Uvurkhangai aimag, Kharkharin, Kharakhorum, Shankh Monastery, Khujirt, Orkhon waterfall, Orkhon Khiirkhree
ABOUT MONGOLIA
THE REGIONS OF MONGOLIA
UVURKHANGAI AIMAG
- Territory - 24,286 square miles (62,900 sq. km.)
- Center - Arvaikheer town, located 261 miles
(420 km.) from Ulaanbaatar.
- Number of somons - 19
- Population 118,400
- Uvurkhangai aimag was established in 1931.
Uvurkhangai aimag is located in the central part of Mongolia. The Khangai
mountain stretches in the North-West, and the Altai mountain towers in the
south-west. The steppe lies in the middle of the territory. The Gobi desert is
located in the South.
The
annual average temperature is around 34 F (1 C), and the average
precipitation is about 5 inches (135 mm.). The soil in the south of the area is
semi-desert grey and steppe pale areas, in the north part of the area it is
mountain type brown and black. 2 percent of the area is covered with poplar,
birch, pine, larch forests. There are beautiful oasises with shrubs, cargana,
haloxyan, and almond growing everywhere. Wildlife includes wild sheep, ibex,
wild horse, wild camel, gazelle, fox, antelope, snow-leopard, lynx, and birds
such as swan, pelican, snow-cock, black grouse, wood grouse. In the province
there are majestic mountains like Khyatruun, and plain steppes like Noyokhon
Dalai, Arvai, Khar nuden, clear-water rivers such as Ongi,
Taath, Orkhon and
lakes of Khuis, Tsagaan, Sangiin dalai. The 79 feet (24 m) high waterfall of the
Orkhon river (Red Fall), is the major tourist attraction. Amazing places in the
province include Khuis eight lakes, Tamchi Yol khad, Yamaatiin Tsant, Khorgoi
Khurem, of big and small springs the most famous one is Khujirt, a popular
resort. Uvurkhangai is a well-khown tourist destination. Uvurkhangai is a
homeland of the ancient Mongolian civilization. There are many ancient
monuments, one of them being the Maanit monument with Turk inscription. This
monument was erected in 731, CE. Also there are ruins of Kharkhot of Uighur
capital city, and ruins of Kharakhorum, former capital of the Mongolian Empire,
and Erdene Zuu, the 16th century Buddhist temple. Animal husbandry is the key
economic sector. Coal mining, construction materials and wood processing plants
are major industrial activities.
PLACES TO VISITED.
- Arvaikheer. A nondescript but friendly aimag capital,
Arvaikheer is of little interest except as a place to eat and
rest, refuel the jeep or arrange onward public transport to places
further west. Arvaikheer has the requisite hotel, bar, cinema,
school and administrative building, and the monastery and museum
are worth a look.
- Kharkhorin (Mongolian: ) is a
town and sum (district) center in Övörkhangai Province in Mongolia.
Kharkhorin is located at the lower end of the upper valley of the Orkhon
River which is included within UNESCO's World Heritage Site Orkhon Valley
Cultural Landscape. The location marks the easternmost foothills of the
Khangai Mountains, where they meet the rolling steppe of central Mongolia.
- Kharakhorum former capital of Chinggis Khan, was
founded 1220 in the Orkhon valley, center of the empire for more
then 140 years, destroyed in 1391 by Chinese troups. Only two
turtles of granite can be seen nowadays. The first Buddhist
monastery in Mongolia, Erdene Zuu, was founded on the ruins
of the old capital in the year 1586. It is surrounded by a
quadratic wall (420m long on each side) with 108 stupas. In 1792,
it housed 62 temples and 10.000 lamas. During communist area
nearly destroyed, it contains today 3 temples, one stupa and some
smaller buildings but became active monastery again and open for
visitors. This is the place to "learn about religious and cultural
traditions of Mongolia".
-
Mongol Els. As you approach the border of Ovorkhangai from
Ulaanbaatar, one surprising sight that livens up a fairly boring stretch of
road is the sand dunes of Mongol Els. If you don't have the time to visit
the Gobi (where there are not a lot of sand dunes anyway), these are
certainly worth wandering around.
- Shankh Khiid. Shankh Monastery, once known as the West
Monastery, is the only one of the region's monasteries other than
Erdene Zuu to have survived. Shankh was renowned because of its
connections with the great Zanabazar and is said to have once
housed Chinggis Khaan's black military banner. At one time the
monastery housed over 1500 monks. As elsewhere, the monastery was
closed in 1937, temples were burnt and many monks were shipped off
to Siberia.
During the years of repression, five monks secretly
kept the monastery alive in a local ger at great risk to
themselves. One of these monks reopened the monastery in 1990. It
is currently trying to raise funds to build a stupa in his
honour.
Of the three main buildings only the central main
temple has been restored.
- Khujirt. South of Erdene Zuu, Khujirt is a small,
soporific town noted for its mineral hot springs and health
resort. There's not much else to see here, except for the tiny
Gandan Piljeling Khiid, which has a contingent of 15 part-time
monks. Most travellers pass through the town en route to the
waterfall Orkhon Khiirkhree. There are some interesting grave
sites worth looking out for a couple of kilometres out of town on
the road to Kharkhorin.
The road between Kharkhorin and Khujirt
(a bumpy 54km) is one of the best places in the country to see
falcons and hawks, particularly the saraa (moon)
hawk. If you are ever likely to get a photo of one of these birds,
this is the place.
- Orkhon waterfall (Orkhon Khiirkhree).
Apart from the springs at Khujirt,
the main attraction in the area is the Orkhon waterfall (GPS: N46
47.234', E101 57.694'). The waterfall is situated in the
historically significant Orkhon Valley, whose river flows an
incredible 1120km to the North before it joins the mighty Selenge
Gol. Also called Ulaan Tsutgalan, the waterfall was formed by a
unique combination of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes about
20,000 years ago. The fall is naturally most impressive after
heavy rain. (Photo album. Orkhon waterfall.)
- Tovkhon Sum. High in the mountains marking the north
side of the Orkhon Valley lie the ruins of this ancient temple and
retreat. Zanabazar founded the site in 1653 and lived, worked and
meditated here for 30 years. Several pilgrimage sites have grown
up around the temple and hermit's caves, including one that is
said to be Zanabazar's boot imprint.
- Naiman Nuur. Also worth
visiting if you have a jeep is the area known as Naiman Nuur
(Eight Lakes), which was created by volcanic eruptions centuries
ago and is now part of the 11,500 hectare Khuisiin Naiman Nuur
Natural Reserve. The lakes are 70km south-west of the Orkhon
waterfall, but the roads are often virtually impassable.
- Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape. The 121,967-ha Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape encompasses an extensive
area of pastureland on both banks of the Orkhon River and includes numerous
archaeological remains dating back to the 6th century. The site also
includes Kharkhorum, the 13th- and 14th-century capital of Chingis (Genghis)
Khans vast Empire. Collectively the remains in the site reflect the
symbiotic links between nomadic, pastoral societies and their administrative
and religious centres, and the importance of the Orkhon valley in the
history of central Asia. The grassland is still grazed by Mongolian nomadic
pastoralists.
- The Temeen Chuluu monument, which dates back to the Bronze Age, features over 40 ancient square tombs and five deer stone statues. An intriguing detail on the stone of one square tomb is the depiction of 13 people standing hand in hand.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
PAGES OF THE PICTURE ALBUM
|
Classic tours