Where we can go...No5 The North - Watershed of Mongolia

Further north from Khangai region the mountains get higher and forests get denser and soil gets more fertile as it approaches the most irrigated part of the country. Overlapping with Khangai range in the south smaller range of Sayan dominates the north central Mongolia, occupying most mountainous part of Huvsgul aimag (province) territory. The main feature of this region is abundance of clear water lakes and rivers with the most outstanding being the Huvsgul Lake. Known as the “dark blue pearl” of Mongolia, lake Huvsgul is one of the country’s largest lakes and it features one of the most spectacular areas of the country. Huvsgul lake is 136 kilometers long and 36 kilometers wide stretching from north to south. Huvsgul is the 14^th largest fresh-water lake in the world by volume and its 380 cubic kilometers of water make up over 1% of the world’s fresh water. The lake is elevated at 1,645 meters above sea level and, at its deepest, the lake is 262 meters from its surface to the bottom. Huvsgul shares many similarities in origin, flora and fauna with larger Russia’s Baikal Lake, which lies 200 kilometers to the east and is connected to Huvsgul by Egiin River. About a hundred rivers and streams pour into Huvsgul lake, but only the Egiin River exits the lake.

                Numerous rivers including Shishged, Tengisiin gol, Jargalant in the spectacular green plateau of Darkhadiin Kroger and Tsagaan Nuur like are famous destinations. Varied ethnic groups including Khalkha, Buriyat and Darkhat people inhabit the nearby forest and mountainous region, and the Tsaatan reindeer herders live in the northern taiga forest of Huvsgul aimag.