Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Settled history really began in the 18th century under Manchu rule when thousands of
monks poured into the area from Tibet and China to assist in the construction of monas-
teries. As the nomads were converted to Buddhism, local shamans were harassed into
giving up traditional practices. The largest centre of religion, Amarbayasgalant Khiid,
had more than 2000 lamas.
During communism, religious persecution boiled over into a 1932 rebellion that left
thousands of monks and Mongolian soldiers dead. Meanwhile, an attempt by the monks
to form an insurrectionist government ended in failure. Later, the Russians improved
their standing with the locals by developing a variety of industries. Darkhan and Selenge
became important centres of agriculture, Bulgan became home to the Erdenet copper
mine, and Khövsgöl developed a thriving industry of timber mills, fisheries and wool
processing, the lake serving as an important gateway for Russia-Mongolia trade until the
collapse of the Soviet Union.
Getting There & Away
A good paved road runs from Ulaanbaatar (UB) all the way to the Russian border and
also west from Darkhan to Bulgan City and beyond. Darkhan, Sükhbaatar and Erdenet
can all be reached by rail from Ulaanbaatar. The quickest way to Khövsgöl Nuur is a
flight from Ulaanbaatar to Mörön. The road from Bulgan to Mörön has been paved for
the first 100km or so and should be completely paved within the lifetime of this topic. To
travel between Selenge aimag and the east, you'll have to come back through Ulaan-
baatar first, or go by horse.
Getting Around
Frequent buses, minibuses and shared taxis whiz along the paved roads between
Darkhan, Sükhbaatar, Erdenet and Bulgan. The fun starts as you travel further west, with
the usual dirt roads, rocky terrain and bridges that come and go with the floods. In the
Khövsgöl area, there are frequent minibuses between Mörön and Khatgal, with less fre-
quent minibuses doing arduous overnight trips to Tsagaannuur, Renchinlkhumbe, and
some destinations west and south. For everything else you'll need a jeep, though if
you're travelling light, you may well be able to persuade locals with motorbikes to give
you lifts. To visit the reindeer herders, you will need a horse, and some tour companies
offer mountain-biking trips in the region.
In the region around Khövsgöl aimag, the terrain is mainly taiga (subarctic coniferous
forest) of Siberian larch and pine trees, where there's plenty of rain (often 600mm a
year). Snowfall can exceed 2m in some regions during winter. After winter the lakes and
