Khar Nuur Lake Mongolia

When we first started working in Mongolia back in 2006, Khar Nuur Lake in Zavkhan Province in Western Mongolia was little mentioned or visited. As tourism to Mongolia has increased, so has the volume of visitors to the region. It is also a very popular destination for domestic tourists as well – especially during the Naadam Festival when Mongolians get a five-day public holiday and often go on inter-generational road trips. But, although Khar Nuur in Zavkhan is no longer as off the beaten track as it was once, it doesn’t stop it from being a spectacular location to visit.

Khar Nuur Lake (Nuur translates into lake in Mongolian) is also known as Ulaagchinii Khar Nuur. It is a freshwater lake and is one of Mongolia’s 70 Important Bird Areas (designated by BirdLife International). Khar Nuur is surrounded by the Bor Khyarin sand dunes and forms part of the Great Lakes Depression. Khar Nuur Lake is part of a transitional zone between Mongolia’s central Khangai Mountains and the depression and is a combination of both these zones – an alpine lake surrounded by dunes, although this brief description does not do this remarkable region justice.

Although we’re a small company (150-200 bookings per year) we receive returning guests. John Holman had travelled with us twice (‘I enjoyed the remoteness, the feeling of immense space, the secluded camping and the great balance between programmed experiences and the freedom to explore independently’), before deciding to return for a third visit including to experience Khar Nuur in Zavkhan Aimag (‘the prospect of the ‘unknown’ certainly excites me’). John wrote wonderful updates whilst on the road, and here we share some of his thoughts on his road journey to Khar Nuur in Zavkhan Aimag:

‘As we bounce our way down a particularly boulder-strewn gully we are suddenly confronted with a breathtaking vista. The bluest of blue lakes nestled snuggly amongst dark rocky crags and flanked by golden brown sand dunes. A herd of Bactrian camels stroll lazily across our path and a pair of brilliant white whooper swans cruise gracefully along the shoreline.

As we traverse the southern shoreline the colour of the lake changes constantly with the light – amethyst, jade, emerald, silver and turquoise, while from our campsite nestled between the lake and the dunes the soft  pastel pinks, blues and mauves of opal in the eastern sky at sunset are reflected in the mirror-like surface of the lake. The name of this gem is Khar, a very simple name for a simply beautiful place. We are lulled to sleep by the gentle lapping of small waves idling across the lake ahead of a gentle breeze.

A very relaxing day is spent exploring the dunes, the lake shore and the surrounding hills, attending to some domestic chores and keeping Turuu company while he changes a couple of universal joints on the Furgon. The ability to carry out major mechanical repairs in the middle of nowhere – this year universal joints, last year a differential bearing – is testimony to both the Furgon’s uncomplicated design and Turuu’s mechanical skills. The day provides not only many ‘wow’ moments but also complete tranquillity, for we see no one else apart from a local fisherman until late afternoon when one of Turuu’s local driver mates, Basra, joins us. We are to enjoy the benefits of Basra’s extensive local knowledge for the next couple of days.