Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

Turtle rock

Gorkhi-Terelj is one of the national parks of Mongolia. The Terelj tourist zone has a number of "tourist camps". Terelj settlement is located in the Terelj gol river dale, approximately 66 km from Ulaanbaatar city center. The national park tourist zone is formally Ulaanbaatar Nalaikh duureg (district) part, the rest (protected) zone begins to the North from Terelj Gol river and is located in Mongolia's Tov aimag.

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 Juulchin the former state tourism company. However, most of the park is undeveloped and difficult to access. Attractions include Khagiin Khar Lake, a 20m deep glacial lake 80km upstream from the tourist camps, and Yestii Hot Water Springs, natural hot springs 18km further upstream. 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).