A Guide to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

An Overview of Gorkhi-Terelji National Park

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park is an immense national park area located northeast of Ulaanbaatar, accessible by paved roads. The massive park contains weathered granite mountains, forested valleys and slopes, many fields of wildflowers and unique wind-carved rock formations. The alpine scenery makes the area a striking and popular destination.

The national park is a favorite destination for tourists around Ulaanbaatar. There’s an abundance of wildlife in the park, including brown bears, wolves, foxes, deer, boars and various species of birds. Furthermore, the park has an incredible variety of adventure-outdoor activities for visitors, including hiking, rock climbing, overnight camping, horseback riding, camel tours, water rafting, overnight stays in traditional gers and more.

For a full list of activities on “A Guide to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park,” scroll to the bottom of this article.

Getting to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

Travelers can reach the National Park area from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital.

From here, visit Peace Avenue and look for the bus stop across the street from the Narantuul Hotel. The bus costs 2,500 Tugik and leaves around 4PM. Mongolia is a huge country, so getting anywhere takes a considerable amount of time. This bus, which arrives directly at the National Park’s Entrance, takes about two hours of driving.

For slightly faster transport, guests can rent personal vehicles. However, there isn’t much traffic in Mongolia’s countryside and buses don’t make frequent stops. The drive is still slightly more than an hour and a half.

Another option is to book a tour at one of the various agencies online or within Ulaanbaatar. In these cases, there are packages which offer guides, horseback tours and overnight stays in gers or campsites. It’s recommended to stay in the park overnight, considering the size of the park and the time needed to get around the empty portions of Mongolia.

Note that while the National Park does have an admission fee, people arriving in tours and buses don’t always need to pay it, as the drop-off point is past the park’s entrance. It is possible to hire a guide to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park online or through a vetted agency in Ulaanbaatar. The guides within the park are nice, but much more expensive.

Advice When visiting Mongolia in General

Plan Your Meals

Vegetables and fruits are relatively rare in Mongolia.  The country primarily eats pastries, meat products, heavy milks, rice and canned foods. Those with a restrictive vegetarian or vegan diet may need to plan out meals and shopping well in advance.  

Bring Sunglasses

Mongolia’s sun is harsh and hyper reflective on various surfaces during cloudless days.  It can be searing, especially during cloudless, snow-covered days.

Stock Up on Water

Though Mongolia often feels chilly, the high altitude and extreme dryness of the region can cause dehydration. In the hotter regions or in the summer, this is doubly true.

Factor in Altitude Adjustment Time

Give yourself time to adjust. Ulaanbaatar is at a high altitude. If you’re flying in from a lower region, give your body a couple of days to recalibrate to the new height.

Expect Little English

English is somewhat rare outside of the tourist sector and translators are a bit difficult to use.  Be prepared to spend some extra time miming or getting help from semi-fluent locals.  There are quite a few people here who speak Russian or Chinese.

Navigation

Getting around Ulaanbaatar is pretty easy with decent public transportations.  But going beyond the city into the surrounding countryside is terribly challenging.  The roads are not generally well-marked, the distances are amazingly vast and public transport is virtually non-existent.  Tours and personal vehicles or domestic flights are the mainstay for tourists.  

Beware Dust and Pollen

Mongolia is the recipient of South Korean fund designed to forest the dry plains to prevent the enormous dust storms. These dust storms can cloud Mongolia and other nations, including South Korea. People with repertory issues may have trouble breathing without a proper mask.

Specific Advice for Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

Camels and Horses

Camels are a fairly common mode of transportation on the Mongolia tundra due the seasonal dryness.  They’re somewhat hard to manage and require a fair amount of dodging since they initially spit, bite and kick frequently.

There are many tours which offer camel rides, though tourism camels are somewhat easier to manage and are good about following the leader of a group.

Many people go to the National Park for horseback treks.  Know that these treks are seasonal and cheaper in certain portions of the year. 

Additionally, horseback riding is an extremely popular method of transport throughout the country.  Livestock and horses outnumber Mongolian humans by a considerable margin

Temples in Mongolia

When visiting temples, it’s considered respectful to perform actions in a clockwise orientation.

Staying in Gers

Gers or Yurts are one of the most common forms of shelter in Mongolia.  Though initially designed as mobile, nomadic lodging systems, many people use these as permanent homes.  They get extremely warm or very cold depending on heating, so be sure to bring clothes for both scenarios.

Don’t pause when entering a yurt (ger).  Hesitation can be seen as unwillingness and direct entry is more polite.  When entering, men follow the left wall (clockwise) while women follow the right (counterclockwise).

Trekking

Pack extra light for Mongolia treks, since several modes of transport are usually needed between different destinations.  For example, one might drive for a while before switching to horseback for a muddy plain to a camel for a dry stretch of land to going on foot for tricky mountain terrain.

Always pack layers in Mongolia, since temperatures range wildly.

Things to do in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

Aryapala Temple Meditation Center

The beautiful temple space with a set of narrow, steep stairs straight into a mountain wall, where the small structure was tucked out of the wind. There were dozens of multi-colored prayer flags fluttering only slightly.

The temple site originally belonged to an enlightened hermit, who set up a prayer center prior to the Soviet arrival in the 1930s. The hermit had built a small structure, which was removed. The traditionally decorated structure currently standing in it’s reconstructed replacement.

The temple has 108 stone stairs, 108 small stupas and 108 prayer wheels placed around the building. The temple has magnificent views of the lower park area. 

Turtle Rock 

Turtle Rock is the most iconic symbol of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. The rock formation, carved by the country’s harsh weather, looks like a prone turtle. It is possible to climb the rock as well as the nearby mountain ridges. The rock is a short hike from Aryapala Temple Meditation Center.

Dinosaur Valley

Hidden within Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, there’s a small valley clustered with grey and brown boulders and open fields. This area is also home to life-sized dinosaur statues near a series of gers (yurts). The dinosaur statues are an homage to Mongolia’s incredible fossil and paleontology heritage. The statues are rather rough and colored the same as the surrounding stone cliffs. There are long-necked dinosaurs, creatures upon ridges, small carnivores fighting and giants simply wandering the plains.

Gunjiin Sum Burial Temple

This small structure, sometimes called “The Peaceful Princess” exists over a burial site in the Khentii province, past Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. The tomb belonged to a Manchu Princess who married a Mongolian Noble. The princess-turned-queen the tomb is attributed to is greatly admired in many Mongolian stories for her dedication to her husband despite a harsh life in a foreign country.

Her tomb was excavated in the 1900s, but it had already undergone plundering by grave robbers. The subsequent buildings, restored structures and preserved structures are available for public viewing.

Within this guide to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, this is the furthest-removed attraction.

100 Monk Cave (1000 Monk Cave of Three Friends Cave)

This is a shallow cave famous for sheltering monks of Mongolia during a time of oppression. The cave is within driving distance of Turtle Rock.

The legend around the cave implies that a group of disciples of Zanabazar Khutagt escaped from Galdan Boshigt’s troops during the Khalkha Oirat riots.

Hiking and Trekking

Hiking is one of the most beloved activities in the National Park. The trekking trails cover tough terrain, following sharp mountain ridges, vast meadows, riverside trails and numerous caves. The southern part of the park usually has many tourists hiking through it, but the trails slightly further north are almost completely devoid of people.

Edelweiss

Edelweiss is a gorgeous and iconic wildflower found within the national park. These complex white-and-pale-yellow flowers can be found in high, rocky areas in the mountain terrain. The flowers are especially prominent in the summertime.

In European cultures, the Edelweiss flower is used to symbolize true love, abiding devotion and romantic quests.

Much of this stems from the European Snow Queen Legend. This legend speaks of a fairy Snow Queen who lived in the highest place in the Alp. The Queen was perused many suitors but was unable to feel anything when they died at a chasm by her feet. Only after she fell in love and her suitor was tragically slain, the Snow Queen shed a tear, which grew the first Edelweiss flower.

 Horse and Camel riding

Mongolia is forever known as “The Nations Born on Horseback” due to their profound ties with their mounts. Modern Mongolians are often still nomadic herders, providing meat, cashmere and other supplies throughout the country.

As such, there are many horse or camel treks heading through the national park. These journeys, done through tourism agencies, wander through vast plains, high mountains and challenging terrain.

Overnighting at a Ger

Mongolians live in special, semi-mobile structures called ger or “yurts.”

Visitors can overnight with local Mongolians and experience traditional plainsmen life. Visitors are often offered Suutei tsai” /milk tea/ or “Airag” /mare’s milk/. There are also small demonstrations and classes on taking care of livestock, hunting and fishing in the area and procuring vital resources.

ATV Tours

Mongolia is a fantastic place for ATV and dirtbike tours, the rough terrain, vast distances and impressive slopes being perfect for the sport. There are many tourist camps within the National Park which offer vehicle rentals.

Water Rafting

The National Park is located inside the curve of the Tuul River. Rafting and boating in the river is possible, though the water is fairly cold. Some guests choose to simply wade or swim in the waters. The river eventually flows back to Ulaanbaatar.

Hot Springs

The National Park area is known for several hot springs, most of which have been converted into tourist resorts. The Yestii Hot Water Natural Springs are the most famous of these. They are located near Khagiin Khar Lake, a deep glacier lake with extraordinary sunset views..

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