Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Achit Nuur
The largest freshwater lake in Uvs, Achit Nuur is on the border of Uvs and Bayan-Ölgii
aimags, and is an easy detour between Ulaangom and Ölgii. It offers stunning sunsets
and sunrises and good fishing.
The lake is home to flocks of geese, eagles and other
birdlife
. One drawback is the ab-
solute plethora of mosquitoes during the summer. Some camping spots are better than
others for mozzies, so look around. Locals claim they are almost bearable by October.
The small Kazakh encampment on the southeastern edge has a
guanz
.
A
bridge
(GPS: N 49°25.446', E 90°39.677')
just south of the lake allows for relatively
steady traffic between Ulaangom and Ölgii.
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Khyargas Nuur National Park
Khyargas Nuur National Park
(park fee T3000)
, based on a salt lake amid desert and
scrub grass, provides an attractive summer home for birds but sees little tourist traffic.
On the northwestern side of Khyargas Nuur there is a
cold spring
(GPS: N 49°18.952', E
093°13.257')
that dribbles out of the mountain - locals say drinking from it has health be-
nefits. Five kilometres further on is
Khar Temis
( 9307 2513; GPS: N 49°18.954', E
093°09.625'; per person with meals T30,000, 4-bed r without meals T30,000, meals T4000-5000)
,
an old Soviet holiday camp that is falling into disrepair, but popular with holidaying
Mongolians. It has a number of spartan four-bed rooms, half of which have balconies fa-
cing the lake. The sandy beach by the main road here is a surreal sight, given that it's
about 2000km from the nearest coastline.
The main attraction of the lake is over the other side, though.
Khetsuu Khad
is an
enormous rock sticking out of the water that attracts migratory cormorant birds. The
birds arrive in April and hatch their young in large nests built on the rock. When the
chicks hatch, their squawking is constant and deafening. The aura created by the white
cliffs, shrill birds and the prevailing smell of guano makes you feel as if you've arrived at
the ocean. By mid-September the cormorants are off, migrating back to their wintering
grounds in southern China.
The well-equipped
Khetsuu Khad Ger Camp
( 9945 6796, 9911 7524; GPS: N
49°01.968', E 093°28.783'; per person with/without meals US$48/12)
is set down here, seem-
