Highlights:
- The great white stupa that sits above the temple was built to commemorate Zanibazar lama
- The templ was built in the Manchurian and is one of the oldest in Mongolia to have survived the Socialist period completely intact
- The valley in which the temple sits is notoriously stormy with frequent thunderstorms
- There is a large Buddhist festival held here every year in the summer
Travel from Ulaanbaatar:
Trains depart from Ulaanbaatar to Darkhan several times a day. From Darkhan you drive around 1 1/2 hours on bad roads.
Driving from Ulaanbaatar takes 6 – 7 hours. You drive 5 hours to Darkhan on good roads and then 1 1/2 hours on bad roads to reach the temple.
Advice:
Search the temple for the sacred painted eye.
The roads leading to the temple are good quality until the last 40km which are rough and can be difficult to navigate so it is worth hiring a good driver.
Take a raincoat and waterproof boots.