in advance of starting the job of taking down the tents when we notice a cloud of dust on the horizon. It looks like a Jeep is heading in our direction.

Uh-oh! What have we done now?

We needn’t have worried. It’s a husband and wife who are living in a ger (yurt) on the other side of the valley. When they pull up the wife hops out with a basket of sweets and pretzels and offers them to us. There is much shaking of hands and smiling, lots of sign language and everyone is very happy. We give the guy a miniature bottle of Bushmills whiskey - we had bought some in Dublin airport (Pat’s idea) - and he seemed delighted. He said something that I thought sounded like “is it Irish or Scotch?” I assured him that it was Irish and this pleased him greatly ;-)

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After they left, we packed up and set off. We are using the Maps.me app on our phones for navigating, particularly when off-road. It doesn’t need an online connection so is ideal. It shows most of the defined off-road tracks but in a lot of instances there are multiple versions of a track going in broadly the same direction and unless you’re on the one specified by Maps.me it can get confused. Generally speaking though, it worked well. We usually had a sense of the general direction we should be going in and would frequently cross reference our direction with the maps we bought in UB. Frank had brought a compass and this was also very useful.

The terrain has become quite grassy and we are making good progress

All is going well when Pat, who has stopped indicates that he’s in trouble. His rear tyre is soft. He pumps it up with the pump we got from Cheke but within a few km it becomes clear that he has a puncture.

We pull off to the side of the track and set to work. Frank has brought a set of tools including tyre levers and sets about removing the rear wheel. The sun is beating down and it is very hot so we rig up a makeshift tarp using one of the tent’s groundsheets. The tyre (some Chinese brand unknown to us) is very inflexible and getting it off is very hard work indeed. Rather than try patching the leak, the spare tube we got from Cheke is fitted. We’ll get another to act as a spare when we get to a town and if we get another puncture before then we’ll do some patching.

A guy on a horse comes over for a look – he’s obviously impressed with Frank’s prowess!

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Then this snazzily dressed young guy on a very shiny Honda pulls up and offers to help. He has a little English and we shoot the breeze, and he also tries to help.

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He says that he’s from a ger on the other side of the valley and asks us to come over for tea when the job is finished. We are focused on the job in hand and fail to notice when he makes off with Frank’s lightweight MX gloves which he obviously thinks will complete his ensemble. We are disappointed with this given the friendliness and support we have received from everyone else.

After a lot of toil and effort the wheel is refitted and we are on our way again. About an hour later we come to a little town – fantastic, time for an ice-cream! We see that we have 4G coverage using the local SIMs that we got in UB so there is a flurry of updating and Skype calls. We're hanging around outside the shop for a while and there is a steady number of people coming and going. Everybody is friendly and we exchange pleasantries. Then a bike pulls up carrying two guys who are clearly quite drunk. One of them is a bit “pushy” towards us, his mate tries to restrain him but he’s a big lad. Fortunately he’s not very steady on his feet but he nonetheless manages to pick up my helmet and throw it about 20 feet. I recover it and we decide that the best thing to do is to move on.

As we leave town we notice that there is a brand new tarmac road going in the direction we want to go. It’s blocked off by mounds of earth and "No Entry" signs but we find a low part and manage to get on it. We find ourselves riding on pristine tarmac with no other vehicles and we are making great progress. However after a few miles we come to another barrier, this time a row of sizeable rocks but there are gaps and one is just wide enough. We continue like this for about an hour and a half meeting many barriers but always managing to get over or through them. We’re waiting for someone to order us off but luckily this doesn’t happen. Actually, as we pass by some teams who are putting the finishing touches to the road, they wave and smile at us.

Finally, we arrive in Bulgan. We had optimistically thought we might make it from UB to here in one day but in fact it has taken us three days. We could do with some hot showers and a bed so taking a recommendation from the Lonely Planet we check in to the Bulgan Hotel. The listing says that it doesn’t look great on the outside but is quite OK on the inside and this is exactly how we find it. After the showers we go for a bite to eat in a nearby restaurant – something muttonish again – have a few beers and back to the hotel for a good night’s kip. All is well with the world.
 


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