Ugii Lake

Ugii Nuur is shallow, about twenty-five square kilometres, fed by the Orkhon river system and sitting in open steppe with low hills around it, and its shallowness is why it is so productive: the water warms, weed grows, and fish and birds follow. Pike and perch draw anglers from Ulaanbaatar, and the lake is designated as important for waterbirds, with cranes, geese, swans, ducks and gulls breeding and staging in numbers, along with occasional rarities that bring birdwatchers. Ger camps line part of the shore and it is a common overnight stop on the drive west to Kharkhorin, close enough to the capital for a weekend. Herders graze the surrounding steppe. Winds cross the open water and the shore is exposed, so camping needs shelter.

What you actually see

• The shallow lake - warm productive water in open steppe.
• Waterbirds - cranes, swans, geese and ducks breeding and staging.
• Fishing - pike and perch, popular with visitors from the capital.
• Ger camps - shoreline accommodation on the main circuit.

When to go

May to September; migration in spring and autumn brings the most birds and midsummer the breeding activity. The lake freezes in winter. Wind is constant and afternoons can be rough on the water.

Honest expectations

The lake is shallow and the shore muddy in places, so swimming is not always appealing. Camps vary in quality and can be full in August. Mosquitoes are present in summer. There is little to do beyond fishing, birding and sitting, which suits some travellers and not others.

Nearby

Kharkhorin and Erdene Zuu lie southwest; Khar Balgas is on the same route.