If you travel to Mongolia for the first time, you may ask yourself if Mongolia is really safe to travel to. I asked myself that same question on my first trip to Mongolia.

Mongolia is generally safe to visit, but any traveler should take specific safety precautions when traveling in Mongolia. There are areas in the city you should be extra cautious when traveling. Also, if you are out in the countryside, there are safety concerns you need to be aware of.

Table of Contents

• About Crime and Safety In Mongolia
• Types of Crimes To Be Aware Of In Mongolia
  • Pickpockets and Petty Crime In Mongolia
  • Scams and other concerns in Mongolia
  • Horse or Camel Thieves In Mongolia
• Female Solo Travelers And Crime In Mongolia
• Other Safety Tips for Traveling In Mongolia
• Other Suggestions For Traveling Safety in Mongolia
  • Use A Reputable Tour Company in Mongolia
• Related Questions
  • What Are Some Lessons On Community Support from The Mongolian Nomadic Herders?
  • Who Are the Gobi Desert Mongolian Herders Who Use Dirt Bikes?

About Crime and Safety In Mongolia

Mongolia is a developing country where the World Bank’s latest report estimates overall poverty of just over 28%. Some areas may have as high as 50% of the population is living at or below the poverty level. Ulaanbaatar, the capital, is no exception, as there are many households there that are living in poverty.

One reason for the poverty in Mongolia and the capital city of Ulaanbaatar is the harsh winter months when many nomadic herders may have lost all their herds. Hence, they have no choice but to move their Ger to Ulaanbaatar’s Ger district to find some work. If you are interested in reading more about this, you can read our blog on What Are The Nomadic Herders in Mongolia? by clicking here.

Over the last few years, the U.S. Embassy has reported that crimes have increased in Mongolia. You can read the U.S. Embassy report here. But the truth is that though crime has increased in Mongolia, it is still relatively safe to travel to Mongolia.

Like traveling to most countries in the world, there are things that travelers should look out for and be aware of for their safety and well-being. As the U.S. Embassy reported, there is “minimal risk” for crime during your Mongolia trip.

Types of Crimes To Be Aware Of In Mongolia

Mongolia is a vast, sparsely populated country in Central Asia with a long and turbulent history that has included periods of revolution, civil war, and communism. Crime rates are low here compared to some larger cities worldwide – though its citizens still need to be aware of potential risks in certain areas or circumstances.

Understanding the types of crime prevalent in Mongolia will help travelers know what situations should be avoided when visiting this diverse nation. From street to white-collar crimes, we explore which criminal activity may pose a risk during your stay in Mongolia.

Pickpockets and Petty Crime In Mongolia

There are pickpockets and petty crime thieves in Mongolia. This tends to happen more in certain areas, and here are some areas that travelers should be extra cautious about when traveling to:

• Naraan Tuul or Black Market – This area is notorious for petty crime. Watch out for pickpockets in this area,
• Ulaanbaatar’s Central Sukhbaatar District – This area has a lot of Embassies, Offices, and Tourist Attractions. So be extra careful when you are in this area.
• The State Department Store
• The Mercury Food Shopping Center
• The Seoul Street – Particularly, the street’s restaurant and bar section.
• The section of Baga Toiruu (Little Ring Road Area) – The most concern is near the Urgoo Cinema and Ulaanbaatar Hotel.
• Anywhere larger crowds are gathered, such as at large sporting and other events.

I would recommend that anyone serious about travel get a perfect anti-theft backpack like the kind that PacSafe has. You can find PacSafe on Amazon by clicking here. They have a nice selection of bags that are made significantly to help guard against theft. I have one of their bags, and a great thing about it is that it does not look like an anti-theft bag, even though it has anti-theft protection.

Some of the other Petty Crimes they have seen in Mongolia recently include:

• ATM Fraud – There have been fraud reports where a thief will attach a scanning device to the front of the ATM to scan the user’s information. This is a scam that has been seen in many parts of Asia; when using an ATM, look for any suspicious camera attached to the ATM.
• Skimmers to duplicate credit cards – There have also been reports of employees at some restaurants or hotels using a skimming device to duplicate the magnet strip information when using your credit card. Stay at a reputable hotel or use a travel agency; make sure you use one that is reputable. We recommend New MIlestone Tours (for more information about them, please look below)
• Credit card fraud – As you would do in any other country, keep your bank and credit card information secure and safe. There have been some incidents of people’s bank and credit card information being stolen. Closely monitor your credit card account before and after your trip to Mongolia.

Scams and other concerns in Mongolia

Like in any other country, there can also be scams that take place. Here are the biggest scams that have been seen in Mongolia:

• Taxis – Like in many other parts of Asia, a taxi may try to get more money from you, and they have meters that will charge you double for a fare. It is always best to use a reliable taxi company or be clear about the price before you get into a taxi.
• Border Guards – There have also been some “fake” border guards that will have the uniform and ask for money. Be aware of this if you are crossing any of the borders.
• Privacy Laws – Mongolia does not have privacy laws as in a country like America. For this reason, hotel staff may enter your room anytime and for any reason. For this reason, put the security lock on your door when you are in your room and when you are away from your room, secure your valuables.

Horse or Camel Thieves In Mongolia

This may seem like something from the wild wild west, but when people go on a long horse, camel trek, or another trek, they may wake up and find they have been robbed and their horse or other forms of transportation is gone.

Sometimes your local guide may be working together with the thieves. But the best way to protect against this is to ensure you work with a reputable travel agency that understands these risks and has properly vetted their travel guides and all the other people or organizations they work with.

Female Solo Travelers And Crime In Mongolia

If you are female and traveling alone, there are a few extra precautions that you should take to ensure your safety. Sexual assault in Mongolia is real and can happen. On top of this, Mongolia’s sexual assault laws are not highly developed, so some of the people you encounter may see sexual assault very differently than we do in the west.

Female solo travelers should be aware of sexual assault in Mongolia.

• Gers- Sexual assault has been known to happen when women are alone in their ger at night. If at all possible, always lock your ger at night. This is another reason why it is good to use a reputable travel company that has properly vetted all its people.
• Monasteries – Incidents have also been reported at monasteries where a monk or someone else may try to get a solo female traveler on her own, so they can sexually assault her. If you are traveling alone, try to join a group not to be alone in a circumstance like this.
• Drunken Behavior – Alcohol and alcohol abuse is a problem in Mongolia. If you are in an area with many drunk men, you should try to escape the situation. There have been reports of sexual assault of some foreign women by groups of drunk men.
• Trekking, hiking, or camping alone – The U.S. Embassy recommends that women not trek, hike, or camp alone in Mongolia. This is because they have seen enough sexual assault incidents due to women being alone in these situations. So if you are a solo female traveler, finding a group or tour to travel with is safest.

Other Safety Tips for Traveling In Mongolia

Like in many Asian countries, there are a few other things that travelers should be aware of to ensure their safety in Mongolia. Here are some other safety tips:

• Rent a car with seat belts – Many people in Mongolia do not use them in their cars or other vehicles. When renting a car with a local driver, check to ensure the car has proper seat belts for both the front and back seats.
• Nighttime driving – There is a law against drunk driving, but still, there is a lot of drunk driving in Mongolia. It is best to ensure that you are not on long-distance highways during the night or evening, as drunk driving usually occurs. Drunk driving can increase significantly during major holiday times.
• LGBT – There are no laws in Mongolia that criminalize being LGBT, nor are there specific known targets for the LGBT community as a whole. Some Mongolian NGOs have reported that LGBT persons, especially in some rural areas, have faced harassment or violence. LGBT individuals may want to be aware of this, especially when traveling outside Ulaanbaatar.

Many of these safety precautions are similar to safety precautions that travelers should be aware of wherever they travel. Despite these travel risks, Mongolia is considered a safe place to travel.

Other Suggestions For Traveling Safety in Mongolia

Mongolia is a vast, sparsely populated country in Central Asia with a long and turbulent history that has included periods of revolution, civil war, and communism. You can take steps to ensure your safety during your trip to Mongolia.

Use A Reputable Tour Company in Mongolia

I can personally recommend New Milestone Tours. I know one of the owners, Adiyabold, and he will vet and check out all his guides and those he works with.

One of the first steps in ensuring your safety in Mongolia is to ensure you use a reliable and reputable travel company. New Milestone Tours can help you with an individual or a group tour. You can contact them by clicking here.

Mongolia is wonderful to visit, and it is relatively safe – especially if you take the steps necessary to ensure your safety.

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Related Questions

What Are Some Lessons On Community Support from The Mongolian Nomadic Herders?

The Mongolian nomadic herders in the Gobi Desert taught me six important lessons about our community support importance. I learned some important lessons about working together as a group and supporting our neighbors while also building a support team that will always be there for us – especially in our time of need. For this to happen, we must each be willing to serve in our communities and work together.

You can discover more by reading our blog 6 Lessons On Community Support from The Mongolian Nomadic Herders by clicking here.

Who Are the Gobi Desert Mongolian Herders Who Use Dirt Bikes?

The Mongolian nomadic family we stayed with had dirt bikes to round up their herds; the husband and wife were University graduates. They choose to live the life of a nomadic herder. They also believed in using as much modern technology as possible, as they had everything from cell phones to computers and television that got decent reception. They had solar panels around the yurt (ger) campsite to charge and use all these electrical appliances.

You can learn more by reading our blog Gobi Desert Mongolian Nomads and their Dirt Bikes by clicking here.