Baikal

Of course, such a trip is only suitable for those who love active vacation, cause a lot of time is spent on the road or on foot. We got to Irkutsk by plane and then rented a car. We stayed in different hotels and guest houses, traveled all around and never stayed at the same place for more than two days.

The most vivid impression we got was Olkhon Island - a place that gives a complete picture of the Baikal’s nature variety: a wide sandy shore, centuries-old pine trees and rocks. There is always wonderful weather and many memorable places. From the top of the island you can see the deepest point of the Lake Baikal. The island is very large and beautiful, and can only be reached by ferry. You can stay on Olkhon for a few days, rent a house - there are many offers for choice. In a few Buryat villages located here you can find different cafes, shops and guest houses. You can try the local traditional dish (buuza), plunge into the color and traditions of these places, and learn many legends and mystical stories associated with the island. One of the most popular entertainments on the Olkhon - is swimming in cold Baikal waters after warming up in a bath. Locals install many transportable mini-baths along the shore.

We made excursions on the island, fortunately there was a very wide choice where to go. The boat excursion to the deepest point of the Lake Baikal was really amazing. The depth in this point is 1642 meters - this is comparable to the height of five Eiffel Towers. The water here is so clear that visibility depth is 10 meters. Neither mobile phones nor Internet work here. We also went by boat near the seal habitats. We cooked fish soup from the delicious Baikal omul. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to keep time to visit village with the shaman rock, from which top stunning views are open...cause we had to return back. But I hope that someday we will find an opportunity to visit this mysterious, sacred place for the Buryat people, that fill with some special energy. A several years ago, Olkhon shops accepted only cash money, but in restaurants you could also pay by card. But since there are many cafes there that serve delicious buuz, it’s always better to have some cash in your pocket. We were lucky that the summer was hot, but warm clothes must be taken anyway, since the evenings are quite cool.

We have also visited the famous Arshan resort, famous for its mineral springs and healing waters. Here you can breathe in the fresh mountain air when climbing the Peak of Love in the Sayan Mountains (2124 m above sea level). This oldest health resort in the Buryatia Tunka Valley, was founded more than 100 years ago.

Baikal is a place that one need to visit at least once. I recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience.

“Barefoot Trail”

If you can't go somewhere far, you can find great places to stay very close. This summer we spent a wonderful weekend at the arboretum of the National Park Losiny Ostrov. Five kilometers from the Moscow Ring Road, not far from Balashikha, there is the “Barefoot Path” - a 3.6-kilometer loop path made of 43 different types of surfaces.

At the park entrance, you must leave your shoes in a specially equipped place, inside the box, and then walk the entire trail barefooted. When finished, you can wash your feet and dry them with a towel. The walk begins with gentle sand. Further you walk by crushed stone, boulders, expanded clay, wood chips, gravel, fir cones, sea pebbles with shells, and so on. The length of each section is from 50 to 100 meters; difficult sections of the path are replaced by rest areas covered with sand or smooth cobblestones. Benches are installed everywhere. Five minutes of walking on pebbles is equivalent to an hour's workout.

The end of the “Barefoot Trail” includes areas with logs and wooden flooring suspended in the air at the height of about five meters. You go up and see the vertical structure of the forest and the birds living in the treetops. The entire way at a relaxed pace takes an hour and a half, but you can spend the whole day here, so it’s worth bringing water and something to eat, since there are no cafes or shops in the park. After the walk I felt pleasantly tired. We had a great time.