Ger Camps 101: Comfort Levels, Showers, and What to Actually Expect

I've lost count of how many times someone's asked me "so what's a ger camp actually like?" And the honest answer is - it depends. Some are basically outdoor hotels with heated floors and espresso machines. Others have a squat toilet 20 meters from your bed and cold water only. Both are called "ger camps."

Let me clear this up.

Tourist Ger Camps vs. Family Gers

First thing - a tourist ger camp is not the same as staying with a nomadic family. Tourist camps are permanent setups built for travelers. Usually 10-30 gers arranged in a cluster, with a dining hall, bathroom building, and some kind of reception area. They're near national parks or along popular tour routes - the Gobi, Khuvsgul, Terelj.

Most camps run June through September. A few stay open into May or October, but that's it. Winter, everything closes.

During our tours you might also visit an actual nomadic family for tea and airag. That's a daytime visit - maybe 1-3 hours. You sit in their ger, they offer you dairy snacks, the kids stare at you, and the bathroom is... outside. Somewhere. It's one of those things people remember most about their trip, honestly.

Budget Camps - Around $30-60 Per Night

These are basic. I'm talking thin mattresses on single beds, a wood stove that staff light in the morning and evening, one light bulb, no outlets. The bathroom is a shared block maybe 10-20 meters away. Water might be cold or barely warm. Squat toilets are common, though some have Western-style ones.

Food is simple Mongolian stuff - mutton soup, rice, bread, pickled vegetables. Breakfast is bread with butter and jam and instant coffee. If you're vegetarian, tell us way in advance because these kitchens don't have much to work with.

Electricity comes from solar panels or a generator that runs maybe 6 hours a day, usually 6-10pm. No WiFi. Charge your phone in the dining hall when you can.

I'll be straight with you - budget camps are rough. But the locations are often incredible. You're not paying for comfort, you're paying for the view out your ger door at sunrise. Last July we had a group of Australian backpackers at a budget camp near Yolyn Am in the Gobi. The gers were nothing special but they could see the canyon from their beds. Nobody complained.

Bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Seriously.

Mid-Range Camps - Around $80-140 Per Night

This is what we use for most of our tours, and it's the sweet spot for most people.

Beds are better - thicker mattresses, real blankets, maybe even a duvet. You get electric lights and one or two outlets (though they might only work certain hours). Some camps now have ensuite gers where there's a small bathroom attached. Hot showers exist but they're often solar or diesel-heated, so there's a window - usually 7-9pm. Miss that window and you're taking a cold one.

The food jumps up a lot at this tier. You'll get Mongolian dishes plus Western options like pasta, salads, grilled meat. Breakfast usually has eggs, porridge, fruit, real coffee. They can handle vegetarian and most dietary requests if you give them notice. Beer and wine available too.

WiFi exists at reception. It's slow and cuts out constantly but it's there. Good enough to send a few messages. Don't try to video call anyone.

Here's the thing about mid-range camps - quality varies a lot. I've been to some that are genuinely nice, clean, well-run. And I've been to others charging the same price with dirty bathrooms and food that's questionable. We inspect every camp we use. That's not a sales pitch, it's because I got tired of apologizing to guests.

Premium Camps - $180-350 Per Night

King beds with actual good mattresses. Private bathroom with hot water 24/7. Heated floors. Nice furniture, Mongolian textiles on the walls. Some have rain showers. All of them provide toiletries.

Food is restaurant quality - multi-course meals, wine pairings, espresso. They handle any dietary need without blinking. Some do outdoor barbecues or traditional Mongolian feasts with khorkhog (meat cooked with hot stones).

Full power all day, outlets everywhere, WiFi that works. Well, works by Mongolian standards - it's still 3G speeds at best, but it's consistent.

A few premium camps offer spa services, guided walks, throat singing performances in the evening.

Is it worth it? Depends on you. I've had guests who were thrilled to have a private bathroom after a 7-hour drive across the Gobi. And I've had others who said they barely spent time in the ger anyway, so why pay 3x more. Both are valid.

What You Should Actually Pack

Doesn't matter which tier you're staying at - bring these things.

A headlamp. Paths between gers are dark at night and you will need to find the bathroom at 2am. Toilet paper and wet wipes - even premium camps run out sometimes. Earplugs, because ger walls are felt and you'll hear everything your neighbors do. Warm layers for nighttime - summer nights drop to 5-10°C even in July. And slippers or flip-flops for bathroom trips.

If you're at a budget camp, add a power bank (at least 10,000 mAh), a quick-dry towel, and a sleeping bag liner if you're particular about bedding. Download books and movies before you leave UB because WiFi won't save you.

Things People Always Ask

Will you freeze at night? No. Staff stoke the stove before bed and you'll have thick blankets. It does get cold around 3-4am when the fire dies down but that's what layers are for. I've never had anyone actually freeze.

Are gers safe in storms? They're literally designed for Mongolian weather. Heavy felt walls, lattice frames, ropes anchoring everything down. I've been in gers during 60+ km/h winds and they don't budge. The sound is pretty intense though.

What about claustrophobia? Gers are bigger than people think - about 5-6 meters across with high ceilings. The circular shape helps. I've never had a guest say they felt boxed in.

Can I charge my phone? At mid-range and premium camps, yes, though maybe only during certain hours. Budget camps - bring a power bank. I can't stress this enough.

What I'd Recommend

First time in Mongolia and not sure what to expect? Go mid-range. You'll be glad to have hot showers after a dusty day in the Gobi. Budget camps work great if you're younger, don't mind basic conditions, and care more about where you are than where you sleep. Families with kids - mid-range or premium. Private bathrooms make nighttime trips so much easier. And if you've got mobility issues or just want to sleep well, premium is worth it.

We list exact camp names and comfort tiers on every itinerary. If you've got specific needs - bad back, allergies, anything like that - let us know and we'll match you with the right places. We've been doing this long enough to know which camps are actually good and which ones just look nice on their website.