An excursion into the history of the city.
Everyone can come to Baikal, this is the pearl of Siberia. And you can talk about him endlessly, because there are an incredible amount of guides, books, legends, legends about him written and told. But not everyone knows that there is a place on Lake Baikal with a unique climate, an interesting history and happy people. His name is Baikalsk. The city was founded in 1961 by the persistence and hands of young specialists sent to the outback of Siberia. Part of the active, intelligent, passionate, courageous, adventurous and discovering youth from all over the USSR came to build a city on Lake Baikal. The idea and the city-forming enterprise as the basis of the city was the Pulp and Paper Mill. But Baikal is a natural heritage of the planet, it has always attracted the views of many environmental organizations. And in December 2013, the conservation of the lake ecosystem outweighed the importance of the existence of a city-forming enterprise. The city of Baikalsk has become “green.” But not for residents.About 2,000 people lost their jobs. Depression and panic swept people. The city previously with a population of 17,000 people began to decline. But residents began to look for alternative ways of its development.
Location of the city of Baikalsk
Baikalsk is located in the southeastern tip of Lake Baikal. Bordered by the Khamar-Daban ridge on the one hand and water mass on the other, it has a mild climate unique to Siberia, due to which the nature of the Baikal region is rich in beautiful places with lush vegetation. Forests are mixed, with a predominance of conifers. The average winter temperature is 10-15 degrees below zero. It is rich in fluffy, dry snow. And the summer is mild and not hot, the temperature on average keeps at 25 degrees.
The favorable geographical position, the richness of nature, the power and energy of Lake Baikal have breathed new ideas into the recently advanced pulp mill. The city began to develop in the tourist direction.
Sights
Today, the city is famous for its ski resort “Mountain Sobolinaya”, unique nature and strawberry festival!
“Mountain Sobolinaya” – ski resort
Mount Sobolinaya begins its work at the end of November and ends with an April descent in swimsuits at the Hawaii Party. Ample snowfalls form the tracks of natural snow cover up to 2 meters thick, their total length is 15 km, and the height difference is 500 meters. The resort is suitable for both beginner riders and continuing. The forest around the tracks allows you to progress in skiing.
Pomegranate beach
The coastline of the lake in Baikalsk is famous for its pomegranate beach. This is a beach burgundy color. Scientists have determined that this is due to the mineral garnet almandine. Tourists from all over the world come to see the miracle of nature. Pictures in the sunset light on the beach.
Strawberry festival
For 11 years, the penultimate weekend of July, locals called “Strawberry”. This is the time of the strawberry festival “Victoria” – the only one in Siberia. This is the time of all kinds of strawberry flavors and tastes. The mild Baikal climate, along with a large number of sunny days, has a beneficial effect on the diverse strawberry crop. Having visited once at the festival, you can not remain indifferent. There are pies, cereals, compotes, pies, cake, cakes, even a strawberry bath! A pleasant treat for the guests of the festival is a multi-meter strawberry cream pie. Every year the cake grows in size by 50 cm, for 11 years it has grown to 15 meters.
How to get to Baikalsk?
By car: on the R-258 highway, from the city of Ulan – Ude, the distance is 310 km, the journey takes 5-5.5 hours. A scenic road passes through with. Tataurovo, s. Selenginsk, s. Grandmother, p. Tankhoy, p. Vydrino. Regular minibuses depart from the railway station and from the bus station every hour; On the M-55 highway, from Irkutsk, the distance is 147 km, the journey takes 2.5-3 hours. The road lies through Shelekhov, Slyudyanka, p. Kultuk.
What to do in the city of Baikalsk and its environs?
Rich in nature, Baikalsk and its environs attract people to get acquainted with the ecosystem.
Sobolinaya Mountain works all year round, meeting tourists, in winter for skiing and snowboarding, and in summer as a park for walking, enjoy the panorama of the city from a height. Here, at an altitude of 900 there is a Wookiee Park (rope park). Currently, it is the largest in Eastern Siberia.
Baikal residents and guests of the city enjoy visiting restaurants, cafes, a swimming pool, spa, massage rooms (from classic massage to stone therapy), gyms of the Baikal Sports Complex, and sports grounds.
Hiking, cycling of different difficulty levels.
Climb the gorge of the Utulik River to the waterfalls (7 km. From the city), walk along the Kharlakhta River through the forest, contemplating nature and breathing in the aroma of the forest.
Boat trips on a boat on Lake Baikal. Fishing. Tour of the Circum-Baikal Railway. The Circum-Baikal Railway is an architectural and architectural monument (they usually get there by boat).
40 km from the city are “Warm Lakes” – a unique ecosystem of 3 lakes, thanks to which a subtropical climate with relic poplars was created in this place.
