Altai Tavan Bogd

The park is recognized for its outstanding natural value and was placed under state protection in 1996. It represents high mountain ecosystems including permanent snow, glaciers, alpine meadows, and steppe landscapes. It is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage natural landscape recognition of the Altai mountain system.

This region includes Cold Peak, the highest point in Mongolia at 4,374 meters above sea level. It also contains Khurgan Lake, the lowest point in the area (around 1,800 meters), and more than 250 glacier-formed lakes such as Khoton and Dayan Lakes. It holds about 96% of Mongolia’s glaciers, including the large Potanin Glacier covering around 24 square kilometers.

The area is extremely rich in biodiversity, with around 1,200 plant species recorded. It is also home to rare and endangered wildlife such as the snow leopard, argali sheep, ibex, red deer, bearded vulture, golden eagle, and other rare birds. Rivers and lakes in the region support fish species such as Mongolian grayling and Altai osman.

In addition, Altai Tavan Bogd is an important cultural and historical landscape. It contains petroglyphs and archaeological sites dating back 2,500–3,000 years, including ancient Turkic, Hunnic, Uyghur, and Mongol-era burial sites and rock carvings.

TRAVEL TIPS

Permits: As the area lies near the international border, visitors must obtain permission from the Border Protection Authority before entering.

Best time to visit: The most suitable period is from July to mid-August. Outside this time, weather conditions are highly unstable and extremely cold.

Transportation: Access is possible only with high-ability off-road vehicles. To reach glaciers and remote areas, visitors often need to travel 10–15 km on foot or by horseback after leaving vehicles.