Mörön

Mörön, whose name simply means river in Mongolian, is the capital of Khövsgöl Province. The town lies in a fertile basin along the Delgermörön River at 1,283 metres above sea level and has served as a provincial seat since 1933. Some 38,000 people live here, and the city is the main staging point for travel to Lake Khövsgöl, located 100 kilometres to the north. With a surface of 2,760 square kilometres and a depth of up to 262 metres, that lake holds roughly 70 percent of Mongolia's freshwater reserves. Mörön's small airport runs daily flights to Ulaanbaatar. About 20 kilometres west of town stands the Uushgiin Övör sanctuary with 14 Bronze Age deer stones dated between 1300 and 700 BCE. The wider region is also the homeland of the Tsaatan, the last reindeer-herding people of Asia. Winters here are harsh, often dropping to minus 35 degrees, while summers are short, sunny and pleasant.

Nearby cities

Khatgal

A charming village on the southern shore of Khövsgöl Lake, serving as the main gateway for explorations in the region.

Khövsgöl Lake

Known as the 'Blue Pearl' of Mongolia, this massive freshwater lake is surrounded by majestic mountains and larch forests.

Renchinlkhümbe

A remote village in the Darkhad Valley, famous for its shamanic traditions and proximity to the taiga.

Tsagaannuur (Reindeer area)

The gateway to remote northern Mongolian taiga, home to the Tsaatan reindeer herders and a place of deeply rooted shamanistic traditions.

Bayankhongor

Bayankhongor offers an extreme scenic diversity, from snow-capped peaks in the north to sandy deserts in the south.

History & landmarks

Khorgo Volcano

The Khorgo Volcano is an extinct volcano in the Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park.

Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur

Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur, or the Great White Lake, is a beautiful freshwater lake in central Mongolia surrounded by volcanoes.

Nature

Lake Khövsgöl

Often referred to as the 'dark blue pearl' of Mongolia, it is the country's largest freshwater lake.

Egiin Gol

The only outlet of Lake Khövsgöl is a crystal-clear, torrential river that winds its way through picturesque, wooded valleys.

Mount Munku-Sardyk

Mount Munku-Sardyk is the highest peak of the Eastern Sayan range on the border between Russia and Mongolia.

More places

Deer Stones of Uushigiin Uvur

The Uushigiin Uvur complex in Khuvsgul Province preserves some of Eurasia's finest Bronze Age deer stones.

Mönkh Saridag

The highest peak of the Sayan Mountains lies on the border between Mongolia and Russia.

Darkhad Valley

An isolated basin in northern Mongolia, characterized by reindeer herders and dense forests.

Tsaatan Reindeer Camps

In the northern forests of the taiga, the nomadic Tsaatan families herd reindeer for milk, transport, and as spiritual companions.

Khangai Mountains

This green and water-rich mountain range in the center of the country is characterized by vast alpine meadows and dense larch forests.