### Waiting for the Ferry in Port Baikal 🌊

I’d long dreamed of reaching the tunnels of the Circum-Baikal Railway, an engineering marvel of the early 20th century, famous for its intricate tunnels. �💨 Legend has it that somewhere along these tracks lies Kolchak’s lost gold—well, this time, I didn’t find it. 😉

During this hike, I realized how convenient solo travel can be. There was a long line for the ferry, and I wouldn’t have made it aboard right away… but since there was one spot left, and everyone else in line was in groups, they let me skip ahead! 🎉

Once in Port Baikal, I was embraced by the warmth of early summer—it was even hot! ☀️ Walking along the railway, I soaked in the cries of birds, the murmur of waves, and the breathtaking views of cliffs and streams around me.

Before the first tunnel, I spotted bear tracks… 🐾❌ Suddenly, the solitude felt a little eerie. (One downside of hiking alone!) I turned on music on my phone—ha ha, as if that would scare a bear—and made some noise to announce my presence. 🎵🐻

After passing through the tunnel, I took a short break, then turned back. On the return trip, I missed the first ferry—it only takes 20 people and 3 cars—so I just sat on the shore, listening to the crystal-clear waves of Lake Baikal. 🌊✨

A perfect little adventure. 🏞🚶‍♂️

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

"When I went to the Theater but ended up at a Concert" 🎭🎶

*"The Dunaevskys: A Double Portrait."*
Had it not been for this concert, I might never have discovered the genius behind so many hits from my childhood. 🎼 The brilliance of father and son—the Dunaevskys—was unveiled through countless films: *Carnival, The Three Musketeers, The Flying Ship, Cat’s House*, and many more. 🎬✨

The first act delved into the father’s biography—how extraordinary people either lived through turbulent historical turning points or had destinies as unconventional as their talents. 📜💫

Then, in the second act, the son himself appeared—a living legend! 😍🌟 The concert was hosted by none other than Dmitry Kharatyan, a star of so many beloved films from my childhood, and seeing him in person was an added delight. 👏🎤

When the time came to decide whether to buy a ticket, there was no hesitation about where to sit. Sure, it was a bit pricey for our city, but this concert was a rare chance to touch the essence of Russian culture and art—to connect with its very roots. 🇷🇺❤️

Btw Nona Grishaeva is a great singer❤️

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

### Midsummer Night’s Magic 🌿🔥💧

Today is my favorite summer holiday—Ivan Kupala Day! 🌞🌸 This ancient Slavic celebration is all about diving into lakes 🌊, weaving flower crowns 🌼, leaping over bonfires 🔥, and splashing everyone in sight 💦. As a kid, it felt like pure magic ✨—though nowadays, the traditions have faded a bit.

Still, what better excuse to flood social media with a million water pics 📸🌊? This year, SUP surfing 🏄‍♂️ added extra joy—next stop, polar plunges ❄️🧊! (Seals do it—why can’t I? 😆)

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

#KupalaNights #SlavicMagic #WaterChild 🌙💦

### The Dog Trail of BBT 🐕🏞

I hiked a section of the old Baikal Trail today. �♂️

Funny thing—the last two times I walked here, I was with friends and breezed through these narrow goat paths without a second thought. 🐐 But this time, alone, I felt a tiny flicker of fear. 🫣 And no wonder—the trail is barely 30 cm wide, with nothing but a sheer drop beyond. The height is dizzying; to watch a seagull soar, you have to look straight down. 🕊💀

Still, the views were breathtaking—rugged cliffs, distant mountains... 🌄 Though my original plan was just to sit on the beach and sip tea 🍵😅. On the way back, I detoured through the observatory—definitely worth a proper visit someday! 🔭✨

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

#BaikalAdventures #FearAndFreedom #NarrowPaths

The Great Baikal Trail.

20 km of pure bliss. 🏞️✨ The water’s surface glimmers, sending up flashes of light like fleeting dreams. Waves crash against the cliffs, their rhythm ancient and wild. ☀️ The bright Baikal sun warms my skin, painting everything in gold.

This is my favorite weekend escape—a trail so gentle even a first-grader can conquer it (and we’ve tested that theory!). And hey, big thanks to my neighbor for the most delicious stew ever. 😋🍖 Everyone has their rituals, after all—mine is sipping tea in quiet meditation, while others craft their perfect pot of stew. 🍵🔥

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

#BaikalMagic #WeekendWanderer #NatureTherapy

### "And Even the Little Sea Feels Small"

This summer has been truly unusual 🌿, unlike any other year. In the past, we would drive to the *Little Sea* almost every weekend, sleeping in the car by the shore, lulled by the sound of the waves 🌊. But this year, so far, there’s been only one trip—and even that was on a paved road, staying in a proper house 🏡. To be honest, I’ve always preferred wild, untamed adventures.

Yet, this year brought something new—a SUP surf 🏄♂️! Gliding along the water, I saw the majestic rocky cliffs of *Sakhurta* from a perspective I’d never experienced before. The towering stone walls, rising from the depths, felt even grander from the water.

Perhaps that was the brightest moment of the trip ✨—seeing familiar shores in a whole new light.

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

Lake in Ust-Baley.

More than ten years ago, I first visited this lake for a friend’s bachelor party, and it was all the more fascinating to return and see that the magical beauty of this place hadn’t changed a bit. 🌿 The same warm water still laps against the lush, forested shores, offering perfect refuge from the scorching sun. ☀️🌲

One of the most mesmerizing sights is the underwater forests of algae—gliding over them on a SUP board feels like floating above a hidden world. 🌊💚 I know many people dislike swimming where algae grow, but stand-up paddleboarding is a completely different experience.

All in all, it was the perfect escape on a sweltering summer day. 🏄‍♂️✨

### Listvyanka — Port Baikal

By mid-June, our confidence in our stand-up paddling skills had soared 📈. My friend and I decided to embark on an adventure: crossing the very source of the Angara River on our SUPs. We had a clever plan – to lash our boards together into one giant raft 🛶. Rowing from opposite sides, we found we could pick up some serious speed, or so we thought.

Now, Lake Baikal is a force of nature unto itself. Its mood can shift in a heartbeat; a gentle breeze can transform into a mighty wind without warning 🌊. In the back of our minds, we trusted that the numerous boats buzzing around would surely come to our rescue if needed.

But fortune smiled upon us! The day was nothing short of glorious ☀️. We made the journey there and back, our hearts full of pure joy. The water was so incredibly transparent that we could gaze all the way down to the seabed, some 30 meters below, into an mesmerizing abyss 🤿. We rode the waves from passing boats, rocking on our makeshift raft, and kept a keen eye on a speedy little nerpa (seal) 🦭, which, much to my frustration, always managed to dive away just as I fumbled for my camera 😅.

What a surreal feeling it was – to be in the very center of the world's deepest lake, bobbing on what was essentially a pair of tied-together supboards! 😂

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

### From the village of Shamanka to Vvedenshchina... 🌲

This rafting trip down the Irkut River became the most soul-stirring journey of the summer. ✨

Look around, and you'll see how diverse our world is. Some souls ignite a fire within us, urging us toward great deeds 🔥. Others offer a word of encouragement in a moment of struggle, teaching us to push beyond our limits and even transcend our very selves. Some help cultivate new values within us, while with others, it's simply a joy to sit in silence, pondering everything and nothing at all. 🤍

We are all so different; some have more of certain people in their orbit, some have less. But for me, the truest gems 🌟 are those rare souls with whom I can simply be. To rest, to find harmony within myself and the world around me—exactly as I love it: without rush, without worry, pure bliss. 😌🌿

Thank you for simply being there. 🙏

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

### The White Cliffs.
Belsk to Kholmunshino on SUP boards.

Those 26 kilometers were the very essence of peace and serenity. 🍃 The current of the Belaya River was so gentle and tranquil that at times we actually had to paddle! It felt like one could even fall asleep on the board, and it wasn't certain the current would have carried you very far at all 😄.

But the White Cliffs... they are something else entirely. ✨ It's such a pity we reached them already weary and saturated with the day's impressions.

Next time, I'll journey down the Belaya River starting from the village of Mishelevka and see where the current takes me. 🚣‍♀️

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

#BelayaRiver #SupSurf

Yacht life in Bolshoye Goloustnoye.⛵️

### Rafting down the rapid Kitoy River on Russian Airborne Forces Day 🪂

We had a desire to go stand-up paddleboarding on a fast, yet predictable river. We wanted some adventure, but without too much risk. We chose the Kitoy River and the route to the Angarsk embankment.

Along the way, we encountered swift rapids, shallow waters, and also flocks of wild ducks 🦆, gliding past which was an absolute delight! 😊 The journey was complicated by trees sticking out of the water here and there. So, we were looking for an energetic adventure, and we definitely got one! 💪

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

Today is my 36th birthday)

### Baikal Loves Good People 🐻❄️💙

My season's final trek along the Great Baikal Trail in early August turned out to be both fascinating and unforgettable.

It all began one lovely evening 🌅 with a call from a fellow guide. She had a proposition: to lead her group of tourists along the trail. The thing was, her clients were absolutely determined to hike the BBT, but she herself was booked solid that day. It was a splendid offer, yet it was complicated by two small details: just a week prior, a bear had been spotted on the trail 🐾, and the weather forecast was looking rather grim for the boat transfer 🌧️🚤.

Well then... After some discussion, we decided to gear up with our entire anti-bear arsenal and head out on the adventure! ⚔️🎒

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

### UNDER 3 BRIDGES


Having already become a seasoned sea wolf, having navigated three small rivers, a powerful desire emerged within me to conquer the main water artery of our city—the Angara River. 🌊

Gathering a team of the bravest souls, who didn't flinch at the forecasted thunderstorm for later in the day, we set off on our journey. The weather in the morning was glorious—a hot day where the icy waters of the Angara pleasantly cooled our fervor. 😎☀️ Passing under the bridges through the city center brought an indescribable, childlike delight! 🏙️✨

Towards the end of our route, the weather turned sour. Our paddleboards became almost unmanageable due to fierce wind gusts and choppy waves, as a thunderstorm began to brew. ⛈️ We were tossed around for several kilometers like that, injecting a serious dose of extreme into our swim. 🚣‍♂️💨

In the end, we came ashore at the perfect moment, right opposite our car, having stopped just short of the official finish line. And it turned out to be for the best—that very day, on a different river, lightning struck a girl paddleboarding. Thankfully, everyone survived. 😅🙏

All in all, it was an incredible experience navigating through Irkutsk. The guys even managed to grab coffee from the embankment! ☕ That alone makes it worth repeating. 🥰

### Two Days, Two Mountains — But Only in Dreams. 🏔️✨Babha peak.

It was a two-day trek into the Hamar-Daban mountains. The map made the distances seem modest, but the trail itself had other plans — oh, did it make up for it in character!
This turned into the wildest hike of my life, complete with rock climbing sections… right through bear country. 🐻 We never crossed paths with the true master of the taiga, thankfully, but carrying our bear deterrent arsenal suddenly felt very wise — we even gave the air horn a few good honks!

As for the trail itself — imagine sheer cliffs scaled only with ropes, rivers crossed on shaky homemade bridges, and in one spot… just a single slippery log. 😂 One wrong step and you’d be taking an unplanned swim.

By the end of day one, I’d had more than enough to realize: the second mountain wasn’t happening. My energy was spent, and this after a whole summer of training!
Still, I’m incredibly proud of my team from that trek — true iron-willed adventurers. 💪❤️‍🔥

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

#ThanksForLiving #Babha #Mountains

### Shamanskiy Cliff

And so, autumn has finally arrived in my tales 🍂, which means the season of sup-surfing is over and the season of mountains has truly begun. There weren’t many this year, but the ones I found touched the very soul. This is the autumn shaman’s cliff of the 33 bogatyrs—this time I’m approaching from above, though in early summer I drifted past it along the river 🛶🏞️. Just a weekend stroll, you might say—stepped out for tea, to sip and to find myself 🍁☕✨.

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

Climbing Mount Chersky in a Single Day 🏔️

The most long-awaited hike of the season! This adventure had been brewing since early May, and I spent almost the entire summer running to prepare myself to cover over 40 km in the mountains in just one day.

I honestly tried to find some company—I was even open to making it a two-day trek—but all efforts were in vain. Solo hikes seem to be my destiny, I guess. 😅

For the hike, I bought special trekking poles, which I ended up not taking with me—I lent them to a friend for her hike to Babkha and never got them back 😂.

It was clear from the start that I’d be returning after dark, so I packed a flashlight and bear deterrents. I also coordinated with an experienced friend who’d been there before… and because of that, I didn’t check the starting point myself. 😬 In the end, she got sick, and I ended up hiking about 4 km extra plus an extra river crossing. Lesson learned: always plan your starting point in advance!

Well, this hike gave me a whole wave of emotions, and for good reason—it was my most desired adventure this year. ✨

P.S. I still can’t figure out what wiped me out more: this hike or the skate-skiing race to Peschanaya. 🎿😵

Anyway, let’s enjoy the memories! 📸🙌

More photos & videos in the comments! 👇📸🎥

#PeakCherskogo

Happy new year !)