In this article we will tell you what Chivyrkuisky Bay is. Photos of this beautiful place encourage you to fold your backpack, take a camera and a fishing rod and go on an adventure-filled holiday. And what are the beaches in Chivyrkuisky Bay? Is there any infrastructure for the rest of those who are not used to living in tents? How to get to local tourist centers? Does the visitor need any vaccinations? What excursions are offered to tourists on Lake Baikal. All this and much more you will learn from this article.
Location
Chivyrkuysky is the largest bay on Lake Baikal after Barguzinsky. It is located on the east coast of the lake. In the northern part, there is the mouth of the Bolshoy Chivyrkui River, which gave its name to the bay. The area of the entire water area is approximately three hundred square kilometers. The Chivyrkuisky Bay penetrates very deep into the land. The map shows that its length from south tothe north is almost thirty kilometers, while the width is from 6 to 14 km. The boundaries of the bay are rather arbitrary. It is customary to define the entrance to this water area by the line between capes Maly Dry and Upper Izgolovye. Along the coast, the bay is located between the Holy Nose peninsula and the mainland. This territory is under the protection of the Zabaikalsky National Park. The western shore of the bay is inhabited: there are three villages here: Monakhovo, Kurbulik and Katun. The village of Chivyrkui at the mouth of the river of the same name is now abandoned.
Nature
The deepest lake on the planet is Baikal. Chivyrkuisky Bay, however, is rather shallow. At the entrance, its depth still reaches 600 meters, but closer to the coast it does not exceed ten. Shallow water is perfectly warmed up in summer. The water temperature in August reaches + 20-24 °C. This is the warmest place on Baikal. The shores of the Chivyrkuisky Bay are very indented and form numerous bays. The most famous are Krutaya, Krokhalinaya, Ongokonskaya and Snake. In this last bay, so named because of the abundance of snakes, there is a thermal mineral spring. Local Buryats have long used it to treat sciatica. The temperature of the water in the spring is + 38.5-46 °C, and its composition is sulfate-hydrocarbonate-sodium with a high content of hydrogen sulfide. Zmeinaya Bay is located at the western end of the bay. In this place, numerous rivers flow into Baikal, the main of which are the Big Chivyrkuy and Malaya Dry. There are seven islands in the bay. These are Baklany, White and Pokoinitsky Stones, Naked, Elena, Kovrizhka andShaggy.
Climate
Chivyrkuysky Bay is a separate and very picturesque corner of Lake Baikal. It has its own microclimate. It is due to the fact that the bay is sheltered from severe winds and the legendary Baikal storms by mountains. From the west, it is protected by the high peninsula of the Holy Nose. The Buryats call it "Hilmen-Khushun", which means "Sturgeon Face". In the east of the Chivyrkuisky Bay rise the spurs of the high Barguzinsky Range. These mountainous shores, composed of granite, form many secluded bays with sandy beaches. There are quite a few sunny clear days here. In the absence of wind, excellent weather sets in. And if we take into account that the shallow water warms up to a comfortable + 24 degrees, it is not surprising that the bay is popular with those who want to relax in the wild. Here, in a small area, you can admire a wide variety of landscapes. golden sandy beaches, lakes and haze swamps, cedar forests, alpine meadows, snow-capped mountain peaks - all this makes up a charming picture of the Baikal region.
Chivyrkuysky Bay: camp sites
The places here are beautiful because they are wild. The human factor has not yet harmed nature here. Most tourists come here with their tents or live on board their own yachts. But there are camp sites on the bay. Monakhovo provides a special service. It is located in the village of the same name on the Svyatoy Nos peninsula. This is a cozy wooden frame for several rooms with a kitchen. Nearby there is a Russian bath and a spacious sandy beach. The firm carries out andtransfer of vacationers (on request) from Ulan-Ude or from the village of Ust-Barguzin. Excellent conditions for recreation are provided by the floating hotel Ecotour, which stands in Zmeinaya Bay. Tourists are accommodated in cabins of different classes. The Katun tourist center provides three meals a day and a transfer to the main village of Monakhovo. And in Bezymyannaya Bay there is a specialized recreation center "Baikal Land", intended for fishing enthusiasts. Almost all of these companies organize excursions around the bay, picnics on nearby islands, trips to the thermal spring for their guests.
Chvyrkuisky Bay: how to get there
This shore of Baikal is 750 kilometers away from Irkutsk. You can get closer by train. From the city of Ulan-Ude to the place of rest, you will need to cover a distance of three hundred kilometers. Most vacationers prefer to stay in the largest village of the bay - Monakhovo. But first you need to get to the village of Ust-Barguzin. To do this, from Ulan-Ude you should get to Gremyachinsk (200 km). Then for another forty kilometers the asph alt road will go straight along the shore of Lake Baikal. To get to the Chivyrkuisky Bay, in Ust-Barguzin, you should cross the river by ferry and proceed further, through the isthmus and the Svyatoy Nos peninsula. This part of the path is the most difficult, as the asph alt is replaced by a primer. Then you need to drive along the Myagkaya Karga isthmus - and you are already in Monakhovo. To two other villages - Kurbulik and Katun - the road is very difficult. And in some bays of the bay, for example, in Krokhalinaya orSerpentine, can only be reached by boat.
How else to get to the Chivyrkuisky Bay
Some tourists like to come to this reserved corner of Lake Baikal in winter. Well, let's be honest: on snow, the road seems more convenient for a motorist than on such asph alt. In Ust-Barguzin, an ice crossing operates across the river in winter. For tourists with funds, a very comfortable way of how to get to the place of rest is provided. Since July 2010, the East Siberian River Shipping Company has launched a summer “charter voyage” on the ship. The ship enters different islands along the way and the journey on it can already be regarded as a vacation. A ticket for the route "Irkutsk - Chivyrkuisky Bay - Irkutsk" can be purchased at the ticket office at the pier "Rocket". The cost of such a trip is about five thousand rubles.
What tourists need to know
Immediately outside the village of Ust-Barguzin, as soon as you get off the ferry, you will be met by a guard of the Zabaikalsky National Park. Since the Chivyrkuisky Bay is a protected area, the passage to it is paid. The places here are deaf, so you should not place high hopes on grocery stores in the village. If possible, take provisions with you. Although there are no problems with refueling gasoline along the way. Tourists assure that there are no mosquitoes on the beaches of Chivirkuy Bay. But if you are attracted to rest on lakes between sandy ramparts or in Kulichi swamps, you need to stock up on means of protection against midges. Before a holiday trip for touristsit is recommended to be vaccinated against encephalitis, since there are many ticks in the local pine forests. Some islands are completely closed to the public, while others are closed only for the period of bird nesting.
Information for amateur fishermen
Baikal, due to the purity of the water, is rich in the inhabitants of the depths. Commercial fishing is prohibited in these areas. Only individual trophy fishing is allowed. Chivyrkuisky Bay, due to its shallow water, is a real paradise for those who like to sit on the shore with a spinning rod or a fishing rod. Strong ice is established here already in December, so those who prefer to fish from the holes come here too. Summer fishing is especially fruitful. From June to the end of September, you can catch a pike weighing up to fifteen kilograms, and perches here reach a mass of 3 kg. In the rivers flowing into Baikal, you can catch grayling and lenok. The ide keeps to the coves, the bottom of which is covered with a carpet of algae. Burbot, dace, roach, whitefish and omul are also found in the bay.
