Baikal is a magnificent lake with endless shores and mysterious depths. Locals still honor shamans. It is believed that the lake gives special energy to people. The deepest, greatest, purest is Baikal. The sights of this place are not limited only to water open spaces, there are many interesting and mystical places, a diverse fauna.
How to get there
The path to the lake lies through the city of Irkutsk. This is a small city in which a network of various hostels is quite developed, and each traveler will find a place to spend the night. Therefore, for tourists who decide to see the sights of Russia, Lake Baikal is one of the must-see destinations. To get to the lake itself, you need to get to Listvyanka. This can be done by regular bus.
On the way to the lake
Listvyanka is one of the places that lies on the way to Lake Baikal. The attractions of this town are also known to many tourists. Among them, one can note a sable farm, where animals with the most expensive fur in the world, the Barguzin sable, are raised. These animals are almost extinct in the natural environment and therefore they can often be seen on similar farms. But, unfortunately, animals are not raised in these places far from breeding and saving this species. After all, a sable fur coat is one of the most expensive in the world.
There is also a famous nerpinariya here. It's like a dolphinarium, only here are seals trained . These are such funny animals that are a symbol of Lake Baikal. Listvyanka attractions will appeal to all tourists, but the most interesting is just ahead.
Olkhon Island - the heart of Lake Baikal
This island is the largest in Lake Baikal. Its attractions attract tourists, because it is believed that this place gives people energy. This is especially said about the sacred cape Burkhan and prayer columns. It is said that it is here that people experience an extraordinary rise in strength and energy. It is here that locals come to pray, and for shamans this is a sacred place for their rituals.
Baikal is a lake, the sights of which are endowed with mysticism, and these pillars are one of them. Everyone can tie a ribbon on them, but it is not so simple, because its color depends on what the person asks for. For example, green is prosperity, yellow is wealth, red is love, and blue is longevity. These pillars are symbols of life, and people believe that they will help to fulfill all their innermost desires. At the end of the ritual, you must leave a coin in this place. But you need to pay attention so that it is precisely the golden color.
Shamans in this area mean a lot to people. They come to consult on any occasion, here they act as judges, advisers, and local people trust their words very much.
Baikal is a lake full of various animals. And one of its symbols is the seal. Besides the fact that you can look at them in Nepinaria, having sailed a bit from Olkhon towards the Ushkany Islands, you can watch these cute animals in the wild. Before this, it is necessary to obtain a permit and a special pass, without them they will not be allowed to enter the island. Seals are afraid of people, so you can’t get close to them, and unfortunately you can only watch from afar.
Natural wonders of Lake Baikal
Baikal is a lake whose sights are striking in its diversity, besides mystical places, interesting animals, there are unique natural wonders. These include the rock at Cape Khoboy. It is interesting in that it reminds from a distance a profile of a woman.
According to legend, this is a petrified local resident who was punished by spirits for envying her husband.
In addition to this, in Baikal there are fish species that cannot be found in other bodies of water. For example, Baikal omul, Siberian grayling, black grayling, whitefish, golomyanka and many others. Not all of them are edible, but many can still be caught or acquired here and enjoy the taste of these unique Baikal residents.
This lake is surprising in that you can drink water from it without purifying it. The thing is that the water is purified several times a year. This is truly amazing, especially in modern times, when most bodies of water are unsuitable for drinking water from them.
Like many other attractions of Russia, Baikal is a unique place on the planet Earth. Therefore, it is very important to preserve his natural wonders as long as possible.