Northern Mongolia - Mongolia - page 281

TREKKING FROM KHÖVSGÖL TO DARKHAD
One of the most adventurous treks in Mongolia, done by either horse or foot, be-
gins in Khatgal, goes up the western shore of the lake and over the Jiglegiin Davaa
(Jiglegiin Pass) to Renchinlkhumbe.
From Khatgal to Jiglegiin Am, about halfway up the western shore of Khövsgöl
Nuur, will take five days (four hours' riding each day). You start to feel the isolation
after the military checkpoint (the end of the jeep road), from where it's a 10-hour
journey to Khar Us ( Click here ) . There are endless camping spots along this route.
From Khar Us it's just three hours to Jiglegiin Am ( Click here ) , where you can
find accommodation in a cabin (T10,000) and get a cooked meal (T5000) - it's
best to have exact change. The jeep trail that heads up to Jiglegiin Davaa (2500m)
is very muddy even after a long dry spell - this is where a pair of Russian NBC over-
boots will come in handy. Expect to get to the pass in around three hours.
From the pass it's a gentle walk down to the Arsayn Gol, which you'll need to
cross at least twice. There are also some side streams to cross. These crossings
are usually OK, but if it's been raining hard you can be stuck for hours or even days.
In dry spells the river can disappear completely so you need to fill up with water
whenever possible.
After a seven-hour walk from the pass you should be at Ooliin Gol (25km west of
Jiglegiin Am), where there are some camping spots. It's then another seven hours
to Renchinlkhumbe. When you reach the broad expanse of the Darkhad, make a
beeline south for the town.
The final three hours of the trek are often marred by horrific swarms of flies and
mosquitoes - a sanity-saving measure is to wrap your head with a towel or T-shirt,
or to invest in a mosquito head net in advance.
From Renchinlkhumbe it's another two-day trek to Tsagaannuur, from where you
can organise a trip to the Tsaatan camps. Alternatively, return to Khatgal via the old
Russian logging route that runs through the mountains that's currently being used
only by the hardiest of vehicles. If you don't intend to go to Tsagaannuur, you could
skip Renchinlkhumbe and take a shortcut back to Khatgal. This involves following
the Arsayn Gol around 35km upstream, eventually picking up the logging route.
This route involves moderate trekking in good weather. However, the area is
prone to heavy rain and flash flooding that can stop you in your tracks. Hikers and
horse riders are frequently forced to wait on river banks (sometimes for several
days) until water levels drop low enough for them to cross. Bring wet-weather gear,
warm clothes and preferably a guide to get you across. If you don't have a guide, at
least bring a good map, such as the Lake Khövsgöl National Park Satellite Map
from Conservation Ink ( Click here ) . Contact MS Guesthouse in Khatgal ( Click here )
for further details.