Travelling Northern Region
Before You Travel
This majestic clear-watered lake contains 65% of all the fresh water of Mongolia and furthermore, 1% of the world’s fresh water supply. Nine species of fish inhabit the lake, including Siberian grayling and lenok. Nearby taiga forest, forest steppe, mountains, and the lake itself provide habitat for 68species of mammals, including argali, ibex, elk, reindeer, musk deer, brown bear, Iynx, marten, beaver, wolf, and moose, 244species of birds, and 750 species of plants, including 60 with medicinal importance.
Khuvsgul is the land of the Tsaatanreindeerherdsmen, a branch of the Turkic-speaking Tuvinian or Dukha ethnic group. This small group of 42 families possesses a social and material culture which has remained unchanged since the Ice Age. Shamanistic or totemic rituals and symbolism are central to the social organization of the Tsaatan. Shamanistic rituals of healing rely on rare medicinal plants and animals unique to this landscape. The Tsaatan are an archaic and ethnographically interesting nomadic groups to be found on the Eurasian continent their lifestyles are both ancestral to all the nomadic herding cultures of Central Asia and are reminiscent of a way of life which was widespread across Europe, Asia and North America 10,000 years ago. Darkhad and Tuva people have coexisted peacefully with the Tsaatan reindeer herders sharing respect for Khuvsgullake, The Dalai Eej or Mother Sea for sustaining their livelihoods for centuries. The area is a perfect destination for vacationing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, trekking, sport fishing, and bird watching.
Mongolia’s largest river, the SelengeGol, crosses the aimag’s north, and the Orkhon and Tuul rivers meander around the southern parts.
UvgunKhiidmonastery located in the mountains of Khugnu-Khanwas built by the medieval religious figure Zanabazar who dedicated the monastery to his teacher, The temple was one of his beloved sanctuaries. During its peak, the monastery served up to 1,000 lamas. In the 18th century Ovgon-Khiid became a bone of contention between Galdan Boshigt (Western Mongolia) and Zanabazar (Central Mongolia). The former was against Zanabazar’s intention to submit to the Manchus. The never-ending argument resluted in a war when Galdan Boshigt’s army destroyed Ovgon-Khiid.
Uran-TogooTulgaUulNaturalReservecomposed of Uran uul and Togoo volcano lies west of Bulgan city en route to Khuvsgul area.
The rich vegetation and fertile soil of Selenge aimag position the aimag as the breadbasket of Mongolia. Selenge aimag produces 40-56 percent of the grain of the country. In the aimag, there are timber, match, cement, chalk, spirit, wood plants, gold and coal mines and power stations. In the south-east, the open-pit coal mine at Sharyn Gol produces about two million tons of coal each year to provide electricity for the Erdenet mine in Bulgan aimag.
The Amarbayasgalant monastery is considered the second most important in Mongolia after Erdene Zuu Khiid in Kharkhorin and the most intact architectural complex in Mongolia located in a valley 360 km from Ulaanbaatar. The monastery was built between 1727 and 1737 by the Manchu emperor Yongzheng and dedicated to the great Mongolian Buddhist and sculptor, Zanabazar, whose mummified body was moved here in 1779. The valley is covered throughout its extent with Turkic-era graves of various geometric shapes dating to 3rd century. The area holds sacred associations for the people. In 1996 it was nominated by UNESCO as a Heritage Site. After 65years the lamas organized “Tsam” religious dance for the first time in Amarbayasgalant monastery in 2002.
Northern Region Tours
