The reserve covers two types of habitat: the flat Arkharinskaya lowlands with abundant wetlands, and forested spurs of the Lesser Khingan mountains.

Situated in the middle Amur River in the Russian Far East, and northeast China, trees are generally found only in the upland areas, due to the frequent flooding of the plains.

January has an average temperature -27 C. July averages +21 C.[5][6] The vegetation and animals of the Khingan Reserve is marked by the interpenetration of different floristic groups, with a wide variety of growing conditions and microclimate, in the intersection of plains grassland, wetlands (including sphagnum bogs), and larch and cedar-broad-leaf forest habitats.

Reserve staff give guided tours to the lakes to see the flowering of the Kormorov Lotus from mid-July to mid-August.

The main office, which also has a small nature museum and wildlife nursery open to the public, is in the town of Arkhara.