Western Mongolia - Mongolia - page 449

MINIVAN & JEEP
Several minivans and jeeps leave each day for Ulaanbaatar (T40,000 to T50,000 per per-
son, 26 hours, 984km) via Tosontsengel (T20,000 to T30,000, five to six hours, 181km).
If you want to get off at Tariat (for Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur; 10 to 11 hours, 399km) or
Tsetserleg (15 hours, 531km), you may have to pay the full Ulaanbaatar fare.
It is virtually impossible to find a vehicle heading north to Mörön, south to Altai or
even west to Ulaangom, although that doesn't stop people trying. You may be forced to
hire a jeep privately at the jeep station to head in these directions (around T70,000 per
day plus fuel).
In the last week of August it is easy to get a ride to Khovd City (around T40,000, 18
hours, 480km) when vans fill up with students headed back to university.
The road between Uliastai and Tosontsengel is unpaved, but pretty reasonable and
easy to follow. The turn-off to Tosontsengel is 148km north of Uliastai and 33km west of
Tosontsengel.
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Zagastain Davaa
Forty-eight kilometres northeast of Uliastai on the Uliastai-Tosontsengel road is a spec-
tacular mountain pass with the unusual name of Zagastain Davaa (Fish Pass; GPS: N
48°04.157', E 097°09.900') . At the top, there are fine views, a large ovoo and infamously
changeable weather. Look out for the two balbals and burial mounds (GPS: N 47°56.396',
E 097°00.824') , located 20km south of the pass.
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Otgon Tenger Uul Strictly Protected Area
One of Mongolia's most sacred mountains, Otgon Tenger Uul (3905m), 60km east of
Uliastai, is the spiritual abode of the gods and an important place of pilgrimage for many
Mongolians. The mountain is the highest peak in the Khangai Nuruu and part of the Ot-
gon Tenger Strictly Protected Area (95,510 hectares; admission T3000) . The mountain's
sanctity means that climbing is prohibited, and attempting to do so will incur the wrath of
park rangers and the authorities in Uliastai.
You'll need to be content with viewing Otgon Tenger from the smaller Dayan Uul , a
60- to 90-minute drive past the children's camp, passing pretty Tsagaan Nuur (GPS: N
47°39.937', E 97°15.804') en route, and where you'll also get views of lovely Khökh Nuur