Few tourists come to Mongolia without visiting its most iconic landmark, a 40m-high glistening silver Chinggis Khaan statue. Constructed in 2008 from stainless steel, the dramatic statue, built with private funds, has a lift (elevator) rising up its tail, from where there are steps to the horse’s head. It was built here, so the legend goes, because this was the spot where Chinggis Khaan found a golden whip.

The complex includes an impressive museum (with Hunnu artefacts and items from the Mongol empire), a cafe and a souvenir shop. A short film describes how the monument was built. For an extra T3000 you can don Chinggis Khaan armour for a photo shoot in front of an enormous Mongolian boot, which stands at 9m high. There's ger accommodation, too, if for some reason you want to stay the night. It's located just off the main road between Nalaikh and Erdene, at a place called Tsonjin Boldog. A round trip in a taxi from Ulaanbaatar will set you back about T80,000. Located just up the road is the statue of Chinggis Khan's mother, Hoelun, who gazes back towards her son.

GORKHI-TERELJ National Park is considered one of the most beautiful worth visiting places for travelers who wanted to rest in surroundings near UB. If you like adventure activities such as hiking, rafting, horse or camel riding and visiting nomad family and stay overnight in traditional Ger dwelling within short period, this is the real place to fulfill your wishes.

Aryaval meditation centre was inaugurated in summer 2006 after many years of construction. It’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. On the hill dominating the temple, you can also admire a new sculpture of Buddha carved in the rock. On top of the cliffs, there is a meditation hut.