Once again, our Geographical Genius friend Sergei was keen for an early start for our coming visit to the Pribaikalsky National Park. "These tourists drive me mad. There are hundreds of coaches full of them!" he exclaimed "If we don't start early, we may have to wait for a long time in a queue to catch the ferry back to the mainland." We readily agreed. From our memory, there were limited ferries and just one coach could use up the entire vessel.
As always, they were right on time to meet us. Sergei guide explained that our day would include a trip to Pribaikalsky National Park on the mainland shores opposite Olkhon Island. Here we would be climbing Tan Khan, the highest peak on the Irkutsk Oblast and overlooking Lake Baikal. A hike through the surrounding taiga would be followed by a drive through the Tazheran Steppe, a unique semi-desert environment known for its diversity of endemic plant and animal life - and a sacred site for the Buryat people. From here we would head south via Irkutsk city to the fishing village of Bolshoye Goloustnoye on the shores of Lake Baikal, and where we would be staying overnight.
For such an eyesore of a place, I grudgingly grew to almost like the Baikal View Hotel. An odd acceptance-dislike relationship, it was at least comfortable with good views of Lake Baikal - and our breakfast, like all the meals was very good. And as I guiltily recalled, we were often reminded by the Sergei's who were staying in a hotel "nothing as good as ours", that it was indeed The Best Place in Town"....
On our way out of Khuzhir village and its surrounds, we again visited the iconic views of Cape Shamansky and the brilliantly ribbon-covered Buryat Serge posts; a breathtakingly beautiful environment. And a photographers' paradise.
On a beautiful sunny day, it was an absolutely delight to gaze across the stunning views of Cape Shamansky, capturing the lake atmosphere and absorbing some of the curious Buryat culture. And taking just a few more photos....
As we headed off south toward Cape Zabro and the Olkhon Ferry Port, Sergei guide began to tell us more about the Buryat people, their culture and customs. Bouncing around on the rough unmade tracks and appalled by the amount of careless erosion resulting from the tourist vehicles, it was a bit difficult to concentrate on Sergei's conversation. And definitely not helped by our driver's thundering Russian rock music!
Unfortunately, we had not met any Buryat people during our wanders around Khuzir village during our stay on Olkhon Island. Our itinerary did include having tea with a Buryat family, together with a master class in cooking the Buryat national dish of buzzy. Interestingly, neither Sergei's mentioned it. I am sure they understood that the last thing we would like was a disingenuous meeting with a local family, let alone an absurd class in cooking Buryat food. It is one criteria we always stipulate when planning any tours: no contrived cultural activities! We've been caught out before. The ludicrous occasion of participating in a felt making class in Kyrgyzstan is something we never wish to go through again....
Our Chat About the Buryat People
We certainly didn't need any contrived meetings. Sergei was passionate about the Buryat people and gave us a thorough briefing on their history, culture and religious practices.
A Mongolic ethnic group native to south-eastern Siberia, they are the northernmost dwellers of the major Mongol groups. The Buryats are also two of the largest ethnic groups east of the Ural Mountains; the other most populous ethnic group being the Yakuts (estimated 500,000 Buryats and around 400,000 Yakut people). They are related by language, history, habitat and economy to the Khalka Mongols of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, China. And when you take a look of a map of the Baikal region, and its very close proximity to Mongolia and China, the relationship of the Mongolic groups is not at all surprising.
Historically, the territories around Lake Baikal belonged to Mongolia. When the pioneering Cossacks expanded into Transbaikalia in 1609, they found a small but powerful group of people calling themselves the Buryats. Later, when the Russians reached Lake Baikal in 1643, the Buryats put up an extraordinarily fierce resistance. They were however eventually defeated and the territory and people were formally annexed to the Russian State by treaties of 1689 and 1727, when territories on both sides of lake Baikal were formally separated from Mongolia.
During the Russian Civil War, most of the Buryats sided with the White Forces. In 1923, following their defeat, the Buryat-Mongol Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed. In 1929, the Buryats rebelled fiercely against the Communist rule and collectivisation of their herds. The rebellion however, was quickly crushed by the Red Army with the loss of some 35,000 Buryat people. Many fled to Mongolia and re-settled.
During the Stalinist era, a major effort was made by the government to disperse the Buryats, with Joseph Stalin executing more than 10,000 of their people. In an attempt to further break their culture, in 1958 Mongolian script was banned and replaced by Cyrillic.
Following the Soviet collapse, the Republic of Buryatia was officially established, and in 1995 a bilateral agreement with the Russian Federation was signed.
Today, the majority of Buryats live in their titular homeland of Buryatia, now a federal subject of Russia which extends along the southern coast and interestingly straddles half of Lake Baikal (refer map). Buryats are semi-nomadic herders, using gers (yurt-like tents) for shelter. They speak a central Buryatic language called Buryat. Many now live in the capital city of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude.
Traditionally, Buryats practised Shamanism, with a strong focus on a theology of nature. Today, most Buryats are followers of Buddhism, with a curious mix of Shamanistic beliefs and practices. Due to a largely nomadic way of life and the fragile nature of their region, there is a deeply religious respect for their environment; a fascinating and impressive culture.
Wikipedia describes it well: "The harsh climatic conditions of the region have in turn, created a fragile balance between humans, society and the environment itself. This has led a delicate approach to nature, oriented not toward its conquest but rather to a harmonious interaction and equal partnership with it. A synthesis of Buddhism and traditional beliefs that formed a system of ecological traditions has thus constituted a major attribute of Buryat eco-culture".
Talking with Sergei, we could not help but wonder what the Buryats would be thinking of the impact of tourism and the vast numbers of tourists visiting the Baikal region; a conflict between the prosperity brought by tourism and the cost to their precious environment?
Back at the Ferry Port
On a gloriously warm, clear sunny day, the road following the Baikal shoreline toward the ferry port looked a totally different world from that we witnessed on our forward journey. Shrouded in thick fog with intermittent storm bursts lashing steely grey waters, Olkhon Island looked about as forbidding and unwelcoming as you could possibly imagine. On this day however, the countryside looked splendid. Well, initially.... Not long after we arrived at the ferry, clouds of mist engulfed the shoreline; a stark reminder how amazingly unpredictable the weather can be on the volatile Lake Baikal.
Sergei driver was right. On our arrival at the ferry, we were astonished to see crowds of Chinese tourists and several coaches. Thankfully, the hundred or so tourists were boarding another ferry "Olkhon Gates", leaving us just enough room to board the ferry caught on our forward trip, "Semen Batagaev"
During our ferry ride, our Geographical Genius Sergei told us about the winter conditions in Lake Baikal where the entire lake is frozen over, and an ice road is formed between the mainland and Olkhon Island.
We had experienced ice roads in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug and had always been blown away that in a Siberian winter, you could actually drive over an ocean. Or in this case, the lake. It was so far removed from what we are accustomed to back home in Australia, we found it almost impossible to believe. That is, until the winter of 2018 when we took a taxi from Pevek. Yes, as you do - right across the Arctic Ocean toward Ayon Island!
The Lake Baikal ice road is generally open from mid-January to the end of March. After the ice melts, there are about two months where there is no ferry nor any driving access to Olkhon Island. Previously the island was closed during this time for transport but these days a type of hovercraft operates, ensuring all year round access to the island.
Winter Sergei assured us, was a wonderful time to visit Baikal. After all, he said grinning - there were far fewer tourists.... He then went on to explain that the crystal clear waters form wonderful sculptures and the frozen lake so clear, it is possible to see the rocks on the very bottom. Furthermore, in some places the ice is so smooth it is ideal for ice skating. They were the sort of extraordinary blue ice images I recalled from our early meeting with our Irkutsk friend Dmitri and his colleague we met at Seoul airport so long ago, and were the inspiration for my long held desire to visit the lake.
For the remainder of our ferry trip, our Geographic Genius helped me form a very rough mud map of Lake Baikal, to where we had been and to where we were travelling. Pointing across to our left, he explained this was the very deepest part of the lake - a staggering 1.6 kilometers in depth. And into the lake flowed more than 330 rivers and streams, the largest of which include the Selenga, Varguzin, Upper Angara, Chikoy and the Uda.
All jokes aside, Sergei was not only good company but he certainly knew the geography of the area. And like Sergei guide, he was absolutely passionate about Lake Baikal.
Pribaikalsky National Park
Our first destination for the day was to the Pribaikalsky National Park, about half an hour's drive south of Sakhyurta, where the ferry landed on the mainland.
Pribaikalsky National Park covers a thin strip of the south-west coast of Lake Baikal. It includes the low mountains and lake facing slopes of the Primorsky Range to the west, as well as a number of offshore islands of Lake Baikal, including Olkhon Island to the east. It stretches from about 50 km south-east of the city of Irkutsk. It extends over three districts of Irkutsky, Olkhonsky and Slyudyansky of the Irkutsk Oblast.
Interestingly, the park was established in the Stalin era of 1936 and covers an area of 4,173 square km. It is managed with four other nature reserves, and is a major component of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Lake Baikal". To the west of the lake, mountains rise to heights of 1,100 m and 1,500 m to the north. Major rivers are the Sarma and the Angara.
Pribaikalsky is at the southern central extreme of the East Siberian Taiga, a large ecoregion covering most of central Siberia. The Pribaikalsky region is characterised by moderate continental temperatures. It experiences four distinct seasons with short, warm and rainy summers and long dry winters. Interestingly, Pribaikalsky is at the higher end of the rainfall distribution for the region, receiving between 200 mm (8 inches) to 600 mm (24 inches) per year.
Steppe pine and larch dominate the slopes of the mountains facing Lake Baikal. Interestingly, the higher areas are wetter and are home to spruce, larch, alder, aspen and birch. The park is biologically important in that it is renown in having an extremely high biodiversity and endemism of tree and plant species.
Similarly, there is a large diversity of bird and animal species living in the park. Ungulates (hoofed animals) include Caspian deer, Siberian roe deer and moose. Other species include Siberian weasels and ermines. The steppe regions are also home to polecats, squirrels and other ground dwelling animals. Birdlife includes larks, kites, rock doves and swifts.
Our Climb up Tan Khan
Well, Sergei guide had told us we were to hike up to Tan Khan Mountain; at 990 m the highest peak in the Pribaikalsky National Park. But we were a bit surprised just how steep it was. Only some thirty minutes of walking however, through rich taiga and open meadows, we reached the summit.
The walking trail was delightful; a cottage garden of Rhododendrons and other pretty wild flowering low shrubs. And after four days sitting on the train followed by two days of mostly driving trips, it was good to be able to stretch our legs and enjoy some real exercise.
On reaching the peak, we were treated to some of the most sublime views of the coastline of Lake Baikal and Olkhon Island imaginable. And the solitude and sheer stillness of our environment was breathtaking. There was not a single vehicle nor person in sight. Gazing across at the steep taiga and sometimes barren slopes, we could view some of the deepest parts of the lake as well as the sculptured steep cliff coastline of beautiful Lake Baikal. The vista was nothing short of absolutely stunning. Here is a video of what we saw https://youtu.be/jSnXXZl-Gmw
True to form, as soon as we reached the top our self-proclaimed Geographical Genius stripped himself of his shirt and demanded to take photographs of us on a wooden outlook post. Well, so much for the lack of touristy activities, we thought. From there on in, we jokingly coined Sergei driver the name of "Baikal Man". Which I think really appealed to him!
Both Sergei's however, were seriously passionate about the environment of Tan Khan and the special sacred cult importance to Buryat Shamanists. And indeed, where the earth seemingly met the sky, there was a great sense of place and mystique; a tranquil space a world away from the tourist-oriented Olkhon Island.
We spent a good hour or so wandering around the site. Alan and I who are great lovers of plants and all things nature, were interested yet somewhat disturbed to find so many sick looking larch on the very steep parts of the peak. Was it the impact of recent high winds or just a very dry season; or perhaps a combination of both? We were not to find out.
To the Mystical Tazheran Steppes
Just a twenty minute drive south of Tan Khan on the last stretch of road to Maloye More, we reached the vast, strange lands of the Tazheran Steppe.
Tazheran Steppe which is part of the Pribaikalsky National Park, is a protected zone and for which visitors require paid permits. An area of around 40 km in length and 15 km in width and located between the Angara River and the Maloye More which separates Olkhon Island from the mainland, the Tazheran Steppe includes a fascinating variety of mountains, hills, valleys, extraordinary rock formations, caves and lakes. Apparently, some of the caves are so large, they contain their own internal lake structures.
Formed around 400 million years ago, Tazheran is of great cultural significance and economic importance to the semi-nomadic Buryat people who have used it for centuries as a summer pasture. In fact, the very name Tazheran means "summer nomad camp". Today, the local Buryat people still graze cattle, sheep and horses which are allowed to roam freely across the steppe.
The site is also historically significant; home to enigmatic ancient petroglyphs, mysterious caves and sacred relics and sacrificial sites. The region is also rich in gemstones such as rubies, sapphires as well as an array of rare minerals, including a local stone known as Tazheranite, named after the steppe region.
Our visit to Tazheran focused mainly on the area known by the Buryat people as the Valley of the Stone Spirits. As for many parts of Olkhon Island, the place is legendary as it is thought by the Buryat people to be the site where two shamans - or good and evil - fought. Local people joined in the battle but all were turned to stone: they say, the very large rock formations that dominate the valley today.
Legend says that the rocks will become people again when there are no more wars on earth. It is certainly not looking good for rock re-transformation in the foreseeable future....Interestingly, the name of Tan Khan Mountain which is translated as the God of Darkness - is according to legend, the evil shaman from the Valley of the Stone Spirits.
During our two-hours at Tazheran, we wandered freely around the meadows and the vast rocky outcrops - that at a pinch, did look like petrified people. Well, that is if you have a very good imagination... And the Sergei's showed us a curious heart-shaped sacred petroglyph covered in white and red lichen, with coins placed neatly beside it.
The arid Tazheran Steep has been described as resembling a Mars-like environment. To me, it resembled more of what I'd describe as "Annie Oakley Country"; highly reminiscent of the old American cowboy movies where a wagon train and a team of galloping cowboys (the "Goodies" of course...) could show up at any minute. Not wanting to offend our Russian friends, I naturally kept these thoughts to myself.
On the higher areas where the rainfall was slightly higher, larch and spruce taiga grew in sparse clumps. But on rolling steppe however, there was very little vegetation; a harsh yet strangely beautiful mystical location. And once again, we were completely on our own. Deadly silence. And not a tourist in site.
Toward Irkutsk and Bolshoye Goloustnoye
Our trip to Bolshoye Goloustnoye took us way back to Irkutsk, before heading south to the little village perched on the southern end of Lake Baikal. There was according to the Sergei's, a much shorter journey via a road that skirts the lake edges and would take us directly to the village but from what we gathered, it was in poor condition and according to the Sergei's, allowed only for emergency situations.
It was a long trip, revisiting much of what we had seen from on our journey from Irkutsk to Olkhon just days ago; rolling grassy meadows, cattle and horses meandering across the road and expanses of beautiful black fertile soils (chernozems).
Our journey took us nearly five hours, including a relaxed meal at a Mongolian Restaurant on Sakhyurta - Irkutsk road, before arriving in the quaint fishing village of Bolshoye Goloustnoye where we were staying the night in a local guesthouse.
Now this was a completely different village to the tackier developments on Olkhon Island. And to our delight - very much off the mainstream tourist track.
Note: Special thanks to our guide Sergei Baikov for providing me with his photo collection and for all his generous information and blog input. Thanks also to Sergei "Baikal Man" for his very useful and interesting information.
Valeriya
2023-02-03
What a wonderful journey you have made! Buryat culture is very interesting!