Battour travel agency

80 million years old dinosaur skeleton from Mongolian Gobi desert

2011-04-13T02:15:00.000-07:00

In the world, there a few numbers of countries are rich of findings and Mongolia is one of them. Mongolian Gobi desert has brought million of years history by itself until present. From here, there were found many historical types of china such as New Stone Ages weapon, antique of Bronze Age, Tureg’s time grave mound, Chinggis Khaan’s time weapon and coins and Chinese china.

However, one of the most important findings is dinosaur skeleton. Its age is 80 million years and it is marvelous that was kept for that long time. It might be rolling around in Mongolian Gobi’s livestock and it has almost no different looking of spread bone of livestock. It is obvious that local people have seen those for thousand years

14-04-2011

Mongolia to Launch Summer Tourism Season Soon

2011-04-13T02:12:00.001-07:00

People planning summer holidays in Mongolia this year will be happy to hear the announcement that the country’s tourism season is almost ready to open. “The summer tourism timetable will begin in mid April” said Narantuya, senior officer at the Tourism Department, Ministry for Tourism of Mongolia. “Tourism exhibitions and other related events are being organized abroad and home to promote the country and its tourism industry” she stressed. “Recent participation in prestigious international tourism events as partner country like ITB Berlin Convention will hopefully increase the number of inbound tourists to Mongolia this year” Narantuya said. “The most dominating types of tourism in Mongolia are adventure tourism and ecotourism. In recent years, foreign tourists are also more attractive to special interest tourism types including trekking, hiking and biking” she told.

The ideal Mongolia travel season starts in May and hits its highest peak in July, during the Naadam Holiday, and in August when the weather is most favorable for traveling.

Mongolia is a vast emptiness that links land and sky, and is one of the last few places on the planet where nomadic life is still exist. It is this vast and majestic emptiness that is the country’s enduring appeal, bringing the traveler, as it does, into a close communion with nature and its nomadic inhabitants.

The country is nicknamed the “Land of Blue Skies,” and with good reason. There is said to be about 250 sunny days throughout each year.

The country’s most popular attractions with visitors include Naadam Holiday or Three Manly Games, Gobi Desert, Khuvsgul Lake, Erdene Zuu Monastery, Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, Terelj National Park and others.

“In order to expand tourism scope to attract more tourists, we are keen to intensify winter tourism in the country” said Narantuya.

“Particularly, winter attractions include Thousand Camel Festival held in mid February, Eagle Festival held twice a year, Ice Festival held every February in Khuvsgul Lake” she added.

"Genghis Khan" book by Jack Weatherford

2011-03-30T23:28:00.000-07:00

"Genghis Khan" book by doctor Jack Weatherford was elected as bestseller as beating "Change" book by 2,440 vote of total 3,955 in first level of competition. Readers were assuming the "Change" might beat the "Genghis Khan". Now, the "Genghis Khan" book is in battle with "Shadowfever" book in second level of competition.
31.March 2011

ITM - Mongolian Tourism Fair 2011

2011-03-29T18:37:00.001-07:00

In last weekend, March 26th-27th, Mongolian Tourism Fair - ITM (International Tourism Mart) 2011 held regularly at Misheel Center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The fair was organized by Mongolian Tourism Association, Department of Metropolitan Tourism, and "Mongolian Nomadic" There were many participants who were representing their hotels, tourist camps, restaurants, airline carriers.

30-03-2011

Mongolian Embassy Opened in Kuwait

2011-01-13T00:36:00.000-08:00

Historical moment between Mongolia and Kuwait, both of the countries have opened their embassies in each one another country. This was new page for Mongolia and Kuwait relations on January 5, 2011 as the two sides have opened the Embassies in the first time after 35 year diplomatic relations. Kuwait opened the Embassy to Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar in 2010 and Mongolia opened the Embassy to Kuwait in Ali Kuwait yesterday.

Mongolian Prime Minister S.Batbold’s official visit to Kuwait is resuming with talks in science, technology, trade and business sectors. S.Batbold noted during the opening ceremony the Embassy to Kuwait will significantly develop relations and collaborations with Gulf countries and wished work success to the Embassy officials.

Mongolia to have six tourism regions

2011-01-10T22:23:00.001-08:00

he Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism initiated a draft to divide tourism regions in six. The law on tourism and the national tourism program has been ready to be passed by Parliament. Six regions of tourism would be established after the law and program pass the Parliament. Detailed information would be given afterwards.
Each region would build a complex that would show distinctive culture and custom of regional people and comprehensive information of complex building would be provided in the near future.

Number of tourists increases

2010-08-15T23:01:00.001-07:00

Figures released by The National Tourism Center show that there has been a 50.9% increase in the number of tourists arriving in Mongolia in the first six months of 2010 over the corresponding period last year. Citizens from Asia Pacific countries account for more than half of the 233,612 foreign citizens who came, followed by those from Europe.

Last year was bad for the industry, with the global economic recession complementing the swine flu scare in Mongolia to finally show a 20% slump from arrivals the previous year. This year’s tourists are estimated to have contributed USD 88.3 million to Mongolia’s economy.
news.mn

Italian trade team attends forum

2010-04-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

The Italian delegation on Monday’s Mongolian-Italian economic forum was led by Adolfo Urso, Deputy Minister for International Trade.

The forum was attended by over 100 representatives including the chairman of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, S.Demberel, and the Italian Ambassador in China, Ricardo Sessa, and officials from the Chamber of Commerce in Milan, the Italy-Mongolia Business Council, the Mongolian Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Investment Department.
The Italian delegates expressed interest to invest and cooperate in Mongolian banking, insurance, knitting, energy, meat and jewelry sectors. From now on an Italian Days will be organized in Mongolia and a Mongolian Day in Italy each year.
2010.04.15
News.mn

Embassy in Tokyo explains new visa rules

2010-04-05T19:12:00.001-07:00

The Mongolian Embassy in Tokyo recently held a press conference to announce and explain the decision to allow Japanese citizens to travel to Mongolia for 30 days without a visa. Ambassador R.Jigjid said the aim of the move was to broaden economic cooperation, further friendly relations and encourage investment, apart from, more obviously, significantly boosting tourism. Questions from journalists indicated Japanese citizens are positive about the decision.
News.mn

Japanese to have visa-free entry for 30 days

2010-03-31T00:51:00.000-07:00

The Mongolian Government decided at a Wednesday cabinet meeting to grant Japanese citizens visa-free entry for up to 30 days. The main purpose of the measure is to attract more Japanese tourists to Mongolia, said G. Zandanshatar, Mongolia"s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The minister said that in the past decade, some 12,000 to 14, 000 Japanese visited Mongolia each year. In 2006, a temporary visa exemption was granted and more than 20,000 Japanese visited the country.
A recent survey found that one average foreign tourist spends some USD350 in Mongolia, which means a tourism revenue of USD 13-14 million every year, said the Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Tourism.
2010-03-31
Admin

Mineral Council approves Oyutolgoi feasibility study

2010-03-28T23:43:00.000-07:00

The Professional Mineral Council has accepted the reply given by Ivanhoe Mines Mongolia to its letter seeking clarification on certain provisions of the technical and economic feasibility study for the Oyutolgoi project. This clears the way for work to begin on the project on April 6, six months after the investment agreement was signed.

Altogether 12 changes have been incorporated in the original study. The discussion was attended by 32 members of the council, including professional experts and officials. Mining PhD N.Avarmid, N.Bayarkhuu and J.Zanaa of civil movement did not agree with the majority and are expected to continue with their reservations in other forums.
2010.03.29
news

February socio-economic data published

2010-03-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

The National Statistics Office has published social and economic data. All figures are for February alone or for the first two months in 2010 and, unless otherwise mentioned, all comparisons are with the corresponding period in 2009.

CPI
The consumer price index rose 3.0 percent over January, 5.4 percent over the end of 2009, and 8.3 percent over February 2009.
State budget
The overall balance in the General Government budget in the first two months of 2010 showed a deficit of MNT51.4 billion, MNT 0.8 billion less than in the same period of the previous year, mainly because revenue increased 53.8 percent more than did expenditure.
The current account deficit was MNT36.6 billion. Tax revenue was 74.8 percent more than in 2009. Windfall profits tax yielded 227.4 times more, corporate income tax 2.2 times more, and value added tax 34.6 percent more. Non-tax revenue was up by 91.3 percent.
FDI
Foreign direct investment in the fourth quarter of 2009 was USD284.1 million, 2.2 times more than in the same period in the previous year.
Trade balance
Total turnover in trade with 86 countries in the first two months of 2010 was USD607.6 million, of which exports were USD311.7 million and imports USD295.8 million. The total turnover increased 38.7 percent, exports 34.1 percent, and imports 43.7 percent.
The trade balance surplus was USD15.9 million, 40.0 per cent less than in the same period of 2009.
Industrial output
Total industrial output in the first two months of 2010 was MNT266.2 billion, an increase of 17.0 per cent at 2005 constant prices. Industrial products worth MNT507.3 billion at current prices were sold at domestic and foreign markets.
Domestic companies executed 66.3 percent of the total construction and installation work worth MNT3.9 billion.
Passengers, freight
The number of railway passengers in the first two months of 2010 rose 7.1 percent, and the volume of freight 21.2 per cent. The corresponding rise in airlines passengers and freight was 29.0 percent and 29.4 percent respectively. The combined revenue of railway and air transportation increased 22.2 percent.
Unemployment
The number of registered unemployed people at the end of February 2010 rose 11.6 percent over January. Women were 54.3 percent of the total. Of the 3,000 registered unemployed persons who got a job in the first 2 months of 2010, 18.1 percent were employed by government or state-owned enterprises and the rest by companies, cooperatives or small-scale private businesses.
Labor Force Survey
The latest Labor Force Survey (LFS), conducted in the fourth quarter of 2009, puts the number of economically active Mongolians aged 15 and above at 1,120,300, with men accounting for 53.2 per cent of them. People holding jobs numbered 977,400 and 142,900 were unemployed. The rate of unemployment in the quarter was 12.8 per cent nationwide, 16.5 per cent in urban areas and 7.9 percent in the provinces.
Household economics
A nationwide sample survey of 2,802 households in the last quarter of 2009 found average monthly monetary income was MNT349,100, an increase of 1.6 percent, while the average monthly monetary expenditure was MNT368,300, rising by 0.9 percent.

2010-03-24
Admin

Little girl saves baby sister from fire

2010-03-17T00:09:00.001-07:00

Thirty-two-month-old Saranchimeg, daughter of M.Buyanbat, pulled her 10-month-old sister out of a fire at home on February 25. The incident occurred in Khankhongor soum of Umnugobi province. The fire began when their parents were out to bring back the livestock. They came back home to find Saranchimeg sitting in the barn with her sister in her lap. The baby was burnt in a few places and is being treated in hospital.

Saranchimeg said she noticed smoke coming out of the TV plug. She left the ger with her sister immediately, before the fire destroyed everything in it. The eldest of Buyanbat’s three daughters is 10 years old and lives with her grandmother in the soum center.
A donation account No.5599050009 has been opened in Khan Bank after the tale of the girl’s courage and presence of mind was published in newspapers.
2010-03-17
Admin

Best Mongolian-run business in USA honored

2010-03-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

The Mongolian-American Chamber of Commerce has recently selected Piramid Granite as the best Mongolian-run company in the USA in 2009. This is the third year the award has been announced.

Some 50 companies were nominated, and 22 of them were put on a shortlist. Finally B. Delgertsogt’s Pyramid Granite was chosen. Among the criteria for the choice were how many Mongolians are employed in a company and social commitment.

ADB grant for study of economics of climate change in Mongolia

2010-03-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

An Asian Development Bank (ADB) comprehensive study on the economics of climate change in four Northeast Asian countries - China, Japan, South Korea and Mongolia - will help regional and country-level decision makers address the issue of climate change and to develop low-carbon growth strategies in their countries and the region. The study is being financed by a USD1 million technical assistance grant from the ADB, and a USD800,000 grant from South Korea.

It will complement parallel climate change studies being carried out by the ADB in South Asia and Pacific developing member countries, as well as draw on findings from ongoing and planned climate change initiatives in participating countries. It is set to run for 24 months, ending in November 2011.
The study will cover four distinct phases. First, it will map out and assess current climate policy and adaptation measures in the four countries and at the regional level. Second, it will involve the preparation of marginal abatement cost curves to analyze the greenhouse gas mitigation potential of technology options. Third, a climate policy simulation tool will be developed to generate economic indicators to conduct quantitative and qualitative assessments and eventually show the economic consequences of different packages of climate policies. Last, a final report will be prepared covering all the findings.

International Studies Center of Landlocked Developing Countries set up for the first time here

2009-07-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

The UN-Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with his wife paid an official visit to Mongolia on July 26-28, 2009.
In a course of the visit, he called on Mongolia’s President Ts.Elbegdorj and held an official meeting with Prime Minister S.Bayar.
The two sides agreed to intensify cooperation between Mongolia and the UN on directions of implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, the National Development Strategy, and the “3rd campaign for reclaiming virgin lands” national program, of improvement of food supplies, and of overcoming the financial crisis, and of development between state and private sectors.
The Secretary General arrived in local area and got au fait with life of herder family.
He also talked about the climate change influence to Mongolia and then, he read a lecture themed “Adapting to Climate Change” to people on July 27, 2009 at the Government House of Mongolia.
In connection with the Secretary General’s visit, a decision of principle was passed by the National Security Consul on sending a battalion with 800 people from Mongolia to the UN peacekeeping activity in Chad.

Therefore, Mr. Ban Ki-moon was visiting to the Tavan Tolgoi Peace Operations Support Training Center of the Armed Forces. He also attended an opening ceremony of the International Studies Center of Landlocked Developing Countries.

“Khalkhiin Gol-70” historic tour to take place

2009-07-30T21:15:00.000-07:00

On the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory for Battle of Khalkhiin Gol, a joint tour of Mongolian-Russian youths will take place soon.
The tour aims to make known the historic pride of victory was gained by Mongolian-Russian soldiers, who battled for their countries and freedom, to future generation and youths, and to strengthen traditional friendship ties between Mongolia-Russia.
The tour will be undertaken from August 12-27, 2009.

Olloo

“Beautiful Mongolia” concert to take place

2009-07-08T01:23:00.000-07:00

A “Beautiful Mongolia” concert of the Morin Khuur Ensemble (MKhE) is scheduled on July 11 at the State Academic Drama Theatre in UB. The MKhE will take part in the concert in a body and will show wealth fund of folk art, and top creations of foreign and Mongolian famous composers. This annual concert is organized traditionally.
Udriin sonin

Mongolians in Warsaw are marking Naadam

2009-06-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Residing abroad, Mongolians have begun to mark their National Holiday Naadam.
The Mongolia’s Embassy in the Republic of Poland has organized the Day of Mongol Naadam devoted to Mongolians, who are living and working in the country.
The 88th Anniversary of People’s Revolution has taken place at the King’s Park locates in the center of Warsaw. At the event, Polish Mongolists Yan Rogala and G.Cessak delivered interesting speeches about Mongolia. In scope of this measure, “Shar nokhoin tam” (Yellow dog’s hell) film was screened at a movie theatre of Warsaw.
Today, artists of the “Ulaanbaatar Ensemble”, visiting at an invitation of the theatre, will be performing their national songs and dances. And competitions as national wrestling, ankle bone shooting and archery will take place tomorrow.

Ardiin erkh
2009.07.01

Art and cultural town of Mongolia to be sat up in Germany

2009-06-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

Organizers of the “Roaring Hooves” international music festival have decided to set up a town in Germany to publicize Mongolia’s art, culture and custom.
They will be erecting Mongolian national ger (national yurt) and be introducing folk art, custom and nomadism to guests at the “Mundenhof” zoo park in Hamburg city. Currently, they are carrying out their operation in only one ger and are planning to expand with more than ten gers.
Organizers are preparing to make a khoomii and dawling song’s performance on July 5-11 at the zoo park. The performance will be attended by “Dorvon berkh” group consists of khoomii singers as Ts.Dashdorj, G.Nergui, S.Nanjid, and O.Baatar, and a dawling singer S.Badmaa.

Unuudur newspaper
2009.07.01

“Mongol with Deel” to take place

2009-06-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

The Mongol Race’s “Mongol with Deel” festival is hosted traditionally in order to pass on wonder and, bountiful history and culture of Mongolian national costumes to future generation, to publicize it to external and domestic tourists and to introduce design of the Mongol costumes.
This festival is expected to take place on July 7 at the Chingges Khan’ complex. It will bring together models from Mongolia, Kalmyk, Tuva, Buryatia and Inner Mongolia. This measure is special that the Mongol Race is participating in it. Guests can see custom, history, culture, civilization, and lifestyle at a fashion show.

Ardiin erkh

Artists from 10 European countries to take part in “Roaring Hooves”

2009-06-10T23:56:00.000-07:00

The Mongolian New Music Union organizes annually “Roaring Hooves” international new music and folk art festival.
This year festival is expected to take place on June 8-21, 2008.
The festival will bring together the National Folk Song and Dance Ensemble and “Legend” folk music group of Mongolia and over 30 artists from European 10 countries. In scope of the “Roaring Hooves”, various measures will be organized such as men’s three games, international khoomii conference, and international foods day.

June 11.2009

MIAT Company Expands Domestic and International Flights

2009-06-02T01:16:00.000-07:00

MIAT Company is going to have direct roundtrip flights from UB to Berlin for the first time beginning June 16 and continuing every Tuesday. MIAT Company’s UB-Moscow-Berlin flights will also continue their twice-per-week flight schedule.
In addition, MIAT Company will begin roundtrip flights from UB to Erkhuu, Russia on Boeing 737-800 jets from July 1 until the end of summer. They have also scheduled direct, roundtrip flights from UB to Seoul once every day of the week and twice on Fridays beginning in June 2009.
The company is finishing preparation to begin domestic flights to Khovd and Murun on June 21. Flights to Khovd will be scheduled for Wednesdays and Saturdays and to Murun on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
MIAT Company’s director had stopped domestic flights for a short time since July 1, 2008 because the registration certificates of the AN-26 airplanes it uses had expired.

Forum to take place

2009-06-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

Residing in U.S, entrepreneur Mongolians are expected to hold their third forum at the Embassy of Mongolia on August 29.
The forum will be organized by the Embassy of Mongolia in U.S together with the Mongolians Chamber of Commerce (MCC) in America.
A compact training devoted to entrepreneurs will be conducted at the forum.
The MCC afford opportunities to entrepreneurs, scientist researchers and students to be discussed their pre-arranged speeches about finance, business relation, marketing, strategy, theory and practice of organization’s structure, intelligence on making business decisions and others.

Bogd Khaan

2009-05-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

The Bogd Khan was enthroned as the Emperor of Mongolia on 29 December 1911, when the country declared independence from the Qing Dynasty. As the eighth Jebtsundamba Khutugtu, he had already been the spiritual leader of Mongolia's Tibetan Buddhism.

He was placed under house arrest when Chinese troops occupied the country in 1919, but he was freed and reinstated by Baron Ungern's forces, shortly before they took Urga in 1921. After the revolution led by Damdin Sukhbaatar, the Bogd Khan was allowed to stay on the throne in a limited monarchy until his death in 1924.

After his death, the Communist government declared that no more reincarnations were to be found and established the Mongolian People's Republic.
However, a reincarnation of the Jebtsundamba Khutugtu was found in northern Mongolia almost immediately but then disappears from the record. The matter was referred to the Dalai Lama in Lhasa in 1929 for mediation who determined that a ninth reincarnation had been born in 1932 in Lhasa. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama died in 1933. The Ninth Jebtsundamba Khutugtu was formally enthroned in Ulan Bator by the fourteenth Dalai Lama in 1999.

Despite being a lama, the eighth Jebtsundmba Khutuktu had a queen, named Dondogdulam and known as Ekh Dagina (Dakini Mother). She died in 1923.

The Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan has been preserved and is a tourist attraction in Ulan Bator. Posted: May 29.2009
Wikipedia

Mongolians have voted president

2009-05-27T02:03:00.000-07:00

Leaders of the General Committee of Election of Mongolia held information at 6.00 pm on May 25. The Fifth Presidential Election was held on May 24 and one million 97 thousand electors voted and out of them, 562459 or 51.24 percent to Ts.Elbegdorj from the Democratic Party (DP) and 520805 or 48.28 percent to N.Enkhbayar from the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party (MPRP). In rural areas, Ts.Elbegdorj received 48.28 percent votes and N.Enkhbayar-50.31 percent and Ts.Elbegdorj-55.9 percent and N.Enkhbayar-43.21 percent in UB.
Posted: 27.May.2009

Mongolia elected as a member of UN Commission

2009-05-22T02:10:00.000-07:00

At an Organizational Meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (UNESC) held on May 18, 2009 in New York,an election of members of branch organizations at the UNESC ran. Then, Mongolia was elected as a member of the “Commission on the Status of Women” (CSW) and “Sustainable Development Commission” (SDC), respectively.
Since becoming a member of the UN, our country was elected into “CSW” in 1999-2003, and into the “SDC” in 2001-2004.
The CSW, a branch organization of the UNESC, has 45 members and the SDC - 53 members.

testimonials

2009-03-11T00:52:00.001-07:00

"Siamo stati in Mongolia da 10 al 31 luglio 2008. Abbiamo percorso 3500 km quindi possiamo dire di averla vista abbastanza bene. E' una terra bellissima, superiore anche alle nostre aspettative. Sono stati giorni indimenticabili, senza alcun inconveniente. L'organizzazione di Battour è stata impeccabile in ogni occasione. Sia l'autista sia la guida erano disponibilissimi; Khuyagmaa - la guida che abbiamo avuto - ha profonda conoscenza della storia, del paesaggio, dei monumenti e della fauna della Mongolia. Altri turisti di altre nazionalità incontrati nei campi di ger, con guide diverse ma della stessa agenzia, hanno detto anche loro di essersi trovati molto bene.
Se andate in Mongolia, andateci tranquillamente con Battour, non sarete delusi come non lo siamo stati noi. Bina, Marilia e Roberto"

Testimonials

2009-03-11T00:52:00.000-07:00

HIKING IN THE TERELJ NATIONAL PARK

2009-01-13T20:46:00.000-08:00

Day 1 UlaanbaatarArrival at Chinggis Khan International Airport and meet our guide and driver. Transfer to hotel and check in for relax. Afternoon short city tour: visit Main Square Sukhbaatar – Chinggis Khan’s monument, Natural History Museum and Zaisan Hill for Panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2 Terelj National Park
Drive to Terelj National Park. And short stop on Ovoo or known as Shamanist Sacred Stones. We will leave the vehicle and start to hiking along the Tuul River. After about 3 hours hiking we will meet the vehicle and have lunch in the beautiful scenery of the Tuul River bank and National Park. Transfer to GER camp (Mongolian traditional felt accommodation) for overnight.

Day 3 Terelj
Full day for hiking Terelj. Hike to Turtle Rock and during the hiking we will visit Aryabal Meditation and Initiation Temple in the mountain. On this temple you will have beautiful scenery of the national park. Return to GER camp (Mongolian traditional felt accommodation) for overnight.

Day 4 Terelj
Hike to the rocky mountain site. In this site you will see the natural spectacular rock formations which represent fascinating shapes. If you overlook carefully you will see the shapes such as human face, dinosaurs and many kind of positions. This day will take about 4 hours hiking. Overnight at GER camp (Mongolian traditional felt accommodation).

Day 5 TereljFree day for relax and in this day you’ll have an opportunity to ride horse. Overnight at GER camp (Mongolian traditional felt accommodation)

Day 6 Ulaanbaatar
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar city and transfer to hotel for check in. Shopping at cashmere and souvenir shops. In the evening see Mongolian traditional folklore concert and overnight at hotel.

Day 7
Check out from hotel and transfer to Chinggis Khan International Airport for departure. End of the tour.

FLOWERS & BIRDWACHING TOUR IN MONGOLIA

2009-01-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

Mongolia is home to over 400 species of birds and many flowers. Mongolia has a rich composition of bird, flowers. In the Gobi you may see the desert warbler, houbara bustard, saxaul sparrow, sand goose, finch, cinereous vulture and many more. In the steppes: the gray demoiselle crane, a variety of hoopoes, odd eagle, vulture, upland buzzard, steppe eagle, variety of falcons including Saker falcon, black kite and variety of owls and hawks.

Day 1 Arrival at Chinggis Khan International Airport and meet our guide and driver. Transfer to hotel and check in for relax. Afternoon short city tour in Ulaanbaatar city: visit Main Square Sukhbaatar – Chinggis Khan’s monument, Natural History Museum and Zaisan Hill for Panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2 Drive to Khustai National Park. Khustai National park was protected in 1993 to conserve biodiversity and facilitate the re-introduction to the Wild Ass or known as Przewalski horse (Takhi). Also you can see many flowers and birds in the forest zone. Overnight at GER camp.

Day 3 Drive to Eej khad, Sergelen sum distance 80 kms from Ulaanbaatar. Saker falcon site. Overnight at tent.

Day 4 Drive to Baga Gazriin Chuluu, Sum khukh burd. Steppe raptor as Steppe Eagle, Golden Eagle, Saker Falcon, Upland Buzzard and etc…You will see flowers, raptors, many water birds and shorebirds, mineral water from ground and old Danzanravjaa’s wall. Overnight at GER (Mongolian traditional felt accommodation).

Day 5 Observing birds and flowers around this site and free time for relax. Overnight at GER camp.

Day 6 Drive to Ikh Gazriin Chuluu. The spectacular mountain landscape in the Mongolian steppe. Black Vulture’s breeding site. Overnight at GER (Mongolian traditional felt accommodation).

Day 7 Drive to Gobi Sumber, Choiriin Bogd Mountain near the Choir town. The different breeding sites of Saker falcon in Mongolia. Overnight at tent.

Day 8 Drive to Bor Undur village of Khentii province. The different breeding sites of Upland Buzzards. Overnight at tent.

Day 9 Free day for relax, take picture and observing to Herlen River and Khunt lake /lake with swan/. This area is beautiful scenery for observing birds and flowers.

Day 10 Drive to Delgerkhaan Mountain beside on Delgerkhaan village. Steppe birds and Chinggis Khaan’s history monument. Overnight at tent.

Day 11 Drive to Terelj National Park. Raptors of forest steppe in Mongolia. Overnight at GER (Mongolian traditional felt accommodation)

Day 12 Observing flowers and birds. Visit to Turtle Rock and Aryapala Meditation initiation temple. Short walking on beautiful mountains and horse riding. Overnight at GER camp.

Day 13 Arrive to Ulaanbaatar city. Shopping at souvenir shops and will see the folklore concert. Overnight at hotel.

Day 14 Check out from hotel and transfer to airport for departure. End of the tour.

Ps: All travelers should bring own guide book for birds, binoculars, telescopes and tripod.

Dog Sledding in Mongolia

2008-12-22T23:38:00.000-08:00

Meaning "Lédon", a plant very common in this region, blooming in spring, Terelj is located in the Gorkhi-terelj national park, at 80km from the capital.
The park, located at edge of the Khaan Khentii Park, created in 1994, includes a big part of the Khentii mounts.
The region of Terelj is an alpine solid massif where many summits reach 2700m. With a lot of forested areas, Terelj is also a sanctuary for wild fauna.
Terelj is composed with steppes, mountains, valleys and astonishing rock formations.
ONE DAY TRIP- TERELJ/ DAVAANI DAVAA

In the morning, transportation by vehicle to Terelj National park
Forests of Terelj area are composed by many different species. The main ones are the Black pine, which looses its needles on winter time.
You will follow the river, and have a chance to se on the snow some footprints of wolves or deer.
You will meet your guides, mushers and dogs and they will present to you the activity: introduction to the dog team and to the specific equipment.
The river sometimes is spread in the valley, divided in several small streams. During the first kilometers, you can see some herders’ settlements along the river. The last camp is located at the junction between the Terelj River and the small Khurkheree stream.
Further north, the valley gets wider and the river also. There, you will stop for lunch and hot coffee.
The ice path is getting larger, and the landscape becomes wilder, where wild life isn’t far away, all around you. You go for a round trip during 5 hours on the Terelj River.
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar in the evening.

• Group size: 2-5 PAX
• Activity: Dog sledding
• Price: 165$ per person
• Including:
- Musher
- Translator
- All equipment needed for this activity
- Meals (only lunch)

TWO DAYS TRIP FOR DOG SLEDDING

Day 1 – Terelj/ Davaani Davaa
In the morning, transportation by vehicle to Terelj.
Forests of Terelj area are composed by many different species. The main ones are the Black pine, which looses its needles on winter time.
You will follow the river, and have a chance to se on the snow some footprints of wolves or deers.
You will meet your guides, mushers and dogs and they will present to you the activity: introduction to the dog team and to the specific equipment.
The river sometimes is spread in the valley, divided in several small streams. During the first kilometers, you can see some herders’ settlements along the river. The last camp is located at the junction between the Terelj River and the small Khurkheree stream.
Further north, the valley gets wider and the river also. There, you will stop for lunch and hot coffee.
The ice path is getting larger, and the landscape becomes wilder, where wild life isn’t far away, all around you.

You go for a few more kilometers to reach the settlement of Purevragchaa, up on a small hill.
You will feel the warm hospitality of Purev and his family and discover with him the nomadic way of life.
Night in Purev’s ger

Day 2 - Davaani Davaa / Terelj
Purev is a so good host that it is hard to leave the family to come back…
Anyway, after a few salted milk teas, you have to leave and go back to your sled, to slide on the ice once again until Terelj.
The name of Davanii Davaa, meaning “the pass of the pass”, is due to this passage that links 2 important valleys.
The morning is fresh and bright, and the light on the river has something magic.
The nature of this area is untouched and wild. The cold reinforce the feeling of silence and serenity, creating a special atmosphere…
At the end of the afternoon, you reach the base camp of Terelj, where the driver is waiting for you o driver you back to Ulaanbaatar. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar around 19.00 o`clock.

• Group: 2-5 PAX
• Activity: dog sledding
• Price: 2 days/ 2 nights: 340$/person (4-5 pax) ; 360$ (2-3 pax)
• Including:
- Musher
- Helper / translator
- All equipment needed for this activity
- Ger in Terelj
- Meals

THREE DAYS TRIP FOR DOG SLEDDING

Day 1 – Ulaanbaatar / Terelj / Davanii Davaa
In the morning, transportation by vehicle to Terelj.
Forests of Terelj area are composed by many different species. The main ones are the Black pine, which looses its needles on winter time.
You will follow the river, and have a chance to se on the snow some footprints of wolves or deers.
You will meet your guides, mushers and dogs and they will present to you the activity: introduction to the dog team and to the specific equipment.
The river sometimes is spread in the valley, divided in several small streams. During the first kilometers, you can see some herders’ settlements along the river. The last camp is located at the junction between the Terelj River and the small Khurkheree stream.
Further north, the valley gets wider and the river also. There, you will stop for lunch and hot coffee.
The ice path is getting larger, and the landscape becomes wilder, where wild life isn’t far away, all around you. You go for a few more kilometers to reach the settlement of Purevragchaa, up on a small hill.
You will feel the warm hospitality of Purev and his family and discover with him the nomadic way of life.
Night in Purev’s ger

Day 2 - Davaani Davaa / Zaani Gol / Davanii DavaaWe will follow the Terelj River until its junction with the Zaan River.
Wide and wild landscape, we are getting deeper through mountains
Leaving the Terelj River, dogs will run in a rocky pass to reach our lunch spot.
Time to appreciate the surroundings, before heading back to our host.
Diner and night t Davanii Davaa.

Day 3 - Davaani Davaa / Terelj
Purev is a so good host that it is hard to leave the family to come back…
Anyway, after a few salted milk teas, you have to leave and go back to your sled, to slide on the ice once again until Terelj.
The name of Davanii Davaa, meaning “the pass of the pass”, is due to this passage that links 2 important valleys. The morning is fresh and bright, and the light on the river has something magic.
The nature of this area is untouched and wild. The cold reinforce the feeling of silence and serenity, creating a special atmosphere…

At the end of the afternoon, you reach the base camp of Terelj, where the driver is waiting for you o driver you back to Ulaanbaatar. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar around 19.00. End of the tour.

• Group: 2 to 5 persons
• Activity: dog sledding
• Price: 3 days/ 2 nights: 540$/person (4-5 pax) ; 565$ (2-3 pax)
• Including:
- Musher
- Helper / translator
- All equipment needed for this activity
- GER in Terelj
- Meals

Winter festival in Mongolia 2009

2008-12-22T00:42:00.000-08:00

The nomads' winter festival 2009 in Mongolia welcome you. This tour combined New Lunar Year, Eagle festival, Ice festival, Camel festival. A unique experience which will take you into a magical winter journey in the land of nomads

14 Days/13 Nights
Tour level: Moderate
FEB 23 Day 1 Ulaanbaatar
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Meet our guide and driver at airport and transfer to hotel for relax. Visit square Sukhbaatar, Chinggis Khaan`s monuments and Zaisan hill for panoramic view of city. Overnight at hotel.

Feb 24 Day 2 Bituun day
We will drive to Manzushir Monastery. You will visit nomad family and celebrate the “Bituun” with them. Then you will be invited to play traditional game called “Shagai” by ankle bones of animals. Return to Ulaanbaatar for overnight at hotel.

Feb 25 Day 3 Lunar New Year
First month of the Lunar New Year called as Tsagaan Sar by Mongols. It celebrated as nation-wide holiday as a greeting of the end of severe winter and beginning of spring time, when nature and people awaken and are inspired for new life and deeds. Start a new day with morning sun rise and have new energy at fresh air. Today everybody wears their best clothes and goes to visit the oldest person in the family, a group of families to get him or her give respect and wish the best. We will visit to Gandan monastery and Mongolian family. Overnight in the hotel.

Feb 26 Day 4 Eagle Festival
Drive to Terelj National Park. The opening ceremony commences, as the participants join the parade on horse ride with their eagles. Then festival begins with each Kazakh displaying his hunting outfit and accessories. The Golden eagles will be released from a cliff and their owner will stand below and signal for them to land upon their arm, as they do during hunting. Then eagles will be released from a cliff to attack fox skins that will be dragged by their owner on horseback. Return to Ulaanbaatar and overnight in the hotel.

Feb 27 Day 5 Travel to Khuvsgul Lake
In the morning transfer to airport, take a flight to Murun, the center of Khuvsgul province. We will be met with our drivers at local airport and drive (3-3.5hours by Russian minivan) to GER camps near Khatgal village, is located at the south east shore of the lake. Skaters are invited to prepare for skating and warming up skate on the thick black ice of the lake. Non skating spectators would have a chance to see skaters or involve optional activities of horse riding, horse sledding, dog sledding and cultural visits to nomads. Stay overnight in GER camp.

Feb 28 Day 6 The Ice Festival & Skating Marathon Day!

By 10.00am Grand Opening Ceremony of the Ice Festival and International Skating Marathon will take place. We will attend sacrificing shamanic ceremony for Mother Sea-Khuvsgul and King of Mountains-Khoridol Saridag. The Marathon for first 100kms of round race will start as continuously at 10.30am. While skaters are racing on the ice there will be very interesting activities of the Ice Festival will be held according to planned schedule. You can enjoy competitions of horse sleds driven by local nomads and traditional game of Ice-Shagai. Around 13.00-15.00pm most of skaters will complete for first 100kms’ race. Afternoon competition for driving by car holds on the ice and other optional activities are available. Evening you will attend a Fashion show of National costumes and traditional art performance. Stay overnight in GER camp.

Mar 01 Day 7 The Ice Festival & Skating Marathon

Today second 100kms’s part of round race will be completed by the skaters. Reindeer racing, competition of skaters for short distances, wrestling on ice, rope pulling competitions will be main activities on this day. Closing ceremony will be held around at 16.00pm and winners of competitions would be announced and awarded. Evening we will have exciting ceremony by famous shaman of the area and enjoy bonfire at the night. Stay overnight in GER camp.

Mar 02 Day 8 Flight back to Ulaanbaatar
Drive back to Murun town, take a flight to Ulaanbaatar. Transfer to the hotel. Time for relax. Stay overnight in the hotel.

Mar 03-04 Day 9-10 Camel Festival days

In the morning transfer to airport, take a flight to Dalanzadgad, the center of Umnugobi province. We will be met with our drivers at local airport and drive (1-1.5hours by Russian minivan) to the camp.
Camel Festival Days! This event will be organized by “Tumen Temee” (“Ten Thousand Camels”) - association in order to protect two humped Bactrian camels and reproduce camel herders, to increase their productivity, to increase herder’s income by tourism. In these days we will “breathe” by camels. You will enjoy authentic festival program including, camels racing, children's concert, camel wool product exhibition, camel polo, parade on camels and nice couple competition. Also you will enjoy relay competition with camel. An entertaining competition which shows camel training methods and customs of “Heroes of great Gobi” people, overcomes severe climate and harsh condition of Gobi by their effort and endurance. Teams each having 5 members participate in it and show many methods and techniques of catching camel with lasso, tying and bringing down, putting wooden peg into camel’s nose and loading camel. Optional camel riding is available. Stay overnights in GER camp.

Mar 05 Day 11 Yoliin Am & Bayanzag

Drive to Vulture gorge or known as Yoliin Am which located in Gobi Gurvan Saikhan or known as Three Beauties of Gobi. Afternoon continue our trip to Bayanzag, the famous area by its findings of dinosaurs. Stay overnights in GER camp.

Mar 06 Day 12 Flight back to Ulaanbaatar

Transfer to local airport and flight back to Ulaanbaatar. Time for relax. Stay overnight in the hotel.

Mar 07 Day 13 Sightseeing in Ulaanbaatar

Visit to National Museum of Mongolia. You will go with the guide to shops for souvenirs and cashmere. Farewell dinner. Stay overnight in the hotel.

Mar 08 Day 14 Departure

Including:
• Accommodation with 4 star hotel in Ulaanbaatar
• Tourist Ger camp overnight
• All local Transportation by Russian van car in countryside and Japanese van jeep in city
• Local flights in two way for Gobi and Khuvsgul
• English speaking guide
• 3 meals a day
• Sightseeing and National park entrance fee
• Event tickets

Excluding:
• Insurance
• International transport
• Beverages
• Any additional which is not mentioned above

PS: Date of this tour is fixed with international flight schedule of MIAT (Mongolian Airlines). If you use to flight by Aeroflot (Russian Airline), will fly back to Moscow from Ulaanbaatar on 07 of March.

Mongolian researching Antarctica

2008-12-04T23:17:00.000-08:00

A doctor of technical sciences L.Dugerjav left Sofia, Bulgaria, on December 1 for Antarctica in order to attend the joint Mongolia-Bulgarian Antarctica studies expedition of 2008-2009.
Before this, L.Dugerjav had two-week preliminary training with his Bulgarian counterparts.
L.Dugerjav intends to erect a ger (Mongolian national dwelling) in the coldest continent, and to carry out an experiment on possibility of using the ger in Antarctica's conditions. Members of the joint expedition were seen off by a professor C.Pimperev, a director of Bulgaria's Institute of Antarctica Studies; B.Batkhishig, an Ambassador of Mongolia to the Republic of Bulgaria, and by officials of the Embassy.
The two countries agreed to cooperate in the Antarctica studies during a visit of Georgi Pyrvanov, the President of Bulgaria, to Mongolia in 2007. In addition, Mongolia's President N.Enkhbayar signed an agreement on cooperating in Antarctica studies with Bulgaria during his state visit to Bulgaria on October 2008.
By the way, in the joint Antarctica studies expedition of 2007-2008 was young Mongolian researcher A.Batbold. Dr. L.Dugerjav has become the fourth Mongolian to see Antarctica.
Olloo.mn

Polish First Lady visits Gandantegchinlen Khiid monastery

2008-12-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Maria Kaczynska, the First Lady of Poland, got acquainted with our capital city Ulaanbaatar in accordance with a special program.

She met with O.Tsolmon, the First Lady of Mongolia, in the morning. Then, she visited to the Gandantegchinlen Khiid Monastery and its library. Mrs. Maria Kaczynska also saw a museum in the “Mongol Costumes” center and the Natural Museum of Mongolian History. Moreover, the Polish First Lady felt wonder of Mongolian cashmere in the “Gobi” Joint Company.

Joint Meeting on Economics and Trade between Mongolia-Turkey to take place

2008-12-01T22:55:00.000-08:00

A meeting of the Joint Commission of Economics and Trade between Mongolia-Turkey is expected to hold on December 2-5, 2008 in Ankara, Turkey.
The joint meeting is bringing together official figures, and business sector’s representatives including chairman of departments on the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Relations, the Ministry of Road, Transportation, Construction and Urban Development, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture from Mongolia.
L.Gansukh, Environment and Tourism Minister and a chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission of Mongolia-Turkey, is working as a chief of the Mongolian side and during the visit to Turkey, he will be received by Mr. Recep Erdogan, Premier of Turkey.
Therefore, Mr. Hayati Yazicioglu, Turkish Deputy Minister and State Minister, and a chief of the Turkish side of the Joint Meeting on Economics and Trade between Mongolia-Turkey, will give banquet for L.Gansukh.

President of Poland visiting to Mongolia

2008-11-30T20:53:00.000-08:00

Lech Aleksander Kaczynski, President of Poland, is paying a state visit to Mongolia.
Kaczynski is a graduate of law and administration of Warsaw University. In 1980 he was awarded his PhD by Gdansk University.
In 1990 he had his habilitation in labour and employment law. He later assumed professorial positions at Gdansk University and Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw. In the 1970s Lech Kaczynski was an activist in the democratic anti-Communist movement in Poland, Workers' Defence Committee, as well as the Independent Trade Union movement. In August, 1980, he became an adviser to the Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee in the Gdansk Shipyard and the Solidarity movement. During the martial law introduced by the communists in December, 1981, he was interned as an anti-socialist element. After his release from internment, he returned to trade union activities, becoming a member of the underground Solidarity.
When Solidarity was legalized again in the late 1980s, Lech Kaczynski was an active adviser of Lech Walesa and his Komitet Obywatelski Solidarnosc in 1988. From February to April, 1989, he participated in Polish Round Table talks.
Kaczynski was elected a senator in elections of June 1989, and became the vice-chairman of Solidarity trade union NSZZ Solidarnosc. In the 1991 parliamentary election, Kaczynski was elected to the parliament as a non-party member. He was, however, supported by the electoral committee Center Civic Alliance, closely related but not identical to the political party Porozumienie Centrum led by his brother. He was also the main adviser and supporter of Lech Walesa when the latter was elected as President of Poland in December 1990. Walesa nominated Kaczyński to be the Security Minister in the Presidential Chancellery but fired him in 1992 due to a conflict concerning Jan Olszewski's government. That event marks the beginning of a long conflict between Walesa and the Kaczynski brothers. According to Walesa, who recently criticized the Kaczynski brothers, a reason was that "His approach is to first destroy and then think about what to build".
Lech Kaczynski was the President of the Supreme Chamber of Control from February 1992 to May 1995 and later Minister of Justice and Attorney General in Jerzy Buzek's government from June 2000 until his dismissal in July 2001. During this time he was very popular because he fought corruption.
On 19 March 2005, he formally declared his intention to run for president in the October 2005 election. Lech won and his brother became Prime Minister in summer 2006.
Elected President of the Republic of Poland on 23 October, he assumed the office on 23 December 2005 by taking an oath before the National Assembly.
The President’s state visit will finish tomorrow.

The Mongol Empire /The Great Mongolia/

2008-11-13T18:18:00.000-08:00

The Mongol Empire was formed in 1206 under Temujin’s /Chinggis Khan/ command and based on his Hamag Mongol uls.

The Empire which was the result of Chinggis Khan and his companions’ fifteen years of intense fights and works was the dream come true for generations of Mongols. The new empire inherited the cultures and statehood traditions from their ancestors Hunnu, Syanbi, Nirun etc states.

During its relatively short period of existence, the Mongol Empire developed its society, cultures and traditions at an incredibly great extent. It also illustrated that how different nations around the world can live in peace all together and gave the first ideas about globalization. Herein, the founder and commander Chinggis Khan’s role is certainly dominant.

Chinggis Khan spanned the territory of Mongol Empire up till Caspian Sea on the west, Pacific Ocean on the east. These invasions are not just the result of bloody fights, but also there were some amount of support from local residents of those states, who wanted peace and security. Chinggis Khan convened the “Ikh Zasag” law, which later became the backbone of Mongolian and some other Asian and European statehood traditions, in 1206’s Ikh Khuraldai /convention/. He passed away n 1227. At that time, the Empire was at its peak of developments. In 1259, when Monkh Khan died, the empire was divided into four Khanates.

Saving horses from extinction

2008-11-13T18:13:00.000-08:00

Ulaanbaatar, /MONTSAME/ In a fight to save endangered species, a Canadian woman travelled half way around the world and hopes that her experience will help other animals on the verge of extinct.
This past summer, Brandi Petrukovich, an animal sciences student at the University of Saskatchewan, travelled to Mongolia to begin work on her thesis with the focus on sustainable grazing and nutrition of the Przewalski horses. Petrukovich hopes her research will help identify any nutritional deficiencies of the horses and help other animals."Out in the national park at Hustai? my research was taken from a few of the home ranges collecting vegetation in representative samples from the entire area," said Petrukovich. "We also did feces collection and our analysis in the lab and are looking at digestibility."According to the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Przewalski Horse, the Przewalski horse is the sole surviving genuine wild horse in the world, with the entire world population of 1,435 animals.Thirty years ago, the species was almost extinct and in captive existence. Since that time, a breeding program was started to help build a new population, and two generations were placed in a semi-reserve in The Netherlands to relearn their social behaviours. In 1992, the groups of horses were taken from the semi-reserves and placed in adaptation enclosures in Mongolia and finally released into the Hustai National Park in 1992.But Petrukovich says that much of the land in Mongolia is highly overgrazed, very much degraded and has a number of invasive plant species from years of overgrazing. The country receives little precipitation with a few centimetres of snow each year and most of the rain in July and August."That is all they have to eat out there," she said. "They are not supplemented. Are they meeting the nutrient requirements with the horses? Nutrient deficiencies can lead to any number of problems." Back in Canada, Petrukovich is compiling her data but has not made any conclusions. "We did 12 different analysis, plus 25 different mineral analysis and then we look at digestibility and energy," she said. "It should give us a very broad idea of what is going on there."The population of the Przewalkski horse has been slowly increasing over the last few years, but Petrukovich says the reintroduction of a large herbivores species is a difficult task. "Pretty much the whole world is watching to see success or failure and are going to use this as a model for reintroducing other species that have gone extinct in the wild that are kept in zoos or semi reserves," she said. "I hope this research is really going to help them over there.

Olloo

Japan Courts Mongolia and Its Uranium

2008-11-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

GOVERNMENT officials expressed support for a Japanese proposal to explore uranium resources in Mongolia’s eastern province, especially in the Gurvanbulag area of Dornod aimag. The Prime Minister of Mongolia S.Bayar met Tuesday with Fumiya Kokubu, Managing Executive Officer of Marubeni Corporation, to discuss an uranium resource development project.
Bayar stressed the importance of building a sufficient legal framework prior to the start of cooperation on uranium extraction projects. Kokubu said that Marubeni wants to share its model plant they built in Kazakhstan, to export Japanese uranium technology, and to help develop Mongolia’s human resources in the area.

Earlier in October, the second Mongolia-Japan intergovernmental joint committee meeting on business-trade and investment was held in Ulaanbaatar. Representatives from Japanese government agencies and private enterprises met with top Mongolian officials during the event. Japan’s Vice-Minister for International Affairs, Hiroyuki Ishige, met Bayar and the Minister of Minerals & Energy separately to discuss promoting investment in Mongolia and cooperation in the mineral resources sector between the two countries, particularly in regards to uranium. Ishige and Zorigt exchanged views on issues facing Japanese enterprises in Mongolia and the status of laws governing mineral policy in Mongolia. The two sides shared the view that they should expand cooperation in the area of uranium resource developments within the nation’s legal framework.

Ulaanbaatar Railway Prices Increase by 50 Percent

2008-11-10T22:40:00.000-08:00

Ulaanbaatar Railway officials announced Wednesday that current railway ticket prices will increase by 50 percent immediately, explaining that the company suffers from a Tg 20 billion deficit. D.Jigjidnyam, Deputy Chief of Transport for Ulaanbaatar Railway, said that the company has requested legislation for a transport fee from the Government for the last two years, but has not yet received a reply. Two years ago, Ulaanbaatar Railway covered the deficit from weak passenger revenues by charging tariffs on freight transit. However, when Russian oil company UKOS went bankrupt, transit freight revenue halted. In 2005, Ulaanbaatar Railway transported 4000 tons of crude oil from Russia to China, but in 2008 only one ton of crude oil was transported. Global oil prices, equipment prices, and maintenance costs have risen sharply in the last year, and Ulaanbaatar Railway has not been able to cover its deficit as well as before.D. Jigjidnyam stated that while the price of diesel has increased 6.8 times since 2001, freight rates have gone up only 82 percent. Ulaanbaatar Railway served more than 4.5 million passengers in 2007, and current year-end projections suggested a slighter higher total for 2008.Both international and domestic train prices will be affected by the increase. A trip to Erlian in China by an express train will now cost Tg 25,500 more than the present Tg 51,000, while a ticket to Darkhan city will now be Tg 15,200, up from Tg 10,200. Before the current price increase, one passenger from Ulaanbaatar to Russia would have paid Tg 250,000, but D. Jigjidnyam suggested that the real price was Tg 390,000, with the deficit absorbed by Ulaanbaatar Railway. “The increase is not meant to help [Ulaanbaatar Railway] make a profit,” D.Jigjidnyam said. “It would only minimize losses.”

Mongolia Back in Negotiations with Ivanhoe, Rio Tinto

2008-11-10T22:35:00.000-08:00

Mongolia resumed investment talks last week with Ivanhoe Mines and its strategic partner Rio Tinto on the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold project. The State Great Hural (Parliament) set up a new all-party working group, comprised of Members of Parliament from the parliamentary Standing Committee on the Economics, which is expected to report to Parliament on the proposed changes of the Minerals Law by November 15.

The Parliament is scheduled to review the changes and start initial discussions for approval. The Government needs to revise its Minerals Law before resuming discussions on an Investment Agreement for Oyu Tolgoi.x Mongolia resumed investment talks last week with Ivanhoe Mines and its strategic partner Rio Tinto on the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold project. The State Great Hural (Parliament) set up a new all-party working group, comprised of Members of Parliament from the parliamentary Standing Committee on the Economics, which is expected to report to Parliament on the proposed changes of the Minerals Law by November 15. The Parliament is scheduled to review the changes and start initial discussions for approval. The Government needs to revise its Minerals Law before resuming discussions on an Investment Agreement for Oyu Tolgoi.
The companies said last week that they were looking forward to engaging in negotiations with the new Mongolian government, in an effort to conclude an investment agreement for the development of the project, which would cost more than US$3 billion.

“We are encouraged by the initial steps that have been taken by the new Mongolian government, and by the communications that we have had with government representatives,” said Bret Clayton, Rio Tinto’s Chief Executive for copper and diamonds, who also is a Director of Ivanhoe Mines.
In May 2007, however, the Government approved a draft deal after five years of negotiations, which gave the government a 34 percent interest in the property. Prime Minister S.Bayar, who was elected in November last year, had withdrawn the document and wanted the agreement to be reviewed by his new cabinet. The new changes, on which four different proposed submissions are ongoing, is likely to redefine its strategically significant mineral deposits, and percentage of state ownership into those deposits.

“We are looking forward to engaging with the government as soon as possible to complete a competitive investment agreement that recognizes the realities of the current international investment environment,” said Clayton.

John Macken, Ivanhoe Mines President and CEO, stated that the mining companies were confident that the agreement could be appropriately updated to address the current interests of the investors and the people of Mongolia, to enable construction of the project to proceed.

Last month, senior management of Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto met with key representatives of the Government to discuss the necessary remaining steps for negotiation and ultimate parliamentary approval of Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement. Government leaders have stated that they share the investors’ high priority for the conclusion of an acceptable agreement as soon as possible. “The Government is considering giving private domestic investors a stake in the project,” said G.Batkhuu, deputy Speaker of Parliament, last month. Lawmakers are also considering legislation to force the mining companies to build copper smelter, and manufacture copper products in the country, rather than exporting raw material to China.

Oyu Tolgoi is expected to produce an average of 440,000 metric tonnes of copper and 320,000 ounces of gold a year over a 35-year life.

Thursday, October 23, 2008.
The UB post newspaper

The honorary consulate of the Luxemburg kingdom was opened in Mongolia.

2008-10-29T01:18:00.000-07:00

Honorary consulate of the Luxemburg kingdom was opened on 28th of October 2008. The Jan Kloud Yunker -Luxembourg prime minister, Ms. Madi Delvo- minister of education and professional training and other people were assisted in opening ceremony. There is honorary consulate of great Luxemburg kingdom in Mongolia, to expansion cooperation of these 2 country` s trade, investment, tourism, cultural, science and technology sector.

The 369th anniversary of the Ulaanbaatar city

2008-10-29T00:53:00.000-07:00

Today is the 369th anniversary of the city. This day N. Enkhbayar president of Mongolia, D.Dembrel- The chairman of Mongolian parliament, T. Bilegt- governor of Ulaanbaatar city were respected to Great Chinggis Khan monument and Sukhbaatar monument in Sukhbaatar square. 2008.10.29

Eastern Circle Exhibition IFNAT 2008

2008-10-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

The exhibition will take place at Misheel Expo Center at 10 AM to 6PM on 17 of October.

Greetings from Blogger

2008-10-14T01:58:00.000-07:00

Hi all friends

Thank you very much for visiting our blog. We wish provide interesting news, economy, political, cultural of Mongolia on time.