Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

"Golden Autumn" - is the most famous work of Russian artist Levitan. But today the conversation is not about the pictures and about autumn landscape around Lake Baikal in the south of the Eastern Siberia - the deepest lake in the world.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

"Golden Autumn" - a picture of Russian artist Isaak Levitan (1860-1900), written in 1895. The painting is part of the State Tretyakov Gallery collection. The picture was painted in the estate of "Hill" in the territory Vyshnevolotsk County Tver province. Painting "Golden Autumn" is one of the most famous works of the artist.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

It is necessary to say that for most patients travel, Baikal for me has always been a special place, which will certainly want to visit. The year before, in October, leaving a pile of unfinished cases at the invitation I flew to Irkutsk.

From Listvyanka to Goloustnoye

The first part of the journey was only walking, a backpack. It was an easy 3-day trip, just what we need to understand that you are on the lake, to feel what a real Indian summer, to understand why the locals call Lake Baikal sea ...

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Baikal is located in the center of the Asian continent, on the border of Irkutsk region and Buryatia. The lake stretches from north-east to south-west by 620 km in the form of a giant crescent.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

The width of the lake varies from 25 to 79 km. The bottom of the lake is located at around 1167 meters below sea level, and its surface - at 453 meters above.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

water surface area of ​​Lake Baikal is also impressive - 31720 square meters. km. (Unless you consider the island), which is approximately equal to the area of ​​countries such as Belgium or the Netherlands. Although the water surface area of ​​Baikal is only the 6th place among the largest lakes in the world (1 st place at the Caspian Sea).

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

As mentioned, Lake Baikal - the deepest lake in the world. The current value of the maximum depth of the lake - 1642 meters - was established in 1983. The average depth of the lake is also very high - about 745 meters.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

In addition to Lake Baikal in the world only two lakes have a depth of over 1000 meters: Tanganyika in Central Africa (1470 m) and the already mentioned the Caspian Sea (1025m).

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

The water reserves in the giant Baikal-about 19% of world reserves of fresh water lake.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Cape Incense

Incense on the Cape we had an overnight stay. We settled on the desert base, where in Soviet times, the workers lived, gasivshie lime at the nearby abandoned quarry. Hence the name of the place - Incense.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

In the evening the clouds gathered. Deserted, cold and walking between houses black bull created the gloomy and anxious mood. However, with the onset of the morning, again sparkled all colors of life.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

In the winter Baikal freezes over completely, except for a small area of ​​15-20 km in length located in the source of the Angara.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Malomore. Hurricane and sunset

The road from Irkutsk to Lake Baikal goes through the ridge of hills, decorated with golden larches. Initially, a good highway, then the airtight primer. Polustepnymi hills alternate sites. And with one of the peaks overlooking the part of the lake, called Malomorem. This picturesque coastline, rugged small coves and bays. We find accommodation in one of the empty camp sites in the off-season, so in the morning to go on.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Hurricane! This was the case when you should not spit into the wind. And who would have thought that such a gloomy and rainy day will end at sunset explosion of colors!

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Early the next morning. Busting dream, crawled out of the warm house hoping to catch the sunrise. But the sky is overcast. It looks like the promised bad weather caught up with us yet. Sad. It seems all the evening you can relax. But I was wrong. See for yourself.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Farewell to the Small Sea and River delta Ang

We turned off the highway and drove on the dirt road toward the delta of the river Anga. Even on a topographical map it looked picturesque. We go past the curious welcoming calves:

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Past horses!

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

In the picturesque steppe ...

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Autumn Lake Baikal:

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Delta Anga River. The contrast of yellow grass and smooth as on the patterns of the plotted curves dark blue bed, great:

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

In the Eastern Sayan Mountains

And then there was an unexpected offer from a good friend to take off in the direction of Mongolia, to the highest point of the Eastern Sayan, Munch-Sardyk.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

just before the border with Mongolia, we found a decent cafe. Having agreed with the owner that he will look after the car, took the backpacks, and dry at this time of year, the river bed, went up:

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

a sudden ahead we noticed a cloud of dust. At that point I was glad that I had a telephoto lens, but was upset that the increase would be necessary to 2 times more, at least for shooting wildlife! First time in my life I saw a huge herd of Siberian mountain goats! There they are, getting ready to cross the canyon. Quite a bit of time - and they are already on the other side of the gorge, climb the steep wall nearly impossible for a person to speed!

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Night falls:

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

"! Road by walking" - tells me the spirit of Munch-Sardyk:

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

That is something like I imagined Siberia for life, have not yet become acquainted with it.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

One evening and one morning on Olkhon

It is an island Olkhon - the largest island of Lake Baikal. Length - 71 km long - up to 12 km, the area - 730 sq. km.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Near Olkhon outer side and the deepest place is lake (1642 m).

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

On the island meets the diversity of natural landscapes: there are also steppe, absolutely "Baltic", sandy beaches with dunes, hills and pine groves, and thick woods, and severe marble rocks, and even swamps, lushly overgrown with water plants.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

What else to write? ... Look.

Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal Golden Autumn at Lake Baikal

Baikal - the deepest lake in the world.