How long is Lake Baikal. The oldest lake

Lake Baikal is one of the most beautiful and picturesque places not only in the Asian part of our country, but on the whole planet. This ancient lake (its age is approximately 25-35 million years), lying in a rift basin, is located in the southern part of Eastern Siberia. It is the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth, 22% of all the purest and most transparent water in the world and 85% of Russia are concentrated here. The volume of water is 23 thousand km 3 (these are the five Great Lakes in the United States taken together). In addition to the value of huge fresh water reserves, which due to its low mineralization (100 g/l) can be safely equated with distilled water, it should also be noted that Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and since 1996 has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Geographical position

Lake Baikal, which has the shape of a crescent elongated from southwest to northeast, is located almost in the very center of the Eurasian continent, in Central Asia, in the southern part of Eastern Siberia. The ancient rift basin of glacial origin, in which the lake basin is located, lies in the Baikal mountain region, surrounded by high peaks of mountain ranges and hills overgrown with dense forests (the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia in the Russian Federation).

Characteristics of Lake Baikal

The area of ​​the lake is 31.7 thousand km 2, this is the seventh place in the world after the Caspian Sea-lake, lakes Victoria, Taganika, Huron, Michigan, Upper or the area of ​​the countries of Belgium or the Netherlands. The lake is 636 km long, it is widest in the center (81 km), narrowest - near the delta of the Serenga River (27 km).

The average depth of the lake is 744.4 m higher than the maximum depths of many lakes in the world, its maximum depth, measured by Soviet scientists Kolotilo and Sulimov in 1983, was 1640 m, which made Baikal the deepest lake in the world.

The lake lies in a glacial rift basin, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. The length of the coastline is 2 thousand km, the western coast is rocky and steep, the eastern coast is more gentle, the mountains are located tens of kilometers from the coast. The water area of ​​​​the lake has six bays (Barguzinsky, Chivyrkuisky, Proval, Posolsky, Cherkalov, Mukhor), two dozen bays (Listvennaya, Peschanaya, Aya, many closed shallow bays called sory. The only river flows out of the lake - the Angara, flows into more than 336 rivers and rivulets, among the large ones one can name the Selenga, Upper Angara, Barguzin, Snezhnaya, Kichera, etc.

Temperature regime of water

Water, due to its low mineralization, is distinguished by amazing purity, transparency (can be seen to a depth of 40 meters), oxygen saturation. In spring, the water is especially transparent and has a rich blue-blue color; in summer, as a result of the development of organic matter, the transparency decreases and the waters acquire a blue-green tint. The average annual temperature of the water surface is about +4°С, in summer the water is +16, +17°С, in the sors it reaches +22,+23°С.

Baikal is almost completely covered with ice (1-2 meters) from January to May (with the exception of a small area 15-20 km at the source of the Angara). One of the amazing mysteries of Lake Baikal is the appearance in winter of huge dark rings on the ice, which are visible only from a height. Presumably, they are formed as a result of the release of methane from the depths of the lake, and this contributes to the formation of huge steams with a diameter of hundreds of meters with a very thin layer of ice.

Winds on Baikal

Distinctive features of Baikal's climate are its winds, they blow almost always, their maximum wind speed is 40 m/s. There are more than 30 names of the winds blowing there: the wind of the northwestern direction is mountainous, the northeastern wind is barguzin, verkhovik), the southeastern wind is shelonnik, the southwestern wind is kultuk, the sarma is the wind blowing in the center of Baikal. They blow mainly along the coast, on which there are practically no places to hide from such a piercing and strong wind.

Nature of Lake Baikal

The flora and fauna of the lake is diverse and unique. Oxygenated water allows a large number of living organisms to live here, more than 2600 species and subspecies of aquatic inhabitants live here, most of them are endemic. More than 58 species of fish live in the water column, such as omul, grayling, whitefish, taimen, Baikal sturgeon, lenok, golomyanka (a unique fish consisting of 30% fat).

The coast is covered with more than 2,000 species of plants, about 2,000 species of birds nest here, a unique marine mammal lives here - the Baikal seal, in the mountainous part of the Baikal region - the smallest deer in the world - the musk deer.

(Olkhon - the largest island of Lake Baikal)

The northeastern coast of the lake is part of the protected area of ​​the Barguzinsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve, since 1996 Baikal has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Settlements and cities

Large cities located a few dozen kilometers from the lake are Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude (130 km east of the lake) and Severobaikalsk (in the northern part of the lake coast). From Irkutsk (70 km from Baikal), the closest to the oldest Baikal settlement at the headwaters of the Angara - Listvyanka, it is over three hundred years old. The tourist infrastructure is well developed here and there is the Lake Museum dedicated to the history of Baikal, its flora and fauna. Also in the village there is a nerpinarium, where they show an exciting water show with the participation of Baikal seals and the legendary Shaman-stone, a reserved rock at the source of the Angara, ancient shamanic rites were held here in ancient times.

Climate and seasons

(Clear water of Lake Baikal in summer)

Eastern Siberia lies in a temperate sharply continental climatic zone, however, the huge masses of water contained in Lake Baikal have a special effect on the climate of the coast and due to this, unusual microclimate conditions are formed with warm mild winters and cool summers. The water masses of the lake act as a huge natural stabilizer and make winters warmer and summers cooler than, for example, in the same Irkutsk, located at a short distance from the lake (70 km). The air temperature in summer can reach up to +35°С.

(Transparent ice on Lake Baikal in winter)

In winter, the waters of Lake Baikal are bound by incredibly transparent and smooth ice. The temperature above the surface of the lake in the middle of winter is about -21°С, and on the coasts it is 5-10 degrees higher, on average -10°С - 17°С. Due to the slight evaporation of cold water from the surface of the lake, clouds are very rarely formed here, so the area of ​​​​Lake Baikal is characterized by a high total duration of sunshine, cloudy and cloudy days are infrequent.

Lake Baikal is the pearl of Russia. This is the cleanest, largest and deepest lake on our planet. The maximum depth of Baikal reaches 1642 meters. It contains 20% of the world's fresh water. Its water surface lies at an altitude of 456 meters above sea level, and the deepest point is at an altitude of 1186 meters below sea level. 336 large and small rivers and streams flow into Baikal, and only one flows out - the Angara.

Lake Baikal. Russia on Google Maps.

Lake Baikal. Photos.

To the question: “How was Baikal formed?” Scientists answer differently. Some argue that these are the waters of huge glaciers, having melted, gathered in one place. Others suggest that water came out of huge cracks in the earth after a series of earthquakes. But, in any case, Baikal is the oldest, largest, deepest and cleanest lake on earth. The formation of the Baikal depression began about 30 million years ago and has not ended to this day. Where is the bottom of Baikal located? According to some reports, this sacred lake has no bottom at all and is in contact with underground lava in the bowels of the earth. On the coast of Lake Baikal there are many places that are famous for witchcraft and magic, there is also a lot of evidence of its healing power.

Baikal in summer. Video.

Winter on Baikal. Video.

Baikal is one of the wonders of Russia. The depth of Lake Baikal is a record. The African Lake Tanganyika, which follows it, has a depth that is 200 meters less. The reservoir is popular with tourists and explorers. Until now, the secrets of Baikal have not been fully disclosed and excite scientists.

Where is

Located almost in the center of Eurasia, in Western Siberia, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Buryat Republic, Baikal has the shape of a huge crescent. In terms of area, it is equivalent to the Netherlands, Belgium or Denmark. Surrounded by mountains and hills, the reservoir occupies a huge pit. The question of how deep Lake Baikal is is very interesting. We will tell about this later, and now we will describe the relief of the coast. In the eastern part it is relatively flat, the mountains are tens of kilometers away. The western shore of the lake is mountainous.

The Baikal area is seismically active. Earthquakes of small magnitude occur regularly, and there are strong ones, the echoes of which are felt even in Irkutsk. So, in the second half of the 19th century, an earthquake with a force of 10 points occurred. As a result, a land plot of 200 square meters was flooded. km, where 1300 people lived. Strong tremors were noted in 1959 (9 points), in 2008 (9 points) and 2010 (6 points).

The history of the lake and the name

For a long time it was believed that the age of Baikal is 25-30 million years. But recent studies of the relief of the bottom of the lake with its mud volcanoes have shown that it is up to 150 thousand years old. In this regard, Baikal is also unique, because the average age of lakes of a similar origin is 10-15 thousand years.

The rift basin, in which Baikal is located, is similar in structure to the Dead Sea basin. Its depth is the depth of Baikal. The opinions of scientists on the formation of the basin differ.

There are 3 versions:

1. The depression is the result of a transform fault.
2. The depression arose as a result of the action of a hot mantle flow under the lake.
3. The depression was formed as a result of minor collisions of Hindustan and the Eurasian plate.

Obviously, as a result of seismic activity, the relief of the bottom of Lake Baikal is changing and is still subsiding.

The origin of the name of the lake is unclear, but all four points of view reflect the greatness of the reservoir and indirectly indicate how deep Baikal is: Japanese - "great water", Turkic - "rich lake", Mongolian - "rich fire" and Chinese - "northern sea" . In our country, the modern name began to be used in the 17th century, it was borrowed from the Buryats (Beigkhel): in Russian the word was assimilated and the usual pronunciation was established - Baikal.

Features of the landscape and climate

The record depth of Baikal and the vast area of ​​the watershed determine the local climate. Mild winters, but rather cool summers, long autumns and long springs - these are the climatic characteristics of the areas adjacent to the lake. Also, the weather of Lake Baikal is affected by local specific winds, such as barguzin or kultuk. Because of the current winds, Baikal is referred to as the most restless lakes in the world.

Another remarkable property of the climate is mirages, which appear up to 7 times a year and last for 5-6 hours. They arise due to the difference in air temperature between the surface of the water and the space above it. Mirages occur due to the refraction of rays. Landscape objects can visually rise above the water surface so that the horizon is visible. Another kind of mirage is when natural objects that are thousands of kilometers distant optically approach.

Baikal waters: features and currents

Since ancient times, the water of the lake has fascinated the locals: they idolized it, they treated it. It is saturated with oxygen, close in composition to distilled water, and due to the action of microorganisms, it is practically devoid of minerals. The volume of Baikal water is 90% of Russia's fresh water reserves and 20% of the world's. For comparison: there is more water in our great lake than in the 5 largest American lakes combined.

The transparency of Baikal water is surprising: visibility reaches 40 meters. True, this figure can drop to 10 meters during the flowering period of plants. Depending on the time of year and the activity of plants and microorganisms, Baikal water changes its color from bright blue in cold weather to green in summer and autumn.

Baikal is saturated with 336 rivers and streams constantly flowing into it. Turka, Snezhnaya, Upper Angara, Sarma are the largest of them. The Angara is the only river flowing from Lake Baikal.

Depth indicators

How deep is Lake Baikal? It is determined by the origin and parameters of the depression in which the lake is located. The last depth studies were carried out in 1983, they were confirmed in 2002. The lake is fascinating: with an average of 730 meters, the maximum depth of Baikal is 1630 meters. There are two more lakes on Earth with a depth of more than 1000 meters: Tanganyika and the Caspian Sea. Moreover, in the latter, the water is salty, not fresh. Even the average depth of Baikal is amazing - few lakes on Earth can boast a value of 730 meters.

Currents act on the surface of Lake Baikal, encircling its shores and the largest islands. In certain places (the western coast of the Small Sea), the current is quite strong, so even in calm weather, ships drift. The decrease in the intensity of water movement is affected by the depth of Lake Baikal in a given place and the distance from the coastline.

Flora and fauna

Baikal is unique in its flora and fauna: two thirds of animal representatives live exclusively here. Oxygenated water provides a favorable environment for the reproduction of species. Scientists have discovered only 70% of the fauna of Baikal. Epishura crustaceans form the basis of the lake's food chain, in addition, they perform an important function of water purification - they pass it through themselves. The fauna of Baikal has 56 species of fish. Among them is a unique species - golomyanka. The fish is interesting in that it does not lay eggs, but gives birth to fry alive. The golomyanka is 43% fat; in search of food, it migrates from great depths to shallow ones.

Nerpa is the only mammal that lives on Lake Baikal.

From the plant world, sponges can be noted, which grow at great depths and are the oldest inhabitants of Baikal.

The uniqueness of the lake is recognized all over the world. Not only the depth of Baikal is taken into account, but also its unique ecosystem. The climate, geographical features of the lake attract tourists and scientists from all over the world.

Many people wish to spend a vacation on the coast of Lake Baikal - there are amazing picturesque places, many different recreation centers. But how to get to this tourist oasis and how many km to lake baikal? It all depends on where you will be departing from, which road and what mode of transport.

How many km from Moscow to Lake Baikal

There are two main routes from the capital to Lake Baikal - through the cities of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude. Many prefer the first option, since the second route is at least 60 km longer, and planes fly to Ulan-Ude less often. There are three ways to get to your final destination:

• by plane;
• by train;
• by car.

Suppose you decide to go by car. From Moscow to Irkutsk you will need to overcome 5030 km. It's about a hundred hours drive. Seventy kilometers - that's how many kilometers from Irkutsk to Lake Baikal. If we are talking about the nearest settlement - Listvyanka, then this is 66 km. I mean, another hour drive from Irkutsk. By the way, electric trains constantly run from this city to the coast of the lake. There is also transport from Ulan-Ude, including a taxi.

It must also be taken into account that the length of Baikal is more than six hundred kilometers, so if you are going to get to its farthest point, add on the extra mileage.

By the way, you can also get to Baikal by plane from other cities - for example, from St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok and so on.

If you get by plane, then you will spend five to six hours in the air. But keep in mind that by mid-summer, ticket prices go up significantly.

Baikal: length in km

As you know, this is the deepest lake in the world and one of the oldest. According to scientists, this lake is about 25-30 million years old.

The length of Baikal is 636 km. This is as much as the length of Baikal from north to south. The widest part is in the central part, 81 kilometers, the narrowest part is from 25 km. The length of the coastline is more than two thousand kilometers. By the way, there is data on how long Lake Baikal is from northeast to southwest - 620 km.

Lake Baikal - what is it like?

In outline, Baikal looks like a narrow crescent, so easy to remember that it can be easily found on the map of Russia even by those who are not particularly strong in geography. Stretching from the southwest to the northeast for as much as 636 kilometers, Baikal seems to squeeze between mountain ranges, and its water surface is at an altitude of more than 450 meters above sea level, which gives every reason to consider it a mountain lake. From the west, the Baikal and Primorsky ridges adjoin it, from the east and southeast - the massifs of Ulan-Burgasy, Khamar-Daban and Barguzinsky. And this whole natural landscape is so harmonious that it is difficult to imagine one without the other.

Even Oleg Kirillovich Gusev (1930-2012), candidate of biological sciences, professional hunter, editor-in-chief of the oldest Russian magazine "Hunting and hunting economy" and author of several books on the problems of preserving the unique nature of this lake, wrote: "Baikal gives us great joy and great pleasure." And he added: “It strikes with its monumental style and the beautiful, eternal and powerful that is inherent in its very nature”, emphasizing that the more you get close to it, the more tempting it becomes, and the more clearly you understand that Baikal is unique and charmingly inimitable. Anyone who visits here at least once can be convinced of the veracity of these words.

lake depth

The depth of the lake is truly impressive - 1637 meters. According to this indicator, Baikal surpasses such largest water bodies as Tanganyika (1470 m), the Caspian Sea (1025 m), San Martin (836 m), Nyasa (706 m), Issyk-Kul (702 m) and the Great Slave Lake (614 m). m). The remaining deepest lakes in the world, twenty-two in total, are less than 600 meters deep. And the climatic conditions on Baikal, as they say, match its unique features: here the sun is mercilessly scorching and cold winds are blowing, storms are raging and the calmest weather is set, conducive to beach recreation.

Features and mysteries of Baikal

The coastline of the Siberian "crescent" is 2100 km long, it has 27 islands, the largest of which is Olkhon. The lake is located in a kind of basin, which, as mentioned above, is surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. This gives reason to assume that the coastline of the reservoir is the same throughout. In fact, only the western coast of Baikal is rocky and steep. The relief of the eastern one is more gentle: in some places the mountain peaks are at a distance of 10 or more kilometers from the coast.

Lake Baikal water

23,615.39 km³ - such a fantastic figure measures the reserves of Baikal water. According to this indicator, the lake is second only to the Caspian Sea. Considering that in the latter it is salty, it is Baikal that occupies the first line of the world ranking in terms of fresh water reserves, that is, suitable for drinking water. In addition, it is extremely transparent, and all thanks to a very small amount of suspended and dissolved minerals, not to mention organic impurities - they are generally negligible here. At a depth of up to 35-40 meters, you can even distinguish individual stones, especially in spring, when the water turns blue. It also has a huge supply of oxygen. It is not for nothing that Baikal is called the national treasure of Russia for the combination of such unique properties and qualities.

The water in Baikal is very clean. Previously, it could be drunk directly from the lake and not even boiled. But now crowds of tourists have rushed to Lake Baikal, which still pollute this area, so now, before drinking Baikal water, you should ask the locals where this can be done.

Baikal ice

The time of freezing on the lake lasts on average from the beginning of January to the beginning of May. During this period, it freezes almost completely. The only exception is a small 15-20-kilometer section located at the source of the Angara. At the end of winter, the ice thickness can reach 1 meter, and even more in the bays - one and a half to two meters. In severe frosts, huge cracks form on the ice, which are called here “stand cracks”. They are so impressive that they can reach from 10 to 30 km in length. The width, however, is small: only 2-3 m. Such “slits” literally tear the ice cover into separate fields. If it were not for the cracks, the formation of which is accompanied by a loud sound, like a cannon shot, then the lake fish would die en masse from a lack of oxygen.

Baikal ice has a number of other features that are unique to it, and truly mysterious, which scientists have not been able to explain. Back in the middle of the last century, specialists from the local limnological station discovered the so-called "hills" - hollow ice hills in the shape of a cone, reaching a height of 5-6 meters. Being "open" to the side opposite the shore, they even somewhat resemble tents. Sometimes there are "solitary hills", that is, located separately from each other. In some cases, they are grouped, forming "mountain ranges" in miniature.

Dark rings on the lake

Another mystery is the dark rings, the diameter of which is 5-7 km (moreover, the width of the lake itself is 80 km). They have nothing to do with the "belt of Saturn", although they were also discovered through satellite imagery. Satellite photographs of amazing formations, taken back in 2009 in different parts of Lake Baikal, went around the entire Internet. Scientists puzzled for a long time: what could it be? And they came to the conclusion that the rings arise due to the rise of deep waters and an increase in the temperature of the upper layer in the center of the ring structure. And as a result, a clockwise flow arises, reaching maximum speeds in certain zones. As a result, vertical water exchange increases, provoking the destruction of the ice cover in an accelerated mode.

Bottom of Baikal

It is impossible not to say about the bottom of the amazing reservoir. It also differs from others, and above all in that it has a very pronounced relief - there are even underwater mountain ranges here. The three main basins of the lake - northern, southern and middle, separated by the Akademichesky and Selenginsky ridges - are distinguished by a pronounced bed. The first ridge (its maximum height above the bottom is 1848 meters) is especially expressive: it stretches for as much as 100 km from Olkhon Island to the Ushkany Islands.

earthquakes

Another feature of these places is high seismic activity. Fluctuations of the earth's crust here occur regularly, but the strength of most earthquakes does not exceed one or two points. But there have been powerful ones in the past. For example, in 1862, when a ten-point “shake” led to the sinking of an entire piece of land in the northern part of the Selenga delta, one of the many tributaries of Baikal, under water. Its area was 200 km, about 1500 people lived in this territory. Later, a bay formed here, which is called the Failure. Strong earthquakes also occurred in 1903, 1950, 1957 and 1959. The epicenter of the latter, 9-point, was at the bottom of the lake in the area of ​​the rural settlement of Sukhaya. The aftershocks were then also felt in Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude - about 5-6 points. In our time, the region was shaking in 2008 and 2010: the strength of the tremors was 9 and 6.1 points, respectively.

Origin of Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal still hides the secret of its origin. Researchers often argue about its age, coming to the conclusion that it is at least 25-35 million years. The indicator is impressive, especially considering that the life cycle of most lakes, and primarily of glacial origin, does not exceed 10-15 thousand years. After this period, they either become swampy or filled with silty sediments. With Baikal, nothing like this has happened and is not happening. And, according to scientists, is unlikely to happen in the future. The lack of signs of aging is explained by the fact that the lake is ... a nascent ocean. The hypothesis did not arise out of the blue: as it turned out, its banks move away from each other by 2 cm every year.

Flora and fauna

An interesting fact: the purity of Baikal water - by the way, very cold (the temperature of the surface layers even in the warm season does not exceed an average of + 8-9 ° C) - is maintained by the microscopic crustacean epishura, one of the most famous local endemics. In the course of its life, this 1.5 mm crustacean consumes organic matter (algae), passing water through its small body. The role of epishura in the ecosystem of the lake can hardly be overestimated: it forms 90 or more percent of its biomass, serving in turn as food for the Baikal omul and predatory invertebrates. In the processes of self-purification of Lake Baikal, oligochaetes or oligochaetes also play a significant role, 84.5 percent of which are endemic.

Of the 2600 species and subspecies of the local fauna, more than half of the aquatic animals are endemic, that is, living exclusively in this lake. Among the fish, one can also distinguish grayling, Baikal sturgeon, whitefish, taimen, pike, burbot and others. Of particular interest is the golomyanka, which, from a human point of view, “suffers” from obesity: its body contains about 30% fat. She loves to eat so much that in search of food every day she makes a “journey” from the depths to shallow water, which surprises researchers a lot. This underwater inhabitant is also unique in that it belongs to viviparous fish. The distant "neighbors" of golomyankas can be called freshwater sponges growing at great depths. Their presence here is an exclusive phenomenon: they are not found in any other lake.

If the biosphere of the lake is presented in the form of a pyramid, then it will be crowned by the Baikal seal or seal, which is the only mammal in this reservoir. Almost all the time he lives in the water. The only exception is autumn, when seals lie en masse on rocky shores, forming a kind of "settlement". Many other inhabitants of Baikal also explore the coast and islands, for example, gulls, goldeneyes, shelducks, mergansers, white-tailed eagles and other birds. Characteristic for these places is such a phenomenon as coming to the coast, and in droves, brown bears. And in the mountainous Baikal taiga you can meet musk deer - the smallest deer on Earth.

Attractions of Baikal

Lake Baikal is so majestic that it is often called the Siberian Sea. In 1996, it was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But not only due to the unique ecosystem that requires careful treatment - there are also many historical and architectural sights, not to mention natural and cultural monuments.

One of them is located near the lake, at the source of the Angara, a reserved rock called the Shaman-stone. It can be seen in the middle of the river, between capes Rogatka and Ustyansky. If you focus on the line of the Port-Baikal ferry crossing, then the rock will be 800 meters lower. Since ancient times, the Shaman-stone was endowed by the inhabitants of the Angara region with unusual power, they prayed near it and performed various shamanic rites.

Between the mainland and the Svyatoy Nos peninsula is perhaps the most famous bay on Baikal - Chivyrkuisky. Its area is approximately 300 km², it is the second largest on the lake, and it is also shallow (about 10 m deep). Thanks to the latter circumstance, the water in the bay warms up well, on average up to +24 degrees. On the southwestern coast there are such settlements as Kurbulik, Katun and Monakhovo. The main wealth of the bay is fish resources. Here you can find pike, perch, horned catfish, the weight of which can reach tens of kilograms. However, fishing on an industrial scale is prohibited - only amateur. The Chivyrkuisky Bay is also known for its thermal spring, one of the hottest: the temperature of the water used to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system ranges from 38.5-45.5 ° C. The source is located in the Zmeina Bay, on the western side.

On the northeastern coast of Lake Baikal there is a tract belonging to the natural-geographical region of Podlemorye. It is called Frolikha and includes the river of the same name, which flows into the Baikal Frolikha Bay and flows out of the lake with the same name. In the river valley - its channel, by the way, crosses the well-known tourist route 95 km long - there is the Frolikhinsky nature reserve. Together with the Trans-Baikal National Park and the Barguzinsky Reserve, it is subordinate to the federal budgetary state institution "Reserved Podlemorye".

Other attractions:

• Northern Baikal is the last site on the great lake, the nature of which, due to the remoteness and lack of roads, retains its originality,
• Barguzinsky Bay is the largest and deepest in Baikal,
• Ushkany Islands is a small archipelago with rocky shores in the Barguzinsky district of Buryatia,
• Peschanaya Bay, known for its unique beauty,
• Cape Ryty is the northernmost point of the coast, where there are extensive pastures, and one of the most anomalous places,
• Cape Ludar, located near the old village of Zabaikalskoye,
• Chersky Peak - from its slopes the Slyudanka and Bezymyannaya rivers begin, flowing into Baikal,
• The Circum-Baikal Railway, which has historical significance.

Rest on Baikal

It was along the Circum-Baikal Railway in the 80s of the XX century that the Bureau of International Youth Tourism "Sputnik" (Irkutsk) developed the first ecological tour. Since that time, ecotourism on Baikal has been actively developing, despite the fact that the tourist infrastructure is not well developed here, there are some transport difficulties. There are also problems associated with environmental pollution by emissions from the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill. But all of them are to some extent compensated by the activities for the creation and arrangement of excursion trails, regularly carried out by tourist organizations in the region.

The most favorable time for relaxing on the lake is from May to October. You can swim in July and August, since these months are the hottest - the air warms up to + 30 ° C, shallow water - up to + 25 ° C. Vacation on Lake Baikal will satisfy the needs of even the most demanding tourists. Beach holidays, cycling and car tours, hiking along the coast, rafting on catamarans and kayaks, quad biking and even helicopter tours - this is not a complete list of what travel agencies offer their clients. Climbing coastal cliffs and descending into caves are popular.

Fishing

Fishing should be mentioned separately. Many amateurs fish from the rocks adjacent to the lake. The most reckless anglers prefer to settle in specialized bases, of which there are many, and which differ in different levels of comfort. They go fishing on rented vessels. The most popular places for fishing on Baikal are the already mentioned Chivyrkuisky Bay, Mukhor Bay, the shallow bays of the Small Sea and, of course, the rivers flowing into it. The largest of them (besides the Selenga) are the Upper Angara, Snezhnaya, Barguzin, Kichera, Turka, Buguldeyka and Goloustnaya. And only one river flows out of the lake - the Angara.

Fishing, only now under the ice, finds its fans in the winter season, which here lasts from late December to mid-May. Fans of the “second Russian hunt” are helped by professional instructors: without them, it is difficult for inexperienced fishermen to make the right hole in the unusually transparent ice. They willingly share the secrets of how to organize a comfortable stay in the conditions of 40-degree frosts, which are not uncommon for Baikal. And those who do not want to test their health with extreme cold, go underwater fishing in March and April. At this time, the ice is still strong, and the air temperature begins to reach positive levels.

Winter sports

Of winter entertainment, tourists are also offered dog sledding (routes are very different both in complexity and length), snowmobile rides (excursion programs are also different and depend on the level of preparedness of the riders), skiing, sledding and snowboarding (rent ski equipment is available at numerous rental points on the coast). In winter, as, indeed, in summer, helicopter excursions are held in high esteem among vacationers, giving unforgettable impressions for a lifetime.

Children and youth tourism

Sufficiently developed on Baikal is children's tourism, which involves rest in summer camps. We will immediately please parents: your children will not be bored here. Staying in a children's institution involves a rich excursion and creative program, including the holding of sanatorium and health-improving events at specialized bases. One of the most convenient places on Lake Baikal for families with small children is Mandarkhan Bay. It seems as if it was specially created by nature for this purpose: it is very shallow, and in summer there is perhaps the warmest water here and children do not risk catching a cold.

The youth is not left unattended. For her, the interregional public organization "Great Baikal Trail", established in 2003, implements various international programs, taking into account the specifics and needs of the age of up to 30. For example, the arrangement and reconstruction of ecological paths, holding educational lectures on nature protection. Schoolchildren are also actively involved as listeners of the latter.

Video: The underwater world of Lake Baikal

Hotels and recreation centers on Lake Baikal

Many tourists come to rest on Baikal, as they say, savages, getting on their cars. They choose a place they like on the coast and stop there, spending the night in tents. There are very few campsites specially equipped for motorists on the lake. If you plan to stop at such a site, you should take into account that there may not be firewood and basic amenities (for example, a toilet) in this place. Therefore, think in advance about how you will “survive”.

Such experiences will be spared by those who prefer to travel in comfort, even minimal. At their service are many hotels, recreation centers and guest houses scattered along the entire coast of Lake Baikal. Moreover, each tourist will be able to find the most suitable accommodation option for him - taking into account, of course, individual preferences and financial capabilities. We are forced to upset the bohemian public: there are no five-star hotels with the highest level of service here. She, like "mere mortals", will have to be content with ordinary rooms with all amenities. Another note: some recreation centers accept tourists only in the summer.

Tourists traveling on their own run the risk of running into unscrupulous intermediaries when booking a hotel room or recreation center. To prevent this from happening, book a hotel room only through proven and reliable services, which will not only save you from scammers, but also allow you to rent a room at the lowest cost, without unnecessary markups. We recommend Booking.com, one of the first and most popular online hotel booking systems.

How to get there

There are various ways to get to Baikal. The starting point, as a rule, is the nearby large cities: Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Severobaikalsk. Tourists first come to one of these settlements and plan their further route in detail there. The trip on the section of the Trans-Siberian Railway between Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk is especially memorable: the lake stretches right outside the train windows and you can admire its magical panorama for hours.

One of the most popular tourist destinations on the Siberian Sea is the village of Listvyanka, located at the source of the Angara, 65 km from Irkutsk. From the regional center you can get here by bus or boat, the travel time is a little more than an hour. All water transport routes originate in Irkutsk, plying not only on Baikal, but also on the Angara.