13 Best Hotels in Terelj National Park
The best hotels, yurt camps, and homestay experiences with a local family I found in Terelj National Park, Mongolia. Plus, a 2 day itinerary for when you visit.
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Less than two hours from the capital Ulaanbaatar, Terelj National Park is a perfect short trip. It’s a popular weekend getaway for locals and I personally enjoy heading out here when I have a few free days. It’s the perfect place to get some fresh air and stretch my legs.
At an altitude of 5,249 feet (1,600 m), with Avkhan Mountain as the highest point at 8,740 feet (2,664 m), the park a great place for horseback riding or on horse treks, rock climbing, mountain biking, dog sledding in winter, meeting local families, and sleeping in a traditional ger. The Terelj River runs through the park and is great for kayaking, standup paddle boarding, swimming, and just enjoying a short period of peace and tranquility. All of these are quintessential Mongolia experiences and the reasons why I’ve been here more than 25 times in the last five years.
Perfect 2 Day Terelj Itinerary
Day 1
- Genghis Khan Statue
- Genghis Khan Statue Museum
- Horseback Riding
- Turtle Rock
- Aryabal Meditation Temple
To avoid sitting in traffic, the best time to leave Ulaanbaatar for Terelj National Park is before 9 am. Otherwise, your 1.5 hour journey can easily turn into a 3 hour one.
One of my favorite things to do when I reach the park is to visit the Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue. It’s a place I recommend tourists don’t miss.
At the statue, climb the horse’s head to get a better look at the Great Khan and take your picture with him.
Afterwards, head to the museum on the bottom floor. Here you’ll find centuries’ old artifacts and learn the basics about Mongolian history.
For a few dollars rent traditional Mongolian clothes and get a photo dressed like the Khans and Queens of Mongolia’s past.
Next, this is usually when I break for lunch, either with a nomadic family or at one of the local restaurants. I really enjoy the food at Farmhouse Retreat, a greenhouse restaurant that serves my favorite lunch in Terelj.
After lunch is the best time for a quick horseback ride with a local herder as my guide. You can usually find the herders along the main road in the park. Riding a Mongolian horse will cost 30,000 to 50,000 tugrik.
Once lunch is over and I’ve gotten a horse ride out of my system, it’s off to Turtle Rock to leave an offering to the money rock. From there it’s deeper into the valley to climb the steps at the Aryabal Meditation Temple, a colorful and mesmerizing Buddhist temple with no monks, before checking into one of my favorite hotels for the night.
Day 2
- Morning Hike
- Cultural Show
The next morning, my second day inside the park, is usually slow going. I take in the fresh countryside air and enjoy a quiet breakfast with a beautiful view! If you have a sunny day, the best way to enjoy it is to take a hike through the nearby hills, away from the tourist area. This is why I stay in the park at least two days every time I visit!
It’s during this alone time I get to search for the wildlife that lives here. Including the brown bear, boar, red deer, roe deer, foxes, and wolves.
After hiking, a spa appointment, the cultural show at the Mongol Culture Park, or another horse ride are the last thing I do before leaving the park. Finally, it’s time to start driving back to the capital city.
With this 2 day Terelj National Park itinerary you’ll see and do everything you need to during your trip.
Reach out to me to book a tour of Terelj National Park or get a tour operator recommendation →
I trust this taxi service to get from Ulaanbaatar to Terelj →
Tips for Staying at a Mongolian Tourist Camp
Basically, when I say tourist camp or yurt camp, I mean any place where you can rent a yurt and stay for the night. Tourist camps in Terelj range in size from a few yurts to nearly 100.
In general, yurts at tourist camps don’t have bathrooms inside. This means you’ll use a shared bathroom in a main building. These bathrooms are usually very simple, with showers, toilets, and sinks. The camp will provide you with a towel, but you will need to pack your own toiletries such as soap, shampoo, and conditioner.
Yurts are very cozy and if you ask me, there’s nothing better than waking up in one. There’s something extremely peaceful about sleeping in these felt tents. They stay cool in summer and warm in winter. This is thanks to their unique construction. Even if the weather outside is windy or rainy, it only adds to the charm of staying in one. They are surprisingly sturdy and can handle any weather condition. You never have to worry, even if there’s rain and wind outside.
No Wi-Fi, No Problem
Download movies or music to your phone or laptop before checking in. Wi-Fi usually isn’t available at tourist camps. The point is to disconnect! Bring a book and sit in nature with your feet in the grass. It’s the perfect place to escape the modern stresses of living in today’s world. Staying in a tourist camp is the only time I get to really disconnect from my phone and connect with the nature all around me!
Additionally, yurts at tourist camps in Terelj will always have electricity and outlets. If they don’t, they’ll warn you beforehand. Generally though, it still a good idea to come into these experiences as prepared as possible with fully charged power banks as a backup just in case!
Now that you know what to expect when you check into a tourist camp, here are my favorite hotels and places to stay in Terelj National Park.
13 Best Hotels in Terelj National Park
- Juulchin Tourist Resort
- Glory Resort Mongolia
- Terelj Star Resort
- Farmhouse Retreat
- Apache Eco Camp Terelj
- Yak Family Ger Camp (Local Family Stay)
- Jiguur Family Resort
- Terelj Hotel
- Bayangol Hotel & Resort
- Resort World Terelj
- Ulaanbaatar
- Terelj Hills Lodge
- Bayan Mongolian Resort
Juulchin Tourist Resort
The newest and most upscale yurt lodge to open in 2023, Terelj National Park, Juulchin Tourist Resort is a five-star stay. Clean, simple, modern design collides with a natural aesthetic and traditional Mongolian design, which will leave you feeling relaxed as soon as you walk in. Yurt rooms have a private bathroom, seating area, front porch, and three single beds. Inside the main lodge, choose from a Deluxe or Deluxe Double room for a more traditional hotel stay. In addition to a great room, the resort is known for offering fun events such as a canvas and wine painting class, a sushi making class, yoga and sound meditations, and more.
Glory Resort Mongolia
Located in an ideal place right off the main road heading into Terelj National Park, you can’t miss Glory Resort. Consisting of both lodge and yurt rooms, the rooms here are simple but elegantly decorated. Specifically I recommend staying here if you’re more interested in spending time in your room than in nature, because that’s what they do best here. The yurt rooms have an in-yurt bathroom, something not so common at hotels in Terelj, giving you a more private stay. In the morning, their European-style kitchen serves a great breakfast buffet that’s included in a stay at the resort and there’s free Wi-Fi available across the property, including in the lodge rooms and yurts. They even have a karaoke room and offer room service, for that extra touch.
Terelj Star Resort
This is my favorite place to stay in Terelj when I want to spend a night in a traditional Mongolian yurt but I don’t want to do the whole family homestay thing. Staying here means comfortable plush beds and linens, gorgeous views and hiking trails in the surrounding mountains, and great Mongolian food. The yurts don’t have bathrooms inside, unless you get one of the Deluxe double or twin rooms, which are more expensive. If you rent a quadruple room, you’ll have access to the shared bathrooms, which have always been clean and tidy in my experience staying there. The yurts have glass doors so you can take in the view from bed and the front patio is the perfect place to sit and have a coffee in the morning.
Farmhouse Retreat
To be honest, I prefer small, boutique hotels over large, overcrowded ones. I like to meet the owner, hear their story, and have a real conversation about why their passionate about running a hotel. That’s exactly what happened during my stay at the Farmhouse Retreat, a Mongolian-owned boutique hotel in Terelj National Park. Stepping inside, you’re immediately surrounded by a garden oasis that’s unlike anything else you’ll find in Mongolia, anywhere. Surrounded by plants, nature, and beautiful views, it’s the peace, good food, and comfortable atmosphere that keep me coming back here. For lunch, try one of their garden salads, in the summer the produce all comes from their garden and in the evening order a traditional Mongolian dish like tsuivan to fill your belly.
Apache Eco Camp
Sitting on a hillside, Apache Eco Camp is one of the top places in Terelj to just sit and enjoy the view. If you’re into nature and you want a more secluded place to stay, away from the tourists and hidden away in the park’s rocky mountains, this is it. The camp’s restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and serves Mongolian food, which always comes in hearty portions. If you don’t have a car or don’t want to taxi or bus from Ulaanbaatar to the camp, the staff can arrange a shuttle service for you.
Yak Family Ger Camp (Local Family Stay)
Wondering how you book a homestay with a local nomadic family in Mongolia? Here you go. While this homestay is a bit fancier than what you’d expect from other experiences with locals, staying with a yak herding family is an experience you don’t want to miss. Near to the Genghis Khan Statue, the family will welcome you in with open arms, inviting you to be a part of their daily lives. From helping with milking the yaks to herding in the animals, going horse riding, you never know what your day will include here. But I can guarantee it will be authentic and exciting! Just be sure to wear the right attire and don’t forget your insect repellent so you can jump right in when this local family needs you to!
Jiguur Family Resort
This year-round tourist camp is great for families traveling to Mongolia with kids of any age. There’s a playground at the resort along with a sand volleyball court and basketball court, and the rooms are large enough to accommodate large groups, up to 12 guests in the Holiday Home. The yurt rooms easily sleep four people and are clean and comfortable. In the winter, the houses and yurt rooms have floor heating so that guests are comfortable no matter what the temperature is outside. Breakfast is included with every stay and there is an onsite restaurant, so families don’t even have to leave the resort at the end of a long and tiring travel day. There’s also an outdoor seating area with a barbecue that guests can use in the warmer summer months.
Terelj Hotel
When I have a special occasion or I just want to treat myself, I book a stay at this five-star hotel in Terelj. Hands down this is one of the most iconic hotels in Terelj thanks to an incredible spa and five-star service. Located right on the river, the breakfast views are stunning, and the food is some of the best I’ve had at a hotel in Terelj. The rooms need an update, but they are still comfortable and have all the amenities you want. Book the Honeymoon Suite, that’s the best room in the hotel, in my opinion! Other great perks of staying at the hotel are the gorgeous indoor swimming pool, world-class spa, and the hotel’s sprawling gym. To be honest, Terelj Hotel’s gym actually makes me want to work out when I’m there! Look for the Vladimir Lenin statue in the back courtyard, a larger than life reminder of Mongolia’s Soviet past.
Bayangol Hotel & Resort
With an unmissable golden dome roof, the Bayangol Hotel & Resort is one of the most recognizable hotels in Terelj. It’s also one of the most luxurious with a five-star rating and loyal local clientele. Made up of 34 rooms, a restaurant, spa (complete with a sauna and spa tub), two indoor pools, a children’s pool, and an indoor bar and lounge, staying here is one of the more upscale overnight stays you can have in the national park.
Resort World Terelj
Another popular hotel in Terelj, Resort World is a top place to stay when you can’t totally disconnect, and you still need Wi-Fi and modern amenities. Each room has rainfall shower, coffee/tea and a hot water kettle, 41-inch flat-screen televisions, blackout curtains, bathrobes and slippers, and a 24-hour front desk in case of emergency. The resort is conveniently located inside the park, near Turtle Rock, at the end of a dirt track road. Whether you stay here or not, the hotel’s Dunkhen restaurant serves European, Asian and Mongolian dishes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner if you’re looking for a comforting meal after a day inside the park.
Ulaanbaatar Hotel
One of the more budget-friendly places to stay in Terelj, Ulaanbaatar Hotel is located on the banks of the Tuul River inside the park. Spend your days taking part in various activities like fishing or lounging by the water and your evenings taking in the sunset from the hotel’s terrace. For travelers on a tight budget, there’s a shared dormitory with bunk beds that can be rented for a cheap price for the night.
Terelj Hills Lodge
Travelers who stay here are always bragging about the communication between staff and guests at Terelj Hills Lodge. Additionally, the restaurant serves consistently delicious meals. Expect everyone to be comfortable here, the lodge is very family-friendly with an indoor playroom and outdoor playground and big open spaces. The lodge has space to hold large meetings and gatherings, perfect if you’re traveling in a big group, like the entire family!
Bayan Mongolian Resort
Checking into Bayan Mongolian Resort you’ll have five different room types to choose from. Sleep in a traditional Mongolian yurt or opt for the Lux House or Standard House for a more comfortable home away from home experience. The natural beauty around the resort will leave you captivated as you take in the vast terrain of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. Keep an eye out for the red deer that live in the park during your stay, they love to hide in the pine trees in this area. Visit during late summer for the best weather.
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Author: Breanna Wilson
Hi! Sain uu! I’m Breanna, an American travel writer and adventurer living in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for more than 5 years. I’ve written for and been featured in Condé Nast Traveler, CNN, Forbes, and the New York Times, among others. Read more of my Mongolia travel articles here.
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