Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

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Gorkhi-Terelj National Park is one of the national parks of Mongolia. Terelj is located in Mongolia's Töv aimag, approximately 70 km from the capital, Ulan Bator.

A small portion of the park is developed for tourists, with restaurants, souvenir shops, horses and camels for rent, and tourist ger camps. 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).

Many Westerners were introduced to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park when the CBS reality television program The Amazing Race visited the park in the second episode of its tenth season.

[edit] External links

• Web page with information about, maps of, and pictures of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
• Tourist review of the park
• MSNBC Travel article about the park
• USA Today Travel article about the park
• Official The Amazing Race website recapping the show's visit to Terelj