Boon Tsagaan Lake

Boon Tsagaan Nuur is fed by the Baidrag river and sits in dry country on the northern edge of the Gobi, a shallow saline lake in the Valley of the Lakes, and its value is entirely ornithological: in a landscape of gravel and scrub the water draws relict gulls, Dalmatian pelicans, swan geese, demoiselle and common cranes, spoonbills and large numbers of ducks and waders on migration. The shore is low and open with reed patches where the river enters, and gazelle come down to drink. Herders camp around it in summer. There is nothing built here at all, so visits mean camping on the shore with a scope and waiting, which suits the kind of traveller who comes. The lake is on the southern circuit between Bayankhongor and the Gobi and adds a day.

What you actually see

• Waterbird colonies - pelicans, gulls, cranes and geese on and around the lake.
• The river delta - reeds and channels where the Baidrag enters.
• Desert steppe - gravel and scrub country surrounding the water.
• Gazelle - antelope coming to the shore to drink.

When to go

May to September; spring and autumn migration bring the biggest numbers and variety. Summer is the breeding season. Heat and wind are constant on the open shore and there is no shade.

Honest expectations

No facilities exist and camping is the only option. Mosquitoes and midges are severe near the reeds in summer. The lake is saline and unpleasant for swimming. Birds are often distant, so a telescope makes a large difference. Tracks are rough and unmarked.

Nearby

Bayankhongor city lies northeast; the Gobi routes run south.