FAQ
FAQ
Is it safe to travel to Russia now?
Many governments currently advise against all travel to Russia and may be unable to provide consular help. Read your own government's travel advice before considering a trip. See before you go: advisories and practicalities.
When is the best time to visit Mongolia?
June to September for the steppe and Naadam festival (mid-July). Winter is extremely cold but offers clear skies and few visitors. The Gobi is best in late spring and early autumn.
How cold does Siberia get?
Very. Parts of Yakutia regularly fall below −40°C in winter. Irkutsk and Lake Baikal are milder but still often well below −20°C. Try our wind chill calculator.
Do I need a guide in Mongolia?
Outside Ulaanbaatar, most travellers use a driver and guide, because distances are large, roads are often tracks and navigation is difficult.
When does Lake Baikal freeze?
Typically from around January to April, with the clearest ice often in February and March. Ice conditions vary each year; only go onto the ice with local knowledge.
Glossary
- Ger
- Mongolian word for the round felt tent known elsewhere as a yurt.
- Naadam
- Mongolia's national festival of wrestling, horse racing and archery, held in July.
- Taiga
- Boreal forest of conifers that covers much of Siberia.
- Permafrost
- Ground that stays frozen for at least two consecutive years.
- Wind chill
- How cold it feels on exposed skin when wind combines with low air temperature.
- Trans-Mongolian
- Rail route branching from the Trans-Siberian through Ulaanbaatar to Beijing.