Tsambagarav Uul National Park

Tsambagarav is a permanently snow-capped massif of the Mongol Altai on the border between Khovd and Bayan-Ölgii aimags, protected since 2000 in a national park of about 1,110 km². Its highest point, Tsast Uul, is usually given as 4,193 m, and the summit named Tsambagarav as about 4,165 m. With a topographic prominence of about 1,757 m, the mountain stands well clear of its neighbours and dominates the view from the surrounding plains. It is also a regional sacred mountain.

Shrinking ice

The upper massif carries a cap of glaciers that feed glacial lakes and meltwater streams running down rocky gorges. Satellite studies show that the ice is retreating fast: glacier area fell from about 132 km² in 1977 to about 64 km² in 2017, a loss of more than half, and the researchers expect the glaciers could disappear within decades. Below the ice are moraines and scree, then high pastures, with steppe on the lower slopes.

Wildlife and herders

The park is known for its snow leopards and is also home to argali and Siberian ibex. These animals are wary, and you are unlikely to see a snow leopard without days of patient searching with a local tracker. In summer, Kazakh herding families move up to the high pastures with their flocks and herds, and come down again before winter. Visiting a family with a guide gives an insight into high-mountain herding life.

Altitude and timing

July and August are the main season, when the high valleys are mostly free of snow. Nights are cold all year, and frost or snow is possible even in summer. Ascend gradually, drink plenty of water and turn back if you develop a bad headache, nausea or breathlessness. The glaciers have crevasses, so any glacier travel needs ropes, crampons and an experienced guide.