Khamariin Khiid Monastery

Today we will explore the grounds of Khamariin Monastery (Sambala Khiid), you will discover petrified wood, dinosaur’s bones, Sambala energy complex, the cave monasteries. We’ll wander around in the beautiful, red coloured sand dunes. Khamariin Khiid was founded in 1822 by one of Mongolia’s most accomplished and forward-thinking masters, 17-year-old monk Danzanravjaa. At its height, the oasis at Khamriin Monastery supported around 500 monks and a substantial lay community. A poet, songsmith, dramatist, painter and naturopathic doctor, Ravjaa augmented the spiritual activity at Khamariin Khiid by instituting Mongolia’s first secular secondary and art schools, museum, library and theatre. The latter staged elaborate, operatic dramas with Buddhist themes each summer. The actors trained at the monastery and all of the costumes, sets and props were created in its workshops.

In 1938, the Soviet-led Red Army destroyed and looted almost everything at Khamariin Khiid. It was only through the remarkable foresight and courage of a Mongolian man named Tudev that 64 crates of Danzanravjaa’s texts, belongings and valuable gifts were buried in the desert for more than 50 years. To the north of the monastery lie a series of caves where monks would retreat and practice high level of meditation for 108 days (108 being a sacred number in Buddhism)

(Family stay B, L, D)