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Summary: Ancient hillside monastery with scenic camping and authentic Ger camping.
In the early morning glow, I boiled water over my butane stove for my packet of instant coffee. Sunlight filled the pastoral valley around me and lit the ancient monastery walls and white staircase leading up to the hillside stupa. Not a single other tourist to be seen. Unlike Erdene Zu monastery there was nothing museum-like or “touristy” about this place. It’s peaceful, quiet, and feels like a sacred space just transplanted into the middle of the Mongolian steppe.
Your Guide to Amarbayasgalant Monastery in Mongolia
Mongolia has a lot of incredible sights and attractions, very few of them man-made. But this monastery is one of the most impressive destinations in the country. This is everything you need to know to plan the perfect visit.
If this is your first time visiting Mongolia you should read my blog post with all my Mongolia travel tips.
A Quick History of Amarbayasgalant Monastery
Life in Mongolia has always centered around monasteries. Tibetian Buddhist monasteries to be exact. More than 600 of them covered the country and more than 1/3 of Mongolian men led a monastic life. Today, Mongolia is a little different, but a handful of these ancient sprawling monasteries remain.
This particular monastery was built in the 1700s to honor the first spiritual leader of Mongolia.
Best time of Year to Visit Amarbayasgalant Monastery
The best time of year to visit is the same throughout all of Mongolia.
Peak season = May-September.
You will want to time your visit for a “dry” day. Rain causes the rivers to swell and then they become more difficult to cross. We visited shortly after a rain in August and had no trouble in our 4×4. This is only applicable if you are planning on driving yourself. If you are hiring a driver they will know how to cross even when the rivers swell.
What to Expect During Your Visit
The monastery is set in a large green open landscape. You can walk through the ancient building and up the hillside steps at any time of day you please. There is a small collection of homes near the walls of the monastery— a village of sorts where you can stay in a local Ger.
Best Time of Day to Visit Amarbayasgalant Monastery
This is an excellent spot for an overnight. Like many other places in Mongolia, sunrise and sunset are the preferred times to visit. But you’ll want to do all your driving during daylight hours because of the rutted off-road tracks.
I preferred the sunrise to the sunset, although both were incredible.
Road Conditions Getting to Amarbayasgalant Monastery
For those driving themselves.
It’s 90% paved. Only the last 30 km or so are off-road. This is a great place to test your off-road skills and babystep your way into the country’s insane roadways. Expect muddy rutted roads (made much more difficult after a rain) that are constantly diverging and converging once again. The landscape is *mostly* flat though and well-traveled so your risk of real disaster is low.
You will have to cross a few rivers once you reach the monastery. This is where a lifted vehicle or 4×4 is recommended. Although we did see people make do in a Prius– it’s not recommended.
Maps.me does show a fairly accurate route! Just choose the path closest to what Maps.me recommends.
Where to Stay at Amarbayasgalant Monastery
Whether you choose to camp or sleep in a local Ger, make sure you’re as close to the monastery as possible. That way you get to see the valley in all its glory from the hillside steps at sunrise and sunset.
The Gers here are cheap only about $8 per person and are actually run by a local family. Not just a tourist camp. You can tell because there are only 3 or 4 Gers available rather than 20+. Meals weren’t offered and the host didn’t speak English so be sure to have a translation app.
These were some of our favorite Gers in Mongolia as far as placement goes…but they were very basic. The beds were very firm, pillows non-existent, and we required our sleeping bags for warmth.
Camping situation in Amarbayasgalant Monastery
You can also EASILY camp anywhere in this grassy flat valley. In fact, it’s probably one of the best sights to wild camp at in Mongolia, alongside Hustai National Park and Terelj National Park.
A lot of Mongolia is hard-packed desert which makes tent camping difficult. Gers are everywhere in the country. You’ll spend basically your entire time in the Gobi in Gers so if you want to camp a few times and save some money while you do it…this is a great place to pitch a tent.
Consider posting up near the river in the valley for easy access to water and an even more scenic spot.
Quick Things to Know Before You Go
- There is no entrance fee.
- Climb the hillside for golden hour to see the valley.
- Off-roading is required.
- River crossing is required.
- This is a great spot to fly the drone and see lots of domestic horses, sheep, and goats.
- Perfect for your first stop outside Ulaanbaatar on a Mongolian road trip.
- I think this monastery is way cooler than Erdene Zu Monastery.
This is an often-missed sight in Mongolia that cannot be skipped. I’m not quite sure why it doesn’t get more recognition. Perhaps because tours very rarely take you out this way. Amarbayasgalant Monastery is reason enough to consider self-driving Mongolia (and these roads are relatively easy!).
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