FAQ
1. How do I know you are "real"?
We are happy to send you references. My site also has references. Look under >Customer Support< >Feedback<.
2. I want to see different places not on your five basic itineraries. Can I do this?
We understand. Actually, we work best with no schedule or itinerary and you just telling us what you want to see or do, but you must also understand that we have several concrete itineraries if you want suggestions. Just tell us where you want to go or what you want to do. Read all of this website, all of it, and you will have many suggestions. Northern Inner Mongolia is beautiful and blends nicely into Heilongjiang Province. "BeiJiChun" is the most Northern Town in China and is very nice. We can go anyplace and do anything from bike riding to treking to horse riding to seeing a city or town to visiting computer markets to shopping to getting a haircut to banking to snowshoeing.
We have only listed fixed itineraries to give you an idea of places and prices. I would suggest you use this only as a starting point.
Read all of this website, all of it, and you will have many suggestions and ideas.
3. Your prices only include the basics. I want everything included. Can you do this?
We can do anything you want. Because of the area, it is best to just include the basics. This way you can linger at a place, and we can eat at a close restaurant. Including everything puts us on a schedule you may not like.
4. But I want to see all of Beijing. How can I do this?
Yes, we are only good Mongolian Guides. We know a lot of Mongolian history as it applies to China. If you want to see "all" of Beijing you should allow 5 to 7 full days in Beijing and we can arrange good guides in Beijing for you. We can also be your guide here if you want something informal
5. Is this kind of a trip good for me? I have never been to China before.
Maybe, if you are independent, have an open mind, do not mind changes, travel light, don't care too much about bathrooms, or are used to camping.
If you have been to China several times before, this trip is ideal to take you to areas of China where foreigners are rarely if ever seen.
6. I am scared of flying into a strange city. What should I do?
I understand. Me too. I sometimes am scared too.
In general, try to arrive during the daylight hours or early evening. The price you pay for your airline ticket will reflect this. Cheap tickets arrive in the very early morning hours. More expensive flights arrive at "good" hours.
Don't worry. We will meet you no matter when you arrive. Beijing is a very safe city. There are lots of taxis, and they are quite honest. Things can, of course, go awry. Just be sure and have your hotel name, our local phone numbers, and our email addresses. It takes about 45 minutes to get from the airport to Central Beijing.
7. You said to bring money. How much?
This is very personal. Some people want to do a lot of shopping and buy many curios.
Just for basics, however, if you allow about $10.00 to $20.00 for lunch, extra taxis, other places (entrance fees), soft drinks, beer. and so on. Maybe in the country this will be closer to $5.00 per day.
Bring cash to the country. Travelers checks are fine in Beijing only. If you don't want to bring cash to the country you may have a problem. There may be no place to cash travellers checks.
ATM's work fine ***IF*** you notify your bank card you will ne in China.
8. I don't mind a few days in a Mongolian Tent without a bath, but I want a nice hotel in cities. Is there such a hotel?
In larger cities, with enough notice, there are luxury and super luxury hotels. In Beijing there are 5 to 6 star hotels for a price. In other cities we will visit, there may be 4 or 5 star hotels. In the country and smaller towns, there may only be 2 star or 3 star hotels or Mongolian tents. Hotels "should", however have hot water showers. Most Mongolian tents have no running water. Most all smaller iowns have bath houses where you can get a very good and safe shower, actually if you want a good shower, these are better than hotels.
Hotels will usually have private bathrooms, proportunate to their star rating. Real Mongolian tents will usually not have private bathrooms or any shower facilities, unless you stay in a "tourist" Mongolian tent. In such tents, water is trucked in and boiled for cooking and not boiled for showers (cold). If you bring bottled water, you will have clean, fresh, sweet water to drink. I will bring lots of bottled water for cooking and drinking.
9. What things do you think are essential to bring?
A flashlight is almost essential anyplace. It is very handy in a hotel and 100% needed on the grasslands. Rain protection is also almost essential. Umbrella in cities (not too much wind) and poncho in grasslands (lots of wind).
10. How long should I go without a shower or bath?
One week is a good average. Mongolians can go over several months.
11. Will I be warm in Inner Mongolia?
Yes.
12. Should I bring an umbrella?
See above.
13. Can I charge my digital camera?
Usually yes. Hotels definately. On the grasslands there usually is a wind turbine or solar panels with an invertor to give you 240 volts. If you have a cigarette adapter, then any car. Sometimes the wind turbine or solar panels are broken.
14. Is it safe where I will be going?
Yes. Very.
15. What food will I eat?
Up to you. Lots of Mongolian food on the grasslands, but if you want Western food, bring it from a city and tell Nara.
16. Is the car and driver safe?
Yes.
17. Are their beggars?
In large cities near Western hotels, yes. In the grasslands, no.
18. Are airplanes safe?
Yes. They are Boeing and Airbus. Smaller planes are Folkers.
19. Can I buy things that I need?
Anything you want is available in large cities like Shanghai and Beijing. The selection drops in smaller cities like UlanHot, JaQi and HaiLair and there is nothing but the basics in smaller towns.
20. I have never ridden a motorcycle. Can I learn on the grasslands?
You should not.
21. What dangers will I face?
Accidents, accidents, accidents. Like dog bites, car accidents, twisted ankles, falling off a horse or motorcycle.
22. Will my cell phone work on the grasslands?
Maybe but usually not.. Make sure your cell phone is unlocked. In the deep grasslands, cell phones do not work during heavy rains due to connection problems. At other times you may have to stand in a particular spot or climb up a moumntain.
23. Should I bring a laptop computer?
Up to you. Make sure you can charge it in the grasslands. You will have no INTERNET access on the grasslands.
24. Can I buy tea or coffee?
Good tea and coffee is available in large cities. In smaller cities the coffee is instant and the tea good, but not top quality. In small towns, coffee is also instant and tea is basic.
25. Do you only go to the grasslands?
I go anyplace. I have been all over China, Thailand many times, Laos, Viet Nam, India, Burma, Malaysia, Cambodia, etc. Anyplace you want. Most trips were for one or two months.
26. If I go to the grasslands near UlanHot, what is a typical day like?
When
you arrive you will go to the Mongolian Ger. It is clean, spacious,
dry, and decorated. It has three beds. More can be added. You can
unpack and rest. The Ger looks out unto the grasslands.
There is an adjacent stone structure where the people (my family) live to raise animals. Usually 500 to 1,000 sheep, horses and cattle.
You will arise with the light. Mongolian people live by the sun. In the summer, it starts to get light about 4 am. Everyone si up by 5 am. You can sleep as long as you want, but starting around 5 am youy will hear sheep "baaing", cattle "mooing" and so on. People will shout. Motorcycles may come. Tractors may come. But there is only one car on the vast grassland, ours.
Breakfast will come when you are up. If it is raining you can eat either in the stone house or in the ger. If it is not raining you can eat anyplace. Outside is best. Hot water will come earlier IF YOU TELL PEOPLE THE NIGHT BEFORE. If you want to drink instant coffee or tea, be sure to get it in UlanHot.
After breakfast you are on your own. Ride horses? Cook? Milk cows? Hike? Trek? Visit families? Sleep? Just sit and watch the grassland? Photograph the sheep? Frisbees? Soccer? Walk to the river? Gather firewood for cooking?
For lunch if you are at the Ger, lunch will come about 1 pm. If you want to hike and eat lunch on the grassland, take something with you. If you think it may rain, take rain protection.
After lunch you are still on your own.
Dinner will be at the Ger about 7 pm.
After dinner you can look at the stars, marvel at the scenery in the moonlight, or if you must have a fire, it can be made. It turns out that a fire will take you away from the culture.
Sleep time is between 9 pm and 10 pm.
There will always be beer and whiskey (You may need to pay extra, but it it is very cheap. You will pay the local store price), drinking water (included). Beer is about US$0.50 per big bottle. You may want beer for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as the locals do.
There is no running water. No shower or bath. The toilet is a nice outhouse with a Western toilet set in it. You can wash clothes by hand if you want.
So the grassland Ger is only a place to sleep, be comfortable, eat, and soak up the culture. The rest is up to you. Nothing is set.
There is an adjacent stone structure where the people (my family) live to raise animals. Usually 500 to 1,000 sheep, horses and cattle.
You will arise with the light. Mongolian people live by the sun. In the summer, it starts to get light about 4 am. Everyone si up by 5 am. You can sleep as long as you want, but starting around 5 am youy will hear sheep "baaing", cattle "mooing" and so on. People will shout. Motorcycles may come. Tractors may come. But there is only one car on the vast grassland, ours.
Breakfast will come when you are up. If it is raining you can eat either in the stone house or in the ger. If it is not raining you can eat anyplace. Outside is best. Hot water will come earlier IF YOU TELL PEOPLE THE NIGHT BEFORE. If you want to drink instant coffee or tea, be sure to get it in UlanHot.
After breakfast you are on your own. Ride horses? Cook? Milk cows? Hike? Trek? Visit families? Sleep? Just sit and watch the grassland? Photograph the sheep? Frisbees? Soccer? Walk to the river? Gather firewood for cooking?
For lunch if you are at the Ger, lunch will come about 1 pm. If you want to hike and eat lunch on the grassland, take something with you. If you think it may rain, take rain protection.
After lunch you are still on your own.
Dinner will be at the Ger about 7 pm.
After dinner you can look at the stars, marvel at the scenery in the moonlight, or if you must have a fire, it can be made. It turns out that a fire will take you away from the culture.
Sleep time is between 9 pm and 10 pm.
There will always be beer and whiskey (You may need to pay extra, but it it is very cheap. You will pay the local store price), drinking water (included). Beer is about US$0.50 per big bottle. You may want beer for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as the locals do.
There is no running water. No shower or bath. The toilet is a nice outhouse with a Western toilet set in it. You can wash clothes by hand if you want.
So the grassland Ger is only a place to sleep, be comfortable, eat, and soak up the culture. The rest is up to you. Nothing is set.
Updated 07/31/2011
