Khoton & Khurgan Lake

Twin Glacial Lakes of the Altai

Khoton and Khurgan are a pair of crystal-clear glacial lakes tucked inside Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, connected by a short, fast-flowing channel spanned by a well-known wooden bridge. Together with nearby Dayan Lake, they form the headwaters of the Khovd River, which drains the entire Mongolian Altai.

Two Lakes, One System

Khurgan Lake sits at 2,072 metres above sea level and is the lowest point in the national park, stretching roughly 23 kilometres long with numerous small moraine islands formed by ancient glaciers. Khoton Lake, slightly higher at about 2,084 metres, is fed by more than ten glacial rivers and reaches depths of nearly 60 metres in places, with a single wooded island of its own.

A Landscape Shaped by Ice

Lake Khoton was formed by glacial blockages thousands of years ago, and the surrounding valley still shows the fingerprints of that history — U-shaped valleys, moraine ridges and forest-covered slopes rising toward the snow-capped Altai peaks beyond. The lakes are considered among the cleanest and freshest bodies of water in Mongolia.

Life on the Shoreline

Kazakh nomadic families graze their herds along the lakeshores through the summer months, and the lakes are prized for grayling and lenok fishing. The route in from Ölgii winds through the dramatic Khovd River valley, passing ancient Turkic balbal stones, burial mounds and rock carvings along the way.

Gallery

• Cross the wooden bridge linking Khoton and Khurgan lakes
• Fish for grayling and lenok in glacier-fed waters
• Camp on the southern shore of Khoton Lake
• Spot golden eagles and migratory birds over the water