Category: Travel

I travelled to western Mongolia from 26 September to 8 October 2026, right as the Altai gets cold. Between a 25-hour bus ride, homestay nights in a sleeping bag, and an open trip that told me to pack in a carrier instead of a suitcase, I had to pack warm and light. The limits were 25 kg on Singapore Airlines and 20 kg on MIAT. I left Jakarta with 16 kg and came home with 12 kg.

How cold was it, really?

The coldest it got was about 5°C. It never went below zero, and there was no snow. The cold that people warn you about is the wind. On a calm moment 5°C is fine, but with wind on the open steppe it felt far colder than the number.

Clothes

• Three Heattech tops
• Two Heattech leggings
• One Jeans
• Two usual pants
• Two outer shirts (yellow, blue floral)
• One sleeping outfit
• Underwear
• Uniqlo puff jacket
• Raincoat (serious one, from Eiger).

Layers of Heattech and thermal were enough for me, and the clothes and pants I packed were enough for the whole trip.

When it’s very windy, I use both the puff jacket and the raincoat, with gloves, beanies, and neck warmer. And I did survived.

Feet and accessories

• Three pairs of Heattech socks
• Pashmina, gloves, and a neck warmer
• Two beanies
• A crossbody bag for sightseeing

The gloves, beanies and the neck warmer did the most work against the wind.

Toiletries

• Shampoo and conditioner, bar soap, 12 sachets of detergent
• A washcloth (waslap) and a travel towel
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Dry and wet tissues
• Sunscreen, lip balm, and night cream
• A waterproof bag for wet items
• Perfume and deodorant

During the two days in the Altai (30 September and 1 October), I didn’t shower at all. There was no water at all, and it was so cold that nobody noticed. If you’re going to a homestay out there, accept that now.

Medicine and supplements

• Throat lozenges FG Troche, cough medicine, Tolak Angin (10 sachets)
• One strip of cold medicine and one strip of motion-sickness tablets
• Omega 3, magnesium, glucosamine, and vitamin C
• Mouth tape for sleeping
• My regular prescription medication

This is where I was short. The dust in the Altai is something else, and I came home with a cold and a cough (no fever). I wish I had packed more cough medicine and cold tablets. I am ok during the bus trip though, no motion sickness.

Food from home

• Abon (shredded meat floss) and serundeng (spiced coconut)
• Energen vanilla cereal
• Ketchup and pepper

Next time I’ll bring something tastier. Boneless milkfish (bandeng presto) is my current idea. Hahaha.

Electronics and everything else

• International plug adapter and an extension cord with a T-plug
• Sleeping bag
• Headlamp
• Rubber bands, seven ziplock bags, pen, and a notebook

What I’d change

1. Bring a suitcase. The open trip advised a carrier, and I packed to the limit, but with the road trip done by car I would happily take a suitcase next time.
2. Pack more cough medicine and cold tablets. The dust is no joke.
3. Skip the coat.
4. Bring better food from home. I don’t quite like the food. Only meat, no vegetables, no pork. And tend to be cold. (from not a picky eater)

The Altai mountains in western Mongolia are a long way from the Mongolian capital, and I had no idea how to get there. The routes I read about were confusing, so I joined an open trip. It was organised by Rani (@rantje on Instagram), and it was a good decision for a first timer in Mongolia. Here is how the journey went, step by step.

Why an open trip

The hard part of Mongolia is not the sightseeing but the transport from Ulaanbaatar to Bayan Olgii. The yearly Golden Eagle Festival is a high season where all of the domestic flights can be sold out. When this happens, either we rent a car or take a bus to go the Altai Mountains. Joining a group meant someone else had already worked out the connections.

What it cost

I paid a total of IDR 23 million to Rani. That figure includes the Beijing to Ulaanbaatar flight on MIAT, which cost about IDR 6 million by itself. It also includes lodging, transport, guides, and festival tickets. Food is with ourselves, either we eat local food, or bring Indonesian dried foods that is more taste friendly to us. Please note that this is a very very cheap version of this trip since we are staying at local houses and even brought our own sleeping bag.

How much do other Golden Eagle Festival tours cost?

My own flights were extra. I booked Jakarta to Beijing on Singapore Airlines a year ahead and paid about IDR 7 million.