The remote town of Murun in the far north is the gateway to the mighty Khovsgol Lake - home to the Chinggis Khan Ice Marathon!
Koryo Tours' Rich Beal talks about his experience researching and preparing for our epic Chinggis Khan Ice Marathon in Mongolia.
Not for the faint-hearted, this one took a bit of adventure planning...
For part one see here.
Through the Mongolian Unknown
It was dark. And I was tired.
Especially after coming straight from another adventurous tour.
All the Mongolians seemed to know exactly where the toilets were, as well as where to find hot drinks and food.
I was like a badly hit ping pong ball, blurry-eyed and bouncing from one area to another. This was one of the old-school service stations which are slowly disappearing in Mongolia these days.
Bad toilets that smelled as bad as they looked.
The only coffee was 2-in-1 powder from a small sachet added to lukewarm water.
As for the food, my eyes - let alone my stomach - really couldn't handle Mongolian road food. Complete with added fat to carry the locals through the winter...
I reverted to my Chinese road snacks. A cardboard bowl of instant noodles, a bottle of Lipton's iced tea, and an off-brand tube of Pringles that tasted as colourful as the packet!
Arriving in Murun (Moron)
Eventually, a little after 3 am, the bus rolled to a halt.
We had arrived at the town of Murun.
The fight then began as everyone scrabbled to alight this canvas-lined purple transport. I tried to get to the front of the queue, worried about my bag, but as always, locals 1, Rich 0.
However, there was my bag, last in the hull and untouched.
I then stumbled around looking for my transport. And, there he was, the husband of our local partner.
A large man with an even larger 4x4.
He explained we still had another hour to go.
He had food. But the thought of eating at this unearthly hour put me off the Mongolian fried pastries (of which I'm usually a fan) as much as the horrid taste I still had of the fake Pringles.
We eventually arrived at the ger camp.
I immediately wrapped myself in warm blankets, lit the fire, and slept.
When I awoke, snow was falling. In the distance, I could see the glaze of the iced Khovsgol Lake.
Excited to take my first steps on the ice giant, I gobbled down my breakfast and was ready to go.
Khovsgol Lake, Mongolia
Khovsgol Lake is an incredible lake at 136 kilometres long, up to 36 kilometres wide, and has a surface area of 2760 square kilometres.
We drove along its surface and stopped at regular intervals.
Although everyone and Google told me that the lake was frozen 2 metres deep, my mind told me something else. Walking on its surface felt strangely unstable.
I looked down and could see bubbles frozen. In some areas, even the ripples on the lake had frozen, held in time.
As the lake freezes, it expands, causing a glacial-like effect on the edges.
This, in turn, cracks and causes the occasional rumbling noises, the sounds of which are quite eerie and at times disconcerting.
I had brought some ice attachments for my boots to Beijing several weeks previously.
I put them on and found that, although odd, running could be achieved.
We even drove the length of a possible marathon route.
The driver enjoyed scaring me by performing some perfect 360-degree turns in his car when he braked. But I soon adapted from terrified to impressed (although I was still a little scared).
Meeting Friendly Locals
When we reached a certain point, we were even greeted by horse sledges. The riders also expressed an interest and eagerness to help in an ice marathon.
These amazing locals have for generations used horse-drawn slays across the lake's icy surface to carry goods and people.
A ride on one is so amazing as the ice is cut through and sprays up as the horse carries its way across the lake's icy surface.
I felt much happier behind a horse than in the confines of a weighty vehicle.
Eventually, after plans had been made and quite a few local meetings with regional officials, it was time to return to UB (Ulaanbaatar).
Not by flight, which we use on tour, but yes, on another long bus journey after an afternoon of snow.
I wondered how long this adventure would take!
Koryo Tours
Mongolia Tours
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