Eastern Siberia, and indeed Siberia in principle, are very beautiful and picturesque places. Here, amazing nature and many attractions that can surprise any tourist. There are two Sobolin lakes - Small and Big. Their total length is 2.5 km, the area is 600 m, and the depth reaches 50 m. Their main feature is that they are surrounded by taiga and mountains, which create incredible beauty. On the coast you can find many edible berries, for example, blueberries, cranberries, lingonberries. The water in the lakes is crystal clear and cold, because they are a continuation of the mountain river.
Location
The described lakes are located in Eastern Siberia, on the Selenginka River, next to the Khamar-Daban mountain range, which is not only the most picturesque and beautiful, but also one of the oldest on the planet. This region belongs to the Kabansky district of Buryatia.
Different routes are offered here for all vacationers, the complexity of which depends on the level of preparation and the time of passage, but usually they do not take more than one day. More details about the routes will be written below.
How to get there
Now it's time to talk about how to get to Sable Lakes. There are only three options:
- On a personal car.
- By bus.
- By train or train.
On personal vehicles
The first option will be convenient for those who live not too far from the lakes, otherwise a lot of time will be spent on the road. So, to get to the Sable Lakes, you must first get into the village of Vydrino. This settlement, although small, has a well-developed infrastructure. Arriving here, motorists will be able to refuel the car, eat at local cafes, buy drinking water, which is very useful on a trip. Vydrino is located in the Kabansky district of Buryatia, and it is the closest to get from there to the lakes.
If the path lies from Irkutsk, it is worth driving along the Baikal highway, which passes by the settlements of Kultuk, Slyudyanka, Baikalsk. The distance from Irkutsk to the village of Vydrino is a little over 200 km, and the journey takes about 3 hours.
If the path lies from Ulan-Ude, then the route is exactly the same - along the Baikal highway. The distance, however, is slightly larger - almost 280 km, and the travel time, respectively, is also increased to 4 hours.
As you can see, the path is not so close, so traveling here by personal transport from farther cities or towns simply does not make sense, since half a day, or even more, will be spent on the road.
By bus
The closest bus ride to Vydrino is from Irkutsk. Travel time will be a little more than three and a half hours, which is quite acceptable. The main disadvantage is that there is only one direct flight per day, and in other cases you have to travel with transfers. Ticket price - 350 rubles.
From Ulan-Ude, everything is much simpler. About 18 flights depart from the bus station to Vydrino daily, with the latest leaving at 23:00. Travel time is approximately four and a half hours, and a ticket costs from 540 to 650 rubles.
In general, the bus is definitely worth considering, because in the absence of personal transport - this is a pretty good option.
Train or train
Perhaps the most comfortable way to get to Sable Lakes is by rail. There are quite a lot of trains in this direction, moreover, from different cities of the country. The train ticket costs differently, it all depends on the starting point of departure. Travel time by train from Irkutsk railway station to Vydrino station is 3.5-4 hours, and by train - 4.5. As for the more remote regions, then, for example, from Moscow, the travel time will be 3 days and 13 hours.
Note that from more distant places it is much more profitable to get to Irkutsk by plane, and from there take the train or train.
As for the route to Sobolin Lakes, this will be a little lower, but now I would like to tell a little about where you can stay.
Accommodation and prices
The issue of accommodation is always one of the most important in any trip, especially in one like ours. Vydrino is very convenient because in addition to its closest location to Sobolin Lakes on Lake Baikal, there are several tourist centers here, one of which is located almost next to Sobolin Lakes. We will tell you more about one of them.
Chalet "New Snow"
The main advantage of this place is its proximity to Sable Lakes.
Accommodation at a camp site will cost 14400 rubles. for two for 10 days, which is quite acceptable.
For this money, a double room with two beds is provided. Facilities include heating, toiletries and a shared bathroom. Rooms with a private bathroom will cost a little more, about 18 thousand rubles.
In addition, the camp site provides rental of sports equipment: in the summer - boats, in the winter - skis, snowmobiles. At the recreation center, tourists will find a sauna, a small water park, a bar and a private beach. The Internet is also present here, but you need to pay 300 rubles per day for it. There are no problems with barbecue and fishing at the base, and food can be prepared in the shared kitchen.
Routes
So the time has come to talk about the routes, following which you can visit many beautiful and interesting places in the district, and most importantly, get to one of the most beautiful fresh lakes in Buryatia - Sobolinoy.
There are two options for getting to the lakes: on foot and in an aero boat. Looking ahead, I want to note that the second option is much faster, but the first will give the greatest amount of emotions. If you wish, you can buy an air boat, but you can also rent it.
As for walking, here you can walk independently or as part of an excursion group. Typically, such group routes are designed for 5 days and cost about 7 thousand rubles. per person. Three meals a day, all the necessary equipment is provided, and an experienced instructor leads the trip, but this is not about that.
Aero boat
In an aero boat, the journey to Sable Lakes on Lake Baikal begins from the Snezhnaya River. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to drive all the way, you have to go on foot. So, by boat you need to get to the arrow, where 2 rivers intersect - Snezhnaya and Selenginka. Get to this place for 20-25 minutes.
Upon arrival, you can make a small halt, and then go on a journey that is not so close - about 6 km. You need to follow the Sobolin trail, which is indicated by a pointer and is visible on the map.
The path is not entirely difficult, but it cannot be called too easy, nevertheless it will not cause difficulties for beginners. Water reserves can be replenished in the nearby river, by the way, in some parts of the trail runs along the coast of the Selenginka. Along the way, you can easily fill your photo album with unique photos, because the views in these places are simply magnificent.
Also on the way there will be 3 crossings across the river, one of which will cause an adrenaline rush. It was made by volunteers and is a suspension swinging bridge under which seething Selenginka flows.
After the last crossing, there will be quite a bit to the cherished goal. In a few minutes, the beauties of Sable Lakes will be revealed to tourists. As for the walking route, it should be noted that it begins almost from Vydrino itself, from Stela, located next to the bridge. From there is a road leading to the Sable Trail. The total length of the route is 18 km. On the way there will be places intended for relaxation.
Features of rest
Holidays in these places are primarily associated with traveling along beautiful routes that will introduce tourists to local attractions and other lakes, of which there are many. The places are picturesque, their views are breathtaking. Swimming in the local waters will not work, because the water in them is icy, but it is allowed to drink.
You can go fishing in the Sable Lakes. Grayling is found here, but it is extremely difficult to catch it without proper skills. The fish itself is very tasty, especially if you make fish soup from it, and even in clear lake water. It is also worth remembering that fishing is prohibited here during certain periods of the year.
That, in fact, is the whole rest. Nature, clean air, clean water, routes to different places, silence, beauty.
Reviews
As reviews of Sable Lakes show, people here really like it. First of all, everyone notes the unique nature, because it is difficult to find something similar in other regions. Tourists also like living conditions, because strangers who came here on vacation very quickly find a common language with each other and continue to be friends. Even not very comfortable options for routes to the lakes do not stop anyone. People come here from different parts of the country to enjoy the local beauties and relax from boring everyday life.
That's all! Good luck to everyone. Come to Siberia!