You may have heard that Mongolia is a landlocked country sandwiched between Russia to the north, and China to the south. What if I tell you that despite the fact that Mongolia is landlocked we do have an ocean?
Yes, that ocean is called ‘Khuvsgul” This lake is not as large as an ocean however Mongols call it the ocean since it is the largest lake in Mongolia in terms of volume. To be specific Khuvsgul Lake is 136 kilometers long 36.5 kilometers long and 262 meters deep. It is the second-most freshwater lake in Asia and consists of 70% Mongolian freshwater and 0.4% world’s freshwater resources. I assume these numbers have convinced you to believe why Mongols call it an ocean.
Mongolians literally call Khuvsgul Lake a Dalai Eej which simply means mother ocean.
Khuvsgul Lake is also a famous tourist destination among Mongolians and foreigners due to its serene beauty and ocean-like environment. Lake is surrounded by unbelievable attractions such as to north famous Sayan mountains and its peak Munkh Saridag 3491 meters high, to the west Taiga forest where the world’s last reindeer herders Tsaatan people live, to the northeast Siberian forest.
During summer it is nonetheless one of the most popular destinations. But do you know that during winter it is also an amazing place to explore? This huge lake completely freezes during winter which makes it a winter wonderland. During winter locals who live northern part of the lake drive on frozen Khuvsgul Lake to get to bigger cities or even to Ulaanbaatar.
Last 3 years our team has been organizing trips to the northern part of the lake town called “Khankh” which is known as it is spectacular location on the northern shore of the Khuvsgul Lake. Also, Khankh town borders Russia where Mongolian and Russian nationals pass through -all year around.
This is how you drive on frozen Khuvsgul Lake. However, driving on a frozen lake is not for everyone you must have some training and experience thus we always hire local drivers to lead the way on our trips. Since the Khuvsgul lake is huge some parts of the lake will be covered by snow and other parts will be just ice which makes it more difficult to drive on. Keep in mind it is highly not recommended to drive on your own or go with inexperienced drivers on frozen lakes
Another flashy event held on the frozen Khuvsgul Lake is the Blue Pearl Ice Festival. This festival usually takes place in the first week of March when it is warm enough for most people. It is also an amazing experience to get to know Mongolians and the way how nomads live in winter. I should definitely say it is a completely different environment and way of living compared to summer months. Check out the below photos of the Photographer Céline Jentzsch during Blue Pearl Ice festival.
