1 Day Erdenezuu Monastery Coach Tour Including Lunch

Visit Mongolia’s ancient capital and oldest monastery on this guided tour to Erdene Zuu and Kharkhorin from Ulaanbaatar. Following pickup from your central lodging, head out for a scenic drive through the Mongolian countryside en route to the Erdene Zuu Buddhist temple complex. Tour the site with your guide to learn about its ancient roots and the changes it endured through Chinese invasions and communism before transferring back to your hotel in the evening. You will be picked up from your hotel to leave the city in the early morning to have better asphalt road and can get to your destination within a couple of hours. Along the way to Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of Mongolian Empire that was destroyed by invading Chinese forces in the 15th century, you will see greatest historic and true nomadic lifestyle as soon as you leave the city limit. Stop for lunch on the half way which is 230 mi (370 km) between UB and Kharkhorin. You will see the Turtle Rock guarding the walls of the lost city and also visit the largest and first Mongolian Buddhist temple complex or Erdene Zuu which is surrounded by brick walls with 108 stupas. Although most of the monastery buildings were destroyed during the communist repression of 1937, majority of buildings survived. These big temples are quite nice and interesting because of how different deities and nomad traditions are presented as well as Buddhist chanting conducted everyday at 11am. Your guide is very knowledgeable on yellow-hat Buddhism and will provide you with thorough background and history on the site. In the evening, you will be driven back to Ulaanbaatar and dropped off at your downtown hotel.