The wild east of lake Baikal
The east bank of Lake Baikal is not as isolated as one might suspect considering its topographic location and traffic situation. In spite of its distance to the city of Irkutsk, the region recently has been visited not only by Russian tourists but also by an increasing number of foreign travellers.
One reason for this development is probably the rail-road Trans-Sibirian, frequented several times a day. It connects the world with Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Republic of Buryatia. The former Kozakian monastery was founded in the 17th century and through the resistance of its native, Buryatian inhabitants against Russification it has kept a typical Asian flair, in contrast to many other towns around Lake Baikal. Ulan-Ude is the starting point for all travelling descriptions at the east bank of lake Baikal which follow.
Some of the destinations described are the Buddhist monastery Ivolginsk, the peninsula with the rather remarkable name "Swyatoi Nos - Holy Nose", the Chamar Daban Mountain Range, the huge Selenga-Delta and the Ushkani- Islands.
