The easiest approach is to fly or take a shared jeep to Mörön, the provincial capital of Khövsgöl aimag, and then cover the 100 km south to Khatgal by shared or hired vehicle. The road from Mörön to Khatgal is unpaved and takes two to three hours depending on conditions.
Mörön has an airport with regular flights from Ulaanbaatar (about one hour). Alternatively, the overland route from Ulaanbaatar by shared jeep takes two to three days and crosses some exceptional Mongolian countryside. There is no public bus service directly to Khatgal, but jeep transport can usually be arranged in Mörön's market area.
In summer, some visitors arrive by horse from the north, completing a longer traverse of the lake's western trail.