Day 8 – The secrets of Ongii

Today we started driving back up north, from the Flaming Cliffs to the Ongii monastary.

We arrived at the Secrets of Ongii camp in the afternoon and after a quick rest we went to the ruins of the Ongii monasteries. The temple complex here was built in the 17th century and was home for over 1.000 monks. It was one of the most important and largest religious sites in Mongolia. However, as was the case for so many other religious buildings it was destroyed in the 1930s under communist rule. Besides the ruins, the area offered a picturesque view of a valley with a stream winding through the hills.

In the evening we could watch thunderstorms on the horizon and a relatively cloud free night sky with many stars above the camp site.

4×4 at work

Just keeps going

Sacred Ovoo

Path to the Ongii monastery

Ruins of the Ongii monastery

Ruins of the Ongii monastery

Overlooking the river and its valley

Rainbow over the ger camp

Gravel landscape