Zavkhan Province: Otgontenger, Lakes and History

Zavkhan Province combines striking mountain scenery with lakes and historical sites. When choosing a hotel, it may help to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: would you like to explore mountain ranges and protected areas, compare lake landscapes, or visit museums and archaeological sites? The places described here offer different points of reference for each of these options.

Otgontenger and the Mountain Region

Otgontenger rises to 4,021 meters and lies in the sums of Aldarkhaan and Otgon in Zavkhan Province. The strictly protected Otgontenger area covers 102,000 hectares in Otgon Sum. Its boundaries were redrawn in 2019 with the aim of preserving the natural balance and original state of the area, as well as promoting nature tourism.

Work is underway on facilities for a training and information center on Otgontenger’s southern slope. The Otgontenger hot springs sanatorium is also a notable geographic reference point: it is in Aldarkhaan Sum, 78 kilometers east of Uliastai, at an altitude of about 2,500 meters. The elevation and named locations help you orient yourself in the mountain region using specific destinations.

Lakes and Their Landscapes

Ulaagchinii Khar Lake lies 80 kilometers northeast of the center of Erdenekhairkhan Sum and 110 kilometers from the provincial center of Zavkhan. It is about 30 kilometers long, 5 to 10 kilometers wide, and 48 to 54 meters deep. Sand dunes and sand springs border it to the north; the southern shore is characterized by reed beds and Tovkhosh Mountain. The described stretches of shoreline therefore differ markedly in their landscape features.

Other points of interest are in Telmen Sum: Angirt Lake is 20 kilometers northwest of the sum center. The sand dunes of Doloon Tovgor are 20 kilometers from the center of Telmen Sum, near Tsetserlegmandal Mountain. A cold spring rises there and does not freeze in winter.

A traditional tale links Telmen Lake, in the border area between Nömrög and Telmen sums, with Oigon Lake in Tüdevtei Sum. It tells of their shared origins in waters that flowed northeast from the area of what is now the Zagastai-Bulnain mountain range. The Gozgoryn Bel deer stone complex is also in Telmen Sum: it comprises more than ten deer stones and is located 35 kilometers north of the sum center, in the area of Bayan-Ayrag.

Culture, History and Archaeology

The tradition associated with Otgontenger also reaches far back: according to accounts, the mountain has been venerated since the 6th century. This veneration was revived in 1779 and later continued as part of Buddhist rites. This chronology adds another historical dimension to the landscape.

The Zavkhan Province Museum was founded in 1924 and displays more than 10,500 objects in 18 halls. The Uliastai History Hall, which opened in 2025, presents the city’s history in five periods: ancient Uliastai; the city during the Manchu period; Uliastai during the Bogd Khanate of Mongolia; the period of the Mongolian People’s Republic; and modern Uliastai.

A 2023 exhibition report describes an archaeological hall at the Zavkhan Province Museum of Local Studies, with more than 100 valuable exhibits. These include finds from Yamaan-Us dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE. If you particularly want to see this collection, check before your visit whether the objects are currently on display.

Another archaeological find comes from Yamaan-Us in Aldarkhaan Sum, where a Xiongnu aristocratic burial complex was discovered. These different topics can also be compared chronologically: the museum collections span archaeological finds through to the history of Uliastai, while the tradition associated with Otgontenger has its own religious chronology.

Discover more destinations: Aldarkhaan, Ulaanbaatar, Umnugovi, Töv, Uvurkhangai, Darkhan-Uul Province, Khuvsgul

For the main travel overview: Mongolia.