Gorkhi Terejlj National Park

Visit Guide to Gorkhi Terejlj National Park

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park is one of the national parks of Mongolia. The Terelj tourist zone has a number of “tourist camps”. The park has many rock formations for rock climbers, and includes two famous formations: Turtle Rock and the Old Man Reading a Book. Other attractions include Khagiin Khar Lake and Yestii Hot Water Springs. The park also has a Buddhist monastery that is open to visitors. Park wildlife includes brown bears and over 250 species of birds. The Tuul River flows through the park.

Getting There

The park is connected with Ulaanbaatar by a paved road coming to the Gorkhiin Davaa pass. Most of the tourist camps and tourist attractions are before this pass. The road then ends at the settlement of Terelj, which features small shops and restaurants. The Terelj settlement is located in the valley of the Terelj River, approximately 66 km from the Ulaanbaatar city center.

What to Expect

A small southern portion of the park is developed for tourists, with restaurants, souvenir shops, horses and camels for rent, and tourist ger camps, many of them run by the Juulchin corporation, the former state tourism company. However, most of the park is undeveloped and difficult to access.

The park also has a Buddhist monastery that is open to visitors. Park wildlife includes brown bears and over 250 species of birds. The Tuul River flows through the park. The park has many rock formations for rock climbers, and includes two famous formations named for things they resemble: Turtle Rock (Mongolian: Melkhii Khad) and the Old Man Reading a Book (Praying Lama Rock).

Facilities Available

The settlement of Terelj has small shops and restaurants.