Altan Khukhii (Myangad sum, Khovd Province; Ulgii and Umnugovi sums, Uvs Province)

Spanning the territories of Myangad sum in Khovd Province and Ulgii and Umnugovi sums in Uvs Province, Altan Khukhii is a large, independent mountain range with breathtaking natural beauty. Covering a total area of 90,735 hectares, the Altan Khukhii range was placed under special state protection by Resolution No. 6 of the State Great Khural in 2010. Located at the boundary between the Mongolian Altai and the Great Lakes Depression, the state-worshipped Altan Khukhii range extends into desert-steppe and desert zones. It features a coexistence of diverse ecosystems, including high mountains, small low mountains, foothills, undulating plains, hills, flat plateaus, valley depressions, ravines, and deep gullies. The reserve contains both common and unique ecosystems representing the vertical zonation of high mountains—such as alpine meadow-steppes and mountain meadows—as well as zonal features like steppe deserts, floodplain meadows, gallery forests, and shifting sand dunes. Altan Khukhii Mountain averages 2,500 to 3,000 meters above sea level, with its highest peak, Undur Khukhii, rising to 3,350 meters. It was designated as a State-Worshipped Mountain by presidential decree in 2005 to protect this unique representation of ecosystems, as well as mammals rare in Mongolia and the world—such as snow leopards, argali sheep, and Siberian ibex—along with rare birds like saker falcons, marbled ducks, Dalmatian pelicans, great bustards, and rare animals such as Asian beavers, stone martens, marsh boars, Altai snowcocks, pheasants, and Pallas's sandgrouse.