Ulaanbaatar

Gandan Monastery

Gandan is the largest and most significant monastery in Mongolia and one of Ulaanbaatar’s most interesting sights. This historic monastery, founded in the 17th century, it is the only monastery where Buddhist services continued during the communist years. Spectacular religious ceremonies that are open to the public are held throughout the year. Most important part of a monastery is the Megjid Janraiseg temple.

The Megjid Janraiseg Temple

The temple was built in 1911 – 1912 to celebrate the end of Manchu domination and, it is said, to heal the Bogd Gegeen from blindness. It is in a mixed Chinese and Tibetan style and inside is the 25.6 meter and 20 ton Avalokiteshvara-Janraiseg statue. The deity was consecrated in 1996, is hollow and contains a storehouse of precious items including sutras, medicinal herbs, bundles of Buddhist mantras and even a fully furnished ger. The statue was built with donations of Mongolian people as symbol of Buddhist revival in the mid 1990’s.

Fine Arts Museum

Zanabazar Museum of Fine Art was founded in 1966. Visitors can enjoy works of Mongolia's famous artists, and sculptors who lived before or in the early 20th century. Sculptures by Mongolia's first Bogd Khaan and famous sculptor Zanabazar ("Five Gods" and "Taras"), as well as appliques and sculptures in wood and stone by talented Mongolian craftsmen are among the 10 thousand exhibits of the museum. 25 of the 45 most precious works of art created by Mongolia's artists can be found in the museum.

The Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts has an excellent collection of paintings, carvings and sculptures, including many by the revered sculptor and artist Zanabazar. It also contains other rare  - and sometimes old - religious exhibits such as scroll paintings (thangka) and Buddhist statues, representing the best display of its kind in Mongolia. A bonus is that most of the exhibit captions in the museum are in English.

At the top of the stairs is a glass folder with a detailed explanation of Zanabazar and his work. There are some fine examples of the sculptor's work including five Dhyani, or Contemplation, Buddhas (cast in 1683) and Tara in her 21 manifestations.

Also worth checking out are the wonderful tsam masks (worn by monks during religious ceremonies) and the intricate paintings, One Day in Mongolia and The Airag Feast, by renowned artist В. Sharav. These depict almost every aspect of nomadic life. The ground floor has some copies of portraits of the great khaans (kings) and some 7th century Turkic stone carvings.

Museum of Natural History

Located near the city center the museum displays exhibits on the geography, geology, botany, fauna and paleontology of Mongolia. Among the treasures on display are 800 objects from the lower Cambrian Age (500 million years ago) to the Quaternary Age (10,000 to 15,000 years ago), including fossils of vertebrates, plants, leaf prints, dinosaurs and mammals. The specimens of dinosaur skeletons and bones vary in size from a few centimeters to over 30 meters tall, and several are to be found only in Mongolia.

National History Museum

The museum houses a rich collection of historical and ethnographic exhibitions dating back to the period when first human beings resided in Central Asia. It has displays on several millennia of the history of Mongolia – beginning with the Stone Age, running through the Turkic and Mongol empires, the rise of Buddhism, the communist regime and ends with a colorful display of contemporary society.

Sukhbaatar Square

This large and famous landmark is the heart of Ulaanbaatar where the Parliament, the Government House, Stock Exchange and many other important establishments are concentrated. It is named after Sukhbaatar, the famous patriot, whose statue is the main attraction on this square.

Bogdo Khaan Winter Palace

Built between 1893 and 1903, the Winter Palace of Bogd Khan was the home of the Mongolia’s last king Javzun Damba Khutagt VIII. This complex of temples and houses contains a number of Buddhist artworks and the private collection of the Bogd Khan, composed of gifts from rulers and kings from all over the world. The artworks displayed here were made by the top Mongolian, Tibetan and Chinese master-sculptors of the 18th and 19th centuries and represent the gods of the Buddhist pantheon.

War Memorial of Zaisan

There is an opportunity to see the Zaisan Memorial, dedicated for the memory of Russian soldiers, as well as, taking photos of Ulaanbaatar and the surrounding nature as this tall landmark offers the best views of the capital. Located to the south of Ulaanbaatar, Zaisan Memorial was erected on the 50th anniversary of the Communist Revolution and honors the Soviet and Mongolian soldiers who died in WWII in the fight against Japan and Nazi Germany.

Amarbayasgalant Monastery

The second largest monastery in Mongolia, the ‘Monastery of Tranquil Felicity’, is located near the Selenge River. The Manchu emperor Yongzheng built the monastery between 1727 and 1737, and dedicated it to Zanabazar, Mongolia’s first Bogd Gegen and a famous artist and the inventor of the vertical Mongolian script. Amarbayasgalant Monastery was one of the few monasteries in Mongolia to survive the purges of the 1930s mostly intact, although many religious items were looted by the communists. Restoration of this historic site began in 1975, and was completed in 1998. There are currently around 50 monks living in the monastery. The nearby Burengiin mountain range and surrounding fields of grass and wildflowers make this one of the most attractive destinations in Mongolia. Visitors to Amarbayasgalant praise the beauty of the complex and the surrounding area, which is perfect for camping.

Lake Hagyn Har

Lake Hagyn Har (Black of Hag) is a remote lake located hidden in the interior deep forests of the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area, in the Hentii wilderness northeast from Ulaanbaatar and, is easily reached by helicopter from Ulaanbaatar. The lake is Mongolia's only true wilderness in the sense that it is completely devoid of people and domestic animals. It is the realm of wolfs, moose, red deer, gazelle, wild boar, lynx, brown bear etc and we will not meet any people for most part of the journey. The Tuul River originates close to Hagyn Har and it eventually finds it course via Ulaanbaatar and drains out to the north to the Selenge River which in turn feeds Lake Baikal with two thirds of its water, which in turn empties in the Arctic Ocean. A couple of kilometers away the Herlen River originates, and it belongs to the Pacific drainage basin. It is located within the taiga lifezone and located near the watershed point of Asian Rivers whereof some drains out north to the Arctic Ocean, others to the east out into the Pacific Ocean. There is plenty to be seen and explored, including the rocky mountains, meadows and, what a surprise, sand dunes.

Terelj National Park

Terelj is the most popular destination in the third biggest protected area in Mongolia, the Khan Khentii Protected Area. This is the motherland of Chinggis Khan, and contains numerous important historical and cultural sites. Three major river systems have their sources in the protected area; the Tuul River, which flows into Russia’s Lake Baikal and continues to the Arctic Ocean, and the Onon and Kherlen rivers, which flow east to join the Amur before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. Over 1,150 species of plants, characteristic of both taiga and steppe, have been identified. Over 50 mammal species, 253 species of birds and 34 species of fish make their home in the Khan Khentii Protected Area. Situated 80km northeast of Ulaanbaatar, Terelj is famous for its unique granite rock formations and pristine alpine scenery, and is a popular destination for tourists based in the capital and for Mongolians on weekend trips. The park lies at an altitude of 1600m and offers activities such as hiking, river rafting, horseback riding, skiing and rock climbing. Terelj is a landscape of transition from Siberian taiga forest to grass steppe. In spring and summer the lush meadows are carpeted with wildflowers, and the mountain pine forests and broad streams make this one of the most beautiful areas in Mongolia.

Manzshir Monastery

Manzshir Monastery overlooks a beautiful valley of streams and pine, birch trees, dotted with granite boulders. Established in 1733, and monastery had over 20 temples and was once home to at least 300 monks. There is a base ger camp at Ondor Dov , conveniently located a few miles from Manzshir Monastery. The surrounding area is a typical steppe zone and horseback rides can be easily arranged. There are ample opportunities to explore the nomad's lifestyle and sample airag, the fermented mare's milk which is traditional nomad beverage. This place is also ideal for trekking and hiking. Excursions to Mt. Bogdo National Park via Zuun Mod Entrance can be easily combined with stays at Ondor Dov camp.

Hustain Nuruu National Park

The 90.000 hectare Hustain Huruu Natural Reserve, set 60 miles southwest of Ulaanbaatar, is home to herds of Takhi or Przjevalski horses, the world's only naturally surviving wild horses, recently re-introduced to the region.