Travel bucket list idea:
Erdene Zuu Monastery
Kharkhorin, Ovorkhangai Province, Mongolia
Last updated: 14 May, 2025
Set on the windswept steppes of central Mongolia, Erdene Zuu is the country’s oldest Buddhist monastery, built in 1586 by Abtai Sain Khan after the introduction of Tibetan Buddhism. Constructed on the ruins of the ancient capital Karakorum, the monastery symbolised a new spiritual era for Mongolia. At its peak, Erdene Zuu housed over 100 temples and 1,000 monks.
It was devastated during Stalinist purges in the 1930s, with most temples destroyed and monks executed or exiled. Today, a few temples survive, beautifully restored and surrounded by a stunning wall of 108 white stupas. It remains an active place of worship, where chanting monks and the scent of incense linger in the mountain air.
Visitors can explore richly decorated temples, vibrant thangka paintings, and Buddhist relics. The monastery’s museum houses relics and rare texts.
It’s a quiet testimony to endurance, faith, and Mongolia’s complex spiritual history.
Don't miss
Look for the Lavrin Temple’s exquisite interior carvings and the three surviving temples showcasing Tibetan-Mongolian artistry. Walk the perimeter of 108 stupas at sunset, when shadows stretch across the steppe.
If you time your visit right, you can witness a ceremony and hear the deep, resonant chant of the monastery’s resident monks.
Logistics
Price from: £2
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
Erdene Zuu is located near Kharkhorin (also spelled Karakorum), around 360 km from Ulaanbaatar.
The best way to reach it is via organised tour or private vehicle—driving takes 6–8 hours. Multi-day tours often include nearby attractions such as the Orkhon Valley. Local guides can be hired in Kharkhorin and offer valuable cultural context and insight into Buddhist practices.
The site is walkable, but bring sturdy shoes for uneven paths. Pack water, snacks, sun protection, and layers, as weather shifts quickly on the steppe.
When to do it
The best time to visit Erdene Zuu is from June to September, when the steppe is green, the skies vast and blue, and the air pleasantly warm. This is also when most festivals and ceremonies take place, breathing life into the site. Winters can be brutally cold, with many services suspended.
Arrive early in the morning to experience the monastery in peace, as the light strikes the stupas and the valley lies hushed. Late afternoon also brings golden light, especially beautiful on the white stupas and grasslands. Avoid midday for the strongest sun and most visitors. Mornings, however, remain the most contemplative and visually stunning.
