Introducing Terelj Area

Terelj sum (district), about 55km northeast of Ulaanbaatar, is a playground for urban-weary

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Ulaanbaatarites. At 1600m, the area is cool and the alpine scenery magnificent, and there are great opportunities for hiking, rock climbing, swimming (in icy-cold water), rafting, horse riding and, for hard-core extreme-sports fanatics, skiing in the depths of winter.

Terelj was first developed for tourism in 1964 and 30 years later it became part of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. It’s a bit crowded with ger camps these days but you can easily get away from the hustle and bustle. Be prepared for mosquitoes, especially in late summer.

Pay the admission fee at the park entrance. Note, passengers on the public bus from Ulaanbaatar rarely have to pay this as the bus usually drives past the entrance without stopping.

Terelj village is about 27km from the park entrance, at the end of a paved road. It’s in a nice location near the river and has a few shops, a handful of ger camps and a couple of hotels.