Prices on Lake Baikal are fact and fiction. Independent holiday on Lake Baikal. How to look for a deserted place

Independent travel- this is freedom. But to make the trip to the very deep lake world was unforgettable, it is worth planning well. Especially if you eat Baikal as savages and don’t take package tour and you don’t plan to live in one of the tourist villages on the shores of Lake Baikal all the time.

There are many nuances regarding choosing a place to stay, necessary things and routes, which we will try to talk about in this article.

Tip: To plan your trip more thoughtfully, you can study ready-made tours along Lake Baikal, in which all points of the route are described (for example,) and borrow interesting ideas.

If you are traveling to Baikal with children, you will find it useful.

detailed instructions, how to get by plane or train to the settlements closest to Lake Baikal. The further journey depends on the specific place you have chosen to visit.

And, as well as (if you are traveling through Ulan-Ude), which are worth going to, and from which the journey usually begins.

The lake greatly influences the climate around it due to the fact that large bodies of water in different time They either absorb or give off heat. In the spring, when the ice melts, the coast is cool until the very end of June.

But until October there is a beautiful, warm autumn here - in July and August, Baikal gets enough of the sun and slowly shares it.

Winters here are mild, but the winds constantly blow, and the temperature feels lower than it is.

The golden months for a trip are the tourist season on Lake Baikal - July and August (September is also warm, but stormy season is at its peak). At this time, you can sunbathe and swim on the lake without fear of catching a cold; the temperature is usually between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius.

How to look for a deserted place

On the lake every year everything more tourists, so many places are crowded. Especially in places like Olkhon Island or Slyudyanka.

If anyone wants to relax alone, the solution is to take a tent, get to any tourist spot, and from there make one or two hikes along the shore.

For example, from Maksimikha along the shore to the right you can walk in four hours to a wonderful deserted beach and settle down there. It’s not far from civilization, but there are few people. Here you can swim in the warm Barguzin Bay or lie on the sand. If living in a tent is not interesting, then you can go up from the shore and rent a room from local residents, 500-600 rubles per day.

The most wild places of Baikal- this is the taiga northeast, the vicinity of Severobaikalsk: Dzelinda, Khakusy, Lake Frolikha. Dense forests, mountains, lakes preserved from the last ice age... Those for whom vacation is an adventure go here. You can stop at the Khakusa recreation center, and from there explore the surrounding area by boat.

If you get to Severobaikalsk by train, then it’s easy to get to Khakusa: a couple of hours by boat and you’re there. From Irkutsk either by plane or on a scheduled ship, you will have to pay from 5 thousand for travel.

Main tourist places

Even a savage with a tent may sooner or later need civilization or want to visit notable places Baikal. We have described the attractions in detail, use it to plan your route. Below are the main points where infrastructure is developed, where you can easily rent a house, go to a cafe or shop, or find an ATM.


Where to look for housing

The tourism infrastructure on Lake Baikal is developed - you can rent accommodation in virtually any locality, prices range from 450 to 20,000 per day, depending on the level of comfort.

There are sites on the Internet dedicated to the topic:

http://baikalov.ru/ - there you can book a room, a house, a hotel room anywhere on the Baikal coast, and a room for 300 rubles, and luxury apartments for a couple of tens of thousands of rubles;
http://tvil.ru/ offers rentals not only on Lake Baikal, but all over the world, so here you can rent a house or cottage only in the most popular places, the cost is quite high, from 8,000 per day;
http://na-ozero.ru/, prices here are low, from 500 rubles per day;
baikal-raduga.ru - guest house in Maksimikha - a proven place. It only accommodates 12 people and must be booked in advance. But the holiday will be wonderful - in the forest, not far from wild beach, with a bathhouse. Accommodation without meals 850 rubles per day, meals 1100 (excellently prepared dishes of Buryat cuisine in a cozy dining room).

Although real savages prefer tents.

Useful online resources about Baikal for independent travelers

  1. http://baikaler.ru/ - detailed guide along Baikal.
  2. http://www.magicbaikal.ru/ - virtual tour along the lake and shores.
  3. http://www.skitalets.ru, http://forum.awd.ru/, http://www.bpclub.ru/ are forums independent travelers and there are a lot of tourists here useful information specifically for trip planning.

What you need to take with you to Baikal

    1. Set of warm clothes- a must even in hot July and August. At any moment, a cold wind can blow from the mountains or from the lake; at night the temperature drops sharply, and at dawn it drops even lower.
    2. Mosquito and tick repellents- taiga forests mainly grow along the shores of Lake Baikal, so you need to protect yourself from blood-sucking insects.
    3. Ointment for burns the first aid kit should have sunburn frequent. The first aid kit must be fully stocked - the necessary medications are not always available even in hotels. You can read about how to collect it on any travel forum.
    4. Compulsory medical insurance policy And tick insurance.
    5. Comfortable shoes- on Baikal, most of the routes are pedestrian, so as not to kill your legs on the very first day, you need to take a pair in which you can definitely walk several kilometers in a row.

  1. Cash. In many places, of course, they pay by card, but there are no ATMs in the taiga yet. If you want to go further away, take cash and do not take large bills - there is nowhere to change them.
  2. If you get motion sickness, take medicine; you will have to travel a lot by bus or car, and to Olkhon and distant lakes - by ferry.

Things to know and remember

  • Protect yourself and your companions by doing this before your trip. special insurance for travelers (it is issued by any major insurance company).
  • Find out about everything in advance, buy tickets in advance, book accommodation - there are a lot of tourists, it’s even better to find a place to camp in a tent before the trip, at least approximately.
  • Don't eat at all unfamiliar food(unless you are an extreme gourmet) and do not get carried away with Buryat cuisine - one of its main components is lamb fat; if you are not used to it, you can seriously upset your stomach and liver.
  • Parking area near the water Don’t do it at night - there is a tide on Lake Baikal!

Who is still thinking about whether to go to Baikal or not, watch this educational film about the nature of the lake, the geography and culture of the peoples living around it:

People say: “If you are afraid of wolves, do not go into the forest.” To protect yourself and your loved ones on Lake Baikal, you need, firstly, to know what to watch out for, and secondly, to know how to prevent trouble.

So, what to expect in the Baikal region?

Weather

Firstly, at any time of the year, no matter winter or summer, you need to protect yourself from the effects of the local bright sun. I advise you to purchase protective creams in advance, as this may cause problems here. A hat, sunglasses and closed clothing will all save you from burns, which in these parts can be very subtle. Even when it is cool and windy, the sun can be very strong, as in the south.

In summer it can be very hot, but it can also be very cold. IN mountainous areas it might even snow. Such a temperature difference can happen in one day. Especially in June and from mid-August. It can also be very cool in the evening. Therefore, warm clothes and a windproof jacket will come in handy.

In the summer on Olkhon, I managed to sleep on the coast in one sleeping bag without a tent. On such days, my morning came very early, I was in a hurry to move on, since it was very cold.

Ticks

Oh, this is probably the question that worries you most? How to enjoy the virgin beauty of the Baikal region and return from there healthy and alive?

In general, I think that the situation with the tick is greatly exaggerated. The likelihood that you will be bitten by an encephalitis tick is very low. At least I haven't heard of a single outbreak of encephalitis in this region recently. But if you want to be one hundred percent sure, get vaccinated in advance. So as not to overshadow your holiday with unnecessary fears. Ticks are mainly active in the spring. But there is a possibility of meeting them in the summer.

Personally, I haven’t met a single such handsome man on Lake Baikal, but in Krasnodar region, as soon as I noticed a tick on myself, I carefully removed it and tried to treat the wound. My strategy is this: don’t be afraid of anything, everything that needs to happen will happen on its own, regardless of you. In general, prepare clothes with a minimum of holes in advance and rest easy.

Insects

On the northern and eastern coasts, a mosquito net will come in handy. There are many swamps, lakes and forests. Mosquitoes are also active in the evening and in cloudy weather. On the coast, special clothing and some protective equipment will be useful. Various aroma sticks help me a lot. And, of course, smoke from the fire. In general, here to each his own.

Ice

Driving on the ice of Baikal, especially in spring, is very dangerous. If you are going to travel around Lake Baikal by car in winter, be on your guard.

Wild animals

Dangerous wild animals are very rare in the vicinity of Irkutsk, on Lake Baikal and in the mountains. The following may pose a danger: bears (especially in spring), wolves (in packs), large ungulates (during the mating period) and wild boars, as well as females of all these animals with cubs. When meeting an animal, do not turn your back on it and run.

Looked into the eyes - look away. Experienced travelers advise having firecrackers with you, or just something loud. Boars are afraid of the clink of a spoon on a mug, for example. Tested personally in the Gelendzhik region of the Krasnodar Territory.

Snakes

Snakes are also very rare. The venom of these snakes is not fatal.

And, of course, always remember the telephone number of the Ministry of Emergency Situations - the Unified Rescue Service - 112.

Theft

Well, don’t forget to keep an eye on your things, tents, cars. In summer, at the height of tourist season, cases of theft occur quite often. Be vigilant and attentive.

And finally, I would like to remind you - try not to get into the water when you are drunk. Baikal doesn't like drunk people.

Have fun and safe travels along the Baikal region.

The past 2016 forced many residents of our country to pay attention to vacations within Russia, which is not surprising if we remember that in 2016 it was impossible to vacation, for example, in Egypt.

But few people consider vacationing on Lake Baikal. More familiar holiday destinations are the Caucasus and Black Sea coast. However, recently there have been so many tourists in both the Caucasus and the Black Sea that prices have begun to rapidly increase, which is not conducive to choosing these two holiday destinations.

Why do people not pay attention to such a beautiful work of nature as Baikal? What stops people from choosing this holiday destination?

The thing is that many tourists have some sad thoughts before visiting the sacred lake:

These are the myths that circulate about the Pearl of Siberia, so let’s debunk them.

Myth 1. Baikal is too far away.

Few people think that Baikal is in any case closer than Egypt, but still. If you look at geographical map our country, then you can find that geographically Baikal is located almost in the heart of Russia. In the capital Eastern Siberia- Irkutsk, between Vladivostok and Kaliningrad. The flight from Moscow to Baikal is only 5 hours. Compared to a flight to Hurghada, the difference is one hour.

Baikal can also be reached from St. Petersburg thanks to direct flight to Irkutsk. You can also come to Baikal by train, for example, from Moscow directly to Irkutsk and Severobaikalsk. From St. Petersburg you can only get to Irkutsk by train. The travel time is about 4 hours.


Absolutely untrue. Baikal is under the protection of the UN, they wanted to include it in the list of wonders of the world, it is the capital of the ancient Kurykan people, the capital of Baikal shamanism. On Baikal great amount places of power, about which even Hindus say, “You yourself have such a place of power, why do you go to other places.” Not to mention the fact that on Baikal there are up to several thousand endemic living organisms, such as golomyanka, epishura, seal, and Astragalus Olkhon.

Myth 3. Baikal is an expensive vacation.

Holidays on Lake Baikal are designed for different wallets. The most expensive thing is the flight. And on the shores of the lake you can find housing for 400-500 rubles per day. And here highest point is not limited, there are VIP places on Baikal where accommodation per day is more than 10 thousand.

Myth 4. There is no tourism on Lake Baikal.

The entire territory of Lake Baikal is protected by nature reserves and national parks. Tourism here is not as developed as in Turkey, but “wild tourism” is thriving. This means that anyone can come and relax, either with a guide or on their own. Walk along dangerous routes, go into gorges.

Every year tourism is developing more and more actively in the Baikal environs, which may not be good for it. After all, some tourists really like to leave behind “traces” in the form of pollution.


Myth 5. There are clouds of mosquitoes on Lake Baikal, and bears also roam the streets.

There are almost no mosquitoes on Lake Baikal - they are found only in the taiga forests of the lake. The temperature of the lake would not allow mosquito larvae to develop. And bears come to the Baikal shores when they come out of hibernation to feast on caddis flies. But they don’t look into residential areas where there are a lot of people, because these predators are very smart and careful.

A more likely danger on Lake Baikal is snakes, which are very common in gorges, but not in residential areas.

 

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