Trail of Trials
Svyatoy Nos cape
7.5 km one-way
Difficulty: Hard
Ascent: 1400m
Ascent: 1400m
Be aware of ticks and bears
About this trail
Length7.5 km one-way
DifficultyHard
DangersBears, ticks
CampsitesOnly at the beginning or the end of the trail
PermissionYes, for more information chick here
WaterOnly at the beginning and the end of the trail
Information
How to get there
Getting to the beginning of the trail is not easy unless you go there by your own car.
By car: After you get to Ust-Barguzin, you should pass the bridge over Barguzin River, and turn left (almost backwards) at the first crossroads. In 5-10 minutes you will reach the National Park. From the checkpoint of the national park there is a dirt road. This is the only road, so there is no chance you can miss it. Just before the mountains, there is a turn left. Take it, and in 1.5 km you'll see an information sign at the beginning of the trail.
Depending on your driving skills and condition of the road, the way to the campsite will take you from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours. We advice you to camp before reaching the beginning of the trail because there is a big chance that you will be unable to drive further because of your car's clearance. But if you own a SUV, it's not a problem, unless it was raining before. There are many camping places on the shore of Lake Baikal with a great view on the Svyatoy Nos peninsula. From there you can get to the beginning of the trail by car in 15-20 minutes. Or you can just park the car a bit closer and then go to the trail by foot. It will save you some time.
By public transport:
First, you need to get to Ust-Barguzin. The only way to do it that does not cost you a lot is by taking a bus from Ulan-Ude. The schedule can change every year, there is almost no source of up-to-date information. The only thing you can do is calling the ticket office. They speak only Russian, so you will probably have to ask someone (for example the receprionist at your hostel) to call them and ask for the schedule and book the tickets. In summer the buses can be overbooked, so do it in advance. The website of the bus station is: http://avtovokzal03.ru/contact-us.html.
From Ust-Barguzin there are several ways to get to the beginning of the trail. First is to take a taxi directly to Svyatiy Nos cape. It's the most expensive, but also most comfortable way to get there. The cost will depend on the driver and your trading skills. Second way is to take a taxi to the beginning of National Park and then go by foot (25-30 km) or try to hitchike. It is the cheapest option, and there are usually no problems with finding a ride, as there are lost of people driving to the coast to camp
By car: After you get to Ust-Barguzin, you should pass the bridge over Barguzin River, and turn left (almost backwards) at the first crossroads. In 5-10 minutes you will reach the National Park. From the checkpoint of the national park there is a dirt road. This is the only road, so there is no chance you can miss it. Just before the mountains, there is a turn left. Take it, and in 1.5 km you'll see an information sign at the beginning of the trail.
Depending on your driving skills and condition of the road, the way to the campsite will take you from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours. We advice you to camp before reaching the beginning of the trail because there is a big chance that you will be unable to drive further because of your car's clearance. But if you own a SUV, it's not a problem, unless it was raining before. There are many camping places on the shore of Lake Baikal with a great view on the Svyatoy Nos peninsula. From there you can get to the beginning of the trail by car in 15-20 minutes. Or you can just park the car a bit closer and then go to the trail by foot. It will save you some time.
By public transport:
First, you need to get to Ust-Barguzin. The only way to do it that does not cost you a lot is by taking a bus from Ulan-Ude. The schedule can change every year, there is almost no source of up-to-date information. The only thing you can do is calling the ticket office. They speak only Russian, so you will probably have to ask someone (for example the receprionist at your hostel) to call them and ask for the schedule and book the tickets. In summer the buses can be overbooked, so do it in advance. The website of the bus station is: http://avtovokzal03.ru/contact-us.html.
From Ust-Barguzin there are several ways to get to the beginning of the trail. First is to take a taxi directly to Svyatiy Nos cape. It's the most expensive, but also most comfortable way to get there. The cost will depend on the driver and your trading skills. Second way is to take a taxi to the beginning of National Park and then go by foot (25-30 km) or try to hitchike. It is the cheapest option, and there are usually no problems with finding a ride, as there are lost of people driving to the coast to camp
Permission
You have to pay an entrance fee at the border of the National Park.
More information on potable water
Be careful: in dry summer there can be no water on the top (July, August). It is very hard to predict, so it is better to leave some water in your bottles until you reach the plateau.
Equipment
No equipment needed, but it's good to have proper hiking shoes. If you have trekking poles, take them with you - especially if you carry a heavy backpack. Take a headlamp with you because in case you return late - it is always possible.
Shops
There are no shops closer than in Ust-Barguzin.
Camping
There are many places where you can set up a tent for free at the bottom of the trail. If you want to set up a camp at the top, do not expect to find lots of wood there. It's better to have a gas stove with you.
THE TRAIL
The path is partially cleared and marked with red paint on the trees along the path and stone tours above the forest zone. At the beginning of the path there is an information board.
The first part of the ascent is mainly a traverse of the forest slope, then a clear trail steeply climbs up through the forest to a big cross. Reaching the cross means you are halfway through. From the cross you can see the Chivyrkuisky and Barguzinsky Bays, the Chivyrkuisky Isthmus and Lake Arangatui. From the Cross the ascent goes along the ridge. There are some trails leading down to the slope, but you should only stick to the ridge path going uphill.
On the top of the cape there is a plateau. Around 500 m away from the entrance to the plateau from the path there is a water source marked by a small flag. There is a possibility of going down a different way - the ways are marked on the map down at the entrance to the path. However, if you have less then four hours until darkness, it is better to go down the same way.
The first part of the ascent is mainly a traverse of the forest slope, then a clear trail steeply climbs up through the forest to a big cross. Reaching the cross means you are halfway through. From the cross you can see the Chivyrkuisky and Barguzinsky Bays, the Chivyrkuisky Isthmus and Lake Arangatui. From the Cross the ascent goes along the ridge. There are some trails leading down to the slope, but you should only stick to the ridge path going uphill.
On the top of the cape there is a plateau. Around 500 m away from the entrance to the plateau from the path there is a water source marked by a small flag. There is a possibility of going down a different way - the ways are marked on the map down at the entrance to the path. However, if you have less then four hours until darkness, it is better to go down the same way.
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10437 Berlin
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Ahlbecker Str. 3
10437 Berlin
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