Bogd Khan Mountain

Bogd Khan Uul rises directly behind Ulaanbaatar, its northern slopes covered in pine and larch, and it has been protected since 1778 when the Qing authorities formalised a much older tradition of treating it as sacred, which makes it one of the earliest legally protected areas in the world. Hunting and logging were banned then and the ban largely held. Trails climb from the Zaisan memorial and other trailheads through the forest to the summit ridge at around 2,250 metres, a walk of three to five hours return, with views back over the city and out to the steppe. Roe deer, wild boar and sable live in the forest, and marmots on the open ground. On the southern side, Manzushir monastery ruins sit in a wooded valley. It is the easiest real walk from the capital.

What you actually see

• The summit ridge - open ground above the forest with views over the city.
• Pine and larch forest - the wooded northern slopes.
• Zaisan approach - the trailhead above the memorial on the city edge.
• Wildlife - deer, boar and marmots in the reserve.

When to go

May to October for walking; winter snow makes the trails hard going though locals still use them. Early starts avoid both heat and afternoon storms in summer. Autumn colour in the larch is excellent.

Honest expectations

The climb is longer and steeper than it looks from the city, with around eight hundred metres of ascent. Trails are not well marked and people get lost; a map or GPS helps. Wild boar are present. The lower slopes on the city side have litter and informal paths.

Nearby

Manzushir monastery lies on the southern slopes; Ulaanbaatar is below.