A vast, clear lake in the far north of Mongolia. Larch forest runs down to cold water, and the shore is wide and quiet.
About Lake Khövsgöl
Mongolians call it Dalai Eej, “Mother Sea”. Lake Khövsgöl lies 1,645 m up at the foot of the eastern Sayan Mountains, 136 km long and 262 m deep, holding almost 70% of Mongolia’s fresh water. This is where the Siberian taiga begins: Siberian larch runs down to the shore, and peaks rise to 3,492 m on the Russian border. The water drains south through the Egiin Gol and travels more than 1,000 km to Lake Baikal. In winter the lake freezes completely. Summer is short; from the village of Hatgal at the southern tip, the lake stretches north out of sight.
Getting there
- Best months
- Not stated. Summer flights to Khatgal run only June to late August, in some years not at all.
- Nearest airport / gateway
- Mörön (flights from Ulaanbaatar), then a taxi to Khatgal. There are seasonal flights straight to Khatgal (June to late August), but they do not run every year.
- Permits & fees
- Not stated
- Sources
- en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Lake_Kh%C3%B6vsg%C3%B6l
en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/M%C3%B6r%C3%B6n
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Khövsgöl
Photos of Lake Khövsgöl
