What is a winter holiday on Lake Baikal? This is a real frosty Russian winter, sparkling snow, sparkling ice and dazzling sun! Negative temperatures are tolerated in this region of Russia much easier than wet winters in the European part of the country. In the cold season, people go to Baikal for amazing shots, and lovers of unusual holidays go here for new experiences. Today we propose to talk about spending the winter holidays on Lake Baikal!
Baikal ice
The frozen lake is an incredibly large area covered with unique ice. On Baikal you can see giant hummocks, butt cracks and huge cracks. But the most interesting phenomenon is the transparency of winter Baikal ice. Seeing this lake for the first time in the cold season, tourists usually lie on their stomachs for hours, trying to see the bottom of Lake Baikal through the transparent ice.
Car travel on ice
Winter Baikal allows you to freelymove in almost any direction. One of the most extreme adventures is road trips. They allow you to get an incredible adrenaline rush, first of all, from the fact that only a meter thick ice keeps a person from diving into the abyss. Feeling about one and a half thousand meters of water under you is not entertainment for the faint of heart. And sometimes it can even be dangerous: for example, hummocks cannot be overcome without the help of special equipment, but it’s much more scary to see cracks or even a hole during a trip!
It should be said that officially there is only one road on the winter Baikal - the one that leads to Olkhon Island. It is prepared by local rescuers: they periodically check the ice, fill in the cracks that have formed, install road signs and clear the snow. Moving outside this zone is a serious risk. Representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations say: you should not go on the ice before February, and stop dangerous trips in the tenth of April. In their reviews, fans of this extreme vacation warn - on such trips it is better not to buckle up, and you should always keep your hand on the handle of the car.
Fishing
Winter holidays on Lake Baikal are hard to imagine without fishing. The season starts in January when the bays freeze over. Off the coast you can catch fish such as horned, perch, pike. With the onset of cold weather and freezing of ice, experienced fishermen go further and further from the coast - in search of serious prey. In February, you can catch graylings, burbots and even the famous Baikal omul with a bait. At the same time, drill ice of a meter thicknessYou can use the most ordinary ice ax! Fans of fishing on this lake discover the secret: the best time for this process is March and early April. At this time, the sun is already warming like a spring, and the ice is still quite thick.
In 2002, the Irkutsk region hosted an ice fishing championship called “Baikal Kamchatka”. The most popular Buryat championship is called "Baikal Fishing", it is held annually in different places. And, of course, winter camp sites on Lake Baikal are always waiting for guests and are ready to provide all services related to winter fishing.
Giant ice rink
In winter, the lake can be called a skating rink - not only the largest in the world, but also the most beautiful! In their reviews, vacationers say that it is impossible not to admire the bright blue (and in some places even blue) ice. Tourists also say that the surface is even and slippery, and therefore a certain amount of skill is required in order not to fall.
By the way, the employees of most of the tourist bases located on the shores of the Small Sea clear small skating rinks from snow. Sports equipment rentals are also available here. There are a number of rules to ensure safe riding. So, you can’t go skating too far from the coast - the Baikal sarma wind can rise in a matter of seconds and simply carry a person a great distance. At the same time, it will be fabulous luck that the unlucky skater will not be able to stand up to hummocks or standing cracks.
Hot springs
Winter lakeBaikal is famous for its hot springs. At least once in a lifetime, you should enjoy something similar to what you can get at Japanese onsen springs and immerse yourself in thermal waters during a snowfall. All springs are located on the territory of Buryatia. The north of Baikal is famous for the Dzelinda and Goudzhekit hydropathic baths. Here guests will be offered accommodation in cozy warm houses, meals and rental of skis and skates. Please note: unlike the Japanese, the Buryat springs are large communal tiled baths. It is in these baths from underground sources that water is supplied.
In winter, you can get to the Khakusy resort on the Baikal ice. The path, of course, is not easy, but usually the administration of this resort provides visitors with a free transfer. In addition, there are few people here, which means that this place is ideal for lovers of secluded relaxation. The hottest springs are located at Cape Kotelnikovsky, which is 80 kilometers from Severobaikalsk. There are always a lot of tourists here.
Other entertainment
In winter, guests are especially welcome on Baikal. It is also important that prices are noticeably reduced, and there are many times more entertainment. You can ride snowmobiles or cheesecakes on the lake, championships in a variety of winter sports are held here - from curling to golf on ice! Or you can just stand on the shore of the frozen Baikal and feel the indescribable atmosphere of this place, the feeling of unity with nature. A rich program is offered to guests by open-air museums!
Angarskayavillage
Winter Baikal is impossible to imagine without visiting ethnographic museums. In the heart of the city called Bratsk is the Angarsk Village Museum. This unique museum introduces visitors to all stages of the development of settlements in Siberia.
Behind a sign that says Quiet! The bears are sleeping” there are booths and tents, the dwelling of the shaman. On the trees here are the storehouses where food was stored. The next stage, which Angarsk Village introduces, is the Russian development of these places. A prison appears, which, by the way, has survived to our time by a miracle! It was in the tower of this prison from 1656 to 1657 that the rebel archpriest Avvakum sat. There are four stunning estates in the Russian sector, which were taken out of the villages of the Irkutsk region and the Krasnoyarsk Territory. In total, there are about 30 authentic buildings! You can go into each, get acquainted with the interior decoration. Tourists say that there are few objects here, but all things are genuine, and therefore you cannot touch them with your hands.
T altsy
When going on a hike in the winter Baikal, pay attention to the T altsy museum. What attracts guests here? If you believe the reviews - Buryat yurts, Evenk and Tofalar camps, Angara-Ilim temples made of wood and much more.
The construction of this museum began in the 70s of the last century, 10 years after the start of construction, the doors of the museum opened wide for visitors. The territory of the museum is 67 hectares! It is named after the village where it is located. Firstexhibits were the Kazan gate church and the Spasskaya passing tower. It is also interesting that this museum tells about how the burials of the Evenks were made. It is known that there are two types - ground and air. The latter is more ancient: the deceased person was placed on two crossed pillars about three meters high! With such burials, clothes and household items were usually left. After the Russians came to these lands, air burials were replaced by ground burials: on the site of the grave, the Evenks built wooden crypts without doors and windows.
Tours
Travel companies offer tourists winter tours to Lake Baikal - for every taste! For example, you can play golf on ice, visit hot springs, conquer the lake on powerful snowmobiles, see crystal grottoes. Fans of extreme recreation will appreciate the opportunity to travel on a safe hovercraft on the icy surface of the lake. What else awaits those who decide to spend their holidays in these places? Acquaintance with the original culture of local residents, meetings with the Old Believers, Tibetan and Mongolian cuisine!
