Uvs is thinly populated western desert-steppe wrapped around the Uvs Nuur lake basin, a UNESCO-listed saline lake shared with Russia. Towns are small, tracks are sandy, and trips here are for travellers who already accept long fuel ranges and simple camps. Birdwatchers and photographers come for the light and silence more than for ger-camp comfort.
Ulaangom sits on the edge of the basin and has the last reliable fuel before long desert legs. Wind on the open plain can make camping uncomfortable without a good tent peg system, which expedition crews usually supply.
Saline flats shimmer on the horizon south of Ulaangom, and mirages can fool the eye on hot afternoons. Expedition crews carry satellite phones because coverage is patchy across the basin.
Flamingos and shorebirds visit shallow bays when water levels allow, though numbers change year to year. Night skies here are sharp and cold, with the Milky Way clear when the moon is down.
Remote basin
Guided treks and 4WD expeditions in western Mongolia.
Booking on adventuro
Use the Book here tab only on specialist western routes that name Uvs.
