Northern Mongolia - Mongolia - page 294

JEEP & MINIVAN
By chartered jeep you can get to Tsagaannuur from Mörön (but rarely from Khatgal) in a
bone-crunching 10 to 12 hours, depending on the state of the road. You'll have to pay for
all the petrol and pay the driver about US$70 a day. Contact the guesthouses in Mörön
and ask if they can set you up with a vehicle, or arrange one through a UB tour operator.
With your own wheels, you can either take the picturesque but rough (and often
muddy) road that runs from just south of Khatgal, via the rest stop of Toom (GPS: N
50°23.139', E 099°18.804') and the town of Ulaan-Uul, before reaching the fork (GPS: N
50°50.453', E 099°18.407') which branches towards Renchinkhumbe and Tsagaannuur. If
you have a particularly sturdy vehicle, you can try the old logging road that cuts through
the mountains pretty much directly to Renchinlkhumbe from around the Jankhai pass (we
witnessed three van-loads of shamans braving that road). From Mörön, there's a good but
rather long road up north that runs through Bayanzürkh.
Two or three times a week Russian minivans run between Tsagaannuur and Mörön and
Renchinlkhumbe and Mörön - a seat to either destination will cost around T30,000 to
T50,000. Ask at the jeep stand in Mörön.
TOP UP ON PETROL!
As the towns in the Darkhad Depression in particular are subject to frequent power
cuts, top up on petrol whenever you get the opportunity when travelling in the re-
gion. Sometimes there's no electricity for days, petrol pumps do not function and
you can be stuck in some one-horse town for an interminable period of time.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Mörön to Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
A popular route out of Khövsgöl is south to Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur in Arkhangai aimag.
This is also an excellent road for cyclists. About 97km southwest of the aimag capital is
Zuun Nuur (GPS: N 49°03.727', E 99°31.096') , a large lake and the scenic highlight of the re-
gion. There is good camping here or you can stay at the Dalai Vam 2 ger camp ( 8829
3524; GPS: N 49°02.870', E 99°29.359'; per person US$40) , on the southern side of the lake
(meals T4000 to T7000). The lake is 13km north of Shine-Ider village.
Around 30km south of Shine-Ider, right on the main road, is an area of standing
stones and graves (GPS: N 48°45.808', E 99°23.084') . A further 8km brings you to a scenic
pass and the historic Gelenkhuugiin Suvraga (GPS: N 48°41.182', E 99°22.650') , an old