On the Trail of Chinggis Khan, 12 Days
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
12 days
$5,250 / person
Highlights
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Fuel station
Ask anyone in Ulaanbaatar where to go for a day out of the city and the answer is Terelj. Gorkhi-Terelj National Park begins barely an hour from the capital, and the change is sudden: the open, treeless steppe gives way to a river valley walled with granite towers and larch forest, dotted with white gers. This ride adds the other great day trip from the city, the 40-metre stainless-steel Chinggis Khaan on horseback at Tsonjin Boldog, which stands beside the same highway a little further east.
The main roads are paved all the way, so any road-legal bike will do it, but be honest with yourself about two things. First, the ride is out-and-back: Terelj is a dead-end valley and the statue sits on a spur, so you ride both sections twice, and the long valley road is just as good in the other direction. Second, Turtle Rock and Aryabal temple are reached by short, rough dirt tracks off the tarmac, and getting out of Ulaanbaatar means sitting in Ulaanbaatar's notoriously heavy traffic. Leave early, and you will have the valley largely to yourself.
Longest stretch without a fuel station: about 32 km, between km 67 and km 99.
The ride, stop by stop
- 1km 0
Start
Sükhbaatar Square
The great square at the heart of Ulaanbaatar, with the equestrian statue of the revolutionary hero Damdin Sükhbaatar in the middle and the Government Palace, fronted by a huge seated Chinggis Khaan, along its north side. The city's zero-kilometre point is here, and Peace Avenue, your road east, runs along its southern edge.
Tip: Be rolling by 7 am. Ulaanbaatar's traffic jams are notorious, and an hour's difference in the morning can save you an hour of crawling along Peace Avenue.
The roadkm 0–35
Out of the city
A0501Busy city avenues, then a main highwayThe A0501 runs east along Peace Avenue, then out along Gachuurt Road and over a low rise of about 1,500 metres towards Nalaikh, skirting the town around km 31. The first 15 km are the hardest part of the day: dense, impatient traffic, buses stopping without warning and lane discipline that is loose at best. Fuel stations are plentiful along this stretch.
The roadkm 35–72
Across the steppe to the statue
A0501Two-lane tarmac, open and fastAt km 35 the road to Terelj turns off left; carry straight on along the A0501 instead, across rolling grassland with almost nothing between you and the horizon. You pass the eighth-century Tonyukuk inscription beside the road at about km 44, and the statue appears long before you reach it at km 54. Then turn round and ride the same road back to the Terelj junction. Watch for horses, cattle and sheep on the road, and for crosswinds on the open plain.
- 2km 53.9
Sight
Chinggis Khaan Equestrian Statue
Allow 45–60 min
Photo: Martin Vorel, CC0 A 40-metre Chinggis Khaan on horseback, clad in stainless steel, rises out of the open steppe at Tsonjin Boldog, where legend says the young Temüjin found a golden whip. It stands on a round visitor centre, and from inside you can climb up through the horse to a viewing platform on its head, looking out over the steppe.
Tip: An admission fee is charged to go inside; even if you skip it, the statue is best seen from the approach road.
The roadkm 72–102
Into Gorkhi-Terelj
A24Two-lane tarmac, one short gravel stretchThe A24 heads north, with a gravel section of under a kilometre around km 75, then crosses the Tuul River on a long bridge at km 76. A park entry fee is charged on the road into the park. The valley narrows between granite towers and larch, the turning for Turtle Rock and Aryabal comes at km 90, and the road crests at nearly 1,700 metres before dropping to Terelj village. Expect tourist minibuses, horse riders and livestock on the tarmac.
- 3km 90
SightDetour
Turtle Rock (Melkhii Khad)
Allow 30 minAbout 2½ km each way on a rough dirt track
Photo: PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ, CC BY-SA 4.0 The best-known sight in the park: a granite outcrop that looks unmistakably like a giant tortoise with its head raised. It sits in a side valley west of the main road, surrounded by grassland and gers, and is the natural place to stretch your legs and look at the granite towers around you.
Tip: The track from the main road is rutted dirt and turns slippery after rain; ride it standing and slowly, or park at the turn and walk if your bike is low.
- 4km 94.3
SightDetour
Aryabal Meditation Temple
Allow 1–1½ hoursAbout 2 km beyond Turtle Rock on the same dirt track, then on foot
Photo: Zazaa Mongolia, CC BY-SA 4.0 A Buddhist meditation temple set high on a rocky hillside a short way north of Turtle Rock. You leave the bike at the foot of the hill and walk up a path and a long flight of steps, with boards of Buddhist teachings along the way. The view back over the valley is the best in this part of the park.
Tip: Allow time for the walk and wear boots you can climb steps in; the path is steep and the altitude is around 1,600 metres.
- 5km 101.7
Food
Terelj village
Allow 1 hour with lunch
The tarmac ends at the small settlement of Terelj, beside the Terelj River, with forested hills closing in on every side. It is the turning point of the ride and the place for lunch: ger camps and simple restaurants in the valley serve Mongolian food. Beyond here only tracks continue into the park.
Tip: There are fuel stations near the village; top up before the ride back if your tank is small.
The roadkm 102–134
Back down the valley
A24Two-lane tarmac, one short gravel stretchThe same road in reverse, and the granite towers look quite different in the afternoon light going south. Ride the gravel patch near the bridge with care and keep an eye out for animals, which wander onto the road at any time of day.
The roadkm 134–168.5
Back into Ulaanbaatar
A0501Main highway, then busy city avenuesTurn right onto the A0501 and retrace your way west past Nalaikh into the city. Traffic thickens steadily as you reach the outskirts and is at its worst in the late afternoon and early evening; stay patient and keep plenty of space around you.
- 6km 168.5
Finish
Sükhbaatar Square
The ride ends where it began, back along Peace Avenue. Late afternoon traffic into the city can be slow, so allow extra time for the last 20 km, then park up and walk the square in the evening light.
Before you ride
Licence and insurance
Foreign riders generally need their home licence plus an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles. Rules and enforcement change, so check the current requirements before you ride, and make sure your travel insurance covers motorcycling.
Which bike
The main roads are paved, so any road bike or scooter will make the trip, but a 150–250 cc motorcycle is much more comfortable at highway speeds on the open steppe and copes far better with the dirt tracks to Turtle Rock and Aryabal. A dual-sport bike is ideal if you want to explore the park's tracks further.
Fuel
There are plenty of stations in the city and on the road to Nalaikh, and a couple in the Terelj valley. Fill up around Nalaikh before the statue and the valley, as stations are sparse on the open road.
When to ride
June to September is the riding season: warm days, green valleys and long evenings, though summer brings sudden thunderstorms, so carry waterproofs. May and October are possible but cold, with a real chance of snow. Mongolian winters are severe, with temperatures far below freezing, and not for riding.
Traffic and safety
Mongolia drives on the right, and helmets are compulsory. Ulaanbaatar's traffic is notoriously heavy and erratic, so leave early and expect to filter slowly. Outside the city, livestock on the road is the main hazard: horses, cows, sheep and goats wander freely, often on blind crests. Some navigation apps suggest returning from Terelj via Gachuurt; that road is mapped as unpaved, so stay on the A24 and A0501.
Altitude and weather
The whole ride is between about 1,300 and 1,700 metres, and the weather on the steppe changes fast. Even on a summer day the valley can turn cold and wet in the afternoon, so pack a warm layer.
Rather ride with a local?
These operators run guided tours from Ulaanbaatar, listed alphabetically. Contact any of them through Moto Mass.