Eastern Mongolia - Mongolia - page 312

gerkhan sum(district), on a 20km-wide plain, Khödöö Aral (Countryside Island),
so named because it is encircled by the Kherlen and Tsenkheriin Gols.
As in days of old, the town is a huge ger encampment bisected by several
streets, with a few incongruous-looking wooden houses sticking up here and there.
The main sight is the Avarga Toson Nuur (-; GPS: N 47°10.978', E 109°08.696') , the lake
that flanks Delgerkhaan, fenced off to keep out livestock and campers. Its water
and mud are reputed to have medicinal properties, and it's the one place in eastern
Mongolia where you'll find locals bathing, strolling and jogging around the lake. On
one bank stands an impressive ovoo;on the other, a shrine.
Thirteen kilometres south of Delgerkhaan village stands the Chinggis obelisk
(GPS: N 47°06.155', E 109°09.363') , featuring the visage of the khaan on one side. It was
erected in 1990 to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the writing of The
Secret History of the Mongols. The symbols on the side of the obelisk are the
brands used by about 300 different clans in the area for marking livestock.
One kilometre east of the statue is the Avarga Toson Mineral Spring (GPS: N
47°05.662', E 109°10.114'; T100) , from which Ögedei Khaan drank and was cured of a seri-
ous stomach ailment. You can fill your water bottles with the delicious, naturally
slightly salty and carbonated spring water at a pump house near the site for T100 a
bottle.
Take the paved road between Ulaanbaatar and Chinggis Khot to Jargaltkhaan,
then travel 42km southwest on a decent dirt road to Delgerkhaan.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Dadal
He united the many nomadic tribes of northeast Asia, subjugated huge chunks of Central
Asia, Rus, Europe, the Middle East and China, and created the Mongol empire which be-
came the largest contiguous empire in history. Yet the fearsome Chinggis Khaan's origins
are surprisingly humble. As written in The Secret History of the Mongols , it is now gen-
erally accepted that he was born at the junction of the Onon and Balj Gols in Dadal sum ,
near the town of the same name (though his date of birth is still subject to great conjec-
ture).
Dadal is a gorgeous area of lakes, rivers, forests and log huts. Besides the few sights
associated with the Great Khaan there's good hiking to be had around Dadal, and the vil-
lage itself is a cheerful place of wide dirt streets, cute log cabins and a few tsainii gazar .