Hustai National Park is one of three locations chosen for the re-introduction of the Przewalski horse or Takhi since 1992 and located 90 kilometers southwest of the capital Ulaanbaatar. The National Park is composed at the same time of desert zones and of mountainous zones. The Tuul River runs through the park. National Park is named in 2 ways: 1. Khustain Nuruu National Park means the range of birches” 2. Hustai which can be translated as “place with birch tree”.  

Hustai National Park is managed by NGOs and financed by its income and does not receive any state subsidies. Thus, HNP has developed a range of ecotourism initiatives to finance its conservation programs through entrance fees, accommodation, souvenir sales, and donations. All revenues directly contribute to the Przewalski's Horse reintroduction program, as well as other research and conservation projects being undertaken within the park.

We recommend visitors look for wild horses at sunrise or sunset. Because it is the key time to see the wild horse. When the weather is really hot and sunny, wild horses are at the top of the mountains and it is a bit challenging to see them. However, at the time of sunset or sunset, they go down to the foothills. So we can see them as close as behind.

Besides the wildlife and landscape, Hustai National Park also protects conservation values of historic significance. There are deer stones, burial sites, and stone carvings ranging in time from the bronze age to the 7th-century Turkic period. 

History of Hustai National Park:

- 3 Dutch charities took action in 1977 and founded the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Wild Horses. 

- In 1988, the foundation searched for suitable steppe reserves for wild horses and found a 24.000-acre steppe area was chosen in Mongolia. 

- Hustai National Park become a Specially Protected Area in 1993, one year after the initiation of the reintroduction of the last species of wild horse project. 

- The reintroduction project started in 1990 and 16 horses were shipped here in 1992. 

- Horses were selected for maximum genetic diversity and gathered at semi-reserves in the Netherlands. Over a two-year period, they formed socially normal herds, each consisting of a stallion and his harem of mares. Then they were flown to Mongolia from Luxembourg airport. In 1994, again 16 horses were brought and other transports took place until 2002. 

Facts about Takhi Wild Horse:

There are 2 kinds of social groups. 1. Family and 2. bachelor. The family group generally consists of a stallion plus 3 or 4 mares with their foals and some yearlings. The Bachelor group consists of stallions only mostly led by the older ones. 

Story of Takhi Wild horses  

- In 1878, it caused a great sensation when Colonel Nicolai Przewalski, who made voyages of discovery into Central Asia by order of Czar, brought back skin and skull of wild horseback to St. Petersburg from an expedition and announced that wild horses still in existence in Southwest Mongolia.  Then this horse received the complicated name of the Przewalski horse. He noted that they were alert and very shy with acute hearing, with very good eyesight, and a highly developed sense of smell. 

- By the end of the century, the news of the discovery had spread through Europe and America. Up to this moment Takhi was were considered extinct in the wild as was the tarpan. There were at the same time several large landowners who had become interested in rare animals. Then some of them organized an expedition to capture some of these animals. 

- The first attempt was made in 1897 without success. In 1898, two foals were caught. Their captors had intended rearing them on sheep’s milk. But this failed. Later they captured 7 foals and used mares as stepmothers for captured foals with help of locals. Those captures took place several times and dispersed over a number of zoos and privately owned parks. All the Przewalski horses today are only 13 of these ancestors. 

- Until WWII, the number of Przewalski horses living in wild was stable. But after the war, the numbers quickly declined. 

- Since 1967, no herds of wild horses have been seen in southwest Mongolia. 

- Breeding the wild horses in the zoo was not easy and there was an insufficient exchange of animals between zoos which resulted in any diseases and pregnancy decreased. 

- 3 Dutch charities took action in 1977 and founded the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Wild Horses. At that time only, 300 horses were left. 

Attractions in Hustai National Park:

Ungut monument

The 7th century Turkic Khaganate historical site Ungut Monument is spectacular as it is the largest complex of man stones both in Mongolia and Central Asia.

55 m by 38 m earth mound surrounds the monument ensemble. The archeologists revealed that Ungut Monument was an offering site for a nobleman after the number of archeological excavations. There are 30 man stones, their both hands carved as put on their chest while facing the stone enclosure, which is a symbol of respect. 13 wooden pole bases, building materials, and roof tiles, etc were found during the excavation brought to the conclusion that the Ungut Monument was an offering site. Except for the man stones and different stone figures, there are more than 550 balbal stones stretches 2 km to the sunrise direction.

The monuments are in an appropriate day tour distance from Ulaanbaatar. Alternatively, you may combine the monument visit with the wild horse observation in Hustai National Park.