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Where We Go in Mongolia
Khovsgol --- Arkhangai ---
Tov --- Khentii ---
Bayan
Olgii --- Zavkhan
“Adventure is not in the guidebook and beauty is not on the map. Seek and ye shall find.”
From ‘On the Loose’, Terry & Renny Russell
Please click here for general facts on
Mongolia. |
Khovsgol
Aimag
Khovsgol Aimag: is located in the north west of Mongolia, bordering with Russia. The area is famous for its lake – Lake
Khovsgol , 127kms long – and the ecosystems that it generates. The waters are so clear that the locals drink it straight from the lake. Renowned for its unique flora and fauna, the landscape ranges from broad valleys to alpine forests and high mountains: with Munkh Saridag Uul (3491m) being the highest. Hatgal is at the southern end of the lake, and provides an ideal base for trekking, horse riding, and fishing trips.
Renchinlum lies west of the lake across the Khoridol Saridag Nuruu, and is the gateway to the Darhad Depression and northern Taiga. It supplies the surrounding area with schooling, a hospital and market place.
While in Renchinlum some of our youth groups have in the past completed community work at the local school. They have helped with renovating the school gymnasium, painting educational murals in classrooms, painting school tables and benches for the new academic year and assisted with vegetable growing in the school garden.
It is in Renchinlum that you can find the Saridag Inn. Peter has helped built
and run this guest house for their first 2 years of operation. You can have a hot shower after a long trek, eat Western food with a Mongolian touch or just relax and marvel at the mountains surrounding the village.
Click here for a basic
but fun map of the area. Renchinlum is also the base for our horse trek into the northern Taiga where the Tsaatan live: a unique ethnic group that relies solely on reindeer herding for their economic
survival. The aimag capital, Murun, lies 2 hours drive south of the lake and has an airport with a sealed runaway, hotels and a big market.
Arkhangai Aimag
Arkhangai Aimag is sometimes referred to as Mongolia’s Switzerland. It is certainly not short of its own stunning scenery: alpine meadows, grassy valleys, a magnificent fresh water lake, rivers and the mountains of the Khangai Nuruu. Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur (the Great White Lake) is in the north west of the aimag. The Lake was formed through the flowing lava of an erupting volcano millions of years ago. It is surrounded by many extinct and craterous volcanoes and makes the perfect swimming site, fishing location or horse trekking area. Tsetserleg the aimag capital, is a day’s drive from Ulaanbaatar and the area is a good base for horse riding, hiking, or mountain trekking. Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur is just a day’s drive from Tsetserleg.
Two hours north of Tsetserleg is Khan Ondor Brigade. We use the Brigade as a base for our horse treks and hiking expedition up to Khukh Nuur (lake) and through the Khangai Nuruu.
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Although not in Arkhangai Aimag, Kharkhorin, the site of Chinggis Khan’s ancient capital city, and Mongolia’s largest monastery is on the road to Tsetserleg and a ‘must’ stop on the way. Also another stop on the way is Toviin Khiid monastery, south of
Kharkhorin.
Tov Aimag
Tov Aimag: is the central aimag surrounding the municipality of Ulaanbaatar. Just an hour to the east of Ulaanbaatar lies the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area (SPA). The park is easily accessible from UB, yet once there, your perception of being close to a city soon disappears. The park can provide a setting for hiking expeditions from 150km upwards over 6 days or more. The altitude of the area ranges from 1600m to 2800m - UB is at 1450m. The area offers endless rivers and valleys to meander through; yak trails to follow; unique flora and fauna to learn about; amazing rock outcrops to photograph; and a hidden ancient temple to discover.
Khentii Aimag
“There came into the world a blue-grey wolf
Whose destiny was Heaven’s will.
His wife was a fallow deer.
They traveled together across the inland sea
And camped near the source of the Onon River
In sight of Mt Burhan Kaldun.”
From 'The Secret History of the Mongols'
Khentii Aimag: is believed to be both the birthplace and burial ground for the great Chinghis Khan. The aimag boasts a bumper 43 historical sites of interest but has as much to offer with its natural beauty as its historical sites. The aimag – Khentii – is named after the mountain range which lies in the north west of the aimag and makes up the eastern part of the Khan Khentii Specially Protected Area which was mentioned in the Tov aimag section. The area has an abundance of rivers with the most prominent being the Kherlen, Balj and the Onon rivers which meander through the aimag, and are known for their fishing, as well as their historical Chinghis Khan connections. This aimag, and predominately the soums (districts within the aimag) of Dadal, Binder and Batshireet, is the land of the ethnic group of the Buryat, originally from Siberia. Their way of life is slightly different to the Khalkh ethnic group which accounts for the majority of Mongolians. The most obvious difference is their log house dwellings, as opposed to gers – the traditional felt tent of the nomadic Mongolians. Ondorkhann, the aimag capital is a day’s drive from
Ulaanbaatar.
Bayan Olgii Aimag
Bayan Olgii Aimag: is located in the far west of Mongolia, bordering with both Russia and China. The aimag has a predominately Kazakh community that dates back to mass migration from Kazakhstan to western Mongolia at the end of the 19th century. This outside influence has affected many aspects of aimag life, from language (Kazakh is predominately spoken) to religion (Muslim), and styles of clothing to hunting. The Kazakh Mongols of Bayan Olgii are famous throughout the world for their skill in training eagles to hunt – which they have, in turn, made into an art form.
The aimag also boasts Mongolia’s highest mountain: Huiten Uul – the Cold Mountain, at 4374m, as well as Nairamdal – Friendship Peak, at 4275m - whose summit boasts borders on all 3 neighbouring countries: Mongolia, China and Russia. These two mountains are part of the Tavan Bogd range. The area is dominated by a series of glaciers, the main one being the Potanin Glacier. The glacier has to be navigated to reach both Huiten and Nairamdal.
This aimag’s diversity ranges from Steppe desert to glacial mountains boasting such wildlife as ibex, mountain cat, wolf, and eagle and not forgetting the most famous of all – the snow leopard.
The Tavan Bogd range is a day’s drive from Olgii – the aimag capital. Click
here for reports of some early adventures in the Tavan Bogd area.
Zavkhan Aimag
Zavkhan Aimag: is another of the 4 western aimags. The western half of the aimag is dramatic desert and salt plains, and the east is spectacular forests, lakes and mountains. Here you can find the western edge of the Khangai Nuruu - Mongolia’s second highest mountain range - which continues into Arkhangai Aimag. Otgon Tenger Strictly Protected Area lies within the range and hosts Otgon Tenger Uul standing at 3905m. Uliastai (1760m) the aimag capital, is regarded as one of the most remote capitals and can be found on the edge of the protected area surrounded by mountains. Uliastai is a 3-day drive from Ulaanbaatar, but can also be reached by a 2 hour domestic flight.
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Some
Facts about Mongolia |
General facts: Mongolia is an
independent landlocked country situated between Russia and China and covers an
area of 1,566,500 sq km – that’s 12 times bigger than the UK. The capital
city is Ulaanbaatar (1450m) and nearly half of Mongolia’s 2.6 million
population lives there. That leaves the rest of the country fairly sparsely
populated. The country is made up of 22 provinces, which are known as aimags.
Each aimag has a capital, which acts as the main administrative centre for that
area.
Language: Mongolian is the national language. Russian is widely known,
and Kazakh is spoken in the western aimag of Bayan Olgii. English, French,
German, Japanese and Korean speakers can be found in Ulaanbaatar but as soon as
you head out of town, Mongolian and Russian tend to be the 2 most known
languages. Mongolia uses the Cyrillic alphabet for business, but also has a
traditional script.
Weather: Being landlocked and so far from any influencing seas, Mongolia
experiences an extreme continental climate. Temperatures can range from 30C in
the summer to –50C in the winter. Expect some rain showers mid July to mid
August. And if you are heading to the mountain areas of the North, don’t be
too surprised if a sudden cold blast comes down from Siberia bringing snow on
the peaks and high passes in August.
For daily readings on Ulaanbaatar and aimag capitals check out CNN’s
web weather forecast, or the BBC’s
weather page.
Currency: Mongolia’s official currency is called the Tugrig and is
written as T or Tg. US $ are accepted in some places in UB too, mainly airlines
and hotels. You can easily change British Pounds and Euros at official Exchange
Offices around the city, as well as cash traveller’s cheques at certain banks.
Once in the countryside though, you can almost be guaranteed that only Tg will
be accepted.
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