Sharga Nature Reserve, Protected area in Govi-Altai Province, Mongolia.
Sharga Nature Reserve consists of two separate sections spread across different territories, with one major area covering the Sharga gobi landscape. The reserve encompasses lands that cross several administrative boundaries in western Mongolia.
The reserve was officially established in 1993 specifically to protect saiga antelope populations that faced extinction threats. This early protection effort in western Mongolia addressed urgent conservation needs of the time.
Nomadic herders live and work across parts of the reserve, maintaining pastoral traditions that have shaped how people interact with this landscape. Their presence shows how conservation and traditional lifeways can coexist in the same area.
This remote location requires careful planning since basic services and accommodations are limited in the area. Visitors should arrange transportation well ahead of time and bring necessary supplies, as distances between inhabited places are substantial.
The reserve hosts a notable array of predators and large birds of prey, including snow leopards and diverse eagle and vulture species. These carnivorous birds are key to the ecological balance of this wild terrain.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.