Welcoming Baikal

Soviet Square

Ulan-Ude's grand central square. In the late 19th century, the western side of the square was lined with wooden houses. In the early 20th century, merchant S.I. Rosenstein built a three-story stone house here — the city's first three-story civil building and its first in the Art Nouveau style.

Address: Coordinates: 51.834714, 107.585508

Monument to Vladimir Lenin

One of Buryatia's most famous landmarks is the giant head of Vladimir Lenin on Soviet Square in the center of Ulan-Ude. This sculpture is one of a kind: it stands over 7 meters tall, is about 4 meters wide, and weighs more than 40 tons. The head — cast in bronze in two separate halves — was made in Mytishchi near Moscow and transported to Ulan-Ude by rail.

Theatre Square

A picturesque pedestrian square next to the Buryat Arbat, with a musical fountain at its center that lights up in all the colors of the rainbow every evening.

Address: Coordinates: 51°50′00″ N, 107°35′00″ E

Lenin Street (the Arbat)

Ulan-Ude's main pedestrian street, running from the Holy Odigitrievsky Cathedral to Soviet Square. Stroll past beautiful merchant houses, fountains, and monuments, pop into souvenir shops, try a cup of traditional Buryat tea with milk and salt, or visit the Museum of the History of Ulan-Ude.

Hua Mulan Restaurant

Enjoy dinner at this Chinese restaurant.

Address: 5 Baltakhinova Street, Ulan-Ude, 2nd floor

Website: huamulan.ru

Ivolginsky Datsan

Ivolginsky Datsan is Buryatia's most famous Buddhist monastery and a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists from Russia and around the world. Here you'll find a temple-palace and nine other beautiful Buddhist temples with striking colored roofs and walls, elaborate carvings, tall stone staircases, and animal sculptures, along with a greenhouse for the sacred Bodhi tree, the "Erkhim Darkhan" art workshop, and a gallery of Asian art. Be sure to visit the monastery's most iconic building — the Itigelov Palace Temple, home to the preserved ("incorruptible") body of a revered Buddhist lama. Roe deer also live on the grounds of Ivolginsky Datsan, and visitors can pet and feed them.

Address: Verkhnyaya Ivolga village, Ivolginsky Datsan, Republic of Buryatia

Website: ivolgdatsan.ru

Baikal Harbor

On your way back from the Datsan, stop by Baikal Harbor. It's a beautiful spot for a break and some great photos.

Website: baikalharbor.com

Zabaikalsky National Park

The national park is full of endemic, rare, and relict plants: you may see the large-flowered lady’s slipper orchid, Turczaninow’s hairgrass, and chosenia, a relict willow. The air here is filled with the scent of 200-year-old pine, cedar, and fir forests. The park is home to bears, lynx, wolverines, musk deer, chipmunks, and muskrats, as well as Red Book species such as the black-capped marmot and 19 bird species, including the white-tailed eagle, osprey, eagle owl, and black stork. Take a walk to Lake Bormashevoye, whose mineral-rich waters warm up nicely in the sun.

Barguzin Bay

The largest and deepest bay on Lake Baikal. You'll be captivated by the breathtaking panorama from the shore of Baikal's largest bay: Myagkaya Karga, the longest sandy beach on Lake Baikal, with views of the mighty Svyatoy Nos Peninsula and the sacred site near the Burtuy River. Set off on a journey through the picturesque Chivyrkuisky Bay. In summer, enjoy a boat trip with a transfer to Zmeinaya Bay; in winter, take an exhilarating hovercraft ride across Baikal's icy expanses. In Zmeinaya Bay, you can bathe in natural hot springs, enjoying the unique combination of healing thermal waters and Baikal's majestic scenery.

Address: Ust-Barguzin settlement, Barguzinsky District, Republic of Buryatia

Website: zapovednoe-podlemorye.ru

Tarbagatai Village

One of the main centers of Old Believer culture, both in Siberia and across Russia as a whole. The picturesque Semeyskie villages have their own distinctive and recognizable appearance. Since 2001, the culture of the Semeyskie Old Believers has been recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Visit the Semeyskie and discover the unique Old Believer culture, carefully preserved for centuries. You'll receive a warm welcome in a traditional house, take part in folk rituals and games, enjoy a lively folklore program, and get an interactive look at Semeyskie daily life. Try a traditional Old Believer meal made from old Russian recipes, try on traditional costumes for memorable photos, and visit the Old Believer Orthodox church and museum, where the history and everyday life of the Old Believers come alive.

Address: Tarbagatai village, Tarbagataysky District, Republic of Buryatia

Website: sptarb.gosuslugi.ru

Sleeping Lion Mountain

This hill was named "Sleeping Lion" because, from certain angles, it truly resembles a slumbering king of beasts: a mane-covered head of shrubs rests atop the summit, its front paws are formed by rocks sloping down to the water, and its tail is the road leading up to the mountain. "Sleeping Lion" is a sacred site for shamanists and Buddhists. At the summit are two large bowl-shaped hollows, surrounded by several legends. According to one, the hollows were formed by a lightning strike; one is called the Bowl of Water, the other the Bowl of Fire. Toss a coin into the first and your life will be calm and steady; toss one into the second and your life will be full of events. Another legend says that the hollows in the rock were carved by people. Long ago, they served as sites for signal fires, which local Merkit tribes used to warn one another of approaching enemies. The fires were lit day or night, and the color of the flames or smoke varied depending on the materials added to them — herbs and the droppings of various animals. The color and density of the smoke column indicated exactly what information the signal fire was conveying. Don't miss the chance to take home a little piece of Buryatia. Browse the local souvenir shops for handcrafted items by Buryat artisans, jewelry, wood and leather goods, traditional amulets, fragrant Baikal tea, and other local delicacies. These gifts will be a wonderful reminder of your journey, keeping the warmth and spirit of this remarkable region alive.