Families
Mongolia with Kids: An Honest Family Travel Guide
Short answer
Mongolia can be a wonderful family trip — horses, camels, dunes, gers and huge space to run — but it's not effortless. The challenges are long drives, basic toilets, unfamiliar food and distance from medical care. Families do best with shorter drives (Central Mongolia, Terelj, or fly to Khövsgöl), two-night stays, a spacious vehicle, comfortable camps and a guide. School-age children usually cope best; it's possible with younger ones with more care.
Key facts
- Best regions
- Central Mongolia, Terelj, Khövsgöl (by air); Gobi for car-tolerant kids
- Ideal daily drive
- Under 4–5 hours where possible
- Vehicle
- Van (Delica/Starex/furgon) for space; bring car seats if needed
- Key prep
- Snacks, motion-sickness plan, wet wipes, offline entertainment
Children often love Mongolia more than adults do: animals everywhere, sleeping in a round tent, climbing dunes, riding horses with herder kids, no fences. The trick is designing a trip that matches their stamina.
What kids tend to love
- Animals — horses, camels, yaks, baby goats at herder camps.
- Gers — sleeping in one is an adventure.
- Dunes at Elsen Tasarkhai or Khongoryn Els.
- Riding — led rides for younger children, real rides for older ones.
- Space — running free on the steppe.
The real challenges
Distances. A 7-hour drive is hard for anyone; for a 5-year-old it can be miserable. Plan short days, stop often, and avoid back-to-back long drives.
Toilets. Many camps have shared blocks; some places only have pit toilets or none. Prepare children for this; bring wipes, sanitiser and toilet paper.
Food. Simple and meat-heavy. Bring snacks from home or Ulaanbaatar supermarkets.
Sleep. Gers are warm in the evening and cold before dawn. Pack warm sleepwear.
Medical care. Remote. Bring a family first-aid kit, any regular medicines, and have travel insurance with evacuation cover.
Dogs. Herder dogs can be protective. Children shouldn’t approach gers or dogs alone. The traditional greeting when arriving at a ger is to call out for the dogs to be held.
What works well
- Central Mongolia in 5–7 days: see 7 days in Mongolia.
- Terelj as a gentle base near Ulaanbaatar.
- Khövsgöl by air: 6 days at the lake.
- Gobi for children who travel well in cars, ideally with a flight one way.
Planning tips
- Two nights in key places.
- A van rather than a small 4x4 for space and luggage.
- A guide — they make camps, food requests and herder visits much easier.
- Helmets for riding (bring your own if possible).
- Camps with good bathrooms on the long-drive nights.
Questions travelers ask
Is Mongolia safe for children?
Generally yes. The main risks are road travel, falls from horses, dogs at herder gers, sun and distance from good medical care. A careful crew, helmets for riding, and travel insurance with evacuation cover are the essentials.
What age is best to take children to Mongolia?
Roughly 6 and up tends to be easiest: they can ride with a led horse, cope with drives and enjoy camps. Younger children can travel well too with a slower, shorter itinerary.
What will my kids eat?
Camp food is simple — rice, noodles, soups, mutton or beef, bread, dairy. Picky eaters may struggle. Bring familiar snacks; ask camps in advance for plain meals.
Are car seats available?
Don't assume so. If your children need them, bring your own and confirm the vehicle has suitable seatbelts.
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