No, Mongolia is a sovereign state and a country in its own right - its capital is Ulaan Baatar. There is a region in China called the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region that used to be part of the Mongolian territory until 1947.

Australians no longer need visas if they are staying in Mongolia 30 days or less.

No, you have to get your own return ticket to Ulaan Bataar, but once you are there we take care of everything else including in-country flights, meals, accommodation, transport, all activities and material for activities and us 24/7 at you service.

The region of Mongolia we are walking in is very safe.

Only kilometres from Russian and Chinese borders, there are some military posts where we stop and check in, show our passports and where the rangers keep tabs on any irregular activity.

As there are hardly any people through the Tavan Bogd National Park, mainly nomads and their families with their animals, crime is also not an issue.

We are walking through remote wilderness and mountains - and we respect that.

We take precautions during any river crossings and make sure that everyone gets enough time to acclimatise to the altitude.

The terrain starts off quite even and firm as we skirt the lake and the conifer forest. There are several occasional crossings of streams (ankle height), and some pebbly ground.

There is also some undulation in the first 3 days and some marshy and boggy terrain to negotiate in areas as well as some short and rocky climbs to negotiate.

We often wear our sandals during the boggier terrain to keep our boots dry.

On the fifth day we go up our first high pass and the ground is quite loose and boggy with some shale rock.

The descent on the other side of the pass is very steep and if wet can be a little slippery - generally it is dry and the rocks that line the path can be used as stoppers.

The hike up to Malchin Peak (4,045m) is mostly scree and very uneven and loose in places, changing into bigger rocks and the boulders as we get to the top. It is the most challenging terrain of the whole walk but worth every step!

There are also a couple of river crossings that we do on horseback as they are fast-moving and cold.

We cannot accommodate a late arrival - our domestic travel will be organised to get us in flights to Ulgii 1600 kms northwest of the capital and by 4WD another 150 kms to the Tavan Bogd National Park. We have to travel together.

You need to be self-sufficient and carry your own portable power source - we will be walking through the wilderness for 9 days with no access to any power. We will have a solar charger that you can use but bring your own also.

No - there is no phone signal outside of Ulgii, but we will have a satellite phone for emergencies and you can share this with your family and friends and they can follow your progress from home.

Probably not.

You will, however, most likely experience shortness of breath above 2,500 metres.

You might get a slight headache and have trouble sleeping the first night or two.
Keeping hydrated helps a lot.

We acclimatise in Ulgii (2,000 metres) where we spend 2 days.

Day 1 - 3 of walk stay at around 2000 - 2100 m (making a total of 5 days acclimatising at around 2,000 m)

This seems to be working really well with everyone and we have never had anyone experience altitude sickness.

Day 4 - we start our first ascent and spend the night at 2,500 m.

Day 5 - we make our way up to a pass that is just under 3,200 m (absolutely spectacular) and then we go down to a valley and sleep at 2,500 m.

Day 6 - we also have a small ascent but generally remain at around 2,700m and then sleep at around 2,500 m again.

Day 7 - steady ascent most of the day to the TBNP base camp where we sleep at around 3,100 m - the 5 main peaks around us and the Potanin Glacier beside us.

Day 8 - If you choose to climb Malchin Peak (4,045 m) you will feel the breathlessness no matter how fit you are, we do not stay up there long.

We place it and its a very slow and steep ascent we make sure everyone is drinking plenty of water and we have many stops along the way.

Most people - including a few in their 60s and 70s - have had no issues at all.

About half the group attempts it most years.

Day 9 - we gradually descend to about 2,800 m to one of the entires into the TBNP where we are picked up by our drivers and we return to Ulgii.

If you are concerned about altitude sickness and want professional advice, please consult your doctor.

Build up your walking stamina and strength by walking regularly. Build up slowly from what you are used to until you can walk for 6 or more hours in one go. Make sure you incorporate hills, beach walking and definitely carry some weight. A more detailed training plan will come your way soon.

You will receive a list of suggested items to bring when you book into the tour. You DO NOT need a tent.

While walking we will be carrying only a day pack, so a small pack that will carry our food for the day and snacks, water and whatever items you want to carry on you while walking, like your camera or your sunscreen.

You can make them as light as you like.

You don’t have to, but it is always quicker when many hands are involved.

Our support crew, including our expedition cook, who is coming along on the walk with us, usually do this for us, but in my experience everyone gets involved and helps put tents up and take them down. The local team will be walking ahead of us with the camels and horses and setting up camp before we arrive every afternoon - however they start with the kitchen, toilet and mess tents and our sleeping tents are usually not yet up when were get there.

In nature for number 1s and if you need to number 2s (we will be carrying a small shovel) but there will also be a campsite drop-toilet set up every evening in a separate spot from the campsite for a bit of privacy.

We require everyone to have fully comprehensive travel insurance for this reason. It is an extremely remote region of the country and we have sat phones and all the first aid equipment necessary to treat minor injuries or temporary ailments. If any serious injuries occur, we will get the injured person out of the National Park on horse and then by car.

We typically pair up solo female travelers in a shared room or tent. Alternatively, you have the option to pay for a single supplement if you prefer not to share.