Camel Trekking in Northwestern Mongolia
The Uvs region is probably the least known and certainly the least touristy area in the country. It is here that we have designed this camel trek through incredible landscapes where vast salt lakes, arid zones, and steppes alternate. This is also where one of Mongolia's largest deserts, "Boorog Delyin Els," also known as the "Golden Sands," is located.
Enjoy 10 days of camel trekking with our Dörvöd camel herders, discovering these stunning landscapes and experiencing life in these wild regions.
The trek consists of stages of approximately 30 km each, covering a total distance of around 350 km.
Uvs is one of Mongolia's 21 provinces, located over 1,000 km from the capital with relatively difficult access by land due to the lack of roads, apart from the numerous tracks that traverse the region. In recent years, Uvs has been served by a regular domestic flight to its capital, Ulaanbaatar/Ulaangom.
The province of Uvs is one of the coldest regions in the country, but also among the hottest, with a temperature range of 80°C between summer and winter.
After the 1921 revolution, the entire western part of the country was designated as "the jewel with mountains" (in Mongolian Chandman), referring to an exceptionally beautiful area. In 1925, this region was divided into two parts: the northern part was named Dörvöd, after the predominant ethnic group living there, and the southern part was called Khovd. Later, the Dörvöd province was renamed after Mongolia’s largest lake, Uvs.
The provincial capital is the city of Ulaangom (meaning "red sand"), located near Lake Uvs at an altitude of 900 m and only 100 km from the Russian border. The province of Uvs covers about 70,000 km² and has a population of over 80,000, with approximately 30,000 living in the capital.
Lake Uvs, situated in the northern part of the province, is the largest lake in Mongolia. It lies at an altitude of 770 m and has a surface area of 3,350 km² of saltwater. The lake’s shores and its entire basin form a unique wetland area that extends to other lakes in the region.
The salinity of Lake Uvs ranges from 3 to 35 g/l. It is fed by several freshwater rivers originating from snowmelt and glaciers. This ecosystem provides a unique nesting site for many bird species and is a prime area for migratory birds, with over 200 species identified, including some rare ones such as the white-headed duck and the black pelican.
The region offers a wide variety of ecosystems and landscapes, from the snow-capped peaks of the Turgen and Kharkhira (4,000 m) and the Deglii Tsagaan Uul, to the sand dunes of Boorog Deliyn Els and Altan Els, which stretch 180 km in length and 40 km in width, covering an area of 7,000 km².
The region of Uvs is home to various small mountain ranges, rocky ridges, and arid zones that alternate with greener areas irrigated by numerous rivers originating from the high peaks. Many nomadic families live here. Despite the numerous arid areas, the various lakes and rivers support a significant population of nomadic herders, with over 3,000,000 head of livestock counted in the province.
This region is rich in wildlife, with rare animals such as the Mongolian gerbil, snow leopard, Argali sheep, and Asian ibex inhabiting the area between deserts and mountains.
Since 1997, the Uvs Nuur basin has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its biodiversity and richness in flora and fauna.
In the past, this desert region was among the most important due to the presence of large salt lakes from which precious salt was extracted. Today, Uvs is well known among Mongolians for the seabuckthorn, a shrub with orange berries widely used in traditional medicine and now commonly referred to as the "yellow doctor" ("shar doctor" in Mongolian).
Due to its distance from the capital and lack of infrastructure, Uvs is one of the least-touristed regions in Mongolia, even though it offers incredibly varied, unique, and exceptional landscapes. It is home to the large salt lakes, the rugged peaks of Kharkhira and Turgen that dominate the steppes, and the most extensive sand dune belt in Mongolia, with Boorog Deliyn Els and Altan Els.
It is in this pristine natural setting, among high peaks, abundant steppes, arid zones, and dune belts, that we have designed this camel trek for you, tracing the ancient "Salt Route."
Salt, Spices, Silk…
As far back as civilization stretches, salt, spices, and silk have intrigued people, either out of necessity or for pleasure, leading to the development of an enduring long-distance trade.
Thus, the mythical Silk Road has woven its story through the centuries. However, since the 15th century, another, lesser-known route emerged, charted by Kazakh, Russian, and Mongolian traders. This route, still known as the "Salt Route," was one of the main trade routes between their three countries. The itinerary passed through Mongolia, between the Altai and Tanuu mountain ranges, now in Russian territory.
This east-west trade route utilized the wide passage between the mountain ranges, also taking advantage of the presence of large salt lakes in northwestern Mongolia to transport precious cargo to Russia, Kazakhstan, or the central regions of Mongolia.
This route thrived for centuries, traveled by camel caravans, which were better suited than horses for carrying heavy loads over long distances. It continued until Soviet domination brought this epic to an end, as motor vehicles replaced the slow march of the caravans.
We invite you to follow in the footsteps of these caravans, reliving for a few days the era of the grand "Salt Route."
For your greatest pleasure, we offer you this camel trek that winds through the heart of the "Salt Route," in a region that was one of the access routes to the West, starting from Kharkhorin, the former capital of Mongolia under the reign of Chinggis Khan and his descendants.
Your enjoyment will be greatly shared by our Kazakh camel herders, whose oral tradition has preserved the history of these caravans deep in the western part of Mongolia at the foot of the Altai Mountains.
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