Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP OF CHAPTER
Mönkh Khairkhan National Park
At 4362m,
Mönkh Khairkhan Uul
(Tavan Khumit; park entrance T3000)
is the second-
highest mountain in Mongolia. You can walk up the peak if you approach from the north-
ern side. There is plenty of snow and ice on top, so you'll need crampons, an ice axe and
rope, but the climb is not technically difficult. A jeep trail runs to the base from
Mankhan.
UVS
POP 73,800 / AREA 69,000 SQ KM
After travelling around this aimag for a while you may start to wonder why they named it
Uvs (Grass), as most of the region is classified as high desert. Really the main features of
this diverse aimag are its lakes, which come in all shapes, sizes and levels of salinity. The
biggest, Uvs Nuur, is more like an inland sea, while smaller lakes such as Khökh Nuur
make excellent hiking destinations. Together, the lakes and the surrounding deserts make
up the Ikh Nuuruudin Khotgor: the 39,000 sq km Great Lakes Depression that includes
bits of neighbouring Khovd and Zavkhan aimags.
The main attraction of Uvs, though, has to be the twin peaks of Kharkhiraa Uul
(4037m) and Türgen Uul (3965m)
.
From these mountains spill permanent glaciers, fast-
flowing rivers and verdant plateaus, and the hiking opportunites are excellent.
NATIONAL PARKS OF UVS
The Great Lakes Depression in Uvs aimag is a globally important wetland area for
migratory birds and is a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve. Many other parks have
been established in Uvs and, together with parks in Russia, Tuva, China and Kaza-
khstan, form a Central Asian arc of protected areas.
Altan Els Strictly Protected Area
(148,246 hectares) Contains the world's north-
ernmost sand dunes and protects threatened desert plants.
Khan Khökhii National Park
(220,550 hectares) An important ecological indicator
and home to musk deer, elk, red deer and wolves.
Khyargas Nuur National Park
(332,800 hectares;
Click here
)
An area of springs
and rocky outcrops that harbours abundant waterfowl.
