Mongolian blue pearl, the Khovsgol Lake. It is a huge 2.760 square km alpine lake (130 km in length and 40 km in width), surrounded by mountain chains of more than 2.000 meters high, thick pine forests and lush meadow with grazing yaks and horses. More than 100 small rivers and streams feed the lake with crystal clear water. Water exits the lake through only one river, the Egiin, whose waters eventually reach the Baikal Lake. The lake contains about 1.5% of the world’s fresh water (excluding water contained in the icecaps) and the deepest lake in central Asia, with maximum depth of 262 meters. Khovsgol lake is the younger sibling (by 23 million years) of Siberia’s lake Baikal, 195 km no the northeast and was formed by same tectonic forces.
Its water is crystal clear and fresh. The reflections of larch forests and majestic mountains in the lake water are amazing. The lake and rivers are full of fish including Baikal omul, lenok, sturgeon, salmon, taimen, umber, Siberian grayling, river perch and the area is home to argali wild sheep, ibex, bear, otter, beaver, sable and moose and as well as over 200 species of birds including the Baikal teal, bar headed-goose, black stork and Altai snowcock.
