Deluun Boldog

Deluun Boldog is a hill above the Onon river in Dadal soum, in the north of Khentii, that tradition holds as the birthplace of Temüjin, the future Chinggis Khaan, born around 1162. Monuments mark the spot, and the village of Dadal below, with its log houses and fenced yards, is a centre of Buryat culture. The sacred mountain Burkhan Khaldun lies about 190 km to the west.

Forest and river country

This corner of Mongolia looks very different from the open steppe further south. Dadal lies next to Onon-Balj National Park, created in 2000 to protect about 4,158 km² of the Onon valley, including the meeting of the Onon and Balj rivers before the Onon flows north into Russia. Elevations range from about 840 m on the river to 1,568 m on the highest hills, which are rounded and gentle. The area is a transition zone between Siberian conifer forest and the Daurian steppe: pine and larch cover the hills, willow groves and riverside woods line the valleys, and open forest steppe fills the gaps. It is an Important Bird Area where the swan goose and white-naped crane breed. Daurian ground squirrels live in the meadows.

Spending time in Dadal

Allow two or three days. Besides the birthplace monuments, you can walk in the forest, visit the Gurvan Nuur lakes, fish the clear rivers, and see how the Buryat community lives. Taimen are protected, so any you catch must be released.

Season and respect

June to September is the time to come. July is warm but also the wettest month, and nights can be cold. Forest fires are a serious threat here, so keep campfires small, use existing fire rings and put them out completely. At the monuments, walk clockwise around any ovoo (stone cairn) and do not remove stones or offerings.