The Wanderlust Festival has been included in the official plan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Erdenet City, which features 124 construction projects, 19 types of competitions, and 35 cultural and arts events. The history of Erdenet began on December 11, 1975, when the Presidium of the People’s Great Khural of the MPR issued a resolution to transition Erdenet Khoroo of Bulgan Province into Erdenet City. The foundation of Erdenet City was laid in 1973 in the beautiful valley behind Erdenetiin Ovoo, and it was established as an administrative unit called Erdenet Khoroo in 1974. Due to rapid expansion and population growth, the district was reorganized as Erdenet City in 1976, marking the start of a new development era as Mongolia’s third-largest city. Following administrative changes in 1994, it became Orkhon Province. Known as the “Construction of the Century,” Erdenet has thrived since 1976, maintaining its position as the nation’s third-largest city in terms of both population and economic contribution. According to Resolution No. 8 of the Presidium of the People’s Khural of Erdenet City dated June 13, 1994, Bayan-Ondur Soum was originally established as a primary administrative unit with 13 baghs and 58,460 residents. Today, it has grown to 26 baghs with a population exceeding 100,000, making it a unique soum—the most populous in Mongolia despite its small land area—as it continues to expand and develop.

Bulgan Province
Bulgan Province is one of the 21 provinces of Mongolia, located in the north of the country. Its capital is also named Bulgan.
Bulgan Province was established in 1937 after being separated from Selenge Province. In 1994, Orkhon Province was taken out from Bulgan Province area to form an independent province.
The province (or aimag) is surrounded by Russia (Buryatia) to the north, the Khövsgöl Province to the northwest, Arkhangai to the southwest, Övörkhangai to the south, Töv to the southeast, and Selenge to the northeast. The small Orkhon Province forms an enclave at the border with Selenge.

The north of the aimag is characterized by alpine forests, gradually blending into the arid steppe plains of the central Mongolian highland. The main rivers are the Orkhon and the Selenge, the first of which enters the aimag from Övörkhangai, while the second enters from Khövsgöl Province. As a result, southern and central Bulgan is one of Mongolia’s few arable regions.