Orkhontuul, Selenge

Orkhontuul (Mongolian: Орхонтуул) is a sum (district) of Selenge Province in northern Mongolia.

Orkontuul is a river valley located between the Orkhon and the Tuul rivers in the southwest corner of Selenge. Since the town is very remote, there are very few resources for living and working. However, since the town is on one of the main train lines, supplies are somewhat accessible. The natural resources include water and wood. There are a few small forests in the southern part of the soum area. Being so close to rivers, the ground is extremely fertile for growing vegetables and some fruits, including: carrots, onions, potatoes, cabbage, berries, and sometimes cherry tomatoes. There are also several wild flowers and plants that grow all around the soum.

Orkhontuul has a soum (town) center and 6 other bags, or villages.

Orkhontuul's Bags

1. Shar Us (Yellow Water) was the soum's original town center. Shar Us, or the old soum center, is one of the stops on the Erdenet-Ulaanbaatar train line. It has approximately 1670 people living there. The bag has a local bread bakery, four shops, a hospital, six apartment buildings, a public school & kindergarten, a hotel (owned by the train station), a private kindergarten, auto repair garage, a Mongolian restaurant, bank, and the government/police office.

Secondary School #2

Shar Us bag has Orkhontuul Soum's Secondary School number two. The school currently has 350 students from kindergarten to 11th grade. There are 15 teachers, 1 social worker, 1 manager, 1 director, 4 workers/cleaner/cooks, and 1 doorman/guard. The typical subjects are taught there: math, computer science, biology, chemistry, geography, gym, shop, and foreign languages: English and Russian. The school recently created an internet cafe for the entire community to use.

Tourism & Travel

Orkhontuul is a very remote and rural soum of Mongolia, so not very many people travel through the soum. The only attractions are the rivers, which are great for swimming in the summer, and the small owoo (Mongolian holy shrine made of rocks). There are also many mountains that are easily climbable. The famous mountain is King Mountain in the Shar Us area. You have to cross the river to get to it, but it's defiantly a site to check out if you are in the town. The people there are usually very friendly and helpful towards foreigners and travellers. The trouble with Orkhontuul is getting there. There are very few additional transportation options going to and coming from the town other than the night train. Thus making the town somewhat inaccessible during the daytime (unless you hire a private car or know someone with a car who also lives there). During the major holidays (Shin Jil-Jan 1, Tsaagan Sar- Jan/Feb, or Naadam-July/August), there are several taxis and vans that drive through the town, but other than that, you have to use the train to get to the town.

Railway Station

The railway station in Orkhontuul soum is the primary mode of transport for the residents to enter or leave the soum. One train comes in and leaves twice a day.

Schedule

Districts of Selenge Altanbulag Baruunbüren Bayangol Javkhlant Khüder Khushaat Mandal (Züünkharaa city) Orkhon Orkhontuul Sant Saikhan Shaamar Sükhbaatar (city) Tsagaannuur Tüshig Yeröö Züünbüren

Coordinates: 48°49′48″N 104°48′30″E / 48.83000°N 104.80833°E / 48.83000; 104.80833