Prices on Lake Baikal are fact and fiction. Options for going on vacation on Lake Baikal. About the tourist infrastructure on Lake Baikal

The past 2015, with the taboo on holidays in Turkey and Egypt, forced many Russians to reconsider their places that had been established over the years family vacation and take a fresh look at domestic Russian tourist meccas. As it turned out, there are not so many such places in Russia. Caucasus and Black Sea coast, no doubt, are good, but the wave of tourists that rushed into these places and the instantly soaring prices leave an indelible negative aftertaste in the memory of tourists.

But there are places in Russia that are no less amazing in their beauty and quality of recreation, which will not only delight tourists with their natural beauty and variety of recreation options, but will also breathe so much energy and positivity into any traveler that this vacation will remain a bright spot in his memories with a desire to return to these places again. This magical place- Lake Baikal.



Unfortunately, when mentioning the possible tourist trip Many Russians have often formed baseless stereotypes about these Siberian places, which immediately discourage them from getting acquainted with a vacation on Lake Baikal.

Let's try to figure out whether it's really worth planning your next family summer vacation on Lake Baikal and how much it might cost. What is the truth and where are the misconceptions?


Let's consider the most common questions that arise in the mind of any tourist planning to spend their holiday on the shores of Lake Baikal:

1. Baikal is very far away.

2. There is nothing to see at Lake Baikal and it is not worth spending your entire family vacation on it.

3. A trip to Baikal is very expensive.

3. There is no tourist infrastructure on Baikal.

4. There are a lot of mosquitoes on Lake Baikal and bears walk the streets.

6. You can only go to Baikal in summer

7. Baikal has cold water and beach summer rest impossible there.

8. Going to Baikal on your own is scary! - how to get to attractions? how to build routes? where to stay for accommodation? How to get around all the interesting things in a few days?


So, let’s debunk the myths about holidays on Lake Baikal.

MYTH 1. BAIKAL IS VERY FAR AWAY

Baikal is not at all the outskirts of Russia. Our country is so large that in fact Lake Baikal is located practically in the geographical center of Russia, exactly halfway between Kaliningrad and Vladivostok.



The distance from the capital of our Motherland to Baikal is about 5000 km with a flight time of about 5 hours. This is little more than a flight to Antalya or Hurghada (3.5 and 4 hours respectively). Moreover, the time of departure from Moscow (late evening) and arrival back (early morning) was chosen very conveniently and the road was not at all tiring.


There are two ways to get to Lake Baikal:

- By plane

From Moscow- direct flight to Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude. Aeroflot, UTair, and others fly to Irkutsk from Moscow. Ural Airlines" and S7. In Ulan-Ude - Aeroflot, Transaero, S7 and Yakutia. As a rule, flights are evening. Travel time is 5-6 hours.


From Saint-Petersburg- direct flight to Irkutsk by Ural Airlines and Rossiya airlines.

You can also fly to Baikal from other cities: Ekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Perm, Tyumen, Surgut, Omsk, Krasnoyarsk, Mirny, Tomsk, Barnaul, Blagoveshchensk, Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Yakutsk . Flight time is from 2 to 8 hours.


- By train

From Moscow you can travel without transfers to Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Baikalsk and Severobaikalsk. From St. Petersburg - only to Irkutsk. The journey from Moscow or St. Petersburg will take up to 4 days.

Stations in the south of Baikal Slyudyanka, Tankhoi, Baikalsk in the summer are used to transport tourist groups to the Khamar-Daban mountains; in the winter a ski resort operates in Baikalsk.

MYTH 2. THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE AT BAIKAL AND YOU SHOULD NOT SPEND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY VACATION ON IT

Baikal is so multifaceted and unique in terms of options and vacation spots that it is impossible to explore all its beauties even over several vacations! There is almost everything for any type of holiday.



Those wishing to find a worthy alternative For a beach holiday, we can recommend the Small Sea Strait and the Eastern coast of Lake Baikal, where the warm and clean waters of the bays are gorgeous White sand and plenty of sunny days will provide a great time for the whole family.



And believe me, one vacation to explore all the beauty of Baikal will definitely not be enough for you!

Choose your favorite vacation option on Lake Baikal from the variety of species

MYTH 3. A TRIP TO BAIKAL IS VERY EXPENSIVE

More than half of those who come to Baikal are students and pensioners, whose income is quite modest!

Let's look at prices on Lake Baikal in more detail and consider vacation options on Lake Baikal.



The biggest cost component when traveling to Lake Baikal is the flight.

Currently, a flight from Moscow to Irkutsk will cost 12 thousand rubles one way. per person. By train the price is much lower (from 3.5 rubles for a one-way ticket), but not everyone wants to spend more than 3 days in a carriage.

Accordingly, the cost of a round trip flight will be within 25 thousand rubles. per person (Aeroflot provides discounts for pensioners). The rest of the costs depend on your holiday option on Lake Baikal.

Option 1 - vacation through a travel agency

Basically, Baikal tour operators include in their tour package all expenses from the moment they meet you at the airport (Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude) and board the plane back. You pay for the flight yourself.



The advantages of such a vacation are that all questions regarding the organization of your vacation are decided for you by the tour operator. At the same time, in a limited vacation time you can cover as many attractions as possible. But for this you have to pay for a tour package in addition to the flight.

The cost of a tour package depends on the time of year, the duration of the trip and the level of amenities. On average, a week's accommodation with excursions, meals and trips to attractions included will range from 15 to 40 rubles. per person. You can find out more about the prices for tours around Lake Baikal in these sections:

- summer tours to Lake Baikal
- winter tours to Baikal

Option 2 - independent holiday on Lake Baikal

Those who are used to counting money and are not ready to overpay can be offered an independent holiday on Lake Baikal. And don’t be afraid of difficulties - more than 70% of tourists coming to Lake Baikal choose this particular vacation option. Obvious advantages are independent choice of routes and costs. At the same time, you can stay for accommodation either in any of the numerous camp sites on Lake Baikal (prices from 500 rubles per day without meals), or in a tent on any section of the Baikal coast that you like - fortunately, there are such picnics and places on Lake Baikal great amount.


All the variety of independent recreation on Lake Baikal, attractions, contacts and places of accommodation can be explored in separate article.

And if you want to see the route on the map and choose the appropriate one, then go to the page with maps of routes to all the sights of Lake Baikal.

Option 3 - a trip around Lake Baikal with a guide

If you have a rational approach to money and are not ready to purchase expensive tours, but at the same time want to protect yourself as much as possible from possible misunderstandings during the trip and make it as educational as possible, then numerous experienced tour guides can help you. For relatively little money they can help you with planning your route, organizing transfers to vacation spots and activities. interesting excursions. Here is a list of verified and experienced Baikal guides.

4 Recreation option - volunteering

If you want to see Baikal in all its grandeur and at the same time not only not spend a penny for the trip, but also earn money, then during these Amazing places You can come through the volunteer movement. There are a huge number of protected areas on Lake Baikal and helpers are needed here at any time of the year. Since 2003, the international project “Great Baikal Trail” has been implemented on Lake Baikal. You can choose any of numerous nature reserves of Lake Baikal and declare your desire to come as a volunteer.

The choice of holiday option is yours!

But pay attention to the MAIN RULE OF ANY VACATION ON BAIKAL - after your stay, the vacation spot should remain at least as clean as before your arrival! Be friends with your conscience!


MYTH 4. THERE IS NO TOURIST INFRASTRUCTURE ON BAIKAL

Baikal is really not Türkiye or even the Black Sea coast. That is why these places still remain pure, sacred and full of energy and strength. But it is precisely this circumstance that attracts millions of tourists from all over the world to the shores of Lake Baikal every year. More than half of the territory of Lake Baikal is occupied by National parks and nature reserves and staying in these territories imposes certain obligations in relation to nature and the development of tourism infrastructure.



The trip to Baikal begins with arrival in the regional cities of Irkutsk (60 km northwest of Lake Baikal) and Ulan-Ude (70 km southeast). These metropolitan merchant cities have so much originality and legendary history that it is definitely worth spending at least a couple of days getting to know them.

As for the tourist infrastructure on the coast of Baikal itself, it is no less than in Altai or Kamchatka. In any place of tourist activity there will always be recreation centers, cafes, ATMs and shuttle buses.

Nevertheless, many travelers come to Lake Baikal precisely to see it. wildlife and pristine beauty. This is also enough here. But in this case, do not expect any benefits of civilization and first study the Boy Scout handbook and advice from experienced people;)

MYTH 5. THERE ARE A LOT OF MOSQUITOES ON BAIKAL AND BEARS WALK THE STREETS

Here the answer will be short.

There are absolutely no mosquitoes on the coast of Lake Baikal! The cold waters of the lake are unacceptable for the development of the larvae of this insect, which, as is known, develop only in warm water.


Bears often come ashore on Lake Baikal. Photo by Umar Ramazanov

Bears are found only in the northern part of the lake and are dangerous during the period after hibernation (April-May). During the rest of the period, it is a very cautious predator and tries not to catch the eye of humans. Almost throughout the entire territory of Lake Baikal, where they take place tourist routes, the likelihood of meeting this owner of the taiga is extremely low. Behind last years Cases of encounters between tourists and bears are rare and none with a fatal outcome.

MYTH 6. ON BAIKAL THE TOURIST SEASON IS ONLY IN SUMMER

You can relax on Lake Baikal all year round!

At any time of the year there is something to see and do on Baikal; you can come to Baikal all year round - in summer, autumn, winter and spring. The warmest months in the summer season are July and August, and to enjoy winter activities on Lake Baikal it is better to come in February-March, when the lake is covered with the strongest ice.
IN different time a stunning unforgettable vacation is possible!


You can learn more about seasonal holidays on Lake Baikal using a separate link.

And choose a vacation option on Lake Baikal in any season


MYTH 7. BAIKAL HAS COLD WATER AND A BEACH HOLIDAY IS IMPOSSIBLE

At any time of the year at depth, Baikal has a constant water temperature of + 4 degrees. But almost along the entire coast of Baikal in the bays in the summer season (from mid-July to the end of August) average temperature water reaches +20 degrees. And given that Baikal is one of the sunniest places in Russia, any tourist can combine sunbathing and water procedures, diluting the relaxing bodily rest with visits to many cultural and ethnic attractions.



Particularly noteworthy in part beach holiday Baikal places such as Maloye More and the Eastern coast of Baikal, where the water in the bays warms up to +25 degrees. These are ideal places for a beach holiday on Lake Baikal.

MYTH 8. GOING TO BAIKAL BY YOURSELF IS SCARY

This is perhaps the most pressing question for all travelers who are planning an independent holiday on Lake Baikal.
Every year more than a million tourists come to Baikal as savages and before they could not find detailed information O independent rest, since most descriptions of Lake Baikal are on commercial websites of tour operators selling tours or personal pages of tourists who have visited Lake Baikal with highly emotional and subjective posts.

Seeing this situation, we launched the Baikal Fan mobile application.

Now any user of mobile devices, relaxing on Lake Baikal without access to the Internet, can find out all the information he needs about all the most interesting places recreation, events and mapped routes to the most beautiful sights of Lake Baikal.

To do this, you just need to install our guide on your mobile phone and your personal guide-assistant around Lake Baikal will always be in your pocket!
And most importantly, from March 15, 2016, this mobile guide You can download and install on your phone absolutely free!



For those who have constant access to the Internet, our guide section will help you choose a vacation spot on Lake Baikal, which contains detailed and reliably verified information about all the most interesting sights of the Baikal region with detailed description routes to vacation spots, as well as detailed Yandex maps with the sights of Lake Baikal marked. The guide is constantly updated with new articles about this unique lake.

And since you have already read this article to the end and you are interested in the opportunity to visit the fabulous Baikal places, here is a link to help you to our free guidebook, which presents advice from experienced travelers to Baikal and has answers to all the most frequently asked questions about a trip to Baikal .

TAKE BAIKAL WITH YOU!

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. A hat, sunglasses and closed clothing will all save you from burns, which can be very undetectable in these parts. 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 Lake 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.

Despite this fact, you should not neglect precautions, since there are indeed ticks in all regions of Siberia. If you want to walk along the coastal Baikal hills or through the forest, you may encounter this unpleasant insect. But if you take basic precautions, your trip will not be marred by an encounter with a tick. In addition, our tours are not conducted in places where the likelihood of tick bites is high. The tick is moisture-loving, does not like direct sunlight and prefers to live in shaded and moist deciduous and mixed forests with tall grass, littered with windbreaks. Ticks concentrate on grass, branches of bushes along forest paths and paths. Contrary to widespread misconception, ticks do not jump onto people from birch trees. The tick lies in wait for its victim by climbing onto the grass up to 1 meter high, clinging to the clothing or fur of the animal and crawling upward, looking for a place to bite. Most often it is found on the head, neck, and shoulders. This gives the false impression that the ticks fell from above.

How to protect yourself from a tick bite?

Dress correctly!
When going to mountainous forest areas, it is preferable to wear light-colored clothing (as ticks are more visible on them). Clothes must have long sleeves and a hood; if there is no hood, wear a hat or cap and tie your hair in a ponytail or braid. It is better to tuck your trouser legs into your socks.
Use protective equipment (repellents)
All repellents can be divided into 3 groups:
1. Tick repellents
For example, “Biban”, “DEFI-Taiga”, “Off! Extreme", "Gall-RET", "Gal-RET-cl", "Deta-VOKKO", "Reftamid maximum"
They are applied to clothing and exposed areas of the body in the form of circular stripes around the knees, ankles and chest. It must be applied before each trip to the forest. These products can also be used to protect against midges. It can be applied not only to clothes, but also to the skin.

2. Repellents that kill ticks, for example, “Reftamid taiga”, “Picnic-Antiklesh”, “Gardex aerosol extreme”, “Tornado-Antiklesh”, “Fumitox-antiklesh”, “Gardex-antiklesh”, “Permanon”. These drugs are applied only to clothing. Before treatment, clothing should be removed, the repellent should be thoroughly sprayed, special attention should be paid to the treatment of trouser legs (it is advisable to also treat the underside of the trouser leg to a height of 10-15 cm), trouser waistband, cuffs, and collar. After treatment, the clothes should dry a little, then they can be worn again. Shoes also need to be treated with repellent. A killer repellent usually lasts 15 days, but wet weather can shorten its duration.

3. Combined repellents (killing and repelling ticks) their effectiveness when used correctly is close to 100 percent. These are aerosols “Kra-rep”, “Mosquito-anti-mite”.

It is most preferable to use drugs of the second and third groups. Laboratory tests have proven that with proper use of repellents, 95-99% of attached ticks are repelled.
Every 30 minutes you need to inspect your clothes, conduct a thorough check every 2-3 hours, pay special attention to the following parts of the body: neck, armpits, groin area, ears - in these places the skin is especially delicate and thin, and the tick is most often attached there . If you find a tick on your clothing, you need to carefully remove it and burn it (or put it in a hermetically sealed container and destroy it when possible).
If a tick does bite you, do not try to remove it yourself; seek help from a guide or the nearest emergency room.

If you follow basic precautions, self-defense and hygiene, you will not encounter a tick!

Tour to Baikal without ticks!

Why can Baikal make you sick for life? How do local shamans control the weather and what does the tiny golomyanka fish taste like? Valery Sokolenko, the creator of the Baikal Fan project, spoke about this and much more during a lecture organized in the Muzeon art park by the Trip Secrets project together with the Afisha-Mir publication. Lenta.ru publishes excerpts from his speech.

Sea Baikal

Never say “Lake Baikal” - the locals really don’t like that. Baikal is not a lake, but a sea. Its length is 625 kilometers, its maximum depth is one kilometer 652 meters, its width is up to 65 kilometers, and the wave height reaches 15 meters. 80 percent of the flora and fauna of Lake Baikal are endemic - living creatures that are not repeated anywhere else in the world.

Baikal is 25 million years old, and scientists have proven that it is literally in its infancy. The lake expands in width and length, goes to Tunka Valley, on opposite sides of which there are mountains. On Khamar-Daban, the oldest ridge, there is great freeride, magnificent ski slopes. In this regard, it is an order of magnitude better than the Caucasus. Baikalsk, located near Khamar-Daban, has low prices, free ski lifts and excellent infrastructure. Two years ago, the only enterprise in this city that somewhat spoiled the ecology of Lake Baikal was closed - a pulp and paper mill. Although in fact it is very difficult to spoil it, because it is a self-cleaning reservoir.

There are no mosquitoes on the shore of Lake Baikal in the Listvyanka area (although it is possible in the forest), because the water temperature is plus four degrees. Mosquito larvae do not live at this temperature.

The strongest wind on Baikal is called sarma, because it bursts out of the Sarma gorge. Its speed is 250-300 kilometers per hour. He destroys everything, it’s impossible to stand. Ships that do not have time to land are immediately broken and destroyed by Sarma. In this case, it appears and disappears instantly, for only three to five minutes. Sarma rarely blows in winter; most often it happens in the off-season - in early autumn and spring.

On the eastern coast of Lake Baikal there are warm beaches and sora bays with water temperatures up to plus 20. Fishing there is excellent: large pike, ide, perch (there is also sturgeon, but you can’t catch it). There are mosquitoes here, but there are not as many as they say and they are not as bad.

What to see

Most of my friends who come for three days check the “I was there” box, and then write down twenty other places on Lake Baikal where they want to visit. My grandmother, who is 75 years old, said: “I’ll come and have a look - and that’s it, bury me.” Now she has plans, she is planning where else to go on Lake Baikal.

I don't know any other places like this in Russia. Sixty kilometers one way means kayaking, swimming, fishing, and jeeping in winter. Sixty kilometers to the other are mountains: alpine skiing, snowmobiling, climbing and rock climbing. Twenty kilometers in the third direction is aquatic species sports, including extreme ones. Baikal presents all six levels of river complexity, from standing water to waterfalls. If you want to fly, you can do it on a paraglider and on Yak-12 aircraft.

The ice on Lake Baikal is transparent. In Moscow ponds its thickness is 10-15 centimeters, and fish with algae are not visible under it. The thickness of Baikal ice is from a meter to one and a half, it can withstand an excavator. But if a fish or seaweed swims underneath you, you will see it.

However, it should be remembered that Baikal is a living organism, and its ice is free to move. Today you can drive along one section and nothing will happen, but tomorrow a crack will form in this place. Considering the thickness of the ice and the depth of the reservoir, it is unlikely that you will be pulled out. Therefore, you should only drive around Lake Baikal with trusted people - “ice captains”.

There is a myth that the season on Lake Baikal is only in summer. This is wrong. In summer, Lake Baikal is high season - for tourists who like to warm their bellies. First of all, such tourists go to the village of Listvyanka - as everyone calls it, “the tourist Mecca of Lake Baikal.” The water is cold, you can’t swim there, 10 meters from the shore the depth is already 150 meters.

Photo: Alexander Miridonov / Kommersant

You walk and think: what is there to see here? ABOUT! Fish market. You see an omul, you want to buy it, and the seller asks: “Where are you from?” - “From Moscow” - “350 rubles head” - “How 350?!” - “Okay, take the tail for 350.” Walk a little further from the main road, and there will be huts of local residents. They catch this fish themselves and sell it for 50 rubles.

The coolest Baikal delicacy is omul. No matter how it is prepared: smoked, dried, and omul on the rostrum is the highlight. It is prepared like this: sticks are stuck on the sides of the fire, salted fish is placed on them, cuts are made, and fried.

Baikal is home to the golomyanka, an endemic fish so transparent that you can literally read through it. If you leave it on a stone under the rays of the sun, it will disappear - only the eyes and bone formations on the fins will remain. Forty percent of the fish is fish oil, and it tastes like candy. This is not a commercial fish; it is not harvested. Golomyanka is only caught local residents as an exception.

But the most popular endemic is still not the golomyanka, but the nerpa, the Baikal seal. This is a real miracle, and its baby squirrels are especially touching. They are born in winter, white in color, to blend in with the snow and avoid being eaten by predators. On the one hand, the seal is plump (after all, it lives in cold water), on the other hand, in terms of agility it is not inferior to a torpedo. When we were kayaking, a boat overtook us, and suddenly we saw a seal overtaking the boat. For 15 years, a ban was imposed on catching this animal. But if at the time of its introduction there were about 200 thousand seals, now there are more than one and a half million. They are now removing it from the Red Book and starting to catch it.

In early spring

Until June, the water in Baikal is very cold, you cannot swim. Ice drift begins here at the end of April and ends just by the end of June. Here the only official trip in the world on an ice floe is held - not along the reservoir itself, but along the Angara River, at the beginning of the ice drift. It begins in Listvyanka, which is located at its source. An ice floe breaks off there and floats downstream for a distance of 30-40 kilometers. Of course, a hovercraft is floating nearby and the Ministry of Emergency Situations is watching all this.

The Angara is an ice-free river, and it also has the largest source in the world. 336 rivers flow into Baikal, but only one flows out - the Angara. Why doesn't it freeze? Let us remember that the water temperature of Baikal is plus four, and it is this that makes up the current of the Angara.

I recommend coming to Baikal from early March to mid-April. A huge number of festivals are held there at this time. winter species sports. You need to go to the Small Sea (near Olkhon, this is the center of Baikal) - ice jeeping, skating, and skysurfing await you there. Finally, you can just walk around Baikal ice.

Photo: Vladimir Smirnov / RIA Novosti

Olkhon and Tazheran steppes

The plane does not fly directly to Baikal, it flies either to Irkutsk, located 60 kilometers from the western side of the reservoir, or to Ulan-Ude, located approximately the same distance from east coast. If you want to see Olkhon Island, Arshan, the most beautiful Peschanaya Bay in Russia, go to the Tunkinskaya Valley and ride alpine skiing- I recommend getting there through Irkutsk. If you want to swim in warm waters, go through Ulan-Ude.

If you have ever seen Martian landscapes, the Tazheran steppes, lying along the last section of the road to the Small Sea, are very similar to them. There are several Neolithic caves there (they are one and a half to two million years old). The largest cave in Russia, Okhotnichya, is located on Lake Baikal. It has not yet been fully examined, but skeletons of prehistoric animals have already been found there.

There is also Mount Yohe Yordo with a perfectly round foot, where Mongolian-Buryat dances are held. Olympic Games. One of the sports presented at this “Olympiad” is throwing stones, and these are not just stones, but boulders weighing 50-70 kilograms. The games take place every two years in mid-June.

From the Tazheran steppes you can get to Olkhon only by ferry, which is located in the village of Sakhyurta. It is free, since this route is considered a federal one.

Photo: Vladimir Smirnov / RIA Novosti

In addition to its original nature, Olkhon Island is the center of Russian Buddhism and shamanism. Many people imagine shamans as dense people in strange clothes who heal diseases. In fact, only one thing is true: they heal. These people are also some of the most educated.

A real shaman lives in Olkhon (believe me, there are not many of them in the world) - Valentin Khagdaev, we often communicate with him. He has two educations - Oxford and Moscow State University. He can control the weather with his tambourine (this may seem funny, but when you see it for yourself, you will understand that it is true). Khagdaev is a shaman of the fifth level out of nine possible. The fifth level is two tambourines, clothes and the ability to predict rain and read any person.

The power of Baikal’s energy is such that you are charged with energy for a year. You will get sick of Baikal and dream of going there again.

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 the 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. There are a huge number of places of power on Baikal, 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 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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