Turtle Rock

Мэлхий хад

A granite boulder about 24 meters high at the entrance to Terelj National Park, shaped like a turtle with its head raised. You can climb into a crack in the rock and it is the park's signature photo spot.

Turtle Rock (Mongolian: Melkhii Khad) is beside the road near the southern entrance of Terelj National Park. It is a weathered granite boulder about 24 meters high. From the road it looks just like a turtle stretching its neck. Legend says it was a sacred turtle guarding the valley in the time of Genghis Khan, and it is one of Mongolia's best-known curiosities. Visitors can enter the rock through a crack on the back and climb along the stone wall to an opening in the middle of the “shell,” where they can look out over the Terelj River valley and the larch forests in the distance. The climb is not difficult but requires using both hands and feet, and it takes about 20 to 30 minutes. In front of the rock is a large grassy area where herders offer horse, yak and camel rides for photos (about 10,000 to 20,000 tögrög), and there are stalls selling dairy products and souvenirs. A small path beside the rock leads to the Aryabal Meditation Temple, about 4 kilometers away, so you can combine the two: climb the Turtle Rock first, then continue to the temple. Entry is free. Getting there: nearly every one-day Terelj tour stops here. By car from the city it takes about 1.5 hours. It is on the main Terelj road, 5 to 10 kilometers before most of the camps. Note: the granite surface is rough, so wear sneakers and avoid skirts. It is slippery after rain, the crevice is narrow, and larger people should take care. The toilet facilities nearby are basic.

Turtle Rock

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