Lake Khovsgol National Park is the perfect place to soak in all Mongolia has to offer nature lovers.
This large, landlocked Asian nation offers natural splendor in massive doses.
And though getting there may take some effort, the payoff is well worth it.
Snowy mountains surrounding Lake Khövsgöl.Credit:BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Lake Khovsgol is where Mongolians go to escape from it all.
However, its now increasingly drawing international visitors.
These round, wood and felt structures are ubiquitous throughout the country as lodging for both locals and visitors.
A tree beside Lake Khövsgöl, in Mongolia.BSIP/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
The tourist camps at Khosvgol range from rough and rudimentary affairs to more upscale eco-lodges.
They are usually family-run with on-site restaurants that may offer menus or just a single choice for meals.
Though, such luxuries are the exception rather than the rule in rural Mongolia.
Tourist gers in a camp at Lake Khövsgöl, in Mongolia.STEPHEN SHAVER/AFP/Getty Images
Everything is so quiet and beautiful, and I can often see deer.
The lake and surrounding park are a visual feast.
The Khoridol Saridag mountains rise like stony sentinels over the gleaming expanse of Lake Khovsgols surface.
Mongolian horses graze on the shore of Lake Khövsgöl.John White/Getty Images
Even just a couple of days in its environs will have you relaxed, invigorated, and refreshed.
If you want quiet, look no further.
Most of the food is locally sourced, and there is even a lakeside sauna.
Kayaks on the shore of Lake Khövsgöl.iStockphoto/Getty Images
Watch the Birds
Mongolia is a wonderland for bird enthusiasts, and Lake Khovsgol is no exception.
(Driving to Moron from Ulaanbaatar takes at least one full day.)
(Though, a proper blacktop is in the works.)
Mongolia’s Khoridol Saridag mountains.Tsakhim/Adobe Stock
Its also the rainiest month, so bad weather can be an issue.
A Tsaatan boy with a young reindeer.iStockphoto/Getty Images
Cattle grazing lakeside.Lucy Brown/Getty Images
