Hustai National Park sits on the Khentii mountain foothills of central Mongolia, roughly 100 km southwest of Ulaanbaatar. The park covers 50,620 hectares of rolling steppe and forest-steppe, rising to around 1,842 m at its highest ridge. It was established as a strictly protected area in 1993, principally to support the reintroduction of the Przewalski's horse, a species that had been extinct in the wild since the late 1960s. Today the park shelters more than 350 of these animals across several free-roaming herds.
The Przewalski's Horse
The Przewalski's horse, known locally as the Takhi, is not a domesticated horse that escaped captivity. It is a genetically distinct species with 66 chromosomes, compared to 64 in domestic horses, and has never been successfully tamed. The breeding programme that restored wild populations began in the 1990s with horses sourced from European zoos. Hustai was chosen for its intact steppe habitat, reliable water sources, and relative distance from heavy grazing pressure. Spotting a herd on the open hillsides, often at dusk when the horses move to lower ground, is one of the defining wildlife experiences in central Asia.
Other Wildlife and Landscape
Hustai's protected status has allowed its broader ecosystem to recover markedly. Red deer (maral), steppe gazelle, wild boar, wildcat, lynx, and grey wolf all inhabit the park. The birdlife is genuinely rich, with Eurasian eagle-owl, boreal owl, and Eurasian nightjar recorded here along with seasonal migratory cranes. The landscape shifts from open grass steppe in the valley floors to saxaul shrubland and pine forest on the higher slopes, offering good walking country across a range of terrain.
Visiting with Undiscovered Destinations
Our guided tours include Hustai National Park as the final destination on our Mongolia – Naadam Festival tour. This 14-day itinerary arrives at the park on Day 12. Earlier that day, travellers visit the Erdene Zuu Monastery complex and Kharkhorin Museum before driving directly to the park. We overnight at a ger camp inside the park, giving travellers the best chance of spotting the Takhi horse at dawn or dusk when herds are most active on the open steppe. Group sizes are capped at 12 travellers. Departures run in July 2026 and June/July 2027, priced from £3,045 per person.
