With its rugged mountains, pristine rivers and incredibly wide open spaces, Mongolia is gaining traction as a destination for adventurous travelers. This large, landlocked Asian country offers natural splendor in abundance. And while getting there may take some effort, it’s well worth the effort. In short, Mongolia is an outdoor lover’s dream – and Lake Khovsgol National Park is the perfect place to take it all in.

Located in the far north of the country and surrounded by mountains, rocky shores and dense pine forests, Lake Khovsgol, 137 kilometers (85 miles) long, is Mongolia’s largest body of water. (It’s so huge that it contains 20 percent of the country’s fresh water and 0.04 percent of the Earth’s total fresh water.) It’s often called the “younger sister of Lake Baikal” because of its similarity and proximity to Russia’s famous big lake.

Lake Khovsgol is a place where Mongolians go to escape from everyday life, but it is now also attracting more and more international visitors.

Most of the park’s human activities take place on the west coast, where there are about 50 tourist camps, mostly made up of gersthe Mongolian version of the yurt. These round structures made of wood and felt are widespread throughout the country and provide accommodation for both locals and visitors. They are simple, cozy and thanks to their thick insulation they keep you cool in the heat and warm in the cold.

Tourist camps in Khosvgol range from basic and rudimentary accommodation to more upscale eco-lodges. They are usually family-run and have on-site restaurants that offer set menus or just a single choice of dishes. For those looking for a bit more comfort, the nicer camps have spacious wooden cabins and hotel-style rooms with private bathrooms. However, such luxuries are the exception rather than the rule in rural Mongolia.

Nature is the real star at Lake Khovsgol, with pristine air, calming surroundings and wildlife such as Siberian moose, wolverines, ibexes, sables and brown bears. “My favourite thing to do is wake up at sunrise and go into the forest,” said Batsuren Ganbaatar, whose family owns the Olimp Camp and Restaurant on the west shore, Travel + Leisure“Everything is so quiet and beautiful and I can often see deer.”

The lake and the surrounding park are a feast for the eyes. The icy, crystal-clear waters take on brilliant azure and aquamarine hues reminiscent of the Caribbean or Hawaii. The Khoridol-Saridag mountains rise like stone sentinels above the shimmering surface of Lake Khovsgol. At sunset, the sky is bathed in pink, tangerine and brilliant white, contrasted by the dark shadows cast by lingering clouds. In the summer, thunderstorms pass over the water in the evenings, treating lucky spectators to explosive lightning shows that put any artificial fireworks to shame.

Lake Khovsgol is a place of rugged, untouched nature that offers its visitors warm beds, hot meals and a variety of tourist services. Even a few days spent in its surroundings will relax, strengthen and refresh you.

Where to stay

Double Lake

Located on a small peninsula off the main coastal road, Double Lake is more of a small hotel than a rugged eng Camp with private rooms and well-equipped A-frame houses nestled between the pines. The restaurant serves Western dishes as well as Mongolian classics and the property has its own stretch of beach with large chairs and a classic wooden jetty. If you are looking for peace and quiet, this is the place for you.

Khuvsgul Bayan-Ulaan

With comfortable gers and small huts perched on a broad hill, Khuvsgul Bayan-Ulaan’s main selling point is its stunning views. That’s especially true of the restaurant, which is built in the style of a North American lodge house, complete with walls of windows looking out over the lake in all its shimmering glory, making it the perfect place to sip a drink and take it all in.

Ar Davhar Peninsula Eco Camp

Designed with maximum sustainability in mind, Ar Davhar Peninsula Eco Camp puts its promises into practice: it recycles all organic waste into compost, educates guests about the local flora and fauna, and powers everything with 100 percent solar energy. Most of the food is locally sourced and there’s even a lakeside sauna. It’s also located on the largely undeveloped eastern shore of Lake Khovsgol, ensuring a peaceful experience in an environment that already exudes tranquility.

What to do

Get in the saddle

It is said that Mongolians were born on horseback, and even in modern times horses are still the preferred mode of transport for many locals. There are numerous horse camps on the western shore, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to get on a horse and ride off, whether it’s for a one-hour excursion or a multi-day camping trip to the northern parts of the lake.

Grab your paddle

A lake as beautiful as Khovsgol just begs you to get out and about, and there are several places where you can rent kayaks to satisfy that desire. The lake’s surface is usually crystal clear and calm, allowing you to glide through the water as the trees and rocks on the shore float past you.

Watch the birds

Mongolia is a paradise for bird lovers and Lake Khovsgol is no exception. The lake is home to numerous resident and migratory bird species, including kites, white-tailed eagles, black vultures, bar-headed geese, ruddy shelducks, terns, gulls, choughs, cormorants, nuthatches, demoiselle cranes and many more.

Catch a river monster

The Egg River drains the southern end of the lake and is famous for its fish, including grayling, lenok trout and the legendary taimen, a giant salmonid that is the main prey for most anglers who come to Mongolia. Whether you want to cast your spinning rod or wet a fly line, fishing the Egg gives you the chance to hook a trophy fish in pristine waters.

Hike through Khoridol Saridag

With steep slopes, deep gorges, wide valleys and rugged peaks reaching almost 3,000 metres, Khoridol Saridag is a paradise for mountain hikers. This mountain range rises from the western side of the lake and offers stunning views not only of Khovsgol but also of the landscape beyond.

Visit the reindeer herders

The Tsaatan (or Dukha) are a nomadic people who herd reindeer in the mountains and valleys west of the lake. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can visit them on their pastures, but this is a strenuous, multi-day horseback ride. Fortunately, in the summer, some groups of Tsaatan come to the lake, where you can pose for a photo with a reindeer and buy some of their traditional, hand-made goods if you prefer.

Sail with the Mongolian Navy

As a landlocked country, Mongolia has no real need for warships, but it does have a single ship dedicated to national defense, and it should come as no surprise that it patrols the country’s largest lake. In summer Sukhbaatar III — docked in the town of Khatgal at the lake’s southern tip — offers guests the opportunity to board twice a day and cruise to the middle of the lake, where you can enjoy magnificent views of both shores and hear some historical anecdotes about the country’s peculiar one-ship navy.

Arrival

Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, is served by international flights via Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN). From there, it is a short flight to Moron, the capital of Khovsgol Province, from where it is just 1.5 hours on a paved road to Khatgal, a village at the southern tip of the lake. (The drive from Ulaanbaatar to Moron takes at least a full day.)

Once you reach Khatgal, the road to the western shore of the lake becomes a rutted, potholed dirt track. (However, a proper asphalt surface is in the works.)

Travel time

Mongolian winters are long and harsh, so unless you’re looking for snow, ice and bitter cold, June, August and September are the best times to visit. July can also be lovely, but this is when the annual Naadam festival falls and the camps at Lake Khovsgol fill up with Mongolians on vacation. It’s also the rainiest month, so bad weather can be a problem.

Organize your trip

While it is possible to travel independently through Mongolia, logistics and language barriers make this difficult and time-consuming. Most visitors instead turn to established tour companies that arrange everything for them: accommodation, transport, fuel, meals, permits and side trips are usually included in one package. While there are many to choose from, Goyo Travel, Nomadic Trails and View Mongolia are reputable operators that offer both set and customized itineraries to suit your needs.