A place of untouched beauty. This wild land is defined by its rugged terrain, vast expanse of blue sky, and fascinating culture rooted in ancient traditions. It is a place where there are more horses than people and where a nomadic lifestyle still reigns.Bordering Siberia, the northern region is home to pristine Lake Hovsgol, known as Mongolia’s “dark blue pearl.” Believed to be several million years old, Mongolia’s deepest freshwater lake is surrounded by dozens of small rivers and streams that empty into its waters, pristine taiga forest, and valleys and meadows rich with wildflowers. Northern Mongolia is also home to the nomadic Tsaatan, members of a small Tuvinian ethnic group who have herded domesticated reindeer for centuries. Their culture has changed little since the Ice Age, and like many of Mongolia’s nomads, shamanism plays an important role in their lives.Western Mongolia is a place of unspoiled wilderness, where the snow-capped Altai Mountains tower above remote forests, lakes, and rivers.