Guides
Health, medical care and insurance
Information as of 2026-09-21
US health authorities list hepatitis A as recommended for unvaccinated travellers aged one and over, hepatitis B for all unvaccinated travellers, and full measles vaccination for all international travellers. Rabies, tick-borne encephalitis and typhoid are recommended for travellers whose plans involve the relevant exposure.
Page last updated 25 August 2026
Dogs in Mongolia are commonly infected with rabies. Anyone bitten, scratched or licked on broken skin needs immediate medical attention, and pre-exposure vaccination is advised for those with limited access to prompt post-exposure treatment, which describes most of the countryside.
Tick-borne encephalitis cases have been reported in four northern provinces. Ticks are most active from early spring to late autumn, which overlaps the entire travel season, and the virus can also be caught from unpasteurised dairy.
Cases reported in Bulgan, Darkhan-Uul, Orkhon and Selenge provinces; tick season early spring to late autumn
Insect repellent containing at least 20% DEET is advised against both ticks and mosquitoes.
20% DEET or higher
Altitude is a real but localised issue. Parts of Mongolia exceed 2,500 m and gradual ascent is advised above 3,000 m, but Ulaanbaatar and most classic itineraries through the Gobi, Kharkhorin and Terelj sit well below that. The mountain risk is concentrated in the western Altai.
Ulaanbaatar 1,303 m; highest point Khuiten Peak in the Tavan Bogd massif 4,374 m; caution advised above 2,500-3,000 m
Mongolia has more than 250 sunny days a year and thin, dry air at altitude, making sunburn and eye damage a year-round issue, including on snow in winter.
Over 250 sunny days per year; Ulaanbaatar gets 278 hours of sunshine in July and 164 in January
Marmots can carry bubonic plague, though the disease is carried by the animal's fleas and those affected tend to be fur handlers rather than diners. Marmot is not a mainstream dish.
692 recorded cases of marmot plague between 1928 and 2018
Hospitals in Mongolia require most of the treatment cost to be paid before treatment begins, so access to funds matters as much as having insurance.
80% of the treatment cost payable in advance
Outside Ulaanbaatar the standard of healthcare is limited and doctors may not speak English. Pharmacy stock is largely sourced from China and Russia, so bring your own prescription medicines and a first aid kit.
Medical evacuation from Mongolia is expensive and the US embassy urges all travellers to buy medical evacuation insurance before arriving. A travel policy for Mongolia should cover full medical expenses, air ambulance evacuation, repatriation of remains, and the cost of a family member travelling out.
Ulaanbaatar has severe winter air pollution from coal burned for domestic heating. It can aggravate bronchial, sinus and asthma conditions, and children, the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions are especially affected.
Hepatitis and tuberculosis are common in Mongolia, and health authorities also flag leptospirosis from contaminated water or soil and hantavirus from rodent exposure.
Stomach upset is the most common traveller complaint and usually comes from the shift to a high-fat, high-dairy diet rather than from infection. Fermented and unpasteurised dairy is the usual trigger.
Vaccination advice should be sought well before departure, since some courses take weeks to complete.
At least 8 weeks before travel
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- Buy a policy that names air ambulance evacuation explicitly; an ordinary travel policy that only covers treatment is close to useless in a country where the nearest capable hospital may be a flight away.
- Carry the insurer's 24-hour number on paper as well as on your phone, because you may need it where there is no signal to look it up.
- Bring rehydration salts, loperamide and a broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribed at home; do not expect to buy familiar brands locally.
- Do rabies pre-exposure vaccination if your trip includes riding, trekking or homestays; it buys you time to reach treatment rather than replacing it.
- Check yourself for ticks each evening between spring and autumn, especially in the northern forest provinces.
- Bring high-factor sunscreen, a brimmed hat and real sunglasses, and use them in winter as well as summer.
- If you have asthma or a respiratory condition and are travelling in winter, carry a mask rated for fine particles and keep your inhaler with you in Ulaanbaatar.