My Cottage on Lake Baikal

The cottage below is the place where I actually stayed, overlooking the Small Sea of Lake Baikal, courtesy of my Irkutsk host. It has a large kitchen, four double bedrooms, two half baths and a shower room, as well as a large lounge with a gorgeous view of the lake. It is one of a group of cottages that are for rent, managed by a company whose Website is http://www.baikal-fregat.irkutsk.ru/.

The cottages are very clean and comfortable, and it is possible to rent an entire cottage or just a room in a shared cottage. Prices per person average $30 to $50, depending on the season. You must bring your own food, since it is hard to find restaurants or food stores nearby. Remember, this is the Wild East.

There are legends about the rejuvenating effects of bathing in the lake, or just washing your face in it. This is one of the few parts of the lake where people do actually swim, because the water gets fairly warm in late summer (at least warm by Canadian standards.)

What I noticed at Baikal was the clean air, such a relief from the air quality in Russia's large cities. And if you stay up late enough that other cottagers have turned off their lights, you can get a great view of the night sky, something most of us can no longer see at home. I had good intentions of staying up to see a lot of stars, but succumbed early.

The top photo is of the largest cottage in this complex. If you go, you will need to rent a four-wheel drive vehicle, since there is no actual road leading to the cottages.