About Lake Huvsgul, Mongolia

Known as the "Dark blue pearl", Lake Huvsgul, located in the northernmost province, is Mongolia’s largest and deepest lake and is the largest tributary stream of the Lake Baikal. This is the deepest lake in Central Asia, and the world’s 14th largest source of fresh water. The lake is 1,645 m/5,400ft above the sea level and is frozen from January until April or May. The lake is surrounded by mountains, meadows and forest, a complete contrast to the rest of Mongolia. An amazing 90 rivers flow into the lake, but only a single river flows out - the Egiin Gol, which ultimately reaches Lake Baikal in Siberia. A ferryboat operates between the two towns.

Different ethnic groups live within the Lake Huvsgul National Park: Mongols or Khalkha, Buryat, Darkhat. 30 families of Tsaatan (reindeer breeders) live in the taiga and forest steppe of the north and west retaining their ancestral culture based on shamanistic rituals and nomadic reindeer herding.

It is full of fish and the area is home to sheep, ibex, bear and moose, as well as over 200 species of birds.