Lake Khovsgol is one of Mongolia's great natural treasures — a vast, deep alpine lake in the far north of the country near the Russian border, holding roughly 70 percent of Mongolia's fresh water and about two percent of the world's surface fresh water. The lake is 136 km long and up to 262 metres deep, set in a landscape of forested mountains that feels closer to Siberia than to the Mongolian steppe. It is known locally as the "Dark Blue Pearl."
The surrounding Khovsgol National Park protects the lake and the taiga forests that frame its western shore. This is reindeer herder country — the Tsaatan people, an indigenous group who herd reindeer, live in the mountains north of the lake and can sometimes be visited on horseback or by hiring a local guide from the town of Mörön (also spelled Murun), the regional capital about 100 km to the south. The lake freezes solid in winter and can be crossed by car in January and February.
The main tourist base is the small settlement of Khatgal at the southern end of the lake. From there, horse trekking and boat trips can be arranged in summer. The area is most accessible from June to September; roads are rough and the remoteness is real.