This week, we took some time out of our regular schedule to have a snow day in Terelj, the national park to the east of UB. Normally, I’m out in Terelj in summer or spring, so it was nice to see it in winter, covered in snow with shaggy, wandering livestock dotting the landscape. One of our teammates made the arrangements with a tourist camp by the river, but the package for the day included two meals, dog sledding, horseback riding, seeing reindeer, riding ATVs, and riding in horse sleighs. All but the horseback riding took place on the frozen river. We also drifted drove on the frozen river, which was honestly a lot of fun (I was driving).
I’ve never been dog sledding before, and until this experience, the closest I had gotten to this scenario was watching Balto or Iron Will when I was a kid. As such, I really didn’t have any expectations other than it would be fun. Y’know what I really didn’t expect? How much dog poop is involved in dog sledding. I’m pretty sure every single dog hitched to our sled pooped at one point during the run, and we had a sizable group of sleds that went down and looped back on the icy river. Also, did you know that dogs can run on just their front legs to accommodate pooping? NOW YOU KNOW. (I cannot be alone in this horrific and hilarious knowledge.)
Aside from several members of our group getting really cold on the horseback ride (one hour in a light snow), everyone had a blast! There were 11 kids–toddler to teenagers–and 8 adults in our group, and it was so nice to enjoy Mongolia’s nature outside of the city. It didn’t matter that my nose hairs froze outside from the cold; it was FRESH AIR!
Chilling in UB,
B
Judds in Mongolia 
What a wonderful experience! We went dogsledding back in 2019 but you did much more. Good memories for the youth to recall the rest of their lives. And of course the fresh air! Hopefully a warm meal at the end of the day.
The fresh air is really the best part!
Certain travel moments stick with you—the kind where you can feel the cold on your face, smell the air, and sense you’re far from your usual routine. Reading about your snow day in Terelj took me right back to my own journey on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.
I remember those long trails where every turn brought a new surprise—chatting with locals over steaming cups of tea, feeling the thrill of the climb, and then finally standing at Ghorepani Poon Hill, watching the sunrise spill across the Himalayas. It wasn’t just a trek; it was an experience that sparked something deep inside—much like what you described in Mongolia.
Your story reminded me how these adventures, whether it’s dog sledding on a frozen river or hiking through the high passes of Nepal, connect us to a deeper sense of freedom and joy.
Has anyone else felt that same kind of spark when traveling—like the journey itself changes you?
https://www.himalayaheart.com/trip/10-days-ghorepani-poon-hill-trek
I’m not much of a hiker myself, but I can only imagine how much a trip like yours changes you!