Murun Airport. We flew to Murun and then drove north from there to get to Lake Khuvsgul.

Young Mongolian girl in Murun

Murun

Scenery near Murun

Mountains north of Murun

Yak near Lake Erkhel

Lake Erkhel, about halfway between Murun and Khatgal

Herding sheep and goats near Lake Erkhel

Large Deer Stone near Lake Erkhel

Deer stones date back to the Bronze Age, when Mongolia was inhabited by Turkic people

These deer stones near Lake Erkhel appear to be seldom visited by tourists

These stone burial mounds are in the same area as the deer stones

Hangard Ger Camp, on the southwest shore of Lake Khuvsgul

Shoreline of Lake Khuvsgul, near Hangard Camp

Lake Khuvsgul, a bit further north on the western shore

Khatgal

Gers on the outskirts of Khatgal

Khatgal

Pumping gas by hand in Khatgal

Monument in Khatgal

Ground squirrel, common in this area

Mountain scenery west of Lake Khuvsgul

This area has dozens of stormwater "washes," where flash floods run off from the nearby mountains

Mounument to local spirits located at a mountain pass near Lake Khuvsgul

A Russian-made 4wd minivan was our transportation around Lake Khuvsgul

Shoreline of Lake Khuvsgul

The Lake has spectacular mountains on all sides

Monument to two children who died under mysterious circumstances near Khatgal

The Lake is gorgeous from virtually every angle

View from Hangard Camp

View of the Lake from a hilltop we reached on horseback

The Lake has crystal clear water

Hangard Camp

A boat ride on the Lake is an excellent photo opportunity

Here you can see how clear the water in Lake Khuvsgul is

Shoreline of the Lake near Hangard camp. This picture was chosen as a finalist in the 2007 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Travel Photo Contest, "Places" category.

Yaks take a refreshing dip in the Lake

Wide open fields, perfect for horseback riding, near Khatgal

Interior of a local family's ger

Yak dairy products: on the left, yak-milk cream; on the right, cookies made from yak-milk yogurt

Young Mongolian boy near Khatgal

Sunrise on Lake Khuvsgul

Scenery on the way back to Murun