Bayan Lake

Bayan Lake is a freshwater lake in Uvs Province in far western Mongolia, lying just north of the Bor Khyariin Els sand dunes. Though modest in surface area, with a shoreline of about 59 kilometers framing a basin roughly 14 kilometers long and 8 kilometers wide, the lake is unusually deep for the region, reaching 40 to 50 meters in places. It freezes solid each winter, with ice commonly 1.1 to 1.3 meters thick, while summer surface temperatures rise to a comfortable 18 to 21 degrees Celsius. The lake is fed by numerous natural springs along its shore, and its outflow drains into the Khungi River. Along its northern edge, the cliffs known as Temeen Khuzuu, Ulaan Shanaa and Serven conceal narrow canyons cut into the rock, adding a dramatic backdrop to what is otherwise a quiet, little-visited corner of the Uvs Nuur basin.