Mongol Daguur

Mongol Daguur protects part of the Daurian steppe, a landscape of grassland, wetland, lakes and river floodplain that straddles Mongolia, Russia and China, and it is inscribed as World Heritage as part of the Landscapes of Dauria for its wetlands and their birds. What makes it remarkable is the cranes: six species have been recorded here, including the white-naped, hooded, Siberian, demoiselle, common and red-crowned, an assemblage found in very few places on earth. The wetlands also hold swan geese, relict gulls and large numbers of waders, and the surrounding steppe carries gazelle and marmots. Water levels swing on a multi-decade cycle between wet and dry phases, and the birds shift with them. Infrastructure is minimal: rangers, rough tracks and camping, in a corner of the country almost no visitors reach.

What you actually see

• Crane species - up to six kinds in the wetlands, including rarities.
• Daurian wetlands - lakes, marsh and floodplain across the steppe.
• Steppe wildlife - gazelle, marmots and raptors on the grassland.
• Cyclical water - the wet and dry phases that reshape the landscape.

When to go

May to September; spring and autumn migration and the summer breeding season are the productive periods. Water levels vary hugely between years, so recent local information matters. Winter is severe.

Honest expectations

There are no hides, lodges or facilities; this is camping with a guide and a capable vehicle. Cranes are wary and need distance and a telescope. Access tracks are poor and can flood. The area is remote even by Mongolian standards.

Nearby

Choibalsan lies south; the Menen steppe and Buir Lake are southeast.