Highlights:
- Iron, bronze and stone age ruins
- Cave paintings and petroglyphs
- Extreme wilderness
- Archaeological sites of interest
- Very off the beaten track
- Arguably the best Watermelons in the world
Travel from Ulaanbaatar :
Flights depart from Ulaanbaatar every couple of days to Khovd airport and whilst very safe you should be prepared for a slightly bumpy ride. The flight takes around 3 1/2 hours but you may end up spending a full day waiting in the airport as flights are often delayed.
Driving from Ulaanbaatar takes around 4 days and will be on generally poor quality roads.
Advice:
Bring warm clothing and a sleeping bag all year round. The weather here is unpredictable but rarely very warm
Like many remote mongolian provinces and cities the central town here – also called Khovd – is generally poorly equipped to cater for travellers so be sure to bring any essentials with you
People in Khovd are generally very friendly and will be curious to talk with you
Arrange accommodation in advance. There are very few providers in the region and they can close unpredictablyIf you are planning to travel to Kazakhstan from Mongolia - or vice versa - via road then you would pass through Khovd province on the way but be sure to arrange your Russian visa in advance in order to cross the short Russian corridor between the 2 countries
