REVIEW · TOV
2 Day Horse trekking in Terelj national park
Book on GetYourGuide →Operated by GobiGoTour · Bookable on GetYourGuide
Two days on horseback, without the stress. This Terelj National Park trip mixes beginner-friendly riding practice with big-name sights like Turtle Rock and a night in a Mongolian ger.
What I like most is the way the schedule turns sightseeing into real, hands-on experience. You get taught how to ride a horse, then you spend actual time moving through the park. I also love the focus on local life: a dinner and overnight in a Mongolian ger, plus meals that feel tied to how people live, not just what looks good for photos.
One thing to plan for: the ger stay is no shower. If you’re counting on modern comforts, you’ll want to manage expectations and pack smart.
In This Review
- Key highlights worth your attention
- Turtle Rock Day 1: from Max Mall to your first saddle skills
- Aryabal monastery and a horseman’s lunch in Terelj
- Ger overnight: sleeping in Mongolian life, not a hotel bubble
- Day 2: Mongolian-style breakfast, more riding, and the culture tempo
- Chinggis Khaan statue and Zaisan Hill for the big-picture moment
- Value for $310: what you’re really buying in two days
- Who this trip suits best (and who should skip it)
- Should you book this 2-day Terelj horse trek?
- FAQ
- What is the duration of the Terelj horse trekking experience?
- Where do I meet the tour in Ulaanbaatar?
- Is pickup from my hotel available?
- How much does it cost?
- What’s included in the price?
- What meals are provided?
- Is there a shower in the ger overnight?
- What should I bring?
- What language will the guide speak?
- What’s not included, and what’s not allowed?
Key highlights worth your attention
- Turtle Rock and Terelj National Park stops that help you see the area beyond just riding
- Horse riding instruction, so you’re not thrown into the saddle with zero guidance
- Aryabal monastery (meditation monastery) for a calmer, more spiritual pause
- Dinner and sleep in a ger, a straightforward way to experience Mongolian daily life overnight
- Lunch with a local horseman plus time built around meeting people
- Big view moments at the Chinggis Khaan statue and Zaisan Hill memorial area
Turtle Rock Day 1: from Max Mall to your first saddle skills
Day 1 starts with pickup from a very specific spot in Ulaanbaatar: Max Mall. Your guide meets you with your name or the TourGobi logo, and pickup can be arranged if you share your address. If you’re coming from elsewhere, this is one less moving piece to coordinate on your own.
From there, you’ll ride out to Terelj National Park with a driver and an English-speaking guide. The first big stop is Turtle rock—one of those classic Terelj photo anchors that helps you orient yourself fast. Even if you’ve just arrived, seeing a landmark right away makes the trip feel like it really has a route and a purpose.
After Turtle Rock, the day shifts toward culture and local rhythm, not just scenery. You’ll visit Aryabal monastery, described as a meditation monastery in the tour highlights. It’s the kind of stop that works well after a travel day because it’s quieter and slower than the riding segments.
Then the tour moves into the core activity: horse time. You’ll have lunch with a local family horseman before you go out riding around the national park. The practical value here is that you’re not eating in a hurry and then immediately jumping on a horse. You get fed first, and you’re in the right headspace to learn.
Practical tip for you: if you’re new to riding, treat the first riding session as training, not a performance. Ask questions early (English speaking guide is included) and focus on safe, comfortable control rather than speed.
Aryabal monastery and a horseman’s lunch in Terelj
Two parts of Day 1 feel especially “real” in the best way: Aryabal monastery and the lunch with a local horseman.
Aryabal monastery matters because it gives you a different side of Mongolia than what you’ll get from the outdoors. The tour highlights it specifically as a meditation monastery, which usually means you’re not doing a checklist tour—you’re being placed in a calmer setting and expected to observe respectfully.
The lunch is the other anchor. The plan includes lunch with a local family horseman, which turns a meal into a conversation point. You’re not just eating in transit; you’re pausing where locals actually live and work. Even if language is a barrier, the setting does a lot of the communicating.
Here’s the one detail you should double-check: the tour information also mentions learning how to make a Mongolian lunch in a traditional way. One provided review noted that this part was disappointing because it wasn’t available during that departure. You can’t assume every trip runs the same, so if “cooking practice” is a must for you, ask your guide the day before or at pickup whether the traditional lunch-making lesson is planned for your specific dates.
Why this matters: if you go in expecting a hands-on cooking lesson and it doesn’t happen, the day can feel slightly less special. If you go in expecting local food and a cultural meal conversation, you’ll still get the value even if the extra lesson doesn’t fit.
Ger overnight: sleeping in Mongolian life, not a hotel bubble
At the end of Day 1, you’ll have dinner and sleep in a Mongolian ger. This is where the trip goes beyond “scenic ride” and leans into the lifestyle side of Mongolia.
The biggest practical takeaway is right in the included list: the ger has no shower. That affects what you should pack and how you should think about comfort. Bring a change of clothes (listed), and plan to handle basics simply. A charged smartphone and camera also make sense here—ger nights and the surrounding dark hours are often when photos turn out most atmospheric.
This overnight format also tends to bring you closer to your guide and hosts, because the whole day has less “drop-off and disappear” energy. You’re in a small, fixed place for the night. It’s easier to ask questions. It’s easier to notice the little routines.
One more note from the reviews you were given: one guest specifically praised the guide and driver for being kind and made the experience feel safe and easy to handle. That matters in Mongolia trips where you’re not familiar with the local setup. If your guide is patient and clear, you’re more likely to enjoy the pace rather than worrying about logistics.
Day 2: Mongolian-style breakfast, more riding, and the culture tempo
Day 2 begins with breakfast in a Mongolian style hosted by locals. This is a good reset after a night in a ger. Breakfast also gives you time to slow down and get your bearings before the second riding session.
Then you’ll go back into the main activity: more horse riding around the national park. The tour includes learning how to ride, and the structure suggests you’ll have another chance to practice after Day 1. For you, the benefit is simple: the first day is about learning basics, and the second day is where those basics start to feel less like work.
After riding, you’ll have lunch and you’ll be taught how to make a Mongolian lunch in a traditional way. Again, it’s smart to keep your expectations flexible. If it’s offered on your dates, it’s a standout cultural skill to take home. If it’s not, you’ll still have local food and a guided explanation of how meals fit the rhythm of the area.
Then the day shifts fully into sights—statues and viewpoints.
Chinggis Khaan statue and Zaisan Hill for the big-picture moment
The tour doesn’t only focus on horses and monasteries. You also get major cultural monuments:
- Chinggis Khaan statue
- Zaisan Hill memorial statue, followed by a view of the area
These stops are valuable for a different reason than horse riding. They turn your park day into a broader Mongolia experience—history, national identity, and a higher vantage point where you can see more of what Terelj looks like from above.
If you like grounding your travel in context, these monuments help. If you’re purely an outdoors person, the upside is that they’re quick, planned stops with clear payoff: photos, a sense of place, and an easy break from riding.
You’ll finish Day 2 by returning to the car and getting dropped at your hotel.
Tip: if you want photos at the memorial area, keep your camera accessible. You don’t want to waste the short moments you’ll have there.
Value for $310: what you’re really buying in two days
At $310 per person for a 2-day guided experience, you’re not just paying for the ride. You’re paying for the whole package that makes a Terelj horse trip workable:
- Driver and English-speaking guide
- Meals included (lunch and dinner Day 1, breakfast and lunch Day 2)
- Ger accommodation (no shower)
- National park entrance fee
- Museum tickets (listed as included)
- Time built around monastery visits, statue stops, and meeting locals
When you break it down, the price makes sense for travelers who want a structured itinerary and don’t want to coordinate transport, guidance, and park access separately. You also get cultural anchors (monastery + ger + local meals) instead of spending the whole two days only on horseback.
What’s not included is also clear: alcohol products, snacks, private use products, and insurance. If you bring snacks anyway, you’ll probably want to pack them yourself (the tour doesn’t list snacks as included).
Who this trip suits best (and who should skip it)
This tour fits well if you want:
- A guided first experience with horse riding rather than going fully independent
- A mix of nature + culture (monastery, ger overnight, local meals, statue sites)
- A straightforward two-day structure without needing to plan daily transport
It may be less ideal if:
- You strongly require a shower or hotel-style comfort (ger is no shower)
- You want a guaranteed, hands-on cooking lesson every time (it’s listed, but at least one provided booking didn’t get that part)
- You’re traveling with items that are not allowed, like baby strollers or baby carriages
It’s not suitable for babies under 1 year and people over 95 years, based on the tour information you provided.
Should you book this 2-day Terelj horse trek?
Book it if you want Terelj National Park in a format that feels human and lived-in: horse riding instruction, a night in a ger, monastery time, and meal moments with locals. The price is reasonable for a two-day guided package that includes transport, park access, and meals—especially if you don’t want to juggle planning yourself.
Before you go, do two things:
- Confirm what’s planned for the traditional Mongolian lunch-making lesson on your dates.
- Mentally prepare for no shower during the ger overnight, and pack accordingly.
If those two points work for your style of travel, this is a solid choice.
FAQ
What is the duration of the Terelj horse trekking experience?
It runs for 2 days.
Where do I meet the tour in Ulaanbaatar?
The meeting point is Max Mall in Ulaanbaatar, where your guide will be waiting with your name or a sign with the TourGobi logo.
Is pickup from my hotel available?
Pickup is optional. If you share your pickup address, the driver and guide can come to get you.
How much does it cost?
The price is $310 per person.
What’s included in the price?
Included items are the driver, an English speaking guide, meals, ger accommodation (no shower), national park entrance fee, and museum tickets.
What meals are provided?
You’ll have breakfast in Mongolian style Day 2, plus lunch and dinner as part of the schedule.
Is there a shower in the ger overnight?
No. The accommodation is listed as a ger / no shower.
What should I bring?
Bring change of clothes, a camera, cash, and a charged smartphone.
What language will the guide speak?
The tour includes a live guide in Mongolian, English, Japanese, and Korean.
What’s not included, and what’s not allowed?
Not included: alcohol products, snacks, private use products, and insurance. Not allowed: baby strollers, baby carriages, alcohol and drugs, and bachelor/bachelorette party groups.
