Things to do in Central Mongolia
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Erdene Zuu Khiid
Founded in 1586 by Altai Khaan, Erdene Zuu (Hundred Treasures) was the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. It had between 60 and 100 temples, about 300 gers inside the walls and, at its peak, up to 1000 monks in residence.
The monastery went through periods of neglect and prosperity until finally the Stalinist purges of 1937 put it completely out of business. All but three of the temples in Erdene Zuu were destroyed and an unknown number of monks were either killed or shipped off to Siberia and never heard from again.
However, a surprising number of statues, tsam masks and thangkas were saved from the monastery at the time of the purges - possibly with the help of a fe…
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Mandshir Khiid to Ulaanbaatar Hike
This approach to Tsetseegün from the south side is the easiest route by far. As you face the monastery, cut over to your right (east) until you get to the stream. Just follow the stream until it nearly disappears and then head north. About three hours' walking should bring you out over a ridge into a broad boggy meadow, which you'll have to cross. If you've walked straight to the north, the twin rocky outcrops of the summit should be right in front of you.
When you start to see Ulaanbaatar in the distance, you're on the highest ridge and close to the two large ovoo (a shamanistic pyramid-shaped collection of stones as an offering to the gods) on the summit (GPS: N47° 48.…
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Stepperiders Camp
Horses are available from Stepperiders Camp, just off the main Ulaanbaatar-Zuunmod road. Stepperiders is run by Minde, a recommended local horse guide who can give lessons, instructions and support to independent travellers planning their own expedition. This is a perfect place to test ride a Mongolian horse before a longer trip. Rides are great value at US$35 to US$50 per day and include pick-up, drop-off, guides, horses, food and even entry fees to the national park.
As this camp is something of a hang-out for dedicated horse riders, you may be able to find partners for a trip.
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Mandshir Khiid
For the 350 monks who once called this place home, the gorgeous setting around this monastery must have been a daily inspiration. Like most monasteries in Mongolia, Mandshir Khiid was destroyed in 1937 by Stalin's thugs, but was partially restored in the 1990s. Just 6km northeast of Zuunmod and 46km by road from Ulaanbaatar, the monastery is a perfect half-day trip from the capital, or can be used as a starting point for hikes into the Strictly Protected Area.
The main temple has been restored and converted into a museum, but the other buildings in the area remain in ruins. The monastery and museum are not as impressive as those in Ulaanbaatar - it is the beautiful forest…
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Günjiin Süm
Surrounded by magnificent forests and not far from a lovely river, the Baruun Bayan Gol, the Buddhist temple of Günjiin Süm was built in 1740 by Efu Dondovdorj to commemorate the death of his Manchurian wife, Amarlangui. Once part of a huge monastery containing about 70 sq metres of blue walls, five other temples and a tower, Günjiin Süm is one of very few Manchurian-influenced temples in Mongolia to survive over the centuries.
Only the main temple, and some of the walls of the monastery, remain. Unlike most other monasteries in Mongolia, Günjiin Süm was not destroyed during the Stalinist purges, but simply fell into ruin from neglect, vandalism and theft.
The temple…
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Tumen Amgalan
The centrepiece of the city was the Tumen Amgalan, or Palace of Worldly Peace, in the southwest corner of the city. This 2500-sq-metre complex, built in 1235, was the palace of Ögedei Khaan. The two-storey palace had a vast reception hall for receiving ambassadors, and its 64 pillars resembled the nave of a church. The walls were painted, the green-tiled floor had underfloor heating, and the Chinese-style roof was covered in green and red tiles.
Whenever he was at court, the khaan sat on a panther skin atop a great throne, to which stairs ascended from one side and descended from the other.
A team of German archaeologists recently uncovered the foundations of the palace, …
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Fly Mongolia
Adrenaline junkies may want to spend an afternoon at the base camp of Fly Mongolia, a burgeoning adventure centre run by local aviation enthusiast, Alex Amiya. Tandem paragliding (US$35) and ultralight aircraft tours (US$100) are two popular activities. With more time you can take a four-day paragliding lesson (US$180). Alex can teach in English, French, Russian or Mongolian. Note that spring is a dangerous time to paraglide in Mongolia because of the unpredictable winds. September is best for beginners. Fly Mongolia also has 4WD go-carts (per hour US$15). The camp is off the main Gachuurt road, 1km before Hotel Mongolia (look for the wooden sign by the road). Be warned t…
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Museum of Arkhangai Aimag
The Museum of Arkhangai Aimag is one of the best in the country. It's housed in the temple complex of Zayain Gegeenii Süm, which was first built in 1586 but expanded in 1679, when it housed five temples and up to 1000 monks. Miraculously, the monastery escaped the Stalinist purges because it was made into a museum.
The main hall concentrates on features of traditional Mongolian lifestyle, with exhibits of costumes, traditional tools, a ger, musical instruments, weaponry and saddles. The displays have some useful English captions. The second hall concentrates on religious icons. The other two rooms of the former main prayer hall are empty, while the last hall focuses on l…
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Horse Rides
Travelling on a horse is the perfect way to see a lot of the park, including Günjiin Süm and the side valleys of Tuul Gol. To travel long distances, you will need to have experience, or a guide, and bring most of your own gear. Horses can be hired through any of the ger camps, but you'll pay high tourist prices (around US$35 to US$40 a day).
A mob of horse boys hang around Turtle Rock offering horse riding at US$5 per hour, or somewhere between US$12 and US$20 for the day. Alternatively, approach one of the Mongolian families who live around the park and hire one of their horses, though they may not be much cheaper.
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Stone Turtles
Outside the monastery walls are two stone turtles. Four of these sculptures once marked the boundaries of ancient Karakorum, acting as protectors of the city (turtles are considered symbols of eternity). The turtles originally had an inscribed stone stele mounted vertically on their back.
One is easy to find: just walk out of the northern gate of the monastery and follow the path northwest for about 300m. Often, an impromptu souvenir market is set up next to one stone turtle. You'll need a guide or directions to find the other one, which is on the hill south of the monastery, about 600m past the phallic rock.
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Ancient Karakorum
Just beyond Turtle Rock, stretching for about a kilometre south and east, is the site of ancient Karakorum. The foundations of Karakorum's buildings are all underground and little has been excavated, so you need lots of imagination when contemplating the grandness of it all. The plain was littered with bricks, ruined walls and pillars until the mid-16th century when everything was picked up and used to build the walls and temples of nearby Erdene Zuu.
Next to Turtle Rock you can see an area of raised earth surrounded by a wire fence. This was the alleged site of Ögedei Khaan's palace.
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Phallic Rock
Near Kharkhorin, a two-foot long stone penis attracts steady streams of curiosity-seekers. The 'phallic rock', which points erotically to something interestingly called a 'vaginal slope', is hidden up a small valley, about 2km southeast of Erdene Zuu Khiid. A giant penis, painted onto a sign by the road, points you in the right direction. Legend has it that the rock was placed here in an attempt to stop frisky monks, filled with lust by the shapely slope, from fraternising with the local women.
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Zaisan Route Hike
It is more of an uphill battle to Tsetseegün if you start from the Zaisan Memorial. From the memorial, head up the road past the ger camp and enter the forest. Look for the yellow trail markers, which veer left when you've reached the top. From here, the slope levels off and becomes an easy walk through a pleasant forest for the next two hours. If you stick to the yellow tags you'll follow the quickest route to Mandshir but will miss reaching Tsetseegün. All up, this is a 15km walk.
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Observatory Route Hike
This is the easiest route on the Ulaanbaatar side, mainly because you hit the fewest boulders. However, this route is also the least interesting. The walk to Tsetseegün and over to Mandshir takes about six hours. The problem is that getting to the Observatory ('Khureltogoot' in Mongolian) is difficult. You could catch a bus to Nalaikh and get out at the toll gate, then walk the last 6km up the hill. Otherwise, you'll have to take a taxi.
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Central Province Museum
The chief attraction in Zuunmod is the Central Province Museum, opposite the southeast corner of the park - look for the sign in English. There are exhibits on local history and a section of stuffed animals including an enormous moose. It also has some interesting black-and-white photos of Mandshir Khiid, including the once-regular tsam (lama dances, performed by monks wearing masks during religious ceremonies).
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Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
The freshwater Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur is not as forested or as large as Khövsgöl Nuur, but it is closer to Ulaanbaatar, relatively undeveloped and just about perfect for camping (though there are a few flies in summer). The lake, birdlife and mountains are now protected within the 77,267-hectare Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park. The national park fee of around Tug3000 applies.
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Raft Trips
Tuul Gol, which starts in the park and flows to Ulaanbaatar and beyond, is one of the best places in the country for rafting. The best section of the river starts a few kilometres north of Terelj village, and wraps around the park until it reaches Gachuurt, near Ulaanbaatar. Nomadic Journeys in Ulaanbaatar runs rafting trips here for around US$45 per day (minimum four people).
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Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area
To the northeast, Gorkhi-Terelj National Park joins the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area, comprising over 1.2 million hectares of the Töv, Selenge and Khentii aimags. The Khan Khentii park is almost completely uninhabited by humans, but it is home to endangered species of moose, brown bears and weasels to name but a few, and to over 250 species of birds.
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Xanadu
Frenchman Côme Doerflinger runs adventure trips through his outfit Xanadu, based in Gachuurt. He mainly runs horse trips, and has French, Russian and English saddles. Côme also has kayaks and canoes that you can use to float down Tuul Gol, and mountain bikes which are great for excursions up Gachuurt's side valleys towards Terelj.
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Square of Happiness and Prosperity
In the northeast of the monastery are the base stones of a gigantic ger (now called the Square of Happiness and Prosperity), set up in 1639 to commemorate Zanabazar's birthday. The ger was reported to be 15m high and 45m in diameter, with 35 concertina-style walls, and could seat 300 during the annual assemblies of the local khaans.
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Övgön Khiid
At the southern foot of the mountain are the ruins of Övgön Khiid, built in 1660 and destroyed (and the monks massacred) by the armies of Zungar Galdan Bochigtu, a rival of Zanabazar's in 1640. About 10 monks reside here in the summer months. The head lama is a charming woman who professes soothsaying abilities.
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Old Man Reading a Book
For more sedate walks in the Terelj ger camp area, just follow the main road and pick a side valley to stroll along at your leisure. From the main road, look out for two interesting rock formations like Old Man Reading a Book, which can be spotted on the left side of the road when travelling south from Terelj village.
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Erdene Zuu Khiid Gravestones
Apart from the main temples, there are several other interesting things to see at Erdene Zuu Khiid. The gravestones of Abtai Khaan (1554-88) and his grandson Tüshet Khaan Gombodorj (the father of Zanabazar) stand in front of the Dalai Lama Süm and are inscribed in Mongol, Tibetan and Arabic scripts.
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Turtle Rock
For more sedate walks in the Terelj ger camp area, just follow the main road and pick a side valley to stroll along at your leisure. From the main road, look out for interesting rock formations like Turtle Rock, in a side valley to the south of Terelj, which really looks like one at a certain angle.
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Great Imperial Map Monument
This large monument is on a hill overlooking Kharkhorin to the southwest. The three sides honour various empires established on the Orkhon Gol, including the Hunnu period (300-200 BC), the Turkic period (AD 600-800) and the Mongol period (13th century). There are superb panoramic views from here.
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