Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

Terelj is the closest thing to real mountain country within an easy drive of Ulaanbaatar: weathered granite tors, larch and birch on the north-facing slopes, and the Terelj river winding through meadows in the south-western foothills of the Khentii. The park's name comes from the words for creek and rhododendron. Only a small southern strip is developed, with dozens of tourist ger camps, horse and camel hire, restaurants and souvenir stalls; beyond the Gorkhiin Davaa pass most of the park is roadless. It is the standard first or last night of a Mongolia trip, and the best place to try a ger without committing to two days in a van.

From Ulaanbaatar

56 km

Drive time

1-1.5 by car to Turtle Rock; about 1.5-2 to Terelj village

Altitude

1,542 m

Typical stay

1-2

Best months

Jun–Sep

Highlights

Turtle Rock (Мэлхий хад), the granite tor the whole area is photographed for
Aryabal Meditation Temple, completed in 2004, reached by 108 stone steps and ringed by 108 small stupas
The Gorkhiin Davaa pass, beyond which the camps and crowds stop
Terelj village at the end of the paved road, with small shops and restaurants
Horse and camel riding hired directly at the camps
Khagiin Khar Lake, a 20 m deep glacial lake about 80 km upstream from the camps
Yestii hot springs, natural springs a further 18 km up the valley
Cross-country skiing on the valley floor in winter

Season notes

Camps run from roughly late May to late September, with a smaller winter operation. Temperatures can drop to about -28 °C in winter. The road is paved and cleared year-round, so Terelj is one of the few countryside spots that stays reachable in a normal car in any season. Summer weekends bring large numbers of Ulaanbaatar residents; midweek is far quieter.

From Ulaanbaatar

Paved the whole way. From the city centre take the eastern highway A0501 for 37 km, then turn left onto branch A24; 5 km later the road crosses the Tuul and the park begins. Terelj village is about 66 km from the centre.

By air
None.

Where to stay

Tourist ger camps line the road toward Terelj village; a two-person ger without meals was quoted at 25,000 ₮, and there is room to bargain because the camps are numerous and near-identical (Wikivoyage, read September 2026)
Smaller family-run camps away from the main strip quote around €20 per person per night including all meals (Wikivoyage, read September 2026)
A few higher-end lodges with private bathrooms operate year-round; no 2026 rate verified

Be aware

This is the most visited piece of Mongolian countryside; expect other vehicles, souvenir stalls and camel touts at Turtle Rock

Ger camps on the main strip are commercial and hard to tell apart; the quiet is a short walk away, not at the door

Nights are cold even in July at 1,540 m, and gers rely on a stove someone has to relight

Most of the park has no road access; the lake and hot springs upstream are a serious day out, not a stroll

Public buses from Ulaanbaatar run only twice a day and are badly timed for a short visit

Turtle Rock, Terelj National Park, Mongolia — Photo: Dan Nevill from Seattle, WA, United States / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Le rocher de la "Tortue" Parc_national_Gorkhi-Terelj, en Mongolie). — Photo: PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources (4)

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park - Wikipedia — name meaning, road description and distances, administrative split between Nalaikh and Töv, Khagiin Khar Lake and Yestii springs, extent of development
Gorkhi-Terelj National Park - Wikivoyage — 3,000 ₮ gate fee, bus routes and fares, ger camp prices, Turtle Rock coordinates, Aryabal temple detail, winter low temperature, activity list
Nominatim (OpenStreetMap geocoder) — confirming Turtle Rock coordinates and that the point falls in Nalaikh district
OpenTopoData SRTM 30 m — elevation at the visitor point

Highlights

Season notes

From Ulaanbaatar

Where to stay

Be aware

Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue, Tsonjin Boldog

Ulaanbaatar