Unfortunately, when mentioning the possibility tourist trip not only to Baikal, but also to Siberia in general, many residents of our country have associations, from which the desire to get acquainted with the rest on Baikal immediately disappears.

Let's try to figure out whether it is really worth making plans for a vacation on Lake Baikal and what costs it can cost you. What is the truth and where is the error?

Again, I took the Internet as a source of information. Tourists planning to spend their holidays on the shores of Lake Baikal share their thoughts and plans on the pages of websites.

Here is a list of doubts and questions that are heard most often

1. Very far to go.
2. There is almost nothing to see on Baikal and it is not worth wasting time.
3. A trip to Baikal is a very expensive pleasure.
4. There is almost no tourist infrastructure there.
5. On Baikal, insects will eat you, and if not, then bears will attack.
6. It makes sense to go on vacation to Lake Baikal only in summer
7. The water is cold, even in summer you can't swim.
8. It's scary to go to Baikal on your own! It is not known how to get to the sights, where to drive, where to stay, how many days to plan a trip.

So, on these points in order.

Yes, Baikal is far away, but not the edge of geography

How to watch more. For some, Crimea is very far away, for some, Moscow, for others. Our country is great. If you look at the map of Russia, you will see that Lake Baikal is actually located almost in the middle between Moscow and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

The distance from Moscow to Lake Baikal is about 5000 km, which is equal to 5 hours of flying on a salome. This is more than to the most popular Antalya (3.5 hours), but the difference is not huge. Moreover, departure from Moscow is late in the evening, and arrival in Irkutsk, respectively, in the early morning according to local time. Comfortable.

By plane, you can fly directly to Irkutsk, which is the most popular starting point directly to the lake, from Moscow, from St. Petersburg and from other cities: Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Perm, Tyumen, Surgut, Omsk , Krasnoyarsk, Mirny, Tomsk, Barnaul, Blagoveshchensk, Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Yakutsk.

There are also flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Ulan-Ude, which is also located near Lake Baikal, but on the other side of Irkutsk.

But many travel by train. Along the lake is the Trans-Siberian. People go to Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Baikalsk or Severobaikalsk. From the same Moscow, the road will take up to 4 days one way. But for many it is not convenient to fly through Moscow, you still have to get there. Rail transport is still more developed and cheaper.

There are also enough auto tourists. This is primarily residents of the adjacent regions of Russia, of course.

Holidays on Baikal are chosen annually by more than a million people. Not many tourist destinations can boast of such a figure and it says a lot!

What to see on Baikal

Yes, stop looking! You won't even be able to see everything at once. Baikal is very versatile in terms of options and places for recreation. Its beauties and all sorts of corners are not possible to explore even in a few holidays! There are both summer and winter activities here. And someone also highlights the spring period! Only autumn turns out somehow not in favor of tourists - the winds blow and it's cold.

I'll start with beach holiday on Baikal. He exists! The most popular bays (this is such a strait) and East Coast from Ulad-Ude. The water there is warm and especially clean, the sand is white, there is a lot of sun and amazing landscapes around.

Active rest on Baikal

For lovers of active or even extreme recreation, Baikal offers a variety of opportunities. Many rivers and streams flow into the lake. In general, the lake is located among the mountains. So for lovers of alloys mountain rivers, kayakers, divers and cyclists have a place to stretch their muscles.

Jeeping, ATV or snowmobile trips are available. In winter, there is where to slide down the mountain, the most famous place Mount Sobolinaya near Baikalsk.

Wellness rest on Baikal

There are also water clinics on Baikal, if semi-wild places, for example,.

Anyway, this is Siberia. There are many protected areas around Lake Baikal, where the state of nature is monitored. Therefore, rest on Lake Baikal promises not only clean water, but also clean air, as well as many positive emotions from contemplating the majestic landscapes of the Baikal region.

In all the resort areas that exist around Lake Baikal, you can find a route for an active search for adventures, or you can stay in one place and calmly enjoy nature, absorbing the special energy of these places.

And there are so many natural, cultural and historical attractions on Baikal that no one probably knows all the secrets that the shores of the lake and its waters keep. There are many places of worship here, several of them are on the island, others are along the land coast. Archaeologists have found many sites of ancient man and will surely find more. Shamans and Buddhists on Baikal here and there. In short, there are enough sights for you.

And once again I remind you that the mountain slopes themselves around the lake with their vegetation are already a tourist attraction.

Is it expensive to go to Baikal

Most of those who come to rest on Baikaal are a low-budget, as they say, category of citizens - students and pensioners. The very fact that they come here speaks of the accessibility of the resort areas of Lake Baikal in terms of the cost of recreation.

Rest on Baikal, like rest in other places, is costly in terms of the road. Many travelers have long noticed that the most expensive thing on any trip is the way there and back.

If we take Moscow as a starting point, then a round-trip flight will cost about 25 thousand per person. From our Omsk to Sochi in the season - for comparison, the same 25 thousand, but if you take a ticket in advance, yes, 2-3-4 months. Otherwise it will be 30-35 thousand. And this despite the fact that the flights are non-stop, and the distance from Omsk to Sochi is less than from Moscow to Irkutsk.

The plane is for you as a guideline for the maximum program. By train, by car, and even more so by hitchhiking, it is cheaper, but it takes a long time to get there.

The vast majority of tourists get to Baikal through Irkutsk. Then who is in, who is on, who is on the Small Sea, and who is just in the forest.

You can even get from Irkutsk to Baikal by minibus, or by boat or regular bus. Here you need to specify depending on the place where you are going.

About accommodation

The most budget tourists or just lovers of communication with nature go on vacation to Lake Baikal in the summer and with tents. There are many paid campsites, there are places where they won’t take money at all (but you have to look).

If the tent is not your choice. I want more comfort - either renting a room in the private sector or a room at a recreation center or in guest house. The private sector is cheaper at prices, but even here it is preferable to book in advance. A million tourists a year is no joke. The demand for accommodation is great, the locals are building, of course, but in the high season it is better to take care of housing in advance.

Ways to go on vacation on Lake Baikal

If you are full of doubts and insecurities, then this is the best option for you. through a travel agency. Now probably already in all corners of Russia such tours are offered. But there are two points here:

• do not forget that you are in Russia, where the all-inclusive system has not taken root yet. Find out in detail what you pay for and what you will have to pay extra for
• more often, the tour package does not include the way there and back. They meet you in Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude, and only from there they lead you under the arms, they tell and show everything.

The advantages of such a holiday on Lake Baikal, as elsewhere, are that the tour operator decides all the organizational issues of the holiday for you. You can choose a route in advance, see a lot, but as always in these cases, run.

And the prices on the websites of travel agencies look really frightening - 50,60,70 thousand per person, and this is without a road. Perhaps that is why many associations about the high cost of recreation on Lake Baikal. People first of all now go to the Internet, and see such price tags - and that's it, the desire is gone! Rest on Baikal in any case is not the cheapest of all possible options, but read on…

Independent rest on Baikal

Anyone who decides to take on all the difficulties of organizing a trip can save a lot. And according to statistics, more than 70% of tourists who come to Baikal choose an independent vacation.

Obvious pluses - you choose the route and the level of expenses yourself. At the same time, you can spend prices from 500 rubles per day without meals (at camp sites) for accommodation. And even less in a tent on any part of the Baikal coast that you like. You don't need to bring a lot of groceries with you. There are shops in all settlements.

Medium-cost option - around Baikal with a guide

Option for the rational. There are also private guides on Baikal. True, no one has registered on my site yet (at the time of this writing). But suddenly! - check by . This option is good because you will be supervised, and a private guide will not take as much as an agency. Although of course it all depends on your interests ... ..

The guide will work out the route for you, making it as informative and interesting as possible. He will book places, call a helicopter and arrange with a shaman to take you to the most secret place (this is my fantasy, just kidding).

Volunteering to Baikal

This option is more for young people. But in this way it is possible not only to see Baikal in all its grandeur, but at the same time not only not to spend money, but even earn money. The volunteer movement on Baikal is actively developing. There are many protected areas, for example,. Helpers are needed at any time of the year.

Since 2003, the international project "" has arisen and is being implemented on Baikal. Within its framework, a path is being laid, for hiking. And there is no end of work. After all, who does not know, most of the coast of Baikal has not yet been developed, there are no roads and villages - only taiga and rocks.

In short, volunteers have a lot to do. And in the evening, rest on Lake Baikal or near it.

About the tourist infrastructure on Baikal

Well, of course, not Greece, and not even Turkey, and perhaps this topic on Baikal does not reach Sochi. But it's more of a plus! If you need only comfort, a bathrobe in your room, and a sun lounger on the beach, then Baikal is not for you.

The more active the introduction of tourism industry technologies into the organization of resorts on Baikal, the stronger will be the human influence on this unique natural complex. And people go to Baikal exactly to nature, which is still clean and full of light energy and strength.

As for the tourist infrastructure, on the very coast of Lake Baikal it is no less than in Altai or Kamchatka. As in any tourist place there are always recreation centers, cafes, guides, ATMs and transport.

Well, if you are going to Baikal to see its wild and pristine nature, why do you need infrastructure at all. Somewhere in the depths of your mind, hold the thought that there is a village along the compass to the southwest and that's it! Live like a savage in nature for these few days (but take care of provisions and don't forget the tent!).

About mosquitoes and bears

There are no mosquitoes on the coast of Baikal at all! They don't have a climate here. In the winter-spring period, the water in the lake is cold, and mosquitoes do not have the opportunity to breed here, because these insects breed precisely through warm water.

There are bears, yes, but they do not wander around the villages. And they are actually found only in the northern part of the territory. So the bear is not a fool, he needs you very much! If only awake, after hibernation (April-May) what will confuse. Behind last years cases of meeting tourists with a bear are isolated and not a single one with major troubles for a person (rather, the bear will not be lucky).

Is it only possible to visit Baikal in summer?

No! Holidays on Baikal have acquired a year-round character! At any time of the year there is something to see and do on Baikal. As I already wrote, there are fewer tourists in autumn, but this does not mean that there are none at all.

The most popular months of course are summer - July and August. The winter season is in February-March, when the lake is shackled by the strongest ice, and the views of these ice floes excite the mind.

About cold water on Baikal and beach holidays

Baikal is certainly not the Gulf of Thailand in Thailand. The lake is deep. One of his mysteries is that at the depth of Baikal at any time of the year constant water temperature + 4 degrees. So swimming among the lake is probably very cold even on the hottest days.

And along the entire coast of Lake Baikal there are many bays and bays, where the depth is acceptable for swimming and the temperature in the summer season is higher. From mid-July to the end of August, the average water temperature reaches +20 degrees, and in some places especially favored by tourists - up to 25 degrees.

As for tanning - it's even easier. Baikal is one of the sunniest places in Russia.

Beach holidays on Baikal, as already mentioned, are developed on the shores of the Maloe More Bay (including on the side of Olkhon -) and on the East coast.

Is it scary to go to Baikal on your own?

Probably the first time! Where is it not scary? These are only experienced travelers who have visited different countries and situations, perceive the new trip calmly. For the vast majority of people, this is perhaps the most burning question.

Now it’s easier to travel anywhere, because there are a lot of information resources on the Internet. One such resource is the website My geography". A lot has already been written about Baikal here. Read, get acquainted, look for fellow travelers. In short, get ready mentally and technically.

All the best in your choice of vacation!

Why can one get sick with Baikal 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 many other things during a lecture organized in the Museon 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 it. Baikal is not a lake, but a sea. Its length is 625 kilometers, the maximum depth is one kilometer 652 meters, the 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 the Tunkinskaya valley, on opposite sides of which there are mountains. On Khamar-Daban, the ancient ridge, there is a chic freeride, magnificent ski slopes. In this regard, it is an order of magnitude better than the Caucasus. In Baikalsk, located near Khamar-Daban, low prices, free 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 Baikal near Listvyanka (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 Lake Baikal is called sarma, as it breaks out of the Sarma Gorge. Its speed is 250-300 kilometers per hour. He demolishes everything, it is impossible to stand. Ships that do not have time to land, sarma breaks and destroys immediately. At the same time, 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, sory bays with a water temperature of up to plus 20. Fish are perfectly caught there: large pikes, ides, perches (there is also a sturgeon, but you can’t catch it). There are mosquitoes here, but not as many as they say, and they are not as scary.

What to see

Most of my acquaintances, who came for three days, put a tick “I was there”, and then they write down twenty other places on Baikal where they want to visit. My grandmother, who is 75 years old, said: "I'll come, I'll look - and that's it, bury me." Now she has plans, she paints where else to go on Baikal.

I don't know other such places in Russia. Sixty kilometers one way is kayaking, swimming, fishing, jeeping in winter. Sixty kilometers to another is mountains: skiing, snowmobiling, climbing and rock climbing. Twenty kilometers in the third direction are water sports, including extreme ones. All six levels of river complexity are represented on Baikal, 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 Baikal is transparent. In Moscow ponds, its thickness is 10-15 centimeters, and fish with algae under it is not visible. The thickness of the Baikal ice is from a meter to one and a half, it can withstand an excavator. But if a fish or seaweed swims under you, you will see it.

However, it should be remembered that Baikal is a living organism, and its ice walks. Today you can drive through one section - and nothing will happen, and tomorrow a dead crack will form at this place. Given the thickness of the ice and the depth of the reservoir, you are unlikely to be pulled out. Therefore, it is worth driving a car around Lake Baikal only with trusted people - “ice captains”.

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

Photo: Alexander Miridonov / Kommersant

You go and think: what is there to see? 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 ?!” - "Well, take the tail for 350." Walk a little further from the main road, and there will be huts local residents. They catch this fish themselves and sell it for 50 rubles.

The coolest Baikal delicacy is omul. No matter how it is cooked: smoked, and dried, and omul on horns are the highlight. It is prepared as follows: sticks are stuck on the sides of the fire, salted fish is planted on them, on which cuts are made, and fried.

In Baikal there is a golomyanka, an endemic fish so transparent that you can literally read through it. It is worth leaving 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 caught only by local residents as an exception.

But the most popular endemic is still not the golomyanka, but the seal, the Baikal seal. This is a real miracle, and its pups cause special tenderness. 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 briskness it will not yield 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 heads of seals, now there are more than one and a half million. It is now being removed from the Red Book and they are starting to catch it.

In early spring

Until June, the water in Baikal is very cold, you can not swim. Ice drift begins here at the end of April and ends just in time for the end of June. The world's only official journey on an ice floe is held here - 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 goes downstream for a distance of 30-40 kilometers. Nearby, of course, a hovercraft is sailing and the Ministry of Emergency Situations is watching all this.

The Angara is a non-freezing river, besides it has the largest source in the world. 336 rivers flow into Baikal, and only one flows out - the Angara. Why doesn't she freeze? Let us recall that the water temperature of Lake Baikal is plus four, and it is this temperature that makes up the course of the Angara.

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

Photo: Vladimir Smirnov / RIA Novosti

Olkhon and Tazheran steppes

The plane does not fly directly to Lake Baikal, it flies either to Irkutsk, located 60 kilometers from west side reservoir, or in Ulan-Ude, located at about the same distance from the east coast. If you want to see Olkhon Island, Arshan, the most beautiful Peschanaya Bay in Russia, go to the Tunka Valley and ride skiing- I recommend getting 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 caves from the Neolithic period (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 explored, but skeletons of prehistoric animals have already been found there.

There is also Mount Yohe Yordo with a perfectly round foot, where the Mongolian-Buryat Olympic Games are held. One of the sports presented at this "Olympiad" is throwing stones, and these are not just stones, but boulders of 50-70 kilograms. The games are held 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, as this route is considered federal.

Photo: Vladimir Smirnov / RIA Novosti

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

A real shaman lives in Olkhon (believe me, there are not so 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 ridiculous, but when you see for yourself, you will understand that this is so). 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 strength of Baikal energy is such that you are charged with energy for a year. You will get sick of Baikal and will dream there again.

Solo travel is freedom. But for a trip to the deepest lake in the world to be unforgettable, it should be well planned. Especially if you eat Baikal as savages, and do not take a package tour and do not plan to live all the time in one of the tourist villages on the shores of Lake Baikal.

There are many nuances regarding the choice of a place to stay, the 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 around Baikal, in which all the waypoints are listed (for example,) and borrow interesting ideas.

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

detailed instructions how to get by plane or train to the settlements closest to Baikal. The further way 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 affects the climate around due to the fact that large bodies of water in different time they absorb and release heat. In the spring, when the ice melts, it is cool on the coast until the very end of June.

But until October, there is a beautiful warm autumn here - in July and August, Baikal was saturated with the sun and is gradually sharing it.

The winters here are mild, but the winds are constantly blowing, and the temperature is felt lower than it is.

The golden months for a trip are the tourist season on Lake Baikal - July and August (it is also warm in September, but the storm season is in full swing). At this time, you can sunbathe and swim on the lake without fear of catching a cold, the temperature is usually in the range of 20 - 30 degrees Celsius.

How to look for a deserted place

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

If anyone wants to relax alone, the way out is to take a tent, get to any tourist place, and from there make one or two hiking trips along the coast.

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

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 who seek rest as an adventure go here. You can stop at the Khakusa recreation center, and from there explore the surroundings by boat.

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

Main tourist places

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

Where to look for housing

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

There are websites on the web that deal with this 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 elite apartments for a couple of tens of thousands of rubles;
http://tvil.ru/ offers rentals not only on Baikal, but all over the world, so here you can rent a house or a cottage only in the most popular places, the cost is quite high, from 8,000 per day;
http://na-ozero.ru/, here the prices are small, from 500 rubles a day;
baikal-raduga.ru - a guest house in Maksimikha - a proven place. It accommodates only 12 people, you need to book in advance. But the rest will be wonderful - in the forest, not far from the wild beach, with a sauna. 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/ - a detailed guide to Baikal.
2. http://www.magicbaikal.ru/ - virtual tour of the lake and its shores.
3. http://www.skitalets.ru , http://forum.awd.ru/ , http://www.bpclub.ru/ - these are forums of independent travelers and tourists, there are many useful information for travel planning.

What you need to take with you to Baikal

1. 1. Warm clothes set- Mandatory even in hot July and August. At any moment, a cold wind can blow from the mountains or from the lake, the temperature drops sharply at night, and drops even lower at dawn.
   2. Remedies for mosquitoes and ticks- Taiga forests mainly grow along the shores of Lake Baikal, so you need to protect yourself from blood-sucking insects.
   3. Ointment for burns should be in the first aid kit, sunburns are frequent. The first aid kit must be fully stocked - the necessary medicines are not always available even in hotels. You can read about how to collect it on any travel forum.
   4. CHI policy And tick insurance.
   5. Comfortable shoes- on Baikal, most of the routes are pedestrian, in order not to kill your legs on the 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 far away, take cash, and do not take large bills - there is nowhere to change.
2. If you feel sick - 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, before the trip, do special insurance for travelers (it is issued in any major insurance company).
• Learn about everything in advance, buy tickets ahead of time, book accommodation - there are many tourists, it is even better to find a place to camp in a tent before the trip, at least an approximate one.
• Don't eat at all unfamiliar food(unless you are an extreme gourmet) and do not get carried away with Buryat cuisine - one of the main components of its mutton fat, out of habit, you can greatly upset the stomach and liver.
• Parking by the water do not do it at night - there is a tide on Baikal!

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

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

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

Unfortunately, at the mention of a possible tourist trip to these Siberian places, many Russians often have groundless stereotypes that immediately discourage the desire to get acquainted with the rest on Lake Baikal.

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

Consider the most common questions that arise in the head of any tourist planning to spend their holidays on the shores of Lake Baikal:

1. Baikal is very far away.

2. There is nothing to see on Baikal and it is not worth spending the whole family vacation on it.

3. A trip to Baikal is very expensive.

3. There is no tourist infrastructure on Baikal.

4. There are many mosquitoes on Baikal and bears walk the streets.

6. You can go to Baikal only in summer

7. Baikal has cold water and summer beach holidays are impossible there.

8. It's scary to go to Baikal on your own! - how to get to the sights? how to build routes? where to stay? how to get around all the most interesting things in a few days?

MYTH 1. BAIKAL IS VERY FAR

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

The distance from the capital of our Motherland to Lake 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) is chosen very conveniently and the road does not tire at all.

- By plane

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

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

From Moscow you can travel directly to Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Baikalsk and Severobaikalsk. From St. Petersburg - only to Irkutsk. The road from Moscow or St. Petersburg will take up to 4 days.

Stations in the south of Lake Baikal Slyudyanka, Tankhoy, Baikalsk are used in summer for dropping tourist groups into the mountains of Khamar-Daban, in winter they work in Baikalsk ski resort.

MYTH 2. THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE ON BAIKAL AND YOU SHOULD NOT SPEND THE WHOLE FAMILY HOLIDAY ON IT

Baikal is so multifaceted and unique in terms of options and places of recreation that it is impossible to explore all its beauties even in a few vacations! There is almost everything for any type of holiday.

Those who wish to find a worthy alternative to a beach holiday can recommend the Small Sea Strait and the Eastern coast of Baikal, where the warm and clear waters of the bays, chic white sand and an abundance of sunny days will provide a great pastime for the whole family.

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

Choose the option of rest on Lake Baikal that you like from the whole variety of types

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 the prices on Baikal in more detail and consider the options for recreation on Lake Baikal.

The biggest cost component of a trip to Lake Baikal is the flight.

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

Accordingly, the cost of a round-trip flight will be within 25 tr. per person (Aeroflot provides discounts for pensioners). The rest of the expenses depend on your vacation option on Lake Baikal.

Option 1 - rest through a travel agency

Basically, Baikal tour operators include all expenses from the moment of meeting you at the airport (Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude) and boarding the plane back. You pay for the flight yourself.

The advantages of such a holiday is that the tour operator decides all the questions on the organization of the holiday for you. At the same time, for a limited vacation time, you can cover the maximum of attractions. But for this, in addition to the flight, you have to pay for a tour package.

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 weekly stay with included excursions, meals and trips to attractions will be from 15 to 40 tr. per person. More detailed information about the prices for tours around Baikal can be found in these sections:

- summer tours to Baikal
- winter tours to Baikal

Option 2 - independent rest on Baikal

Those who are used to counting money and are not ready to overpay can be offered an independent vacation on Lake Baikal. And do not be afraid of difficulties - more than 70% of tourists coming to Lake Baikal choose this kind of vacation. Obvious pluses - an independent choice of routes and expenses. At the same time, you can stay for accommodation both in any of the numerous tourist centers on Baikal (prices from 500 rubles per day without meals), or in a tent on any site of the Baikal coast that you like - fortunately, there are a huge number of such picnics and places on Baikal.

The whole variety of independent recreation on Baikal with sights, contacts and places of residence can be explored in separate article.

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

Option 3 - a trip to 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 you want to protect yourself as much as possible from possible misunderstandings during the trip and make it as informative as possible, then numerous experienced tour guides will help you. They can help you with route planning, organization of transfers to places of rest and holding interesting excursions. Here is a list of trusted and experienced Baikal guides.

4 Vacation option - volunteering

The choice of vacation option is yours!

But pay attention to the MAIN RULE OF ANY HOLIDAY ON BAIKAL - after your stay, the place of rest should remain at least as clean as before your arrival! Make friends with your conscience!

MYTH 4. THERE IS NO TOURIST INFRASTRUCTURE ON BAIKAL

Baikal is really not Türkiye and not even Black Sea coast. That is why these places are still clean, sacred and full of energy and strength. But it is precisely this circumstance that annually attracts millions of tourists from all over the world to the shores of Lake Baikal. More than half of Baikal's territory is occupied 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 the arrival in the regional cities of Irkutsk (60 km to the north-west of Baikal) and Ulan-Ude (70 km to the south-east). There is so much originality and legendary history in these metropolitan merchant cities that it is worth spending at least a couple of days getting to know them.

As for the tourist infrastructure on the very coast of Lake Baikal, it is no less than in Altai or Kamchatka. In any of the places of tourist activity there are always recreation centers, cafes, ATMs and route transport.

Nevertheless, many travelers come to Baikal just to see it. wildlife and pristine beauty. This is also enough here. But in this case, do not expect any blessings of civilization and first study the Boy Scout's handbook and experienced tips;)

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

There are no mosquitoes on the coast of Lake Baikal at all! 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 to the shore of 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). In the rest of the period, it is a very cautious predator and tries not to catch the eye of a person. Almost throughout the entire territory of Baikal, where tourist routes, the probability of meeting with this owner of the taiga is extremely small. In recent years, cases of meeting tourists with a bear are rare and not a single one with a fatal outcome.

MYTH 6. TOURIST SEASON IN BAIKAL ONLY IN SUMMER

You can relax on 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 entertainment on Baikal it is better to come in February-March, when the lake is covered with the strongest ice.
At different times of the year, an amazing unforgettable vacation is possible!

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

And choose a vacation option on Lake Baikal in any season

MYTH 7. COLD WATER AND BEACH REST IS IMPOSSIBLE ON BAIKAL

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

Particularly noteworthy in terms of beach holidays are such Baikal places as the Small Sea 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. IT IS TERRIBLE TO GO TO BAIKAL BY YOURSELF

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

Now any user of mobile devices, while 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 a personal guide-assistant to Baikal will always be in your pocket!
And most importantly, since March 15, 2016, this mobile guide can be downloaded and installed on your phone absolutely free of charge!

For those who have constant access to the Internet, our guide section will help you choose a vacation spot for yourself on Baikal, which contains detailed and reliably verified information about all the most interesting sights of the Baikal region with a detailed description of routes to vacation spots, as well as detailed Yandex -maps with marked sights of Lake Baikal. 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 our free guidebook, which provides advice from experienced travelers around Baikal and has answers to all the most frequently asked questions about a trip to Baikal .

TAKE BAIKAL WITH YOU!