From Hovd Travel in Mongolia
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Munkhkhairkhan Soum (Мөнххайрхан Сум)
Soum at a Glance
Origin of Soum Name: The soum gets its name from Munkhkhairkhan Mountain (see below), the second highest mountain in Mongolia, which is about an hour outside of the soum center. The name literally means "eternal" (monkh) "sacred mountain" (khairkhan).
Population Figures (Taken from 2007 Census)
Total Soum Population: 2,477 (Male Population: 1,227 / Female Population: 1,250)
Soum Center Population: 744
Soum Countryside Population: 1,733
Distance From Aimag Center: 155 km.
Chief Ethnic Group in Soum: Uriankhai (Урианхай)
Getting There:
Munkhkhairkhan soum is 155 kilometers (or about 5 hours) from the aimag center. It is located south of Duut soum (the highest soum center in Mongolia), but to get to Munkhairkhan you will travel through Mankhan soum on a route that takes you near the Tsenkheriin Agui caves. Things take a turn for the bumpy as you pass through the Tsenkheriin Canyon, a roughly 18 kilometer canyon through which the Tsenkheriin River cuts. After exiting the canyon, you will pass a hand-painted sign with an Uriankhai woman welcoming you to Munkhkhairkhan; from this hill you will catch your first glimpse of Munkhkhairkhan Mountain off in the distance.
Drivers
1. Batbold (Батболд) - Russian van. Lives in Munkhkhairkhan but is in the aimag center frequently. He and a business partner are opening a ger camp in August 2008 near Munkhkhairkhan Mountain. (Mobile: 99157948 or 88011699)
2. Namsrai (Намсрай) - Russian van. Lives in Munkhkhairkhan. (Mobile: 88434348)
Where to Stay:
Khairkhan Hotel (Хайрхан Зочид Буудал):
Munkhairkhan soum's lone hotel is the Khairkhan Hotel (Хайрхан Зочид Буудал). At the time of research, the hotel did not yet have a phone number. The hotel manager Sukhbold (Р. Сүхболд) can be reached by calling the Soum Communication Office at 014322-6520. The hotel is open in the summer, and also open less reliably in the other seasons. There is one room with 4 beds, and the cost is 5,000T per bed (though the price might be slightly higher for tourists). To get to the hotel, take the main corridor through town, turn left when the corridor ends at the hospital wall (the wall has painted yin-yang signs on it), then you will see the hotel on your right, next to the yellow Soum Governor’s Office.
Where to Eat
After asking around town, the unanimous answer for the best cafe in town is run by the Burt Nuur (Бурт Нуур) company, named after the nearby saltwater lake. Take the main corridor through town, it is the only brick building on your right-hand side. Within the same building there is a well-stocked delguur.
Phone Service
In May 2008 Munkhkhairkhan soum was connected to G-Mobile cell phone service. To dial land lines in the soum the prefix is 014322. The Soum Communications Office can be reached at the following two numbers: 014322-6520, and 014322-6518.
Munkhkhairkhan Mountain (Мөнххайрхан Уул)
At 4,362 meters (14,311 feet) Munkhkhairkhan Mountain is the second highest in Mongolia after Altai Tavan Bogd in Bayan Ulgii. The mountain was recently turned into a Protected Area, so a fee of 3,000T must be paid to a ranger. The drivers listed above will be able to take you to the mountain, and will also help you sort out the Protected Area fee. The mountains is always covered with snow, but the climb is not difficult. Within the soum center a man named Erkhembayar (Эрхэмбаяр) is available to lead expeditions to the peak for $200 per group (the size of the group doesn't matter, within reason). He is a renowned sportsman, having climbed to the summit 44 times; when President Enkhbayar climbed Munkhkhairkhan Mountain, Erkhembayar served as his guide.
