Fairfield to Bayankhongor Blue Lake

Details

  • From: Fairfield, Arkhangai
  • To: Blue Lake, Bayankhongor
  • Via: Khangai Mountains
  • Time Taken: 12.5 hours by LandCruiser
  • Distance: 320kmkm

This driving, motorcycling or cycling route takes you way off the beaten track into largely un-touristed areas.   First, let me point out that there are literally dozens of lakes in this area called 'Blue Lake' or 'Huh Nuur' in Mongolian.  This lake is located in Bayankhongor province, up at almost 3000m.   Well worth the visit if you are looking for isolated, untouched beauty, but be prepared.   This route takes you from Tsetserleg in Arkhangai, through forested mountains, into treeless plains and mountains, up over high stony passes and through areas with remarkably few nomadic families.   You need to be well equipped and prepared for the trip, but it is an amazingly beautiful area if you are ready for it.

It is 'properly' remote.   There are few short-cuts to make your way back to civilisation and paved roads - once begun, you must be committed.   There are one or two small towns enroute to resupply with food and fuel.

I have deliberately NOT included out return route in this track, as I frankly do not wish that upon anybody.   The route we took for a part of it, was horrible, and we ended up needing to extract ourselves from being bogged in deep snow on a pass, after driving over bumpy trackless tussocks for hours.   Refer to the track recorded by cyclists here for an alternative route, only a short distance to the east which is presumably easier than what we undertook.

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Photos from Fairfield to Bayankhongor Blue Lake