Mountains: resides on a high mountainous plateau of
Central Asia some 1,580 meters above the sea level. Altai, Hangai, Hentii and Hiangan mountain ranges that shield away humid, warm air flows from
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans fence the country around.
Hangay
Mountains have no snow peaks but Otgon Tenger. Mountains make up 42,5 percent of the territory. The highest peak, Altai Tavan Bogd, reach 4,374 meters.
Gobi desert and semideserts: The
Gobi
Desert streches from
Southern Gobi to Far Western Mongolia's great lakes. Though popular perception of deserts is that of endless sand dunes, only three percent of the
Gobi
Desert are actually covered by sands, the most of
Gobi 's surface is: semideserted plains, small hills and rocky mountains. It is not rare to come across a small salty pond or bushes. The desert ecosystem supports goats and camels and such rare animals as snow leopard, ibex, wild sheep and goats, wild horse and antelopes. Even about two dozens of bears, known as Mazaalai bear, found a niche in
Gobi
Desert . In western Gobi, there is the depression of
Great Lakes where some massif sands occupying up to 4000square meters. Southern
Gobi
Desert is also known as a graveyard of dinosaurs. From here Andrews's expedition extracted back in 20s most rare artifacts now making the pride of the exhibition at New York Museum of Natural History.
Lakes: There are more than 4,000 lakes in although some of them have dried out as result of the global warming and mining activities. Some lakes are young and others are just dissappearing. The most beautiful is probably
Hovsgol
Lake , in the northwest. Known as a sister
lake of
Baikal Lake in
Siberia , the lake is surrounded by mountain ranges covered with dense taiga forest. Many of lakes are landlocked/ Uvs, Hyargas, Har us/The lake has 2,621 sq. km of total area, depth of 238 meters. From ancient times it enjoyed special reverence of locals who called her The Mother Sea. 's largest lake is
Uvs
Lake and located in the valley of big lakes of extreme north-western . It is 84 km long and 79 km wide. Surprisingly, it has salty water and even a small colony of sea gulls settled there.
Great Plains/Steppes: Great Eastern Plains is the lowest part of the country. Endless stretches of low hills serve as the ideal pasture for half a million antelopes. Dzeren antelopes grazing in tens of thousands all over the place makes the biggest attraction of this wild steppe stretces.
Geography of Aymags.
1.Dornod Aymag: In its north, you enjoy the amazing Ulz river valley with the most high and dense grasses in Mongolia. Many small lakes. The greatest steppe is between Herlen and
Halkhiin
Rivers . Some small mountains and lakes found in northern and central section. The rest of surface are endless plains.
Herlen
River flowing slowly through grassland is beautiful. The ground is soft and roads are like highways here. The pure water
Buir
Lake is abundant in fish...
2. Hentii Aymag:There are mountains and taiga forests in its very north. Many big Siberian rivers take their sources from Hentii mountain range. In summer, aymag's very wet valleys are difficult to pass. Mineral springs and boiling thermal springs found here. But most of the aymag's land is flat: endless steppes are divided by Herlen, the longest river of Mongolia...
3. Sukhbaatar Aymag: A south-eastern aymag. It's a steppe aymag with some sandy places. In its north and center there is no river at all. Unlike neighbouring Dornogobi/eastern
Gobi/ aymag, its south has a number of small lakes. There is an interesting salt lake here. There are numerous ctaters in plain area of Dariganga...
4. Selenge Aymag: The aymag takes its name from Selenge, the biggest river of the country which flows into
Baikal Lake . The province used to have a really nice nature. Because of agriculture and mines, there are huge abandoned wheat, potatoe fields on basins of big rivers and low slopes of mountains. Some rivers turned to dirty yellow from the mines. But there are still many nice places left yet...
5. Bulgan Aymag: Its mountain forested north boasts with big rivers and hidden lakes. Thick forests and relatively low mountains. Abandoned and existing agriculture fields are scattered across the aymag. Ancient graves and remnant walls. The southern part is dominated by arid steppe...
6. Tov Aymag: Tov means "Central" in Mongolian. The province surrounds Ulaanbaatar had a really nice nature. Human activity made some damages to nature around the city. Terelj mountains are spectacular, but more and more human traces seen in its valleys. The north-eastern mountains are heavily forested and well watered. In the north-east, sharpely-shaped mountains covered with deep forest/Khan Hentii strictly protected area/ is the wild paradise...
7. Dundgovi Aymag: the word means is middle
Gobi . Flat grasslands in northern section and semideserts in south. There are some specific looking rocky mountains with some nice caves where you can still spot mountain ibexes if you are a bit lucky...
8. Dornogovi Aymag/"eastern Gobi"/: It's almost comletely semideserted province. There are some attractions which are difficult to find without a local guide...
9. Omnogovi Aymag:the word means "southern
Gobi " in Mongolian. The home of towering sand dunes extending in the middle of high rocky mountain ranges. The land is mostly semideserted plains. Many hidden hills found here. Saxaul bush forests is unique and beautiful there. Suprisingly, wells are not salty...
10. Ovorkhangay Aymag: It means
Southern Hangai . The province is to south-east from
Ulaanbaatar . Differences between its north and south are suprising. It has forested Hangai mountain range in its north and Hangai Mountains in its north. Orhon river takes its sources from Hangay mountains here. Valleys are nice here with volcanic formations and forests.
Uyanga
River is struggling to keep its beauty en face of gold mines...
11. Bayanhongor Aymag: It's nothern part is under permafrost and southern part is semideserted and deserted steppes. Some nice places for birdwatching. There is a big hotspa. There are also several high mountains. Saksaul bushes are nice to visit there. Eathquake destructions...
12. Arkhangai Aymag: it means "northern Hangai". Forested mountains province with some big valleys. Volcanic formations are a lot there. Several big rivers flow through the aymag. Northern forests are not easy to travel through...
13. Hovsgol Aymag: It's a part of
Siberia indeed. Hovsgol lake, the younger brother of
Baikal Lake is found in this northernmost aymag. Taiga forests. Some nice canyons in Delger and Ider Rivers.There are numerous small lakes in
Darhad
Valley. Tall and green taiga forests...
14. Zavkhan Aymag:the province is located to west from
Hangay
Mountain range. That's why there is Otgontenger mountain/3905m/ there.
Zavkhan
River flows along huge sand dunes. Mountain forests occupy big part of the land. Nigh mountain passes and Ider river basins of the lowest temperature. Lakes surrounded by sands...
15. Govi-Altai Aymag:The name says for itself.
Rocky mountains of the aymag have quiete specific looks. Huge
Gobi deserts and Mongolia's biggest sand dunes with rare oases streched between mountain chains and rivers.Multi-coloured earth. mountain and field caves...
16. Hovd Aymag: A high mountain province. Hidden lakes on high mountains are great things to discober here. Nice snow capped peaks of Monkh Hairkhan. But it's diffucult to drive here because of big stones on mountain roads. Rivers are very rapid. Steep canyons...
17. Uvs Aymag: It has both:mountain forests and northern deserts. Nice mountains to hike here.
Great lakes of astonishing beauty found in the aymag. Bird watching is great . Turgen and Harhiraa mountains are snowcapped.
Hanhokhii
Mountains rising between Altai and Hangai mountainous areas. You need up 12 days of horseback riding around Uvs Nuur, the biggest by size
lake of
Mongolia , for example...
18. Bayan Olgii Aymag: High mountain province. There are some nice mountain lakes. Rapid rivers. Green
valley of
Hovd river is a nice attraction here. Tavan Bogd, Some forests on southern mountains. The highest mountain/4374m/ of is found there. Tsagaan Gol/white River/ is great rapid streams of melting snow...
