The remote, little-visited Cave Temple is one of the oldest monasteries in Inner Mongolia. Construction began in the mid-17th century and was expanded in 1831 by the famed Outer Mongolian monks, Danzan Ravjaa. The temples were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution but have since been rebuilt. Look out for the most holy relic, a statue of Padmasambhava in the main hall, said to have been fashioned by Padmasambhava himself.
A small community of monks lives here and one will probably show you around the cave temples.
The monastery is 90km from the city of Dengkou (磴口). The only way to get here is by taxi (¥300 to ¥350 including waiting time). The 90-minute ride is over fairly rough roads and the final 6km winds up a narrow defile in the Langshan (狼山) mountains.
Dengkou is a minor stop on the line between Hohhot, Baotou and Yinchuan; the train station here is not called Dengkou but Bayangaole (巴彦高勒, Bāyàngāolè). Two buses (¥81, four hours) a day run early in the morning from Baotou to Dengkou, departing at 5.40am and 6.40am