Ganga Lake

Ganga Nuur is a modest freshwater lake on the Dariganga plateau, fed by springs and backed by the Moltsog sand dunes, and its distinction is seasonal: in September and October whooper swans gather here in large numbers, sometimes thousands, staging before the migration south, and the sight of them on a small lake in bare steppe is why the lake is known nationally. Other waterbirds use it through the season. The rest of the year it is quiet, with horses grazing and the dunes drifting at one end. Fish in the lake support ospreys and locals. Around it are the volcanic cones of the plateau and the Dariganga cultural area, known for silverwork and horse breeding. Camping by the lake is the usual arrangement since there is nothing built nearby.

What you actually see

• Autumn swans - whooper swans staging in large numbers.
• The dunes - Moltsog Els sand at the lake edge.
• Grazing horses - the Dariganga herds around the water.
• Volcanic plateau - the cones of the surrounding steppe.

When to go

September and October for the swans, which is the reason to time a visit; June to August for general travel on the plateau. Winter freezes the lake and the roads are hard. Wind is constant.

Honest expectations

Outside the swan season the lake is unremarkable. There are no facilities and camping is the only option. Roads are steppe tracks. Swan numbers vary year to year and birds should be watched from a distance rather than approached.

Nearby

Shiliin Bogd rises east; Taliin Agui cave is on the same plateau.