The Gobi Desert is Asia’s largest desert area and it also covers some parts of Southern Mongolia and northwestern China. The desert areas here are surrounded by Altai Mountains to the north, North China Plain on the south east and Hexi corridor to the southwest.

The Gobi Desert is the world’s fifth largest desert and it is a combination of different geographic regions. The Gobi Desert covers an area of about 1,295,000 square kilometers and the major part of the desert is covered with bare rock. The desert has an elevation of 1520 meters above the sea level.

The Gobi Desert is famous for the explorations the first traveler to explore this desert was Jean-Francois Gerbillon in the year 1688. Most Nomads and early europeans explored the major areas which include

The Eastern Gobi Desert Steppe
It is the easternmost eco region that covers an area of about 281,800 square kilometers. It features the Yin Mountains and a number of low lying areas that includes ponds and salt pans.

The Alashan Plateau Semi-Desert
It lies to the southeast of the eastern Gobi Desert. It features low lying mountains and desert basins.

The Gobi Lakes Valley Desert Steppe
It lies to the north of Alashan Plateau and in between the Khangai mountains on the north.

The Tian Shan Range
It divides the Junggar Basin from Taklamakan Desert. The area here is low and it is bounded by high mountains.

The Lake Khovsgol is to the northwest of Mongolia and shares its borders with Russia. It is Mongolia’s second largest lake and it is located 1645 meters above the sea level and it measures about 136 km long.

The lake features about 70% of fresh water and it is also Asia’s second largest freshwater lake. The lake combines with Egiin Gol River in the south that links with Lake Baikal and Selenge River. At this place the water travels about 1000 meters and it is about 1169 meters above the sea level.

The lake is bounded by mountains, among them is the Burenkhaan Mountain that measures 3492 meters high. Winters are very cold and as a result the lake freezes. At this time ice covers the lake and become very solid that it serves as shortcuts for the heavy vehicles. In the present day this route is closed during the winters in order to save the lake from pollution such as oil leaks from the vehicles.

The water here is in blue color and it is said that the Lake Khovsgol is very old. It is the major water source for Mongolia because of its freshwater and the wide variety of fish seen in the lake. The lake area also features a national park which is home to wildlife such as wolverine, brown bear, musk deer, sable, Siberian moose, wolf, elk and ibex.