Mongolia may not always be easy to access, but that does not mean the conversation should stop there.
Eternal Landscapes is not a specialist accessible-travel operator, and Mongolia presents some very real accessibility challenges. But being a small, independent company gives us flexibility, and we are happy to explore what may be possible rather than assuming that a disability or access requirement automatically makes Mongolia unsuitable.
Accessibility is also about much more than mobility. We welcome conversations with travellers with physical, sensory or invisible disabilities, long-term health conditions, allergies and other requirements that may affect how they travel.
We have previously supported guests including wheelchair users, blind and visually impaired travellers, and people travelling with neurological and other long-term conditions on both small-group and tailor-made journeys.
I’d just smooth the final sentence and make the section slightly warmer:
Everyone’s requirements are different, so the most useful thing you can do is tell us honestly what you need.
We will ask about what you can comfortably do, what presents difficulties, what support or adaptations you normally use, and how you would like to travel. We can then look realistically at what Mongolia and Eternal Landscapes can provide.
We will always try to find solutions, but we will also be honest if we feel we cannot provide the level of support you need. You’ll find more practical information below in our accessibility FAQs.
In 2024, Candie Styles, a blind solo traveller from the United States, joined one of our small-group journeys. Candie already had extensive experience travelling independently with the support of local companies and sighted assistants, and together we looked at how she could experience Mongolia in a way that worked for her.
Randy Bloks, a wheelchair user since 2016 with a progressive neurological condition, was determined to visit Mongolia, knowing it might not be feasible for him in the future. Inspired by Randy’s resilience and enthusiasm, I was compelled to say yes and explore ways to make his dream of visiting Mongolia a reality, fully aware of the unique challenges he would face in such a remote destination.
For Jess, EL’s co-founder, accessible travel is also personal.
Her father lived with advanced Parkinson’s Disease, which increasingly affected where and how he could travel. His experiences made her much more aware of how easily someone with additional needs can be treated as an inconvenience rather than simply as another traveller. He nevertheless continued to travel, including returning to Mongolia after his diagnosis.
Since her father’s death, Jess has also supported her mum, now in her 80s and living with heart failure. She shares his love of travel and adventure, but those experiences now happen at a different pace. From day walks on Dartmoor, where they live in the UK, to longer self-supported routes such as Cornwall’s Saints’ Way, the focus is not on speed or distance, but on allowing enough time, adapting when needed and enjoying the journey along the way.
Those experiences have helped shape our understanding of accessible travel more broadly. Travel does not have to be physically demanding or fast-paced to be adventurous or worthwhile. What matters is creating the conditions that allow someone to participate in a way that works for them.
We are not accessibility specialists, and we will never claim that Mongolia is an easy destination. But we do believe the starting point should be a conversation about what might be possible rather than an automatic assumption that it cannot be done.
Our small-group journeys follow set routes and cannot be adapted for one traveller. Depending on your needs, we may recommend travelling with someone who already understands how best to support you. You are welcome to bring your own support person or carer; where appropriate, we can also discuss providing an additional EL team member in a support role. Our team are not trained carers or medical professionals.
Our tailor-made journeys offer much more flexibility. Routes, accommodation, daily pacing and activities can be considered around individual access requirements, within the practical limitations of travelling in Mongolia.
Mongolia is a vast country with limited infrastructure, particularly outside Ulaanbaatar. Accessible facilities remain uncommon, and rural travel often involves rough roads, uneven ground, steps, basic accommodation and limited bathroom facilities. Eternal Landscapes Mongolia
For wheelchair users and travellers with reduced mobility, vehicles generally do not have wheelchair lifts, and you may need to be able to transfer into and out of the vehicle with assistance. Wheelchair-accessible accommodation is limited. Ger camps usually have steps into the gers, with separate toilet and shower blocks that may be some distance away and are rarely designed specifically for wheelchair access. Wheelchair and mobility-equipment hire is also very limited, so bringing your own equipment and essential spare parts is usually necessary. Eternal Landscapes Mongolia
For blind and visually impaired travellers, Braille and large-print information are rarely available in hotels, museums, restaurants or visitor attractions. Our team can provide information verbally during the journey, and we are happy to discuss how our pre-departure information can be made more useful to you. Eternal Landscapes Mongolia
For deaf and hard-of-hearing travellers, hearing loops are generally not available and our team are not trained in sign language. Again, talk to us about the communication methods that work best for you so we can consider what is realistically possible. Eternal Landscapes Mongolia
There may also be access requirements that have nothing to do with mobility, sight or hearing. Please tell us about anything that may affect your journey, including dietary allergies, fatigue, medication, sensory requirements or the need for additional rest and flexibility.
Should you have any questions or need more information, we would be happy to answer them for you. Please fill out the form below and we will reply as soon as possible.
