One of the most amazing corners of Siberia is the Tunkinsky
National Park, located in the south-west of the Republic of Buryatia
in a picturesque place - the valley of the Irkut River between lakes
Baikal and Khubsugul.
The history of the park began in 1991.
The main goal of its creation is to protect the natural complexes of
the Baikal basin, the Eastern Sayan and Khamar-Daban ranges, the
Tunkinskaya valley, as well as the development and preservation of
the national culture, creating the necessary conditions for
recreation. The total area of the park is 1118 thousand 662
hectares, 1025 thousand hectares, of which - the national park and
158.7 thousand hectares - the land of other users and owners.
Tunkinsky National Park is characterized by mountainous and
highly rugged terrain. Separate plains are located on spacious river
valleys and in intermontane depressions of the earth's surface. The
main waterway of the park is the Irkut River with several
tributaries.
The national park is located in the Tunkinsky district of the
Republic of Buryatia (occupies the entire administrative region) on the
northern slopes of the Khamar-Daban and Eastern Sayan ridges and in the
Tunkinsky hollow.
The boundaries of the Tunkinsky National Park
completely coincide with the boundaries of the region, with an area of
11.8 thousand km², it occupies the Sayano-Baikal part of western
Buryatia. It borders in the north along the Tunkinsky Goltsy with the
Okinsky district, in the south along the Khangarulsky ridge and the
watershed of the western Khamar-Daban - with the Zakamensky district of
the republic. In the west and southwest, along the Munku-Sardyk massif
and the southeastern spurs of the Greater Sayan, the state border of
Russia and Mongolia passes. In the east, the district adjoins the
Slyudyansky district of the Irkutsk region.
The northern half of
the region is occupied by the Tunkinskaya valley, which is a
continuation of the Baikal depression and is unique for its healing
springs and alpine meadows. It stretches in the latitudinal direction
for 200 km, gradually rising to 1200 m above sea level and narrowing
from 30 to 20 km. The main river of the region, the Irkut, flows along
the bed of the valley.
The southern part of the region is divided
by the Zun-Muren River into the mountain-taiga spurs of Khamar-Daban in
the southeast and the spurs of the Greater Sayan with treeless plateaus
in the west.
The climate of the region is sharply continental, characterized by large daily and annual temperature ranges, a small amount of annual precipitation. In winter, the Siberian anticyclone dominates - an area of high pressure of cold air masses and the corresponding clear, calm, frosty weather. In summer there are cyclones with cloudy rainy weather. The average temperature in January is from -22 °C ... -24 °C in the lowest places of the basin to -19 °C ... -21 °C in the mountains. The average temperature in July is from +17 °C in the basin to +11 °C…+14 °C in the mountains. Absolute minimum down to -50 °C, maximum +34 °C. The average annual rainfall is 300...350 mm, in the mountains 500...600 mm, on the slopes of Khamar-Daban - up to 1000 mm. Winds of the western and eastern direction prevail in accordance with the stretch of the Irkut River and the basin itself from west to east.
The fauna of the park is characterized by the inhabitants of the
taiga, steppe, rocky mountain peaks. The main dominant is red-backed
vole, common shrew, even-toothed shrew and red-backed vole. Musk
deer and maral predominate among ungulates, ermine and sable among
predators. In the alpine zone, the high-mountain big-eared vole and
the northern pika dominate, among the predators - the stoat, in its
lower part the co-dominants are the common shrew and red-backed
vole.
The avifauna of the park is rich and is represented by
237 species of 17 orders (comprehensive assessment of 1994). Of
these, 48 species are listed in the Red Book of Buryatia and 9
species in the Red Book of Russia. Taiga species dominate in dark
coniferous forests - hazel grouse, spotted woodpecker, spotted
pipit, nutcracker, Siberian redstart, green warbler, king warbler,
Muscovite, nuthatch, etc .; few are the big dove, the deaf cuckoo,
the yellow, the cuckoo, the jay, the little flycatcher, the
red-necked nightingale, the brown-headed chickadee; rare: raven and
shur. The mountain tundra is dominated by the talovka warbler,
rubythroat nightingale, common lentil and polar bunting. In mixed
and larch forests, the avifauna is poorer compared to dark
coniferous forests. In addition to species common to coniferous and
mixed forests - hazel grouse, deaf cuckoo, spotted woodpecker,
kuksha, taiga flycatcher, moskovka, etc., larch forests are
characterized by such species as capercaillie, capercaillie, spotted
horse, warbler-talovka, warbler-zarnichka , finches, etc. In
floodplain ecosystems on lakes, swamps, banks and islands of rivers,
the whooper swan, mallard, whistle-teal, cracked teal, gray duck,
red-headed and crested duck, spotted cricket, yellow wagtail,
yellow-headed wagtail, etc. nest Near large reservoirs, birds of
prey, associated by the nature of their diet with wetlands, settle:
osprey, field harrier, white-tailed eagle. Goshawk and sparrowhawk
settle in forests near water bodies and swamps. In open areas along
the sides of the basins, the most common bird species are the field
lark, dubrovnik, gray heron, ruddy shelduck, lapwing, fifi,
marshmallow, etc., occasionally there are a field harrier and a gray
crane.
Of the amphibians, the Siberian frog is common, the
moor frog, the Siberian salamander and the Mongolian toad are rare.
The most common representative of reptiles is the common muzzle, as
well as the viviparous lizard, common snake, patterned snake and
common viper.
Grayling, lenok, taimen, whitefish, pike, dace,
ide, tench, roach, crucian carp, minnow, burbot, perch, char, loach
are constantly living in the reservoirs of the park.
Number
of registered species:
fish - 16
amphibians - 4
reptiles -
5
birds - 237
mammals - 47
The dominant type of vegetation is forest. All forests of the
national park are classified as forests of the 1st group. Plantations of
Siberian cedar (Pinus sibirica) and larch (Larix) predominate: 25.5% and
52.8% of the forested land, the share of coniferous plantations is
86.2%, softwood plantations 11%. Low-grade plantations and shrubs occupy
55.9%.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the flora of the
national park includes more than 1000 species of vascular plants,
including 68 species included in the Red Book of Buryatia and the Red
Book of Russia.
On the territory of the park, it is possible to visit a large number
of people to get acquainted with natural, cultural and historical
sights, to relax at numerous mineral springs. These are the carbonic
waters of the Arshan resort, the ferruginous springs of Khongor-Uuly,
the methane thermal springs of the Zhemchug mineral springs, the
siliceous radon thermal baths of the Nilova Desert, and the carbonic
acidic thermal thermal waters of Shumak.
Monuments of nature:
Marble bottom of the Kyngarga river.
Zhemchugskaya well
Geological
outcrop Bely Yar
Source Khongor-Uula
Koymorsky lakes (Khoymor)
hobok lake
Ihe-Ugun River (at the exit from the mountains)
Kyngarga river
Monuments of history and culture:
Cross on the
site of the Tunkinsky prison, built to protect the borders of the
Russian state
Ancient Buddhist architectural ensemble Burkhan-Baabay
or Khan Shargay-noyon
The sacred cult place Bukha-noyon is a rocky
outcrop of marble on the spurs of the Tunkinsky Goltsy.
Place of
offering Tamhi Baryash
Churches: Holy Intercession, Holy
Innokentievskaya, Knyaz Vladimirskaya, Petropavlovskaya.
The following types of tourism are developed on the territory of the
Tunkinsky National Park:
Outbound tourism is associated with the
movement of citizens of one country beyond its borders.
Domestic
tourism is the movement of tourists within one country.
Inbound
tourism is the entry of foreigners into the territory of the state.
Depending on the criterion by which a tourist's journey through the
territory of the Tunkinsky National Park is evaluated, classifications
can be distinguished:
by purpose of travel:
recreational tourism
medical tourism
health tourism
cognitive (excursion) tourism
gastronomic tourism
sports tourism
recreational fishing
extreme
tourism
by landscape and geographical features
according to the
method of movement: active, transport tourism.
Business tourism
Other classifications
by way of equipment
by organizational
form
according to age and social characteristics
activity during
vacation
on other grounds.
The Tunkinsky National Park has
received special professional awards:
Tourism Brand: Best
Practices
The best guide to the territory
The best travel portal
Top 1000 brands in Russia :: Living heritage