Manjusri Monastery (Manzushir Monastery)

The basics

The Manjusri Monastery (also occasionally written Mandshir Khiid) sits within the Bogd Khan Uul National Park on the slopes of Bogd Khan Uul (Bogd Khan Mountain). It’s generally visited as a day trip from Ulaanbaatar, 31 miles (52 kilometers) away, and tours often include an activity, such as trekking, cycling, or horseback riding. The monastery is a common stop on hiking and national park tours and occasionally visited on Mongolian monastery tours.

Things to know before you go

• Manjusri Monastery will be of interest to nature lovers, hikers, and history buffs.
• Don’t miss the Ganlin Horn in the monastery museum: it’s made from human thigh bones and was used for ritual purposes.
• The weather in Mongolia can change rapidly. Bring a jacket even on a hot summer’s day.
• Mongolia is a challenging environment for travelers who use wheelchairs. Sadly, the Manjusri Monastery is no exception.

How to get there

The Manjusri Monastery sits within the Bogd Khan Uul National Park, about a 31-mile (52-kilometer) drive from Sukhbaatar Square and four miles (seven kilometers) from the small town of Zuunmod. As with much of Mongolia, there are no roads, signage, or public transport, so most everyone visits on a tour.

When to get there

The Manzushir Monastery is open in the mornings and afternoons but closes for lunch. Opening hours are extended slightly on weekends. You’re most likely to find the shop and restaurant operational over the summer tourist peak season and on weekends.

Buddhism in Mongolia

Buddhism reached Mongolia from Tibet around the 13th century, when Genghis Khan’s descendants were emperors of China. Once it became the official state religion, it flourished. Some claim that as much as 10% of the population were monks at one time, while Mongolia’s last royal leader, the Bogd Khan, was a Buddhist lama. During the 1930s, Mongolia became a Soviet satellite state, and Stalinist forces destroyed many monasteries, including Manjusri and Erdene Zuu.