Mongolia Travel with My Wife — 8 Nights 9 Days, Terelj & Beyond (Honest Review)

Why Mongolia?

Honestly, it’s one of those places I always told myself I’d visit “someday.”

Well, someday finally came.

My wife and I packed our bags for 8 nights and 9 days — starting with 2 days of free travel in Terelj.

Also: this was the first trip where I used a neck pillow on the plane.

Game changer.

I’ve been using one ever since.

And somehow, after this Mongolia trip, I can sleep anywhere.

Mongolia cured my insomnia. I’m serious. 😂

1. Mongolia Travel Begins — What Seoul Never Prepared Me For

Landing into Mongolia and looking out the window?

Nothing.

Just… flat.

Endless flat.

Korea is about 1/15th the size of Mongolia — and standing there, you feel every bit of that difference.

After landing, we exchanged money and walked outside.

Our driver, arranged by the guesthouse, was already waiting.

First thing I noticed?

The smell of mutton.

Strong. Immediate. Everywhere.

I couldn’t understand a single word he said, but he was genuinely one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. He looked after us the entire time in Terelj without us even asking.

2. Mongolia Travel Day 1 — The Pizza That Broke My Brain

On the way to Terelj, we stopped at a supermarket nearby.

We ordered a pizza.

15,000 KRW.

I thought: okay, casual snack, no big deal.

Then it arrived.

The size of two dining tables pushed together.

I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. We ate about half and admitted defeat. 😅

The road to Terelj was fully paved, by the way.

So I made the rookie mistake of thinking: “Mongolia isn’t that tough at all!”

…I had no idea what was about to happen to my lower back. 😆

Temperature-wise, it was around 10°C — warmer than expected, so I was walking around in shorts.

(For reference: it gets MUCH colder up near Khövsgöl. Snow and everything.)

3. Mongolia Travel Terelj — Aryabal Temple & Turtle Rock

After dropping our bags at the guesthouse, we headed straight to Aryabal Monastery.

There’s an entrance fee — I honestly can’t remember how much, but I do remember grabbing a coffee from the stall out front before going in.

The colors of Mongolia are something else.

Everything is yellow.

Pine-ish trees, dry golden grass, that warm afternoon light — it looks like someone turned up the warmth filter on the entire country.

Turtle Rock was next.

It genuinely looks like a turtle. A massive one.

We took photos, goofed around, and I spotted a souvenir shop nearby selling little camel figurines.

Bought one. 40,000 MNT.

Obviously had to pose the camel on top of Turtle Rock for a photo. 🐪

4. Mongolia Travel Terelj — Maya the Golden Retriever Changed Everything

Back at the guesthouse, we met Maya.

A golden retriever.

Owned by the guesthouse.

What happened next is… honestly hard to explain in writing.

Let’s just say it was unforgettable in the best possible way, and leave it at that.

(You had to be there. Trust me.)

5. Mongolia Travel First Night — We Ate Samgyeopsal

First meal in Mongolia?

Samgyeopsal.

Korean BBQ pork belly.

In Mongolia.

Zero regrets. 🤪🤤

It was delicious, we were starving, and sometimes you just need something familiar after a long travel day.

Day one wrapped up safely, happily, and with very full stomachs.

Mongolia — you’re already something else.

8 nights and 9 days in Mongolia.

We started in Terelj with zero expectations and left with more memories than I can fit into one post.

The kindness of strangers, the scale of the landscape, a pizza the size of a table, a golden retriever named Maya —

this is the kind of trip that stays with you.

More Mongolia posts coming. Stay tuned. 🇲🇳

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