056 – To Terelj National Park

29th Apr 2012, Terelj, Mongolia

I want to be Chinggis Khan. I mean. Who wouldn't. Living out on the steppes, riding horses, pillaging and having a great time in general. It's the stuff of dreams.

I had the chance to be Chinggis, minus the pillaging bit. Just 60km out of Ulaanbaatar is the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. It's proximity to the city means many travellers with little time end up there. It's also the third and final stop of the Kharkhorin-Mini Gobi-Terelj tour.

The landscape was just amazing, especially in the evening sun, when our russian van rolled into the camp area. It's endless hilly steppes, with the Gorkhi mountains in the background. Like scenes from a postcard.

Then there were the horses. We were to have a horse-riding session. The horses had free roam around the area, so the Mongolian owner of the ranch sent his kid out (on a motorcyle!) to herd the horses back into the ranch. Next was to tempt them with feed, and while the horses are eating, he would drape the saddle across and rein in the horse, Indiana Jones style.

The guy was deliberating whether to give one particular horse to me or not. In the end, he probably thought I looked like I could handle a spirited horse, and handed me the reins. The horse had its own opinion on where to go, and started moving even before I got my legs into the stirrups. "Whoa!" i say. My horse, compared to the others, would race forward to be the lead horse each time I slow him down and he falls behind the race. (alpha male!) I got pretty good with handling the horse though, out of necessity.

Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. The Gorkhi mountains in the back.

My ger at the campsite, with a large rock outcropping overlooking the ger.

The camp grounds. The 3 gers are located within a small area, the rest of the area is for the horses to roam

The furry cow is feeding on ice bits on the ground.

The campsite, with several other camps down in the distance.

More shots of camp

One of the three tame dogs from the camp. This one's the most docile.

Looking at me, cos I have food.

I got in a spot of trouble when I climbed up the rocks, with my food, and the dogs followed, trapping me up there with them. Got down fine.

To put in perspective how small the gers are compared to the mountains behind.

Before we can go horse riding, the owner's son needs to herd the horses towards the camp so he can saddle them. How h! e does i t? By motorcycle of course!