Sights of Buryatia (briefly). Description, photo

Sights of Buryatia amaze with its diversity and grandeur. Most of them are of natural origin, but there are those that are created by man and store for the future generations the cultural heritage of these places.

Baikal Nature Reserve

The Baikal Nature Reserve is a state natural biosphere reserve located in the southern part of the Buryat Republic. Most of it occupies the territory of the Khamar-Daban ridge.

The Baikal Reserve was founded in 1969 and in 1986 it became one of the biosphere reserves of the World Wide Web. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site "Lake Baikal" (1996).

The reserve with a total area of 165,724 hectares consists of several zones: forest-covered (117 214 hectares), reservoirs (1,552 ha), zones of treeless highlands.

The territory of the reserve can be divided into two parts: small - southern and large - northern, occupying the strip of the Baikal coast and the northern side of the slope of the ridge.

The sights of the Republic of Buryatia are mostly created in order to preserve and study the unique natural objects of the republic. So the Baikal Nature Reserve is based in order to preserve and study the natural conditions and course of natural processes. Also an important object of study in this case is the gene pool of animals and plants, unique and typical ecosystems of the central part of the Southern Baikal region and the Khamar-Daban range. Just in these territories high-mountainous virgin forests are located, never subjected to felling and fires.

Flora and fauna of the Baikal Nature Reserve

The Mongolian steppes and the East Siberian taiga are the prevailing landscapes of the reserve. The purest mountain rivers and lakes are on its territory. On the northern slopes of Khamar-Daban dark coniferous forests grow, where cedar and fir prevail. Part of the forest belt is occupied by common fir and birch. The river valleys are occupied by birch-poplar plantings.

The fauna is typical enough for the mountainous terrain of southern Siberia. The only peculiarity is the presence of species of birds originating in Central Asia. The territory of the reserve is inhabited by sable, lynx, otter, deer, deer, roe deer, moose and bear. If we talk about ichthyofauna, it is represented by 18 species of animals, the main of which are taimen, grayling and lenok.

Ivolginsky datsan

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Siberia is Buryatia. Ivolginsky district, whose attractions have great historical value, is becoming one of the most visited.

Ivolginsky datsan - the most famous datsan in Buryatia, which makes it the most frequent place of pilgrimage of Buddhists not only in Russia, but also in the world. Translated from the Tibetan language in the original sounding like "Khambyn Sume Gandan Dashi Choinhorling", the name means "the monastery of the Wheel of Teaching, which brings joy and absolute happiness." The residence of the head of the Buddhist traditional Sangha of Russia lama Pandito Hambo is the village of Verkhnyaya Ivolga, which is located 30-40 km from Ulan-Ude.

The largest Buddhist monastic complex was erected in 1945. Numerous requests and addresses of local Buddhists gave rise to the collection of funds for its erection and acquisition of the necessary religious objects. Soon the inconspicuous Buryat village expanded. An unusual wooden structure appeared on its territory, which was given the appearance of a datsan. And in 1951 the local authorities allocated a plot of land intended for the construction of a monastery complex. This event is a landmark for the whole republic of Buryatia, since it was the places of the first buildings that became the center of a complex of elegant churches filled with relics and secrets.

Sights of Buryatia in the Ivolginsky district are not limited to datsanom. Also there you can see the university, the tomb of the lamas, the library and the museum.

Small Dam-Bolock Waterfall

The amazing waterfall and basalt canyon of the Oka River (Aka) is a very popular place for visiting tourists who prefer to admire the natural attractions.

The waterfall is 2 km from the mouth of the Jom Bolok River. Water majestically falls from a height of 22 meters. A special charm to this place is given by a basalt rock and an extraordinary round dip, where powerful streams of water fall. Right in the middle of the failure, spruce grows, and below it formed a small lake that flows into the Oka river. In winter time the waterfall completely freezes, taking the form of a giant stalagmite.

Sights of Buryatia, including the waterfall Malyi Zhom-Bolok, are perfectly adapted for visiting tourists. The bridge across the Oka and the motorway allow you to reach the falls without any hassle and without any inconvenience.

Also close to these places are two more natural monuments: Canyon Small Sailak and Okinsky Grotto.

The Valley of Volcanoes

Attractions of Buryatia will be of interest not only to lovers of beautiful natural landscapes, but also those who prefer extreme tourism.

The valley of volcanoes with a length of about 20 km attracts more and more fans of outdoor activities. This wonderful place is located in the Eastern Sayan, at the foot of the Great Sayan ridge. The frozen valley under the lava includes nine extinct volcanoes. The largest of these are the volcanoes of Peretolchin and Kropotkin. Lava flows spread down the valleys of Jom Bolok and Hi-Gol for more than 70 km. And the thickness of the layer of solidified lava in some places reaches 155 m.

Lava fields look like chaotically piled up blackened fossilized formations with a porous structure, whose height is sometimes more than 2 m. In some places on the vast lava field there are faulty basins and lakes. The last eruptions of volcanoes were several millennia ago, and today they are considered to be "asleep".

The valley of volcanoes is surrounded by peaked ridges. In the summer the valley is covered with blue spots of lakes and interspersed with greenery, and in winter it becomes a cold, harsh snowy desert.

Transbaikal National Park

This park is considered one of the main natural attractions of Buryatia and a visiting card of Lake Baikal. Here, the pristine nature of the natural territories, the diversity of landscapes, the richness of the animal world combine in an extraordinary way, making the Trans-Baikal National Park a truly magnificent place. It is often visited by fans of amateur fishing, sports and cognitive tourism.

The park was founded in 1986. The main goal of its creation, of course, is to preserve the natural complex of the Baikal basin. The total area is almost 270,000 hectares, which includes 37,000 hectares of water area of Lake Baikal.

Sights of Buryatia (photo of the landscape of the park see below), including the Trans-Baikal National Park, like lovers of wildlife. Numerous tourist routes are laid in such a way that there is a chance to see the reindeer, bear, roe deer, sable, wolf and other fauna.

More than 10 000 hectares of the territory of this national park is reserved for especially valuable plant communities. We are talking about fir, pine and cedar forests, whose age reaches 200 years.

Thermal spring Zelinda

This source is located 25 km from the village. Angoy, at a distance of 91 km from the city of Severobaikalsk.

The outlet of the mineral water "Zelinda" is available in two places, located at a distance of 2 km from each other. The formation of one of the exits, located 38 km from the village. The Upper Zaimka is associated with a tectonic fault of the earth's crust, as a result of which a ledge with a height of 6-8 m was formed. This spring represents four hitting gryphons. The location of the other exit is a sandy spit located on the left bank of the Upper Angara. Even in winter frosts, the water temperature does not fall below + 45C.

The presence in the mineral water of a significant amount of silicic acid, fluorine and radon causes its therapeutic effect in cases of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, blood supply system, with various skin and gynecological diseases.

Arshan, Buryatia: attractions

Active and curious travelers will certainly find that to visit in the village of Arshan and its environs. A huge number of natural monuments and other interesting places attract more and more tourists every year. Sights of Buryatia can not be briefly described, because each of them represents either an important natural object or an object of cultural heritage. In the village of Arshan you can visit the waterfalls and the Kyngara River with its marble bottom, the Mongolian market, the Koroblast Museum "Forest Fairy Tale", "The Bowl of Virgins", "The Peak of Love", the source of Suburgan, etc.

The Republic of Buryatia, whose sights were considered in this article, is certainly one of the most picturesque places of Southern Siberia.