Hustain Nuruu National Park lies in the foothills of the southern Khenti Mountain Range, about 100 km south west of the capital Ulaanbaatar. It takes its name from the birch trees that grow in the surrounding mountain forests. In Mongolian 'khustai' means ‘with birch’ and 'nuruu' means ‘mountains’. This area used to be a hunting ground for Bogd Khaan, the last ruling Khaan of Mongolia, and high ranking officials. While nomads have also used the park as a pasture reserve for their stock, the park has never had a permanent settlement or been used for agriculture. This limited use has allowed the preservation of a classic steppe landscape that is now becoming a threatened ecosystem. Unfortunately steppe and forest are being destroyed throughout Central Asia through ploughing for cultivation, overgrazing, excessive burning or wood collection.

Hustai National Park is a fine example of the wide river valleys separated by hilly terrain that characterise forest steppe and vegetation such as Siberian Needle grass ("stipa sibirica") is predominant on the slopes. The region is also well known for its Takhi and Przewalski wild horses.