Hustai National Park: How to Visit Mongolia’s Wild Horses

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The Przewalski’s horse is a relatively skiddish stocky sandy brown colored animal that is the only species of horse that was never domesticated. Hustai is literally the only place in the world to see truly wild horses. I camped in the tall grass just outside the park for free so that I could wake at 6 AM and hit the off-road track through the park while the horses were most active.

Summary: A grassy national park with a single off-road track to see the world’s last truly wild horses. 

Most visitors will only be permitted fleeting glances of the horses, they often retreat over the inaccessible hilltops as soon as you round the bend. But if you’re lucky you’ll see the herds relatively close to the road and spot hoards of leaping deer, antelope, and fat marmots. Even more appealing— this little slice of nature is within a 2-hour drive (on paved roads!) of Ulaanbaatar. 

What makes this a truly special experience is that the Przewalski’s horses are the ONLY wild horses left in the world. They have never been domesticated. Not once in their entire lineage. Even the wild horses of the American West were once domestic as they are not native to the lands they live on. 

Update: Technically, this is hotly contested. Reuters wrote a whole article using recent science that proves these horses are actually just descendants from the now-extinct last wild horses. You can read the whole thing here. Either way, it’s the closest we can get today to spotting wild horses.

Here’s everything you need to know to plan a successful visit to Hustai National Park on your next trip to Mongolia.

A Complete Guide to Hustai National Park For First Time Visitor’s

Because not only was it one of my favorite National Parks but it was one of my favorite places to wild camp in the country.

Best time of Year to Visit Hustai National Park

The best time of year to visit is the same throughout Mongolia. 

Peak season = May – September. 

We visited during August which was lovely during the daytime but was already FREEZING once the sunset. It was the coldest night of camping we had in Mongolia (the scenery was lovely) but make sure you either visit in the peak of summer or have lots of layers and thermal gear to protect yourself from the elements at night.

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What to Expect During Your Visit 

Hustai National Park is a protected area of rolling grassland. Tall green fields covering a vast landscape. Unlike Terelj National Park there is very little infrastructure in and around the park. In fact, it’s little more than one single rutted dirt track. 

Don’t get too excited though. This isn’t the place for true off-road driving. The horses need these pasturelands to survive. So you CAN NOT go driving about and trampling them. You must stay on the road.

During your time in the park, you’ll follow the established path in a vehicle (or on foot if you really want to but that’s not recommended) and hope to catch a glimpse of the horses grazing in the open grassland. If you’re lucky you’ll spot them and some antelope and deer that roam the hills. The entire experience will take no more than a few hours. 

Best Time of Day to Visit Hustai National Park

Morning! As I mentioned before, this is another EXCEPTIONAL place to camp in Mongolia. I highly recommend arriving late in the day, setting up camp, and then hitting the park at around 6-7 AM for optimal viewing time. 

The horses typically descend from the high hills at both sunrise and sunset to drink from the park rivers. This will give you a good chance of seeing them up close. 

If you’re following my Mongolia itineraries you’ll notice (because of time constraints) I condensed the visit to this park so that you just stop through on a day trip. If you have the time and want to wild camp in Mongolia I do recommend staying overnight. The way I explain above it the BEST way to visit but I understand that due to the distance between attractions and other more important things to see in Mongolia, you might have to adjust.

Road Conditions Getting to Hustai National Park

It’s paved up until the last 9 KM. Here you’ll turn off the pavement onto a wide and easily traversable off-road section. It’s a super easy road as far as Mongolia is concerned and labeled clearly with one massive signage on the main road and several smaller ones guiding you to the entrance of the National Park.

Be careful if it has rained or is raining however because the roads will likely be thick mud. This off-road area was severely rutted so I could see how in the rain it would be a little treacherous.

Maps.me instructions work well here.  Don’t rely on Google Maps off-road.

Once inside Hustai National Park the roads deteriorate a little and can be tippy at times. Just drive slowly and pick the most well-traveled route always. 

Again, this park would be VERY hard with rain. As would most attractions in Mongolia. I would wait out the weather rather than go for it. 

Where to stay in Hustai National Park

There are at least 3 ger camps (all on the higher priced and luxury end of gers) between the paved road and the park entrance. There is a massive ger camp at the park entrance is the best place to go and you should probably make a reservation by phone. Unfortunately, as there is little to no information about these Gers online you’ll need to talk with the owner of one of the guesthouses in UB to make this booking. Or just turn up and hope that they aren’t fully booked for the night.

It’s the best location because you can purchase your park entrance ticket from them the night before and start right at the entrance bright and early. 

However, if they are full or you want to spend the night camping in a lovely place instead…

Camping situation in Hustai National Park

This is without a doubt one of the best places to camp in Mongolia. You’ve got rolling grassy hills and lots of wide open space. The only downside is that it does get a little cold (a lot cold) at night even in August. 

You can camp right across from the Gers at the park entrance. They also have beer you can buy and let you use their bathrooms– so that’s a plus. This isn’t super remote obviously but it’s comfortable and gives you easy access to the park in the wee hours. 

For more adventurous camping you could always head to the hills off-road closer to the pavement. The world is your oyster and no spot is better than any other as you off-road through the hills. But honestly, I preferred the first-in-line status. 

You cannot camp INSIDE Hustai National Park. This entrance spot is as close as you’ll get. The park has banned camping or visiting outside of daytime hours to help protect the horses. The gate will be closed when you arrive if it’s after dark.

Quick Things to Know Before You Go to Hustai National Park

1. You’ll have to pay a 35,000 tugrik entrance fee ($10!) per person. This is the single most expensive attraction in Mongolia. It does go to protect the horse’s natural landscape. 
2. The park is open from sunrise to sundown. 
3. You’ll want to visit before 8 AM when all the tours enter the park and start to scare the horses further afield. 
4. We saw no less than 30 of the wild horses as well as antelope, deer, and marmots. 
5. We saw all the antelope after driving past a sign that seemed like it was warning against something. It’s in Mongolian so I have no clue what it said but basically — just keep driving. 
6. Bring your own food for the camping trip! The Gers did not offer us the option of dinner. There is a very small market on the paved road that has little more than frozen beer and eggs. 
7. In theory, there are also wolves inside the park but the odds of seeing any are so so slim. Don’t expect it. 

With the high cost of Hustai, many backpackers have asked me if it’s worth it. I say yes.

If you camp it offsets the cost of the entrance ticket and the scenery in the park is absolutely beautiful. On top of that, it’s a unique wildlife experience that you can’t get anywhere else! This easily accessible national park was one of my favorite destinations in Mongolia, especially if you follow my tips to camp and see the park before anyone else is even awake. 

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