{"id":65065,"date":"2026-06-11T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T23:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/norimen.net\/?p=65065"},"modified":"2026-06-07T17:45:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T08:45:28","slug":"first-trip-to-mongolia-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/norimen.net\/en\/first-mongolia-trip-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Enta's First Trip to Mongolia! Part 1 | I Stopped by Ulaanbaatar on My Way Back from Nepal"},"content":{"rendered":"

My First Trip to Mongolia on the Way Back from Nepal<\/h2>\n

Hello, everyone.<\/p>\n

This is Enta.<\/p>\n

On my way back from Nepal, I took a little detour and went to Mongolia! lol<\/p>\n

This is my first time in Mongolia!! (My vacation starts here.)<\/p>\n

In terms of temperature, Nepal felt pretty much the same as Japan, but Mongolia was completely different.<\/p>\n

It usually gets down to about 5 degrees in the mornings and evenings.<\/p>\n

Man, it's cold lol<\/p>\n

I\u2019d brought a jacket just in case, so that came in handy, but if you let your guard down thinking it would be like during the day, the cold really gets to you.<\/p>\n

When traveling abroad, it\u2019s easy to focus only on the daytime temperatures, but in Mongolia, it\u2019s best to pay close attention to the temperature differences between morning and evening.<\/p>\n

It's the same on-site\u2014if you just look at the numbers and think, \"I'm sure it'll be fine,\" you'll usually end up getting burned, lol.<\/p>\n

Same goes for this\u2014let's stick to the numbers!<\/p>\n

\"MIAT<\/p>\n

From Incheon Airport to Mongolia<\/h2>\n

On this trip to Mongolia, I entered the country via Incheon International Airport in South Korea.<\/p>\n

The flight from Incheon to Ulaanbaatar takes about three and a half hours, depending on the flight.<\/p>\n

It seems close, but it\u2019s actually quite a distance.<\/p>\n

And, as is often the case with international airlines, the flight was delayed by more than 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

This kind of thing is pretty normal around here, so I don't really think anything of it lol<\/p>\n

If you're used to a culture where people apologize for even a one-minute delay, like on Japanese trains, you just can't handle it overseas.<\/p>\n

\"Just thinking, 'It'll take off eventually,' is about right, lol.\"<\/p>\n

\"MIAT<\/p>\n

To Ulaanbaatar on MIAT<\/h2>\n

This time, I flew with MIAT Mongolian Airlines.<\/p>\n

From what I've found, MIAT appears to be Mongolia's flag carrier\u2014that is, the airline that represents the country.<\/p>\n

In Japanese, many people call it \u201cMiatto\u201d or \u201cMiyatto.\u201d<\/p>\n

And once I got on the plane, I was surprised by just how cold it was.<\/p>\n

No, it's way too cold lol<\/p>\n

Even though I had a jacket, I couldn't help but wonder, \"What's going on with the temperature on this flight?\"<\/p>\n

And then, out of the blue, they handed out ice cream lol<\/p>\n

\"Wait, right now?\" I said.<\/p>\n

Of course, I didn't eat it.<\/p>\n

I haven't adjusted to Mongolia enough yet to eat ice cream on a cold plane lol<\/p>\n

To begin with, foreigners have a weird sense of temperature\u2014it\u2019s freezing cold everywhere you go (with the AC blasting)\u2014so I\u2019d recommend that Japanese people bring an extra layer or two.<\/p>\n

\"Ice<\/p>\n

Arrival at Genghis Khan International Airport<\/h2>\n

And we arrived at Genghis Khan International Airport.<\/p>\n

This airport has quite close ties to Japan.<\/p>\n

According to information released by JICA, Japanese ODA yen loans were used to construct this airport, and technical assistance is also being provided for its operation and maintenance.<\/p>\n

It is also reported that an airport operating company formed by a consortium of Japanese firms\u2014including Mitsubishi Corporation, Narita International Airport, Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd., and JALUX\u2014and Mongolian companies has entered into a concession agreement with the Mongolian government.<\/p>\n

In other words, it\u2019s not just an airport where \u201cJapan played a small role\u201d\u2014it\u2019s one in which Japan is quite deeply involved.<\/p>\n

Perhaps because of that, I got the impression that people in Mongolia have a very favorable view of Japanese people.<\/p>\n

Of course, this is just my gut feeling, but I think his connection to Japan through sumo\u2014such as his relationship with former yokozuna Asashoryu\u2014is also quite strong.<\/p>\n

\"Genghis<\/p>\n

The photo's kind of hard to see... lol<\/p>\n

The moment I stepped out of the airport, I was completely immersed in the Mongolian atmosphere<\/h2>\n

The view the moment you step out of the airport is amazing, too.<\/p>\n

Whoa\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014!!<\/p>\n

That's kind of how it is, lol<\/p>\n

It feels totally Mongolian right off the bat.<\/p>\n

The view is wide.<\/p>\n

The sky is vast.<\/p>\n

The horizon seems close, yet it is far away.<\/p>\n

The sense of scale is completely different from the scenery you see in Japan\u2019s mountainous regions or on slope sites.<\/p>\n

In Japan, there are so many things that catch your eye\u2014like mountains, valleys, roads, houses, utility poles, slopes, retaining walls, and ditches, aren't there?<\/p>\n

Mongolia has almost no information\u2014in a good way!<\/p>\n

The Sky and the Earth.<\/p>\n

That's it! Something like that, lol.<\/p>\n

\"Mongolia:<\/p>\n

It takes about an hour by car to get to Ulaanbaatar.<\/h2>\n

It takes about an hour by car from here to the capital, Ulaanbaatar.<\/p>\n

This one-hour walk covers a decent distance.<\/p>\n

I just keep driving down this road with no traffic lights.<\/p>\n

To be honest, the scenery doesn't really change much lol<\/p>\n

But that's actually what makes it Mongolia.<\/p>\n

On Japanese expressways, the landscape varies, featuring tunnels, bridges, cut slopes, embankments, slopes, interchanges, and rest areas.<\/p>\n

Even from a field worker\u2019s perspective, I can\u2019t help but wonder things like, \u201cHow did they build that slope?\u201d or \u201cHow does the drainage work?\u201d<\/p>\n

However, Mongolia is simply vast.<\/p>\n

There are few buildings on either side of the road, so the view is incredibly open.<\/p>\n

This time, we chartered a car, a driver, and an interpreter, and I think securing a car is quite important when sightseeing in Mongolia.<\/p>\n

At least for first-time visitors, it\u2019s easier to get around by taking a charter or joining a local tour.<\/p>\n

There aren't any trains or anything! lol<\/p>\n

The hotel is still a dormitory<\/h2>\n

As usual, I chose a dormitory room\u2014what\u2019s commonly known as a shared room\u2014at the hotel.<\/p>\n

Regular hotels are just so boring, lol<\/p>\n

This is what a four-person room looks like.<\/p>\n

\"Ulaanbaatar<\/p>\n

Overseas dorms can be hit or miss, but I actually really like them.<\/p>\n

Of course, the comfort of a luxury hotel is great, but dorms have their own unique charm.<\/p>\n

Where are the people in my room from?<\/p>\n

What route are you taking on your trip?<\/p>\n

What did you come here to see?<\/p>\n

Sometimes just hearing stories like that is more interesting than regular sightseeing.<\/p>\n

Well, it\u2019s hell when you end up with someone who snores loudly, though lol<\/p>\n

Also, it's seriously annoying when there's someone who smells really bad for no reason lol<\/p>\n

\"Ulaanbaatar<\/p>\n

The days are long in Mongolia<\/h2>\n

That day ended with just traveling.<\/p>\n

But what surprised me again was how long the days are in Mongolia!<\/p>\n

Night just won't come!!<\/p>\n

It doesn't get dark until around 9:00 p.m. or later.<\/p>\n

In Japan, don't you usually start thinking, \"It's getting to be nighttime,\" around 6 or 7 p.m.?<\/p>\n

But Ulaanbaatar is still bright.<\/p>\n

From what I've found, around June in Ulaanbaatar, sunset is between 8:40 p.m. and around 8:50 p.m., and if you include twilight, it seems to stay light until quite late.<\/p>\n

No wonder it feels like night never comes, lol.<\/p>\n

Mornings come as usual, but it feels like the evenings are dragging on.<\/p>\n

It's kind of strange.<\/p>\n

Ulaanbaatar is more modern than I imagined<\/h2>\n

And then, as I entered Ulaanbaatar, I was surprised all over again.<\/p>\n

It's so modern!<\/p>\n

To be honest, when you think of Mongolia, you probably picture vast grasslands, right?<\/p>\n

Gers, horses, grasslands, sheep, and the wide open sky.<\/p>\n

That was exactly the image I had in mind, too.<\/p>\n

However, in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, there are buildings everywhere, plenty of cars, and the city is quite developed.<\/p>\n

There are large buildings, restaurants, and bright streetlights.<\/p>\n

If you go there thinking, \u201cThere\u2019s nothing but grasslands,\u201d your impression will change quite a bit lol<\/p>\n

This is the Mongolia we all imagine, right?<\/p>\n

\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193<\/p>\n

\"Street<\/p>\n

But here's what it actually looks like!!<\/p>\n

\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193<\/p>\n

\"Within<\/p>\n

It's just like a provincial city in Japan!!!!<\/p>\n

I was really surprised.<\/p>\n

From here on, I can't see the fields and mountains anymore!<\/p>\n

And since development is really picking up right now, I think things will change dramatically in the next 10 years or so!<\/p>\n

\"Within<\/p>\n

My impressions of the first day: cold, spacious, and urban<\/h2>\n

However, after seeing the vast landscape stretching from the airport to the city, a cluster of modern buildings suddenly appears, and that contrast is interesting.<\/p>\n

In Japan, too, you get that feeling of suddenly entering a regional city while driving along a rural road, but in Mongolia, that contrast is much more pronounced.<\/p>\n

The ground thudded.<\/p>\n

The sky went \"boom.\"<\/p>\n

And then, suddenly, the city.<\/p>\n

It's a feeling you don't often get in Japan.<\/p>\n

My impressions after the first day were that Mongolia is \u201ccolder than I expected,\u201d \u201cbigger than I expected,\u201d and \u201cmore urban than I expected.\u201d<\/p>\n

These are the three.<\/p>\n

Ulaanbaatar, in particular, will pleasantly surprise you if you\u2019re expecting nothing but grasslands.<\/p>\n

And a car is essential for getting around.<\/p>\n

You'll definitely need a jacket in the mornings and evenings.<\/p>\n

Starting next time, we'll finally head out to see some truly Mongolian scenery.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

See you later.<\/p>\n

Going on an Overseas Business Trip as a Slope Engineer: Part 2 (Africa)<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n