Mongolia is not part of China
Mongolia is an independent country, with its capital at Ulaanbaatar, lying between Russia and China. It should not be confused with Inner Mongolia, which is a region within China. The Gobi Desert stretches across southern Mongolia and into northern China, so a “Gobi pilgrimage” can mean quite different journeys depending on which side of the border you are on. This article is about the Mongolian side. Mongolia appears in this China section because of historical links between Mongol, Tibetan and Chinese religious life, not because the places are in the same state.
How Buddhism took root in Mongolia
Buddhist influences reached the Mongol lands at different times, including during the medieval Mongol empire. The form that became dominant, however, was Tibetan Buddhism, which spread widely from the late sixteenth century. Leaders of the Gelug school, one of the Tibetan Buddhist schools, were especially influential, and the title Dalai Lama is Mongolian in origin, from the sixteenth-century alliance between a Mongol ruler and a Tibetan teacher. Mongolian Buddhism has its own character: texts and rites draw on Tibetan models, yet local customs, shamanic elements and a strong tradition of lay devotion shaped everyday practice.
By the early twentieth century, Mongolia had a very large number of monasteries and a significant monastic population. Exact numbers vary by source, so it is safer to say “hundreds of monasteries” than to quote a precise figure.
Suppression and revival
In the late 1930s, the Mongolian state, under strong Soviet influence, carried out purges that closed or destroyed most monasteries and killed or displaced a very large number of monks. Many thousands were affected; estimates differ. Temples were demolished, looted or turned to other uses, and open religious practice was heavily restricted for decades.
After the democratic changes of 1990, religion was permitted again. Monasteries were reopened or rebuilt, often on a smaller scale, and new generations of monks were trained. The revival continues, and much of what visitors see today is recent. Some surviving buildings were hidden, repurposed or only partly damaged, while others are reconstructions.
Gobi monasteries
The southern provinces have fewer well-known monasteries than the central region, and many are remote. Two places illustrate the pattern.
Khamaryn Khiid is in the Gobi near Sainshand, in Dornogovi province. It is associated with Danzan Ravjaa, a nineteenth-century Gobi lama, poet and teacher who is still honoured locally. The monastery was damaged in the twentieth-century purges and has been rebuilt. The area around it is also described in local tradition as a place of special spiritual energy. Such descriptions come from local belief and should be read as tradition, not as verified fact. Visitors can usually see a rebuilt temple complex and nearby sites, but access arrangements and visiting practices vary.
Ongi Monastery, in the Gobi steppe region, was once one of the larger monastic centres and was heavily destroyed in the late 1930s. Ruins remain, with some restoration activity. Details of what is accessible change, so verify before travelling.
Some lesser-known smaller temples and ruins are also scattered across the Gobi. Not all are marked on common maps, and some are not formally open to visitors.
Practice and etiquette
Mongolian Buddhist practice often includes walking clockwise around stupas and temples, turning prayer wheels, lighting butter lamps, and offering scarves or small gifts. These customs resemble those in Tibetan areas, though local variations exist. Dress modestly, remove hats inside halls, do not point your feet at altars, and ask before photographing people or ceremonies. If you are unsure, watch what local people do and follow the guidance of monks or caretakers.
Remote travel cautions
The Gobi is one of the harshest environments in Asia. Summers can be very hot, winters extremely cold, and wind and dust storms are common. Distances are large, roads often unpaved, and mobile coverage unreliable. Medical help can be many hours away. Travellers usually arrange transport and local guides through licensed local providers, and should prepare for water, fuel, vehicle breakdowns and changing weather. Check current government travel advice, local weather and road conditions, and seek medical advice before departure. Cold weather pilgrimage and heat on pilgrimage both need real planning, and this article cannot replace professional advice.
Opening times, access, border rules and festival dates change. Treat all details here as general background and confirm them with current official sources.