Khustain Nuruu National Park – Mongolia

Last updated 9 months ago by Jessica Brooks | Published: May 20, 2018

Khustain Nuruu National Park

Khustain Nuruu National Park is one of three locations chosen for the re-introduction of the endemic Przewalski horse (Equus przewalskii) in Mongolia – the only wild horse to survive in modern times and known as Takhi in Mongolia. 

Roughly 21% of Mongolia’s landmass (2020) has some form of national environmental protection. A further percentage has local protected area status. Khustain National Park comes under the national level protection and is one of the success stories of environmental protection in Mongolia although it does face frequent challenges.  Khustain is actually managed by a dedicated NGO – the Hustai National Park Trust (HNPT)*  – established in 2003 and specialising in nature and environmental conservation. 

* You will see Khustain written as Hustai, Khustai and Hustain

Khustain Nuruu National Park – time for some statistics

Part of the appeal of Khustain Nuruu National Park is its accessibility  – located approximately 100km from Ulaanbaatar.

The reserve covers an area of 50, 600 hectares and is located on the southern fringes of the forest-steppe zone. It has a diverse ecology and habitats include sand dunes, open steppe, a river valley, birch forest, and mountains. Takhi horses roam the various habitats within the national park but stay in harem groups with a strict hierarchy, dependent on the age and relationship of the individual horses. Each group has its own range within the national park. 

The national park has an elevation of between 1100 – 1840m – which leads to some incredible look-out points over the distant Moltsog Sands as well as the partly forested Khustain Mountains. 

Read a guidebook and you will see it recommends visiting Khustain at sunrise and sunset. Why? This is the key time to see the wild horses. However, it’s also peak visiting time and you compete with large tour groups and vehicle dust. So we recommend approaching things a little differently. 

Khustain Nuruu National Park – hike, bike or horse trek

This is how we prefer to do it. This slower pace of exploration helps to provide you with a better understanding of the biodiversity of Khustain – its people, landscapes, and wildlife. Also, try to arrange an overnight stay as this gives you longer to experience the local community, the diversity of the landscapes, and the variety of wildlife including red deer, corsac foxes, Siberian marmots, black vultures, and other numerous raptors such as eagles and falcons. Not to mention the wildflowers. You can also explore the archaeology in the southern region of the park close to the Tuul River including Neolithic graves (roughly from the 6th or 7th century A.D).

A marmot – found throughout the steppe landscapes of Mongolia including Khustain Nuruu National Park. Image: EL guest Marian Herz

Long Legged Buzzards can be found in the national park. Image: EL guest Marian Herz

Where To Stay – Khustain Nuruu National Park

The tourist ger camp provided by the Hustai National Park Trust is an obvious accommodation option – especially as the funds raised go back into the national park. Located at the entrance to the park, there is a (recently updated) information centre. Although it seems large, part of the camp does include the research centre.

However, we prefer the more local approach and the herders in the buffer zone of the protected area are part of a community-based tourism project where they open their homes to visitors. We work with the Bayansonginot Cooperative where herding families within the area have come together to focus on developing community-based tourism as an alternative income generation as well as promoting the modern-day herding way of life. The women members of the cooperative are treated as equals and attend the meetings and are also involved in decision-making. They also hand-produce felt items from their sheep herds – they do this for additional income as well as a sense of empowerment.

Alternatively, we are permitted to camp in the buffer zone and we dearly love the view from our campsite.

Whoever you choose to visit with, make it a responsible visit

• View all wildlife from a safe distance and remember that if the animal interrupts its behaviour then you are too close.
• Use binoculars and a long lens
• Take all rubbish with you and do not leave any trace – including toilet paper
• Yes, you will want to document your visit but remember that the welfare of the Takhi and the other wildlife are far more important than your photograph
• There are rules and regulations set by the national park – listed at the entrance of the park. Please follow them.

Jess @ Eternal Landscapes

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