Rest in the Baikal region Irkutsk Baikal Mountains

The article invites you to travel to the Baikal region and shows how many impressions Irkutsk, Lake Baikal and its surroundings can offer, from old wooden architecture and a seal aquarium to museums, the Circum Baikal Railway and legendary Baikal routes. It lists the best places for rest and adventure, Olkhon, Maloe More, Peschanaya Bay, Chivyrkuisky Bay, Arshan, Shumak and mountain peaks. This is a lively guide to the region, proving that Baikal is worth seeing at least once, and better more than once.

If you have never been to Siberia, be sure to go and see it with your own eyes. First, you will make sure that bears do not walk the streets of the capital of Eastern Siberia. And yet there is plenty of interesting things here. Second, you will understand why Irkutsk is considered the "middle of the earth." And how many different tourist routes begin here. And finally, you will be able to see Lake Baikal yourself, whose uniqueness and inimitability only the lazy have not told you about. Which in no way diminishes the uniqueness and inimitability of this ancient lake. After all, Baikal, compared with us, is eternal. And for that alone...
If you have already been to Siberia at some point, you should all the more visit our region. First, you will find confirmation of the century-old words Chekhov said about Irkutsk: "An intelligent city. Quite Europe..." We already have all the modern achievements of civilization - from five-star hotels to wi-fi in cafes. Second, Siberian tourism implies the level of extreme experience that you choose for yourself. For example, today you can descend into the depths of Baikal either with scuba gear or in the Mir deep-sea submersibles (such an exclusive offer is only for VIP clients). Third, a vacation on Baikal and in its surroundings is a blend of the necessary comfort and natural pristine beauty.
Finally, if you live in Siberia, then it is simply heaven-sent for you to go on a journey through your native land. All the more so if you are not too strong in practical local history. Just answer yourself honestly a few questions: are the Decembrists the only Irkutsk brand? what do you know besides the fact that Baikal has the cleanest water in the world and its depth is 1,600 meters with a few extra "kopecks"? how long has it been since you climbed Pik Chersky?... Well, there you have it. Especially if the answer to the last question is: "where is that?"
In any case, a journey through the Baikal region will be memorable for you. Whether you go on a kayaking trip around Olkhon; or lie on the golden sand of Peschanaya Bay; or, having climbed the highest mountain of the Eastern Sayan, Munku-Sardyk, gaze spellbound from a bird's-eye view at Mongolia stretching out at your feet... The possibilities opening up before you can be listed for a very long time. Let us focus on the main ones.
Irkutsk.
Irkutsk is generally considered the only Siberian city that has managed to preserve its unique 19th-century wooden architecture in its historic center. This is indeed so. And lovers of intricate wooden carving will get genuine pleasure both from restored monuments in their original form - the Shastin House (also known as the Lace House) or the Sukachev Estate - and from authentic low wooden houses with stunningly beautiful carved window frames, which can be found both in the center and on the left bank of the Angara in the so-called Glazkovskoye suburb.
It is also worth visiting the Nerpinarium, where every 45 minutes the world's only show of Baikal seals is performed. These freshwater seals are endemic to Baikal and are also very shy. Nevertheless, they have turned out to be brilliant performers, are trainable, and in the five years of the Nerpinarium's existence in Irkutsk have learned the most complex tricks that amaze the imagination.
The traditional mecca of any tourists in any city is museums. Irkutsk is no exception, and there are museums here for every taste: an art museum, a local history museum, a city museum and, of course, an entire museum complex dedicated to the Decembrists. Paying tribute to these people is simply the duty of Siberians. After all, if it were not for their appearance beyond the Urals and, as a consequence, the enormous educational work they carried out, who knows, perhaps those very bears would still be walking our streets.
Baikal.
Listvyanka.
For city visitors, Baikal begins (and often ends) in Listvyanka. This is the easiest way to visit Baikal without much hassle or time spent - this settlement is located just 70 kilometers from Irkutsk - where the Angara flows out of the lake. In recent years, Listvyanka has become a civilized "window onto Baikal": there is plenty here in which and how to relax. The opportunity to take a helicopter ride and a boat trip with a transparent bottom; Baikal omul and grayling in all forms; the Limnological Institute, entirely devoted to studying the lake; diving (including winter diving) and... an irresistible desire to get to know Baikal better. The easiest way is to cross by ferry directly from Listvyanka to the other bank, to the port of Baikal, where the Circum-Baikal Railway begins.
Circum-Baikal Railway.
The Circum-Baikal Railway is one of the most beloved tourist routes along the southern shore of the lake, suitable for hiking trips. Extreme sports enthusiasts can also try to cover these nearly one hundred kilometers by bicycle. However, you can also use the railway itself. A small train runs daily along the Circum-Baikal Railway with the local name "Motanya" (which in the old local dialect means "transfer"), as well as the steam locomotive "Baikal Express" restored especially for tourists - with real smoke from the chimney and a piercing steam whistle. Once this road was called the "golden clasp in Russia's steel belt," because it was the most difficult section of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Traveling along the Circum-Baikal Railway, you will get to know not only the splendor and diversity of Baikal nature, but also a wonder of engineering - there are more than 800 technical structures alone, already more than a hundred years old, along the entire route! And all of them have been preserved in excellent condition.
Olkhon.
The largest and most mysterious island of Baikal. According to one legend, it is on Olkhon that Genghis Khan's grave is supposed to be located. A place with special energy - every year enthusiasts and admirers of a wide variety of practices come here: from psychological training sessions to role-playing game fans. A mass of sacred places, the main one being Burkhan Cape. And also the northernmost tip of the island - Khoboy Cape. This year, a long-awaited event took place - a second ferry has been launched on the ferry crossing connecting the island with the mainland! This means that the hours-long queues that were an inseparable companion of tourists who prefer to travel around the island in their own car will disappear. You can travel around Olkhon in all available ways, but the most memorable will, of course, be a kayaking trip around the island.
Small Sea.
The Small Sea is the strait separating Olkhon from the mainland. Considering that two-thirds of the days in the year are sunny here, it is clear why the Small Sea is a favorite vacation spot for Irkutsk residents. Three hundred kilometers by car - and you are on the shore of the warm (!) Baikal. Many cozy bays, sandy and pebbly beaches, as well as unique natural monuments, including one of the largest caves in Eastern Siberia - the Dream Cave, and the Sarma Gorge, where the strongest of the five main Baikal winds is born. In the Tazheran steppes adjoining the strait there are unique salt lakes. It is also to the Small Sea that people go to fish and go on horseback trips. You can get to the Small Sea not only by car, but also fly by helicopter and, of course, sail there - by boat, by yacht, by the high-speed Barguzin.
Peschanaya Bay.
But you can only get to Peschanaya by water. There are no roads to this popular tourist base. Peschanaya Bay is located roughly halfway between Listvyanka and Olkhon. Baikal warms up well, and by early August the velvet season begins here: you can lie on the sand, admire the unique stilted trees that have become Peschanaya's calling card; take short hikes along the coast. For example, to Cormorant Rock, where the main nesting site of the black cormorant is located. You can come to Peschanaya with your own tent, or you can stay at the tourist base - that is a matter of personal preference. In any case, you will definitely see, as connoisseurs believe, the most beautiful Baikal.
Chivyrkuisky Bay.
It is Chivyrkuisky that is considered the wildest of all the places where people come to relax. Here there is not just a forest, but the remote Siberian taiga. And although in recent years bears no longer come out to the water, that does not mean they are not here. The bottom of the bay is covered with algae. There is excellent fishing here, and also a unique floating holiday base. Chivyrkuisky Bay is located on the territory of the Barguzin Nature Reserve, so there is not a single building here. This is pristine Baikal, where human intervention is minimal.
Ushkany Islands.
And where there is none at all is on the Ushkany Islands. This is the famous Baikal archipelago of four islands, where the haul-out site of the Baikal seal is located. Another wonder of the Ushkany Islands is anthills; there are several thousand of them here! It is believed that in terms of anthill density, the Ushkany Islands have no equal in Russia: there are up to 20 anthills per hectare. If during a Baikal cruise you happen to visit the Ushkany Islands, you will bring back the most amazing photographs from here!
Arshan.
If you move south from the southern coast of Baikal, after a hundred kilometers you will reach the Tunkinskaya Valley, where at the foot of the Eastern Sayan there is a small settlement called Arshan. In general, any thermal spring is called Arshan, and there are a great many of them there. Here you can take all kinds of baths: mud, mineral, for any purpose: from rejuvenating the body to treating the musculoskeletal system. Arshan is also the name of the famous mineral water, very popular among Siberians. Here you can also visit a real datsan, see the most beautiful mountain waterfalls, and take a helicopter excursion into the mountains, during which the grandeur and beauty of the Eastern Sayan will open up before you.
Shumak.
For those who are ready to check whether it is true that "the only thing better than mountains are more mountains," there is a wonderful opportunity to go on a trek across the Shumak Pass. Its height is almost three thousand meters. This is a good test of endurance. But you will also receive a worthy reward: you will find yourself in the land of the Shumak mineral springs. There are more than a hundred of them, and among them are the famous radon springs, to which legends (and modern medicine as well) attribute miraculous properties. For those who do not dare to come to Shumak on foot - and there is simply no other road here - there is the option of flying by helicopter.
Pik Chersky.
This is perhaps the most popular peak of the Khamar-Daban, and climbing it is accessible even to beginners. Nevertheless, it is a serious three-day trek, during which on the first day you will cross nine river crossings, some of them suspended, over the Slyudyanka River, and also pass through a marble quarry. On the second day you will make the ascent itself, climbing along a mountain serpentine to an altitude of 2,090 meters, and marveling at the harsh beauty of Siberian nature. After that, with a winner's feeling, you can return to the city, feeling like a true mountaineer.
Munku-Sardyk.
However, a more serious ascent is, of course, the climb to Munku-Sardyk. This is the highest point of the Eastern Sayan - 3,491 meters. The border with Mongolia passes through Munku-Sardyk. On the plateau north of the peak, the Irkut River (from Lake Ilchir) and the Kitoy River, especially popular among water tourists, originate. Rafting on these rivers can become a serious challenge and will require good preparation and physical endurance from you. In any case, an unforgettable adventure is guaranteed.
And finally, a little food for thought for those who are only wondering: is it even worth going anywhere this summer? After all, there is a terrible and awful crisis outside! But - as tourism companies organizing vacations in the Baikal region report, the tourist flow to Baikal and its surroundings has already increased by 25 percent compared with last year (by the number of tours sold).
And summer, by the way, has only just begun.
So crisis or no crisis, Baikal is eternal.