Naadam Tour
한국어English日本語

Routes

Khuvsgul Lake

Mongolia's deep alpine lake in the far north, ringed by larch forest and mountains, reached either by a 1.5-hour flight to Murun or by two long driving days from Ulaanbaatar. Trips centre on the lakeshore itself: boating, hiking, horse riding along the water, and Bronze Age deer stones at Uushgiin Uvur near Murun. Short fly-in versions run three days; the more common shape folds Khuvsgul into a longer northern and central circuit of ten to thirteen days. It is the cool, green counterweight to the Gobi and the usual gateway for reindeer-herder side trips.

Typical length
3–13 days (Read more: 8)
Difficulty
easy
Driving per day
2-2.5 hours between Murun and the lake; 6-7 hours on the long overland transfer days if you drive from Ulaanbaatar
Total distance
Fly-in version: roughly 200 km of driving around Murun and the lakeshore plus the Ulaanbaatar-Murun flight each way. Overland northern circuits run well over 2,000 km.
Best months
Jun–Sep
  • Jan: not a best month
  • Feb: not a best month
  • Mar: not a best month
  • Apr: not a best month
  • May: not a best month
  • Jun: a best month
  • Jul: a best month
  • Aug: a best month
  • Sep: a best month
  • Oct: not a best month
  • Nov: not a best month
  • Dec: not a best month
Khuvsgul Lake — StopsUlaanbaatar → Lake Khuvsgul (Khovsgol Nuur) → Uran Togoo extinct volcano (Uran Togoo-Tulga Uul Natural Monument) → Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake (Great White Lake) → Kharkhorin and Erdene Zuu Monastery → Elsen Tasarkhai (Mongol Els) → Hustai National Park (Khustain Nuruu)UlaanbaatarLake Khuvsgul (Khovsgol Nuur)Uran Togoo extinct volcano (Uran Togoo-Tulga Uul Natural Monument)Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake (Great White Lake)Kharkhorin and Erdene Zuu MonasteryElsen Tasarkhai (Mongol Els)Hustai National Park (Khustain Nuruu)

Stops: Ulaanbaatar → Lake Khuvsgul (Khovsgol Nuur) → Uran Togoo extinct volcano (Uran Togoo-Tulga Uul Natural Monument) → Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake (Great White Lake) → Kharkhorin and Erdene Zuu Monastery → Elsen Tasarkhai (Mongol Els) → Hustai National Park (Khustain Nuruu)

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Fly to Murun, drive to the lake

    About 1.5 hours flying, then the Murun museum and market and the Uushgiin Uvur deer stones. Drive of 2 to 2.5 hours to a lakeshore ger camp.

  2. Day 2

    Lakeshore day

    Hiking to a viewpoint over the lake, horse riding along the shore, and — on some itineraries — a visit to reindeer-herding families keeping animals near the lake rather than deep in the taiga. Ger camp.

  3. Day 3

    Boat, then back to Murun

    Optional boat trip or kayaking in the morning, then the drive back to Murun for the afternoon flight to Ulaanbaatar.

  4. Day 4

    Longer circuits only: south through the Khangai

    Circuits that drive out rather than fly stop at Uran Togoo, an extinct volcanic cone, and the mining town of Erdenet before a 6-7 hour run back to the capital.

Price bands

budget join-in

205 USD

Prices as published for 2026

Group size assumed: group departure on a 13-day northern and central circuit

Includes: Selena Travel's 13-day North and Central Mongolian Explorer is US$2,660 pp with guide, 4WD transport, 8 ger nights, 1 hotel night, all meals, entrance fees, camel and horse riding and airport transfers. Ulaanbaatar hotel, insurance and visa fees are excluded; single supplement US$410.

standard private

275-310 USD

Prices as published for 2026

Group size assumed: 3-4 travellers, private guide and vehicle, flights included

Includes: View Mongolia's 3-day Khuvsgul fly-in is US$923 pp at 3 people and US$833 at 4, including return Ulaanbaatar-Murun flights, 2 ger camp nights, guide, 4x4, horse riding, park and museum fees and meals.

premium

365 USD

Prices as published for 2026

Group size assumed: 2 travellers on a private fly-in trip

Includes: Same 3-day fly-in at 2 people: US$1,094 pp, flights included.

Accommodation

Lakeshore tourist ger camps, shared bathroom blocks, in a short summer season. Longer circuits mix ger camps with one or two local-hotel nights in Erdenet or Murun. Nights are cold here even in summer; camps use wood stoves.

Vehicle

4WD van seating 4-5 passengers is standard for the north; the lakeshore track and the Jigleg pass are not van-friendly in wet weather. The Ulaanbaatar-Murun domestic flight is the main decision — it saves two full driving days, with 15 kg checked and 5 kg cabin baggage.

Not for

travellers on under five days who are not willing to pay for the domestic flight
anyone visiting outside June-September expecting the summer product
people who dislike cold nights

Ask before you book

  • Is the Ulaanbaatar-Murun flight included, and is the price re-quoted if the flight is cancelled?
  • Which shore of the lake is the camp on, and how far is it from Murun?
  • If reindeer are in the itinerary, is it a herder family near the lake or a genuine taiga trip requiring horses and a border permit?
  • Is the boat trip included or paid locally?
  • What is the baggage allowance on the domestic flight?
Sources (3)