Soum Guide · Khentii Aimag
Dadal
Forested northern Khentii, a Buryat log-cabin township, and one of the places named as Genghis Khan's birthplace.
- Aimag
- Khentii
- Population (2025)
- 3,037
- In Mongolian
- Дадал сум
Overview
Dadal lies in the far north of Khentii, just south of Onon-Balj National Park, where Siberian forest meets the Mongolian steppe. The land is historically tied to Genghis Khan, and Dadal is one of several places claimed as his birthplace.
The best-known claim is Deluun Boldog, a hill a few kilometres north of the village. The Secret History of the Mongols says Temüjin was born at Deluun Boldog on the Onon river.
Dadal is also a Buryat township. Many families came from what is now Russia around the time of the Russian Revolution, and the village is mostly built of well-kept log cabins.
What to See
- Deluun Boldog, with its engraved stone and ovoo marking Temüjin's birth
- Onon-Balj National Park, created in 2000, with the Onon river valley and its meeting with the Balj
- The log-cabin village and Buryat culture
- Forest walks and birdlife; the park is an Important Bird Area
Visiting
- Dadal is a long road trip from Ulaanbaatar; most travellers take two days.
- The village has guesthouses and ger camps and is a good base for the national park.
- Summer is the best season; northern roads can be difficult after rain.