Mongolia Camel Trekking Adventure 2026: Van Breakdown & Real Review
Join us on a memorable Mongolian camel trekking adventure! We share our honest experience, including a surprising van breakdown, and tips for your 2026 desert journey.
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Join us on a memorable Mongolian camel trekking adventure! We share our honest experience, including a surprising van breakdown, and tips for your 2026 desert journey.
🇲🇳 Mongolia Package Tour
#MongoliaTravel #MongolianCamelExperience #MongoliaStarex
Hello, everyone! :)
It's ChampsTar, your travel blogger who loves to document every adventure!
While we were on our way to the camel trekking site,
we actually had a **flat tire on our Starex**, and
I've put together a **realistic review of the camel trekking** itself.
[**+Furgon VS Starex Comparison Chart**]
Just a heads-up, I visited during the **summer (June ~ September)**,
which is the best season to truly experience Mongolia's charm, as you get to see the lush green steppes as well!
✈️ChampsTar's Adventure Bites✈️
✔️Today's Highlight Experience
Camel trekking in Mongolia!
✔️Today's Food for Thought
What happens if you get a flat tire while traveling in Mongolia? How do you fix it?
1. My Mongolian Camel Trekking Experience
What images come to mind when you think of Mongolia?
For me, it's always been **camels wandering across vast deserts** that come to mind first!
On the morning of our **camel experience**, with hearts full of excitement,
we set off from our ger early in the morning, traversing the desert
to meet the Mongolian camels :)
These are Bactrian camels, commonly found in Central Asia.
The bigger and sturdier their humps look,
the **healthier they are and the better they're absorbing nutrients**!
By the way, this camel in the picture...
it looks **somewhat displeased** somehow,
it's just my imagination, right? Haha...
Mongolian Camels
Like many, it was my first time riding a camel, so
I was **worried it might be difficult or make my legs sore**...
**No worries!**
You just sit between the two humps, so
the riding itself isn't a problem at all!
It was **easy and straightforward**.
The camel experience might seem simple, as it's just a loop around a designated steppe,
But it ends just as it starts to feel a bit too simple, before you lose interest,
so I was able to fully enjoy the experience!
The Smell of Mongolian Camels
Now, the real issue... is the smell.
Have you ever **heard about the smell of camels**?
A quick search will easily show reviews mentioning that camels smell,
Let me put it plainly for you:
it's about **three times stronger than whatever smell you're imagining right now**.
Let me explain what kind of smell it is!
Camels **don't brush their teeth, do they**?
So, their bad breath is no joke!
And if they're in a bad mood, they spit,
and if you **smell that spit, it puts *me* in a bad mood**!
(I totally get why they spit, though...)
LOL
Also, they don't use toilet paper when they do their business,
so **there's poop stuck to their tails**,
and nobody seems to care about the poop on their tails.
It's just **me (only me) who's bothered by it**... LOL
While you're on the camel trek, **the camel in front of you**
will **occasionally poop**,
and there's nothing you can do about it, you just have to **be careful...!**
But, if you can just get used to the smell,
The fact that you can have such a unique experience!
Mongolian Attire
Since the smell is quite strong, on the day of your camel experience,
I definitely recommend wearing long pants.
Rather than having camel hair touch your bare skin,
let's let it get all over our clothes instead!
After the camel trekking, they even give you time to take photos!
Thanks to this, we could ride the camels as much as we wanted and take plenty of photos,
making for an unforgettable experience :)
2. Mongolian Starex Breakdown
Tire Puncture Issue!
Our Starex, which had been perfect up until then,
had a problem just once during our trip,
and that was when a tire got punctured...!
What's more, it happened right in the middle of the road while we were heading to our ger after the camel experience.
Furgon vs. Starex Comparison
If you're planning a trip to Mongolia,
you'll probably be wondering whether to choose a Starex or a Furgon!
First, I've put together why I chose the Starex over the Furgon.
💡 Quick Tip! A brief comparison of Furgon and Starex << Furgon vs. Starex Comparison >> | ||
Category | Furgon | Starex |
Air Conditioning | X | O |
Ride Comfort | Cushion needed | Better than Furgon |
Breakdowns | Frequent minor issues (but easy to repair) | Tire punctures possible on off-road |
Space | More luggage space | |
Price (for comparison) | Cheaper | More expensive (~$69 difference) |
I didn't want to drive through the Gobi Desert with the windows open,
constantly getting hit by sandstorms,
so I absolutely thought air conditioning was a must.
Also, during a Mongolian trip where many things can be uncomfortable,
I wanted to ensure at least some comfort while traveling,
which is why I chose the Starex!
And even now, after the trip has ended,
I still think choosing the Starex was a great decision!
Sometimes people choose the Furgon just to get those aesthetic shots, right?
But actually, even if you don't ride around in a Furgon,
if you see a Furgon on the road, you can just borrow it
and take photos (whispers).
The drivers usually arrange it themselves
and create a photo-op environment for you!
Starex Breakdown in the Mongolian Desert
Since the Starex isn't an off-road vehicle,
tire punctures can happen when driving off-road.
And this puncture situation happened to us!
Since our car stopped in the middle of a road with no one else around except our group,
waiting for another car to appear can take quite a while.
So, we had to leisurely pass the time
waiting for a vehicle to show up and fix our tire puncture!
Mongolian Cup Noodles
With the car stalled and no way to move forward,
our guide suggested we have some ramen before continuing!
"How can we have ramen out here...?"
I wondered.
Suddenly, our guide pulled out essentials like a pot and a ladle from inside the car!
It was all the gear you need to make ramen.
It seems they carry all the basic necessities right in the vehicle
for situations like this!
No chopsticks? No problem! The one unique advantage of using a fork in this situation:
= It's super easy to hold down the cup ramen lid after adding hot water!
I never expected to eat the cup ramen we bought at the supermarket so soon,
but wasn't it incredibly romantic and wonderful?
These unexpected moments are always the ones that stick with you the longest,
becoming cherished memories!
And that Bibigo Kimchi stir-fry we found abroad?
Paired with ramen, the synergy was absolutely explosive!
Starex Breakdown Solved!
As we were taking photos and enjoying our ramen, patiently waiting,
a vehicle slowly approached from way in the distance!
After a quick chat with our driver,
the two of them naturally worked together to
pull out a tire, connect it, and then they just left!
At the time, seeing them lend a tire to a car broken down on the road,
I thought it was amazing that lending a tire was part of Mongolian culture,
but now that I think about it again,
it makes me wonder if it wasn't a vehicle connected to our local tour company!
Mongolian Camel Trekking Experience & Starex Breakdown Recap
A day in Mongolia I'd love to relive!
A trip to Mongolia is truly unique.
It's filled with things that don't happen in your everyday life
and experiences you can't have anywhere else,
which is why I think it'll stay in my memory for so long.
So, everyone, make sure to experience summer in Mongolia,
the best time to travel, and soak it all in to your heart's content!!
According to the article, it's about three times stronger than expected. The main causes are mentioned to be the camel's bad breath, saliva smell, and the smell of feces on its tail.
It is recommended to wear long pants to prevent the camel's smell and hair from touching your bare skin. The advice is that it's better to let your clothes get as dirty as they may.
A flat tire occurred in the middle of the road while moving to the ger after the camel experience. We waited until another vehicle appeared, then solved the problem by changing the tire with the help of a passing car.
The Starex has air conditioning, offers a superior ride comfort compared to the Furgon, and costs about ~$69 more. In contrast, the Furgon lacks air conditioning, has an uncomfortable ride, but offers more luggage space and is prone to frequent breakdowns.
While the car was stopped due to a flat tire and couldn't move, we passed the time by eating ramen and Bibigo kimchi fried rice that our guide had prepared. We also took photos while waiting for another vehicle to appear.
Planning a Gobi Desert tour in Mongolia? Read our review on finding travel companions, staying in traditional Gers, and exploring Tsagaan Suvarga.
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