Mongolia
Founded in 1586 by Altai Khaan, Erdene Zuu (Hundred Treasures) was the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. The monastery went through periods of neglect…
Must-see attractions in Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar
Around the start of the 19th century more than 100 süm (temples) and khiid (monasteries) served a population of about 50,000 in Urga (the former name of…
Ulaanbaatar
In July 1921 in the centre of Ulaanbaatar, Damdin Sükhbaatar (the ‘hero of the revolution’) declared Mongolia’s final independence from China. A square…
Mongolia
Amarbayasgalant Khiid was built between 1727 and 1737 by the Manchu emperor Yongzheng, and dedicated to the great Mongolian Buddhist and sculptor…
Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia’s wonderful National Museum sweeps visitors from the Neolithic era right to the present day. It’s UB's only genuine blockbuster sight, offering…
Ulaanbaatar
This temple museum smack in the middle of downtown Ulaanbaatar was the home of Luvsan Haidav Choijin Lama (‘Choijin’ is an honorary title given to some…
Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan
Ulaanbaatar
Built between 1893 and 1903, this palace is where Mongolia’s eighth Living Buddha, and last king, Jebtzun Damba Hutagt VIII (often called the Bogd Khan),…
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Mongolia
Hidden deep in a pine forest in the mountainous Khangai Nuruu National Park, this scenic monastery has become a major pilgrimage centre for Mongolians…
Mongolia
Few tourists come to Mongolia without visiting its most iconic landmark, a 40m-high glistening silver Chinggis Khaan statue. Constructed in 2008 from…
Mongolia
Situated around 100km southwest of Ulaanbaatar, this 506-sq-km reserve is most famous for its population of takhi, a Mongolian wild horse once thought…
Mongolia
Protected within the Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park, this scenic freshwater lake is around 16km long, east to west, and around 4km to 6km wide…
Ulaanbaatar
Built by the Russians to commemorate 'unknown soldiers and heroes' from various wars, the Zaisan Memorial features stirring socialist realism imagery with…
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Ulaanbaatar
This fine-arts museum has a superb collection of paintings, carvings and sculptures, including many by the revered sculptor and artist Zanabazar. It also…
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Mongolia
Kharkhorin's museum is small, but highly impressive – probably the country's best museum outside Ulaanbaatar. Everything is beautifully designed and well…
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Mongolia
In a boundary zone of steppe and taiga some 3.5km north of Dadal village, you'll find a grouping of rounded hills and shallow gullies intercut with clear…
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Mongolia
This is one of the best aimag museums in the country, not least because it is housed in the charming courtyard-temple complex of Zayain Gegeenii Süm,…
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Mongolia
With its surrounding lava field, this 200m-tall extinct volcano dominates the area to the east of the lake. From its west side there are stairs leading up…
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Mongolia
Baruun-Urt’s museum has a fine collection of costumes representing the three ethnic groups that inhabit the region: the Khalkh (the majority), the…
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International Intellectual Museum
Ulaanbaatar
This museum contains an intriguing collection of puzzles and games made by local and international artists. One puzzle requires 56,831 movements to…
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Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery
Ulaanbaatar
Sometimes called the Fine Art Gallery, this place contains a large and impressive display of modern and uniquely Mongolian paintings and sculptures, with…
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Mongolia
Inside the former Government House, the comprehensive collections here stampede through the aimag's history, from Stone Age and Bronze Age finds to the…
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Mongolia
From the end of September until mid-October, this lake is home to thousands of migrating swans. Along the shore, in a fenced compound, is delicious spring…
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Mongolia
This excellent museum occupies the 18th-century home of the Tsetseg Khan, who governed most of eastern Mongolia during the Manchu reign. Standout exhibits…
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Mongolia
As Soviet propaganda goes, this victory monument, located just outside Khalkhgol, is a masterpiece of the genre. The sculpture features a stylised…
Mongolia
Cupped in the snowcapped fist of the Sayan and Khoridol Saridag mountains, this national park is anchored by the shimmering blue sweep of the ice-cold,…
Mongolia
The brainchild of G Purevbat, a lama and world-renowned master of Buddhist sculpture and painting, Aglag Khiid was built in 2014 as a meditation and…
Mongolia
After a strong rain the magnificent seasonal Orkhon Falls is one of the best sights in central Mongolia. About 250m downstream from the waterfall you can…
Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia's neoclassical National Library houses the world's largest collection of Buddhist texts, of which a select few are on display within its Museum…
Mongolia
Outside the monastery walls of Erdene Zuu Khiid are two stone turtles. Four of these sculptures once marked the boundaries of ancient Karakorum, acting as…
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Mongolia
For the 350 monks who once called this place home, the gorgeous setting around this monastery (elevation 1645m) must have been a daily inspiration. Like…
Ulaanbaatar
The plaza located between the State Department Store and the Circus has an unofficial name – Beatles Square, so named after the monument to the Fab Four…
Mongolia
When faced with a crisis of faith or at a crossroads in his life, Chinggis Khaan would ascend the peak of Burkhan Khalduun (2350m). With his belt around…
Mongolia
This secluded, atmospheric monastery was founded by the great Zanabazar in 1648 and is said to have once housed Chinggis Khaan’s black military banner. At…
Mongolia
Located 55km northeast of Ulaanbaatar, this popular national park is characterised by picturesque alpine scenery. It offers great opportunities for hiking…
Mongolia
On the road from Kharkhorin to Ulaanbaatar, one surprising sight that livens up a fairly boring stretch of road is the sand dunes of Elsen-Tasarkhai…
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Mongolia
Surrounded by magnificent forest and not far from a lovely river, the Baruun Bayan Gol, this Buddhist temple (elevation 1713m) was built in 1740 by Efu…
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Khuisiin Naiman Nuur Nature Reserve
Mongolia
The area of Naiman Nuur, which was created by volcanic eruptions centuries ago, is now part of the 115-sq-km Khuisiin Naiman Nuur Nature Reserve. Despite…
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Mongolia
Known as the Blue Pearl of Mongolia, Khövsgöl Nuur is an extraordinary lake that stretches 136km deep into the Siberian taiga. The lake, mountains and…
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Ulaanbaatar
Located in the northwest corner of the city, Asral is an NGO and Buddhist social centre that supports impoverished families. Its main aim is to stop…
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Mongolia
At its peak, Baldan Bereeven Khiid was one of the three largest monasteries in Mongolia, home to 5000 lamas and thousands more pilgrims and monastic…
