The gigantic steel equine statue mounted by Genghis Khan himself is the largest statue of an equestrian in the world. This 40 m tall statue is located on a hillside on the bank of the Tuul River in an area called Tsonjin Boldog and connected to capital Ulaanbaatar by 54 km paved road. Tsonjin Boldog was chosen according to the legend that Genghis Khan found a whip in this area. In Mongolia, people believe that man finding a whip is a sign of fortune, good destiny, and occasion. The statue faces east, the direction of Genghis Khan's birthplace, and the sunrise. If you stretch your eyes to the east, you will see a small statue of his mother greeting him.

Gorkhi terelj national park and we are going to hike the turtle rock

Turtle Rock, ”Melkhii Khad”, is a surprising granitic formation, 24 metres (79 feet) high, whose form reminds of a turtle. Its old name was Mungut Khad. Located at the foothills of a mountain covered of pines, this rocky formation is incontestably a photo opportunity while you’re on the road for Terelj. There, it’s possible to rent horses, and during the summer, you can also find souvenirs’ sellers. It’s a good starting point for a small walk (about one hour) that will lead you until the centre of meditation of Aryaval or in the most remote places of the park. If you move a few kilometres forward on the main road that leads to Terelj Village, you will also be able to see on your right the formation called ”the old man reading”.

t’s located within Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, about 10 kilometres (6,21 miles) from the entrance. From the turtle rock, you can make a pleasant hike (about 45 minutes). Located on the hillside of a mountain covered with larches and granite rock, Aryaval meditation centre will delight the travellers. To reach the temple, you will have to pass a small wooden bridge on which a sign tells: ”the bridge that leads beyond wisdom”. The main temple is dedicated to Kalachakra philosophy, ”wheel of time”. The temple contains a thangka representing the myth of the Shambhala (a thangka is a painting on cotton or silk; Shambhala is, according to Buddhist philosophy, a fabulous place hidden somewhere in Asia), a Kalachakra mandala, and other objects bound to this belief. On the ground floor of this building, you can admire a ”gallery of Buddhist philosophy”, with 220 original paintings of the artist Bayantsagaan representing the different belief and Buddhist philosophy.

centre of ulaanbaatar