The Blue Pearl of Mongolia delivered on its promise of amazing wilderness experiences. After four incredible days of ‘take nothing but pictures, leave only footprints’, we departed for our next destination with wonderful memories.

The 30-minute ride out seemed a little less bumpy as Bune managed to get onto the still-under-construction gravel road almost immediately. Throughout the drive, I was highly entertained by the sight of chipmunks scurrying away upon sensing our approach.

At Khatgal, we made an unusual stop at a graveyard.

Graveyard of vehicles

What lies at the bottom of Lake Khuvsgul?

Each year, the lake freezes over completely in winter (November to May) forming an ice cover strong enough to support heavy trucks.

From Google Earth’s screen capture, multiple tracks on the surface of the lake can be seen clearly. The frozen lake is used as a ‘shortcut’ transport route instead of the normal roads. Unfortunately, the danger of ice breaking is ever present, plunging vehicles into the icy depths.

In 1985, the 309-ton Sukhbaatar ship measuring 43.3m (l) x 8.4m (w ) x 5.7m (h), sank 50m from the shore. Built in Russia in 1956, the ship was used to transport fuel and other goods from the Soviet Union to the western provinces of Khuvsgul, Zavkhan, Uvs and Govi-Altai.

Under the initiation of the President of Mongolia Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, the Sukhbaatar ship was successfully pulled out of the lake in 2021.

This signaled the start of the retrieval process of about 28 vehicles and equipment from the bottom of the lake, to be completed by 2024. This exercise is in line with the overall objective to protect the lake’s ecosystem by cleaning up hazardous waste and fuel pollution in the lake.

In June 2023, the operation to discover sunken vehicles in Lake Khuvsgul and define their location, saw the following vehicles extracted from their watery grave.

Retrieved	Vehicle	Depth	Sank
2023	11-ton crawler tractor “T-100”	33.4m	1968
2023	17.8-ton tank car Zil-130	74m	1981
2023	Fuel Truck Zil-130 + trailer	128m	1995
2023	6-ton fuel truck	54m	1995
*2021	309-ton Sukhbaatar Ship “BOR-500”	16m	1985

Both the interior and exterior of this vehicle looks to be in fairly good condition despite sitting at the bottom of the lake.

A total of 34.7 tonnes of fuel, oil, and lubricants were removed from the vehicles, a significant contribution to the reduction of pollution of Lake Khuvsgul and its environment. See the full article here.

Khatgal, a village of less than 4,000 inhabitants, sits on the lake shore and makes up most of the population in Khuvsgul Province. 

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We stopped at Murun for more shopping and lunch, before continuing our journey to Selenge.

Selenge River

Surrounded by rolling hills and vast plains, we relished the taste of the serene Mongolian countryside.

7.44pm : Our exploration took us to the top of the hill. With no clear trail, I picked my way up the rocky slope by avoiding the larger rocks. From the top, we followed the ridge line, heading right towards our camp below.

7.56 pm : All of a sudden, it started to rain. A rapid descent was not possible, as this particular section had hidden rocks beneath the dense grass. We made it back safely, though it was painstakingly slow for me.

instead recommending the large room upstairs, as it would be warmer and more spacious. Good Choice!

(left pix) LK helping Hurley prepare dinner (right pix) Our hosts quarters cum living cum kitchen area

The next morning, Mei Ying spotted some pretty blooms during her morning ramble.

Clockwise from top left : Meadow Cranesbill, Marsh Cinquefoil, Field Thistle, Purple Cabiosa, Dandelion

Originating from Khuvsgul, the Selenge River is Mongolia’s main river and Lake Baikal's largest tributary. It flows northeastwards for 1,480 kilometres (920 mi) before emptying into Lake Baikal in Russia. 

Often referred to as “River Province”, it boasts spectacular, rugged scenery, tranquil river scenes and abundant wildlife, particularly around the Orkhon Selenge rivers. It is also popular for scenic drives, river rafting, bird watching and authentic rural experiences .