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Khar Us Nuur Natural Park. Places to visit to Khovd aimag.

THE REGIONS OF MONGOLIA

Khovd aimag.

Khar Us Nuur Natural Park.

Khovd aimag is situated in the far West of Mongolia. On the West and South-West Khovd aimag borders with the Peoples Republic of China. The highest point of the territory is the Munkhkhairkhan peak. Its altitude is 13,793 feet (4204 m) above sea level, and the lowest point is Altain Bor tsonj, its altitude being 3694 feet (1,126 m) above sea level. 20 percent of the territory is semi-desert and steppe.

Khar Us Nuur Natural Park. About 40km to the East of Khovd city is Khar Us Nuur (Black Water Lake), the second largest freshwater lake (15,800 sq km) in Mongolia - but with an average depth of only 4m. Khovd Gol flows into this lake, creating a giant marsh delta. Khar Us Nuur is the perfect habitat for wild ducks, geese, wood grouse, partridges and seagulls, including the rare relict gull and herring gull - and by late summer, a billion or two of everyone's friend, the common mosquito. Be prepared for the blighters, otherwise your life will be a misery. The best time to see the birdlife is in May and late August.

As at Uvs Nuur, birdwatchers may be a little disappointed: the lake is huge, difficult to reach because of the marshes, and locals know very little, if anything, about the birdlife. The best idea would be to go with one of the national park workers and to head for the delta where the Khovd Gol enters the lake.

The easiest place to see the lake is from the main Khovd-Altai road at the southern tip of the lake, where reed islands also make for good birding. The park plans to encourage ecotourism by setting up observation huts and maybe even ger accommodation in this area. Check with the park office in Khovd.

The outflow from Khar Us Nuur goes into a short river called Chono Kharaikh, which flows into another freshwater lake, Khar Nuur (Black Lake), home to some migratory pelicans. There is a dispute about which lake is the deepest in Mongolia: it is either Khar Nuur or Khovsgol Nuur. The southern end of Khar Nuur flows into Dorgon Nuur, which is a large salty pond. The East side of Dorgon Nuur is an area of bonedry desert and extensive sand dunes.

Just to the South, and between, the Khar and Khar Us lakes, are the twin peaks of Jargalant Khairkhan Uul (3796m) and Yargaitin Ekh Uul (3464m). You can see the massif as you drive to Olgii from Altai in Gov-Altai aimag.