Trek Otgontenger Uul

Otgontenger Uul trek was designed and tested by Eshar.

map link

Otgontenger Uul:
trek highlights: 
a. Otgontenger Uul (Youngest Sky mountain, elevation 4008 m') - the highest peak in the Khangai Mountains in Mongolia and the third highest in the country. The mountain is located in Zavkhan Province and it is the only peak in the Khangai mountain range that is capped with a permanent glacier. The south face of Mount Otgontenger is the most extensive granite wall in Mongolia.
traditional Mongolian beliefs have held that wrathful deities inhabit many of Mongolia's sacred mountains. Ochirvaani is particularly associated with Otgontenger.
b. Tsagaan Nuur (white lake) - fresh water lake along the trek's first walking day.
c. Khokh Nuur - anither, bigger fresh water lake. located closer to Otgontenger.
d. Dayan davaa (pass) - a very sacred mountain pass to the mongolians. features a lot of ovoo's and a great view of Otgontenger. 
how to get there:
Public Transportation -  there are public vans from Uliastai to Otgontenger settlement. not daily and leaves when full.
Social Transportation - you can hitchhike from Uliastai to the junction of Bayan children's camp pinned on the map). can take ome time, but there are vehicles going by.
Private Car\Hired Driver - there is a route from Uliastai (pinned on the map) to Bayan children's camp and the starting point.
Horse - follow the car road to Bayan children's camp. takes about 2 days.
difficulty:
easy-medium.
navigation:
easy. there is a car dirt road that goes from the starting point, via Tsagaan Nuur east bank to Dayan Davaa. from the pass you can see Khokh nuur, and after that you follow the creek that goes from khokh nuur to the north until you hit Bayan children's camp or Bogdin gol (river).
maps:a. old russian army maps:
http://loadmap.net/en/m8130 - 1:100,000
http://loadmap.net/en/m8131 - 1:100,000
http://loadmap.net/en/m8132 - 1:100,000
http://loadmap.net/en/m8143 - 1:100,000
http://loadmap.net/en/m8144 - 1:100,000
b. Oruxmaps files (google terrain maps):
http://d01.megashares.com/dl/atv3UTw/Otgontenger.zip
c. trek KML
length:total: 40km.
Km per day: 10~.
four days by foot, three by horse (aprox. six if you start in Uliastai).
water sources:
Tsagaan Nuur - clean water. good to drink, boiling is enough.
Khokh nuur - a little bit muddy. purify and filter
creeks from Otgontenger - clean. boiling is enough,
Bogdin Gol - good to drink only in the parts that are close to Otgontenger. boil/
food:
super markets in Uliastai.
cost:a. guide - there's no need. not sure you can find one.
b. jeep\van - a van from Uliastai is about 10,000\person. jeep from Uliastai is around 90,000 each direction (depends which type of jeep).
c. ger camps - there are ger camps on the road to otgon tenger and on Tsagaan Nuur's west bank.
d. entrance fee and border permit -since it is considerd a "strictly protected area" (by Mongolian law) you need to pay an entrance fee. the ticket can be bought at the ranger's ger (which is in Bayan children's camp). just look around the camp for someone who's dressed in army uniform. importent: since Otgontenger is a sacred mountain climbing it is forbbiden, the ranger will probably make sure that you don't have any intention of doing that (and don't show any because then he wont give you a ticket...)
nomad home stay:
only if someone invites you in.
contact details:
none.
local cellphone coverage:
only in Uliastai.
nearest emergency point:
there's a doctor and an emergency room in Uliastai.


Worship Ceremony 
Once every five years there is an official ceremony worshiping this beautiful snow caped mountain.
In year 2016 it will take place on the early morning of July 22nd.
The president of Mongolia is expected to take part in the ceremony and present his offerings to the mountain.

Find transportation to the ceremony site from Uliastai, the capital of Zavkhan Aimag.
Ask for advice at Chigistei Restaurant, there should be some one speaking English.
Show them this news page announcing the 2016 event.

Otgontenger Uul is one of the three official sacred mountains,
the other two are Burkhan Khaldun and Bogd Khan Uul overlooking Ulaanbaatar from the south.

The site was probably used by Shaman's for rituals and ceremonies 
long before Buddhism became advent in Mongolia. 

The mountain resembles the religious figure named Ochirvani (Vajrapani).
Vajrapani is one of the three protectors of Buddha and the Family protector.

This video performing a worship song for Otgontenger 
shows after minute 3, short video clips from the previous ceremony.

A statue of Vajrapani 
at the base of the Otgontenger mountain








3 reviews

Trek - Ulaan Uul

Ulaan Uul was designed and tested by Eshar



Ulaan uul:
trek highlights: 
a. Sayan mountains - this mountain range (average elevation 2500 m') is not only the western border of the Darkhad valley, it also functions as mongolia's northwestern border with siberia. the Sayan mountains are practically an eastern continuation of the Altay mountains. the Sayan mountains' towering peaks and cool lakes southwest of Tuva give rise to the tributaries that merge to become one of Siberia's major rivers, the Yenisei River, which flows north over 2000 miles to the Arctic Ocean.
b.Un-named lake range  -a beautiful lake range along the trek route, featuring fresh water lakes and creeks, all flowing to the Darkhan valley.
how to get there:
Public Transportation -  there are public vans going from Khatgal to Ulaan Uul. not daily and leaves when full.
Private Car\Hired Driver - there is a route from Khatgal\Moron (pinned on the map) to Ulaan Uul.
difficulty:
medium-hard. requires some navigating skills. alpine weather.
navigation:
medium-hard. there is a car dirt road that goes to the starting point or to the first night camping spot. the dirt road isnt clear, but locals know it. after that - topographic.
maps:a. old russian army maps:
http://loadmap.net/en/m4311 - 1:100,000
http://loadmap.net/en/m4310 - 1:100,000
b. Oruxmaps files (google terrain maps):
http://d01.megashares.com/dl/WX9NftO/ulaan%20uul.zip
c. trek KML
length:total: 71km.
Km per day: 12~.
five days by foot (seven without a vehicle to starting point), four by horse.
water sources:
all the lakes are good to drink after boiling.
food:
small super market in Ulaan Uul. bigger ones in Khatgal\Moron.
cost:a. guide - difficult to find one.
b. jeep\van - a van from Ulaan Uul\Renhinlkhumbe is about 10,000 tug. jeep from khatgal is around 125,000 (depends which type of jeep).
c. ger camps - some along the lakes.
d. entrance fee and border permit - It is required by mongolian law that you have a border permit when traveling in the taiga, as these areas are situated on the Mongolian-Russian border. Be sure that you take your documents, including passport and border permit.
To obtain a permit, you must apply in person at the Mongolian Border Protection Authority either in Ulaanbaatar or Moron.
You will need photocopies of all travelers’ passports (including Mongolian nationals) and visas, and a request letter (from a tour company, NGO, embassy, or other organization). sometimes a map of where you intend to travel is required (depends on the clerk's mood that morning).
Permits can be issued during business hours on week days and may require between three hours and three days for processing (the wonders of mongolian bureaucracy...).
Even with this permit, you must still check-in with the Border Post in Tsagaannuur\Moron so they'll sign your permit again.
Border permits are free. don't expect english in the border post.
e. horses - this trek can be done by horses. average price: 15,000\horse for a day. horses can be found almost everywhere and through tour operators.
nomad home stay:
only if someone invites you in.
contact details:
none.
local cellphone coverage:
only in Ulaan Uul.
nearest emergency point:
there's a doctor and a little pharmecy in Ulaan Uul.

0 reviews

Trek Tavan Bogd

Tavan Bogd trek was designed and tested by Eshar

map link

Tavan Bogd:


Tavan Bogd peaks, and Potanin Glacier (photo: Eshar)

trek highlights: 
a. Tavan Bogd (five saints) is the highest mountain in Mongolia and have massif-type. Tavan Bogd mountain located in Bayan-Olgii Province and its Hüiten Peak is the highest point of Mongolia at 4374 meters above sea level. Besides Hüiten, the mountain includes four peaks as Nairamdal, Malchin, Bürged (eagle) and Olgii (motherland).
The Nairamdal Peak forms the border tripoint between Mongolia, Russia, and the Xinjiang province of China.
b. Tavan Bogd Lakes -  the lakes Khoton, Khurgan, and Dayan. The protected area offers a home for many species of alpine animal, such as the Argali sheep, Ibex, Red deer, Beech marten, Moose, Snow cock, and Golden eagle.
c.Potanin Glacier -the Potanin Glacier is the longest glacier in Mongolia, its length is about 14 kilometres and it is located in the Altai Tavan Bogd mountain in Altai Mountains. The glacier is named after explorer Grigory Potanin.
The last ger (most western in Mongolia)
Park rangers home (photo: Eshar)

how to get there:
Public Transportation -  there is no public transportation to the park. there is public transportation to Tsengel and you can try getting a driver there,
Social Transportation - you can hitchhike from Olgii to Sirgali (pinned on the map). can take some time, but there are vehicles going by.
Private Car\Hired Driver - the preferred method by most of the people. through tour agencies in Olgii.

 difficulty:
medium-hard.

 navigation:
medium. there is a car dirt road that goes from the starting point along the lake almost up the pass.when you get down from the pass on the other side you meet another dirt road that goes up to the glacier.







maps:a. old russian army maps:
http://loadmap.net/en/m4773 - 1:100,000
http://loadmap.net/en/m4772 - 1:100,000
c. trek KML

 length:total: 152km.
Km per day: 20~.
seven days by foot, five by horse.

 water sources:
the area is filled with creeks, springs and marshes.
flowing springs and creeks are fine after boiling. some of the cleaner marshes too.
the lakes are ok but drinking from the springs that flow to the lakes is a better option.

 food:
small super markets are available at Olgii and Tsengel.

 cost:
a. guide - depends on tour operator.usually around 15,000\day (july 2013)/
b. jeep\van - a van from Olgii is about 50,000\person. jeep from Olgii is around 175,000 (depends which type of jeep).
c. ger camps - you can find some along the eastern shore of Khoton lake, and some more close to the peaks. they are mainly reachable through tour agencies, but if you have basic mongolian you can just show up and try negotiating a price
d. entrance fee and border permit - It is required by mongolian law that you have a border permit when traveling in the Tavan Bogd park area, as these areas are situated on the Mongolian-Chinese-Russian border. Be sure that you take your documents, including passport and border permit.
To obtain a permit, you must apply in person at the Mongolian Border Protection Authority either in Ulaanbaatar or Olgii.
You will need photocopies of all travelers’ passports (including Mongolian nationals) and visas, and a request letter (from a tour agency, NGO, embassy, or other organization). sometimes a map of where you intend to travel is required (depends on the clerk's mood that morning).
Permits can be issued during business hours on week days and may require between three hours and three days for processing (the wonders of mongolian bureaucracy...).
Even with this permit, you must still check-in with the Border Post in Tsagaannuur so they'll sign your permit again.
Border permits can cost around 50,000. it changes from time to time. as for now (july 2013) the border office in Olgii does not handle foreigners, only local tour operators.

 nomad home stay:
possible through agencies.

 local cellphone coverage:
only in towns.

 nearest emergency point:
there's a nurse and a little pharmecy in Tsengel. local hospital in Olgii.

1 reviews

Trek - Tsagaanuur, Taiga, Tsatan people

Tsagaanuur trek was designed and tested by Eshar



Tsagaanuur - Taiga and Tsatan people:
trek highlights: 
a. Tsagaanuur (White Lake) - a beautiful lake on the shore of Tsagaanuur village, east of it you can see the peaks of Khoridol Saridag.
b. Khoridol Saridag mounatins -a mountain range soaring east to the Darkhad valley. with an elevation average of 3000 m', some of the peaks are snow-covered during suumer as well. this chain of mountains seperates lake Khovsgol valley from the Darkhad valley and will escort you from the east along the trek.
c. Sayan mountains - this mountain range (average elevation 2500 m') is not only the western border of the Darkhad valley, it also functions as mongolia's northwestern border with siberia. the Sayan mountains are practically an eastern continuation of the Altay mountains.
d. Un-named lake - along the trek there is a little, beautiful, almost bug-free (at least in june) lake. water are good for drinking after boiling.
e. Tsaatan - a small Tuvan Turkic community of reindeer herders totaling somewhere between 200 and 400 people.They ride, breed, milk, and live off of reindeer. their main income is tourists buying their crafts. we highly recommand visiting them through the TCVC organization (or at least reading about it). it will make your experience more interesting (hosting by a tsaatan family) and will ensure that the money will be spread throughout the community and not to anonymous tour operators.
how to get there:
Public Transportation -  there are public vans going from Ulaan Uul and Renchinlkhumbe to Tsagaanuur. not daily and leaves when full.
occasionally theres a van from Khatgal, but its pretty rare.
Private Car\Hired Driver - there is a route from Khatgal (appears on the map) to Tsagaannuur.
difficulty:
medium. requires crossing some creeks and good warm clothes.
navigation:
medium. there is a car dirt road that goes until the point where the forest starts (second walking day). after that its only horse trails an topo navigation.
maps:a. old russian army maps:
http://loadmap.net/en/m4286 - 1:100,000
http://loadmap.net/en/m4271 - 1:100,000
b. Oruxmaps files (google terrain maps):
http://d01.megashares.com/dl/KTzBhtB/Tsagaannuur.zip
c. trek KML
length:total: 90km.
Km per day: 20~.
six days by foot, dour by horse.
water sources:
the area is filled with creeks, springs and marshes.
flowing springs and creeks are fine after boiling. some of the cleaner marshes to.
the creek that goes through the tsaatan spring camp is good for drinking without boiling (unless you have a sensitive stomach).
food:
small super markets are available at Tsagaannuur, Ulaan Uul, Renchinlkhumbe.
cost:a. guide - depends on tour operator. local through the TCVC its 10,000\day (june 2013)/
b. jeep\van - a van from Ulaan Uul\Renhinlkhumbe is about 15,000\person. jeep from khatgal is around 175,000 (depends which type of jeep).
c. ger camps - none.
d. entrance fee and border permit - It is required by mongolian law that you have a border permit when traveling in the Tsagaannuur area and visiting the taiga, as these areas are situated on the Mongolian-Russian border. Be sure that you take your documents, including passport and border permit.
To obtain a permit, you must apply in person at the Mongolian Border Protection Authority either in Ulaanbaatar or Moron.
You will need photocopies of all travelers’ passports (including Mongolian nationals) and visas, and a request letter (from a tour company, NGO, embassy, or other organization). sometimes a map of where you intend to travel is required (depends on the clerk's mood that morning).
Permits can be issued during business hours on week days and may require between three hours and three days for processing (the wonders of mongolian bureaucracy...).
Even with this permit, you must still check-in with the Border Post in Tsagaannuur so they'll sign your permit again.
Border permits are free. don't expect english in the border post.
e. horses - this trek can be done by horses. average price: 15,000\horse for a day. horses can be found almost everywhere and through tour operators\TCVC.
nomad home stay:
again, possible through the TCVC.
contact details: TCVC website, their information center is in Tsagaannur. because the people who run the TCVC live in the taiga - they dont have permenant phone reception or internet acces. that it why its best to coordinate in advance.
Zaya (lives on east taiga) - speaks perfect english, works for the project and can help coordinate a visit.
local cellphone coverage:
only in towns.
nearest emergency point:
there's a nurse and a little pharmecy in Tsagaannuur.

1 reviews

Trek Khovsgol to Darkhad

The Khovsgol to Darkhad trek was designed and tested by Eshar.

Khovsgol lake (Photo: Eshar)

trek highlights: 
a. Khovsgol Nuur (Khovsgol Lake) - a beautiful lake at the foot of the eastern Sayan Mountains. It is 1,645 m above sea level, 136 km long and 262 m deep. It is the second-most voluminous freshwater lake in Asia, and holds almost 70% of Mongolia's fresh water and 0.4% of all the fresh water in the world. The town of Hatgal is at the southern end of the lake. north-west of it you can see the peaks of Khoridol Saridag.
b. Khoridol Saridag mounatins -a mountain range soaring east to the Darkhad valley. with an elevation average of 3000 m', some of the peaks are snow-covered during suumer as well. this chain of mountains seperates lake Khovsgol valley from the Darkhad valley and will escort you from the east along the trek.
c. Sayan mountains - this mountain range (average elevation 2500 m') is not only the western border of the Darkhad valley, it also functions as mongolia's northwestern border with siberia. the Sayan mountains are practically an eastern continuation of the Altay mountains.
Darkhad valley (photo: Eshar)
how to get there:
-there is a new paved road between Hatgal and moron, so the trip is not long and takes around 1 hour-
Public Transportation -  there are public vans going from Moron to Hatgal. they leave daily and when full.
Private Car\Hired Driver - you can pick one up at Moron. should be around 30k tugrik per person.
difficulty:
medium. requires crossing some creeks and good warm clothes.

navigation:
medium. there is a car dirt road that goesalmost up to the pass. after that its only horse trails and topo navigation. check with locals if the Jigelyg pass is open! it can be closed due to late spring snow.
maps:a. old russian army maps:
http://loadmap.net/en/m4325 - 1:100,000
http://loadmap.net/en/m4313 - 1:100,000
b. trek KML
length:total:125km.
Km per day: 20~.
seven days by foot, five by horse.
water sources:
the area is filled with creeks and springs. the lake is a good water source as well.
flowing springs and creeks are fine after boiling.
food:
small super markets are available at Khatgal and Renchinlkhumbe.
cost:a. guide - depends on tour operator. around 10,000\day (june 2013).
b. jeep\van - a van from Moron is about 10,000\person. jeep from Moron is around 30,000 (depends which type of jeep).
c. ger camps - tourist ger camps along the lake.
d. entrance fee and border permit -none.
e. horses - this trek can be done by horses. average price: 15,000\horse for a day. horses can be found almost everywhere and through tour operators.
nomad home stay:
mainly tourist ger camps. they are marked and signed.
local cellphone coverage:
only in towns.
nearest emergency point:
there's a nurse and a little pharmecy in Khatgal. small hospital in Moron.

0 reviews
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