Tour

No. Extensive camera gear or photography knowledge is absolutely no need. You can take amazing photos with your smartphone already. The concept behind Follow The Tracks enables you to improve your photography skills while traveling across the country, guided by the Masterclass - the best way to learn is by doing. However, you can also simply use this adventure for your vacation and enjoy Mongolia in no photography related context.

We highly advise you to buy a travel insurance from your trusted insurance provider. The car includes a Third Party Liability Insurance up to 5,000,000MNT and a Loss Damage Waiver (excess 13,000,000MNT). You can book extra insurances for the rental car upon pickup.

You don’t need a camera to take this trip. But camera gear is something we don’t provide.

No, it depends on the route you choose. Some routes require more nights in a tent and some less. The iKamper rooftop tents and the Heimplanet tent provide a high level of comfort. Please make sure to read carefully the description of the route you want to take.

No, this self driving experience is just for you and the people you want to be with. There can be up to four people per car. If you want to travel with a group of more than four people please contact us.

On the first day you will need to allocate some time for grocery shopping in Ulaanbaatar. We recommend you to go to Emart (a large modern supermarket with a big range of products), Rosewood Market & Butchery (a high end market for great meat, sausage, fresh bread and other western food) and Mercury market (a traditional market hall for food in the center of town). During your trip you will pass small supermarkets that offer beverages, dry food, snacks and a limited range of vegetables.

The paved road network in Mongolia is minimal and the Follow The Tracks tours are designed to be a mix of paved and unpaved roads. You will not need to leave unpaved dirt roads during the entire trip as long you follow the instructions.

Mongolia is famous for meat dishes but it is also possible to avoid meat. You can buy vegetarian and vegan food in Ulaanbaatar and visit vegetarian or vegan restaurants like Luna Blanca.

Should you damage the vehicle or have a breakdown, please contact the SIXT emergency hotline immediately. SIXT will assist you.

This is depending on the route you take. Please make sure to read route descriptions carefully.

No, this is a self driving tour which means that you are on your own or together with your friends. You will get a tablet with a lot of information about the country and tools to learn about photography. This is all provided by Max and hopefully it will give you the feeling that his spirit and excitement for Mongolia is always with you.

The Self-Drive Tour does not include fuel or food. Please keep this in mind and bring sufficient cash with you. Fuel consumption is 15 to 30L/100km depending on terrain and driving style.

Mongolia is ranked as the 50th safest and secure country to travel on the Travel and Tourism Competitive Report 2017, which makes it safer than Germany or the United Kingdom. Alcohol consumption is high and we recommend you to stay away from drunk people. The weather can change quickly and you should keep this in mind. Do not camp in or close to dry riverbeds and do not drive after sunset as many animals jump onto the road during the night. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TTCR_2017_web_0401.pdf

Most places and especially villages have 4G mobile network on the trip. Network coverage is highly dependent on the provider (we recommend Unitel, Gmobile and Mobicom) and location.

The basis of what you will learn about photography on this trip is the same. This experience is about getting to know a wonderful, nearly untouched country, and getting out in the field to use your new skills.

In Mongolia they drive on the right.

One person in your group needs a driver’s license. But you can add up all of your travel buddies as an additional driver for free. Alternatively you can book a SIXT driver on top of your adventure who will drive you safely through the country.

The trip is planned with places to sleep, gas stations and under certain safety aspects, so that you don’t get stuck with the car. Therefore you should stay on the pre-planned route. Don't worry, there is a lot to see!

Please bring your international driver’s license unless your driving license is from a country that is part of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Driving licenses issued by member states are sufficient, in combination with your passport.

The standard car has a manual transmission. Please let us know in advance if you would prefer an automatic, and we will check the availability for you. Automatic transmission is subject to an extra charge.

Yes, one person of your group needs a credit card. Some hotels require it to make a safety deposit.

The currency in Mongolia is the Mongolian Tugrik (MNT). We advise you to take enough cash on your trip as it can be difficult to find an ATM in the countryside. Gas stations usually accept credit cards (VISA, Mastercard) but you may need to pay cash. You can change USD, EUR and all other major currencies in the banks in Ulaanbaatar. Withdrawing money from ATMs works with most international cards as well but it is mostly limited to 400.000MNT per day per card, therefore bringing USD or EUR is advised.

You can opt for a driver as an extra but this will incur extra costs and your group size will be restricted to only three people.

There is no vaccination obligation. When travelling to Mongolia, it is hepatitis A and rabies vaccinations are recommended. If traveling with children, you should ensure they have the standard vaccinations suggested by the Robert-Koch-Institution. More information can be found here: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/Infekt/Impfen/Materialien/Downloads-Impfkalender/Impfkalender_Englisch.pdf?__blob=publicationFile

Showers are sometimes limited in Mongolia. Several camps as well as all hotels on the tour provide showers.

Most camps provide you with electricity and you will receive a converter for a European plugin and USB connecter in the car to charge your devices.