Khyargas Lake & Khetsuu Khad

Whitewashed Cliffs on Mongolia's Third-Largest Lake

Khyargas Lake is a vast saltwater lake in the Great Lakes Depression of Uvs Province, and at roughly 75 kilometres long and up to 80 metres deep, it ranks as Mongolia’s third-largest lake by surface area. Its signature landmark, Khetsuu Khad, is a striking white rock formation running along the eastern shore — a landscape that visitors often compare to the Mediterranean rather than the Central Asian steppe.

A Remote Salt Lake

Khyargas sits amid semi-desert terrain in the Great Lakes Depression and has no outflow, making it a terminal, mineral-rich lake fed mainly by the Zavkhan River via neighbouring Airag Lake. The lake and its 332,800-hectare surrounding area were protected as a nature reserve in 2000. Reaching it is part of the adventure: the final stretch runs some 40 kilometres over sandy, washboard tracks that call for a capable 4×4.

Khetsuu Khad, the White Cliff

Khetsuu Khad stretches five to seven kilometres along the lake’s eastern shore, with sections of pale rock rising up to 20 metres above the water while much of the formation remains submerged. The cliff’s name translates roughly to “difficult rock,” a nod to the terrain, and its bright, sun-bleached faces against turquoise water give the shoreline its unmistakable, almost Aegean character.

A Refuge for Migratory Birds

The cliffs and surrounding wetlands are an important nesting site for cormorants and other migratory waterfowl, drawn by the lake’s abundant fish, including Altai osman and Mongolian grayling. Bird enthusiasts visiting Khetsuu Khad in early morning are frequently rewarded with large flocks working the shoreline.

Gallery

• Photograph the white cliffs of Khetsuu Khad at sunrise
• Watch cormorants and migratory birds nesting on the rock
• Camp at the small ger camp near the cliff
• Fish for Altai osman and Mongolian grayling