Gorkhi Terelj National Park is one of the National Parks of Mongolia. Its proximity to the capital Ulaanbatar makes it an ideal sight to visit for those who have little time to spare. The Terelj tourist zone has a number of ger camps in it, mostly located on the south side. My friend and I spared three days and two nights of our China/Mongolia trip here. It was definitely worth it.

I have always dreamed of sleeping in a yurt ever since I have read about Mongolia. Its vast deserts and endless blue skies has awakened the dreamer in me. The countryside is just so peaceful. Our stay in the park afforded us to experience the local way of living.

Staying in the park is not for those whose past time includes surfing the net. This is one for those whose hearts are one with nature. There was no internet connection at the park. No heater. No bathroom with warm and cold shower. Toilet is primitive style: a simple cubicle with the toilet being earth dug out for about three feet. No running water either. Yes. We did not bathe for three days but we did brush our teeth and washed our faces in the morning. LOL. Bathing was definitely actually out of the picture since it was SO COLD that our nose bled. It was only September when we were there. I could not imagine surviving the winter months. We kept ourselves warm the traditional way by burning firewood.

Our tour was arranged by our hostel back in Ulaanbatar. I can no longer remember how much we paid for the trip. But as far as I can remember I guess it was around 5000 pesos per head all-in. Prior to arriving at the park, we dropped by at one of the supermarkets along the way and bought everything we thought we needed. We bought a gallon of water, snacks and bread. Good thing that we did since we did not expect the days to last long with nothing to do but admire the beauty of nature 🙂

The park’s geological features made me feel that I was transported to the times of the dinosaurs. I could almost see them running across the vast plains and rolling hills. That was also what attracted me to visiting Mongolia. Dinosaurs. Too bad that the dinosaur museum was closed when we attempted to visit it in Ulaanbatar. The rock formations were simply astonishing. The almost bare landscape was mesmerizing.

Aside from waiting for our meals three times a day, we also did horse backriding. LOL. This was already included in the price we paid. It was my not my first time riding a horse. But it was my first horse backriding experience in a serene environment. I thought I was a warrior princess! We were unable to record our ride because we were constantly reminded by our host to hold the rein with both hands. Or else we will fall because the terrain was not flat.

Our food was served by our local host. They were a young family who lives in the park. They speak English and they also prepare our meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Our hosts were very nice but I’m afraid we forgot to ask their names. I miss the little kid. I bet he’s a big boy now. We first thought that he was a girl due to his long hair. But his mother explained that it was a Mongolian tradition to not cut a baby boy’s hair until a certain age. Three years I think, I can no longer recall.

My stay at Gorkhi-Terelj National Park is definitely the highlight of my Mongolia trip. It gave me the Mongolia I have always admired. Romantic. Mesmerizing. Beautiful. Mongolia is definitely the Land of the Eternal Blue Sky.