Mongolia 2008 Conference Update

Flight Itinerary

Please send a copy of your flight itinerary to and from Mongolia to: ktsomo@sandiego.edu

• Airline and flight numbers
• Departure and arrival dates and times

Accommodations

Conference accommodations are included in the conference fees. If you are arriving early or plan to stay a few extra days after the conference, you may contact Zaya Hostel for rooms: http://www.zayahostel.com.

Conference Program

The tentative conference program is now available on the Sakyadhita website: http://www.sakyadhita.org.

Dates

• July 1-5 Conference
• July 6-7 Local tours
• July 8-9 Tour to Erdene Zuu
• July 11-20 Tour to Buryatia

Passport and Visa

• Check to make sure that your passport has at least two blank pages
• Check visa requirements for Mongolia for citizens of your country
• Bring a photocopy of your passport, just in case...

What to Bring?

Clothes

Go with the layered look, due to changes in temperature. Clothes should be loose-fitting and non-revealing (no shorts or singlets/tank tops). A light jacket, sweater, comfortable shoes or sandals, sun hat, etc.

Personal Items

Sunscreen, chapstick, shampoo, tissues, babywipes, hand sanitizer, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.

Health

Check health advisories. A tetanus injection is recommended. Bring vitamins, medicines for colds or stomach upset (e.g., Tums), aspirin, eye drops, band-aids, ointment for cuts, and any prescription drugs you take.

Food

Three vegetarian meals will be provided. Bring any extras you like: herbal tea bags, coffee, nuts, dry fruit, granola, muesli, snack bars, etc.

Communications

International phone calls are possible from Mongolia. Postal service is slow. Email is available in some locations.

Cultural Sensitivity

Be sensitive to the local culture and customs. Loud talking, laughing, and physical contact in public are inappropriate. Be mindful of body language.

Safety

Mongolia is generally safe. As in other travel destinations, do not leave valuables unattended. Keep cash and passports in a safe place.

Book Recommendations

Travel Guides:

• Lonely Planet Mongolia
• Mongolia (Country Guide) by Michael Kohn
• Dateline Mongolia: An American Journalist in Nomad's Land by Michael Kohn

Travelogues:

• Hearing Birds Fly: A Nomadic Year in Mongolia by Louisa Waugh
• Eagle Dreams: Searching for Legends in Wild Mongolia by Stephen J. Bodio
• Modern Mongolia: Reclaiming Genghis Khan by Paula L. W. Sabloff

Non-Fiction:

• Horse Song: The Naadam of Mongolia by Ted Lewin and Betsy Lewin
• Modern Mongolia: From Khans to Commissars to Capitalists by Morris Rossabi
• Mongolia by Olaf Meinhardt and Achill Moser
• Women of Mongolia by Martha Avery

Contact Information

Hotel Mongolia Attn: Ms. S.Ujin, Marketing Manager
Bayanzurkh District, 20th khoroo
Gachuurt Village
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Tel: (976) 11-490154
(976) 11-323762
Fax: (976) 11-325861
Email: info@hotel-mongolia.com
Fax: (976) 11-325861
Cell: (976) 99092819
Email: marketing@hotel-mongolia.com
Website: http://www.hotel-mongolia.com

Tour Information

Local Tour

The tours on July 6-7 are included in the conference registration. On July 6, the tour will include museums and temples in Ulaanbaatar. On July 7, the tour will include a visit to Manjusri Temple and a picnic.

Tour to Erdene Zuu

The tour to Erdene Zuu, Mongolia’s oldest monastery, on July 8-9 will be two days by bus, with a one night stay. The cost will be around $100.

Tour to Buryatia

To join the tour to the Buryat Republic from July 11-20, please contact: ktsomo@sandiego.edu. A Russian visa is required. The visa may be obtained at the Russian Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, but requires a bank guarantee letter, passport, and photos. Those who need a Mongolian visa will need a double-entry visa to re-enter Mongolia after the tour.

The tour will include a one-day journey by train or mini-bus to Ulan Ude, a tour of Lake Baikal and other places of religious and historical interest, and return to Ulaanbaatar on July 20. Approximate total for double occupancy is $900, with most meals.

For travel information: http://wikitravel.org/en/Ulan_Ude

For Consulate locator: http://www.russianembassy.net (For your convenience only. We are not recommending this visa service.)

For US visa information: http://www.russianembassy.org