Baikal Lake Sights and places

Listvyanka (Listvenichnoye) Village is situated 70 km from Irkutsk and stretches 5 km along the lake Baikal shore. It's population is only 1,500 people. Listvyanka got its name due to numerous larches (“listvenitsa” in Russian) which are widespread in these places. Thanks to its nearby situation to Irkutsk Listvyanka is visited by many tourists all year round.

The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway was started in 1891 by order of tsar Alexander III to connect the western and eastern parts of Russia. It was decided to lay the railway from Irkutsk to lake Baikal along the left side of the river Angara and make a train ferry between port Baikal and village Tankhoy. 

The village Bolshiye Koty is located on the west border of lake Baikal, 20 km from Listvyanka village, at the territory of National Park Pribaikalsky, very closed to the Siberian taiga rich with mushrooms, berries, medicinal grasses and rare species of wild-growing  flowers. Bolshye Koty is very nice and small village, about 60 people live here.  

The village Bolshoye Goloustnoye is located 130 km from Irkutsk, on the west shore of the lake Baikal, in the delta of the river Indin-Gol. The village was founded in 17 century due to the development of the trading way from Russia to China.  Merchant ships going from Irkutsk by Angara river and Baikal lake arrived to the river Indin-Gol  which runs into Baikal and forms the cape.

Peschanaya Bay is a natural monument situated 80 km from Listvyanka village. You can get to Peschanaya Bay only by a cutter boat chartered at Listvyanka, the travel time is about 5 hours, or by passenger hydrofoil from Irkutsk (on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays), travel time is about 4 hours. The latter is more economical. 

There are 26 islands on Lake Baikal, Olkhon Island is considered to be the biggest one. It is 72 km long and 15 km wide, the territory of the island is 730 square kilometers. 

Baikal is often called the blue heart of Siberia and Olkhon Island is the heart of Baikal. It is separated from the western lake side by the strait of Olkhon Gates and by the Smaller Sea. The length of the strait is 7 km, its width at the narrowest part is 1 km. The waves in the strait are rather high and may reach 5 meters.

The Small Sea (Maloye More) is a part of Lake Baikal separated by the largest island Olkhon. The Small Sea is situated between the west coast of the lake and Olkhon Island. The length of the Small Sea is 76 km, its width is 17 km, the depth reaches 200 m and the territory is 90 square km. The Small Sea has 17 rocky islands. It is one the largest shallow parts of the lake very rich in fish.

Severobaikalsk is situated in the north of Lake Baikal. The town was founded in 1974 due to the construction of Baikal-Amur Railway (BAR). 

In 1974 it was a small settlement of builders that got a town status and a coat of arms several years later in 1980.

Chivyrkouyskiy Bay is situated in the north-east of Lake Baikal. Its territory makes up 270 square km, the length is 26 km, the width is from 6 to 12 km, the depth of the bay reaches several tens meters. There are several coves in Chivyrkouyskiy Bay: Bezymyannaya, Okounevaya, Zmeinaya, Ogonskaya, Krokhalinnaya.

Ushkan islands are situated in the central part of lake Baikal. This group of islands consists of four islands – Tonkij (Thin), Dolgij (Long), Krouglij (Round) Ushkan islets and Bolshoy (Big) Ushkan island. 

The shores of the islands are rocky and covered with taiga forest. Ushkan islands are known as the biggest rookery of Baikal seals - nerpa. The fact of nerpas’ appearing in Baikal has not been completely studied yet but the scientists suppose Baikal seal swum up rivers Enisey, Angara and Lena in the ice age.