Getting There
This is a region not serviced by public transport, hence it’s a destination best explored by private car or organised tour booked from Ulaanbaatar. Alternatively you can take a bus to the gateway towns of Tsetserleg, Kharkhorin or Arvaigkheer, from where you can arrange a vehicle. The monastery is around 60km from Kharkhorin.
What to Expect
Making up a large section of the Khangai mountain range, Khangain Nuruu National Park’s impressive biodiversity takes in varied habitats from steppe, taiga, riparian forests and alpine meadows. With its scenic mountainous surrounds and pristine lakes it’s a destination popular with hikers and here you’ll find a variety of wildlife including ibex, lynx, red deer and argali sheep among interesting birdlife.
Hidden deep amid all this natural beauty is one of Mongolia’s oldest monasteries, Tövkhön Khiid, an important site for Buddhist pilgrims. Here you can take a memorable hike or horseback ride up through pine forest leading to spiritual awaking views.
History
The mountain monastery of Tövkhön Khiid was founded by Zanabazar in 1653, who spent some 30 years living and meditating here. Like most monasteries it was destroyed during the Communist purge in 1937, but was duly rebuilt the early 1990s following the collapse of the USSR.
Facilities Available
At the entrance of the park you’ll find some family-run ger camps but not much else.