I have already been to Shumak several times. And I will visit again and again =) Having visited once, you will definitely want to come back at least once again =) I always got there by helicopter. Flight duration is 1 hour on a Mi-8 helicopter. From the helicopter window you can observe the flying beauty of the mountainous terrain: canyons, gorges, mountain waterfalls, winding rivers and pristine nature. A camp site with the same name was built on the territory of the Shumak natural park. I am a lover of comfort, so I stay at a camp site, and always in a comfortable house. The houses are cozy, bright, clean. Because My room is always well-appointed; inside there is a shower with hot and cold water and toilet, as well as satellite TV. The houses are heated by stoves. Tourists heat the fire themselves, and the base provides firewood. There are never any problems with the firebox. Well, if someone fails to light a fire in the stove, the base staff will always help =) At the camp site there is a very cool bathhouse with a swimming pool! Steaming is a pleasure =) I never deny myself this when I’m on Shumak. There is also a massage therapist at the base. Massages are in demand there, but I didn’t attend, somehow I didn’t have to =) About a couple of years ago, a washing machine appeared at the camp site =) so tourists who arrive for 2-3 weeks can take less clothes with them =) The food at the camp site is heartfelt =) I would even say that they overfeed the tourists there =) the cook cooks very tasty! I want to eat everything, even when there is no room in my stomach =) So the overall rating for the base is a solid five!
As for the sources: they are located a 5-minute walk from the camp site on both sides of the Shumak River. The springs all differ in thermal regime, salt and mineral composition. It is recommended to take them 30-60 minutes before meals three times a day. Most sources are signed, the serial number and the disease or organ that is recommended to be treated with this water are indicated. How did our ancestors choose which water to treat with? They walked around all the springs clockwise, tasted the water from each source, and treated themselves with the water they liked (that is, they drank regularly). There are radon baths on Shumak: well-maintained radon (for a fee, belongs to the base), free radon (wooden frame, built several decades ago by amateur tourists, vacationers, and medical treatment). There are contraindications for radon. They talk about this during the tour. As you probably understand, there is no treatment on Shumak, no doctors. People are there on their own. This is a wild resort. But this doesn’t make the number of people here any less! There is a very large influx of tourists in the summer, there are queues to the springs, radon baths and mud. There are a lot of beautiful and picturesque places on Shumak. One of the main entertainments at the camp site is just excursions and hikes to picturesque places =) well, those who come on foot are saturated with the beauty of the Sayans on the way to Shumak =) Fly to Shumak! Come to Shumak! This place will not leave anyone indifferent!
Many people who are in one way or another interested in the places of power of Siberia have heard about the Tunka Valley, as probably the most unique place in the Baikal region.
The Tunka Valley is a continuation of the Baikal depression and seems to cut the Sayan ridges, creating a convenient road to Mongolia.
The unique flora, multiple natural mineral springs and stunningly beautiful mountain nature with its high energy gave this place the name “Siberian Switzerland”.
The alpine meadows of the Tunkinsky ridges are a fertile patrimony of herbalists who collect a variety of medicinal plants here.
This is exactly what the Shumak River valley is called in many articles and research materials.
The history of the discovery of these healing springs is told
one of the legends.ABOUT
A hunter from the Soyot tribe, chasing a deer wounded by him with an arrow for several days, finally overtook him in a mountain valley.He expected to see an animal exhausted from the wound and continuous pursuit, but he saw a deer rising from the mud, completely healthy and full of strength.
Interested in the properties of this mud, the hunter drew attention to the springs located near this place, the water of which flowed down and collected in a small lake with mud on the banks.
The hunter realized that these sources helped heal the wounded animal.
This is how the first evidence of the healing power of Shumak appeared.
After such a story
Other hunters, and then ordinary people, flocked to the healing springs.
Long before the advent of modern methods of water analysis, local healers correctly determined the properties of all springs and made explanatory inscriptions on the stones in Mongolian - what disease each spring cures.
Scientists confirmed the correctness of their recommendations, and the ancient Mongolian inscriptions were updated in Russian. 
- Low-mineralized spring waters, saturated with rare microelements beneficial to the human body, can cure many diseases.
The healing springs of the Shumak Valley concentrate all the best properties of the mineral waters of Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk, Tskaltubo and Naftusya.
Such a favorable combination of very valuable properties of mineral water in Eastern Siberia, and throughout Russia, is very rare.
The springs in the valley come out of the ground at the foot of the mountains on both banks of the river. The largest number of them are located on the left bank. Water from all sources flows into one channel (the total flow rate of all sources is about 10 liters per second, which is generally not much when compared with similar hospitals located in other regions of Russia. When the water cools, excess salts are released in the form of calcite, forming in the riverbed streams are stepped terraces of white calcareous tuff. The stream with mineral water below the tuff terraces ends in a mud bath. Mineral water from 42 springs flows into this natural bath. Rare substances and chemical microelements accumulate in the mud deposits of the reservoir, the healing properties of the mud formed over a long period of time. , have been poorly studied, but most visitors to the resort want to smear themselves with this healing miracle mud. The main thing is not to overdo it and not overload the heart with the duration of the procedure; the abundance of active beneficial microelements can have an extremely strong effect on the body.
The nature of the diversity of Shumaki springs is not fully understood by scientists and is associated with a tectonic fault in the limestones. The main geological factor in the appearance of carbonic waters in the Eastern Sayan is young volcanic activity in Quaternary times, marked by tectonic faults, which are associated with hot springs. Witnesses of violent processes in the bowels of the earth are extinct volcanoes in the upper reaches of the Oka River., Thermal carbon dioxide waters of Shumak come to the surface in three groups.(on the map of zones A, B, C). First zone Anumbering 42 springs with a length of 70 m,
has sources that cure low or high blood pressure (source No. 8), nerves (6, 36), intestines (7, 15, 34), sore throat (14, 24), ear, throat, nose (22, 23), stomach ulcers (29, 30), tuberculosis (42, 43), hangover (37), ovaries (21), heart threshold (20), bladder and liver (4), teeth (23a), cancer and stomach diseases (1). The springs have a temperature from +10 to +35 °C, carbon dioxide content - from 264 to 989 mg/l.The total flow rate of all springs in this group is 5.3 l/s.Here are sources for the treatment of headaches (117 according to the old numbering), bladder (44), gall bladder (46), kidneys (48, 49), for male strength (51) and for “male stubbornness” (52, 53) , lungs (62, 68), bronchitis (63), “women’s whims” (64), cardiovascular diseases(65), lungs and bronchitis (65a), heart (69), female heart (70), liver (78, 79, 86-88). The water temperature of the sources in this zone is the same as in the first zone, but radon here is slightly higher, about 35 eman, and the carbon dioxide content is 300 mg/l.
Third zone C, located on the right bank of Shumak, andstretches for 120 m. The zone has 16 griffins.
In this zoneThere are mainly radon sources and silver "Eye". Others treat eyes, heart, lungs, kidneys, gallbladder. These sources, especially radon, have more high temperature 28-34° C, as a result of which a “Radon Bath” was built here with a well-designed bathtub, which is recommended to immerse in up to the heart area for 4-10 minutes.A radiometric study in the area of the springs revealed an anomaly in the area of the main source and radonbaths (up to 87 μR/h, background levels of up to 25 μR/h are considered normal).Radon content fluctuates
from 288 to 550 eman, and the content of free carbon dioxide reaches 380 mg/l.
A radon bath should be taken while sitting, without immersing the heart area in water, once a day: up to 10 minutes for adults, up to 5–7 minutes for children.
The decay product of radon easily penetrates the human body through the skin and spreads to all parts of the body, providing a healing effect. The course of treatment recommended by doctors is designed for 7-12 baths. Taking a one-time bath does not have a noticeable effect on the body, so doctors recommend taking at least 7 baths.
After taking a hot bath, it is recommended to avoid physical activity for 1-2 hours and be sure to rest.
A powerful flood on July 7–9, 2001 straightened the Shumak channel, and the displaced river washed away a dozen lower springs and destroyed part of the tuff steps.
But time passed, and some of the lost sources were revived.
The latest comprehensive scientific work, including certification of all sources, was carried out before this catastrophic flood.
Mineral waters, collected in a stream from the first and second zones, feed the health baths, and at the end of the stream of zone A, after the health bath, a mud bath is organized, which helps against various articular osteochondrosis. Only adults can take a mud bath for no more than 20 minutes.Shumak's ethics.
At the Shumak mineral springs, as in many other similar places of religious significance, there is a certain set of rules and norms of behavior that are cultivated in relation to visitors. Many centuries ago withstrict rules ordered everyone visiting the valley not to touch the wells of the springs. The water was carefully scooped up with spoons, without deepening the bottom. For each source, a glass was specially made from birch bark and left nearby. It was strictly forbidden to litter and use soap at the springs. In this sacred place one should not speak loudly or use foul language; one was instructed to think only about good things, so as not to offend the spirits - the owners of the valley. On the stones at the springs there were inscriptions about their purpose in the Mongolian and Buryat languages: “heart”, “teeth”, “stomach”, “eyes”, etc. And I think that it was precisely from these recommendations that modern scientists proceeded to substantiate the healing properties of the source for a particular organ.
Until the 21st century, treatment on Shumak was spontaneous and onlyThe three parts of the base are neatly integrated into the taiga landscape and are connected to each other by wooden sidewalks, ensuring the safety of mosses and lichens. Through the river In Shumak, in 2008, with the assistance of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a suspension bridge was built, and now, at any water level in the river, you can safely cross to the other bank to the radon hydropathic facility. During the peak summer season, there are over 500 vacationers at the Shumak springs at the same time, and there is even a queue for the radon bath.
The flow rate of the main radon source is 1.8 cubic meters of mineral water per hour.
This amount, according to calculations, is only enough for 40 baths.
For tourists living at the Oka-Shumak tourist base, a separate radon hydropathic clinic with walls made of natural boulders and enameled baths inside was built, the room is heated in winter.
After the Oka-Shumak tourist base began operating, the valley became noticeably cleaner. 
All garbage was collected and removed by helicopter.
The paths near the springs are paved with stones, information stands are installed with recommendations on taking medicinal waters and rules of conduct at the springs.
Shumak also has its own unique aesthetics, which distinguishes it from other similar places.
To appease the local spirits of Shumak, it is customary to leave numerous gifts in gift boxes - coins, knives, lighters, etc.As a sign of gratitude for the healing, people carve wooden sculptures, tie ribbons and scraps of material to tree branches, leave beads and valuable gifts, clean the area and clean the springs.And so it is with almost every source.
You can touch other people's offerings with your hands, but it is not recommended to take them with you - otherwise you can take other people's illnesses and problems with you.
Toy wooden mills spin on the streams, others rotate prayer wheels or toy animal figures driven by homemade turbine mills. Thanks to the efforts of people, the area around the springs turned into a museum exhibition of gifts. Many wooden sculptures are carved with the inscription: "
Thank you, Shumak " - and dates half a century ago. Blackened wooden gifts naturally fit into the landscape, adding picturesqueness and local exoticism. One of the main sanctuaries to the mistresses of the Shumak valley - two sisters, guardians of these places, is located 6 km downstream of the Shumak at the foot of Mount Rebenka. According to the belief of local residents, if you contact them correctly and present the appropriate gifts in this place, they will help with the birth of children. In the shamanic sanctuary, at the foot of the Mountain of the Child, there are a lot of gifts and children's toys: whoever asks for a girl, they bring dolls here, and a boy -. cars and children's pistols. The Shumak Valley in Buryatia is mentioned as a unique and mysterious natural object that has a strong impact on human health. 
diseases, including cancer, as well as the appearance in some cases of a strong euphoric state? This is either very difficult or impossible.
This means there is another powerful factor that greatly affects a person. And this factor is known. There is a geoactive energy zone in the Shumak valley. Esotericists and researchers call such zones a sacred place, a place of power, or simply an anomalous zone. There is a lot of incomprehensible and mysterious things in this matter. But in reality, apart from the complex nature of geophysical radiation, everything is not so complicated. In one part of the valley, the most flat, there is an energy zone, which is a rectangular-shaped field, on the plane of which, in a certain geometric sequence, individual energy emitters are located in the form of a circle with a diameter of about 3 meters.
Through these places, energies are periodically released that have a beneficial effect on a person.
The approximate dimensions of the energy zone or field are 1.3 x 0.15 km.
Additionally, I made a ranking of Shumak's main strengths in order of importance:
1. Energy zone.
As for the energy zone.
Of course, we need to search, identify and mark both the entire zone and individual energy emitters. Tourists should be well informed about the location of these points and their activities.
Staying in a point or monozone should be within 5-15 minutes.
Staying at the point for more than 30 minutes can lead to the opposite effect.It is likely that cases of harmful energy effects have also been reported among tourists.
The energy zone in the Shumak valley is not something incredible and a fantastic phenomenon. Such zones or anomalous places with positive energy exist in different regions of the world and Russia. Their correct use for human health could become a national program. Author's opinion:
23.
Shumak springs are one of the few places where a person suffering from serious illnesses of modern civilization is able to get real relief or be completely healed from their illnesses.
The culture of natural Arzhans of this type is also characteristic of other peoples of that region: Tuvinians, Khakassians.
Modern medicine will, of course, say that there is nothing magical in the Shumak springs, and their ability to heal diseases is entirely due to the successful composition of microelements.
But how can we explain the loss of water’s ability to heal the body when it is transferred to another place?
The magic of Shumak water largely lies in the energetically saturated place where it is located. According to esoteric ideas, water is capable of transferring information and accumulating energy. If such water with a reference matrix enters the human body, then the body and soul in it restore their original integrity. This is what makes natural medicine unique: it treats the body as a whole, not individual diseases.
Formed at the beginning of the Quaternary period, the Shumak field was the result of the tectonic fault of the Tunkinsky Goltsy. The sources of Shumakh themselves are considered the youngest mineral waters on the ground. For Eastern Siberia, this is generally a unique phenomenon. In addition to mineralization, the Shumak mineral waters are saturated with gases: they contain oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and rare gases. The Shumak springs emerge from the depths in three groups: the first (70-meter) consists of 42 springs with water temperatures from 10°C to 35°C, the 175-meter second group has 50 springs (from 10°C to 35° C), 120-meter third - 16 outlets with temperature (from 28°C to 34°C). The springs themselves are located at an altitude of 1558 m.
These springs have been known since ancient times; according to legend, even during the time of Genghis Khan, their water was supplied to his troops.
So we decided to visit such an amazing place. It’s not the first time I’ve gone there myself, but on this trip I played the role of a guide for the first time. Initially, the route was planned for 10 days. Nilova Pustyn - Shumak - Nilova Pustyn. Later, already on Shumak, we decided to go down the river. Kitoy and get off in Arshan. Which increased the duration of the journey to 16 days. A little information - Arshan is a completely civilized spring with sanatoriums and boarding houses. Shumak, in contrast, is a wild and little-known place. By at least It was like that before, until commerce got there too. But for now this is a completely wild corner. So, Shumak is the name of the river and valley, where about 100 mineral springs are located in a small area. WITH different temperatures water, taste and medicinal properties. The place is quite famous among the local population, but for some reason it is little known to others. Although judging by the geography of those we met, they know about him not only in Russia. Most quick way to get to the springs (if you do not decide to fly by helicopter) from the Nile Desert through the pass. The route to the springs takes from 2 to 4 days, depending on preparation and free time. So, we traveled from Irkutsk to the Nilova Pustyn by bus. Further our path lay along the Ekhe-Ger River to the foot of the pass. At the first ford we were lucky - the truck dropped the team off until the first winter hut, which was about 3 hours of walking. Cars do not go any further, only on foot or on horseback. The group traveling with us stayed to rest in the winter hut, but we moved on before it got dark. 
The first overnight stay took place in the valley before the pass. It was starting to rain. The tent was secured with stones and we, tired but happy, fell asleep under the beginning of the rain. Day two turned out to be a little cloudy and wet. Well, we are no strangers to this. We prepare breakfast, pack our things and go ahead - today we have to conquer the Shumak Pass, 2760 m high. 
We walk through the valley all day, there is no firewood here, so it is better to go through it in a day or have a burner with you. It was getting dark, and we, being confident that we would have time to both ascend and descend to the lakes where the Shumak River originates, which is on the other side of the pass, set out to climb.
At the top of the pass there is a pile of sacrificial stones - obo, which is dedicated to the spirit of the taiga Khangai, the owner of the area and the patron of animals. Along the trail there are dense thickets of sagandayli, Kuril tea, honeysuckle, and currants. But the time should have been calculated better. The descent from the pass began at 9 pm, which led to a very unusual situation - spending the night right on a rocky slope. As luck would have it, it started raining with fog, visibility dropped to several meters in all directions, we safely strayed from the path... in general - we wanted extreme sports. The smartest thing that came to our minds was to put up a tent on the rocks, and not jump over the boulders and try not to break our necks. And how to put it... here we had to tinker. Okay rain and not really warm weather, but finding a flat surface on a rocky slope is a thankless task. As a result, for half an hour they simply covered a more or less suitable area with stones, leveled it, and laid everything they could. The result is quite smooth and relatively tolerant in terms of hardness. 
We also managed to get some sleep. And in the morning... in the morning, 10 meters from our tent, a cliff to the lake was discovered... We were really lucky that we didn’t go there... And in the light of day it wasn’t very difficult to find the path. In general, we are on the road again. 
We arrived at the springs on the morning of the 4th day. We managed to almost immediately find a free winter hut, where we lived for 7 days. At the springs there are spontaneously built winter huts, a bathhouse, a radon bath, and, accordingly, the springs themselves, which have become significantly smaller since my previous visit. A tourist complex has appeared with well-equipped houses and a new radon bath, of course everything is paid for. Helicopter communication has been improved, a store has opened where you can buy necessary products, as well as charge your existing equipment. Usually the day looked like this: a walk through the springs, a radon bath, breakfast, a daytime outing to some attraction, again the springs, dinner, and then whatever came to mind. 
The weather was changeable, so we didn’t have time to explore all the surroundings. We visited three places: 1. “Pillars” Natural formation of crumbling rock. But the strangest thing is that although everything around has crumbled, the pillars themselves, for some unknown reason, continue to stand. Next to them there is a women's datsan, a place quite revered by the local population, which has for them great importance- they say it treats infertility, and judging by the stories, it is quite successful. 
2. Golden Lake. We pursued two goals - to look at the lake itself and to collect golden root along the way. Unfortunately, they never found the root... either they didn’t look well, or they had already dug it up there. But the lake itself made a strong impression. Mountainous, with scalding cold water, falling into the valley with a beautiful waterfall and surrounded by sharp and high mountains, from a distance reminiscent of the walls of a fortress. 3. Cascades of waterfalls. Just a 15-minute walk from the winter huts is one of the local wonders - giant cascades of waterfalls, the largest of which, according to my estimates, is about 30 meters in height. I didn’t even begin to count how many there were. I just stood and marveled at the extent to which nature can be perfect and skillful. From below, it looks like a long staircase of rushing water flowing from high mountains. And as soon as you rise higher and stand on the cliff above the waterfalls, your heart skips a beat. Huge streams of water that made this amazing road in the rock. Sheer walls, raging streams... Admiration and fear mix together, forming a completely different feeling of the power of nature... 
As was said, we decided to leave through Arshan. There were two reasons for this, the first was a rumor that the pass was covered with snow, and the second was “Where should we rush?” And this means descending along the Shumak River to the place where it flows into the river. Kitoy and along Kitoy, 4-5 days to the Fedyushkina River, from which the desired pass is just a stone's throw away. The road was calm, except for the incidents that the only girl in the group, carried away by photographing, went down the wrong path, and we happily looked for her all day. As it turned out later, for half of that day, she was waiting for us at the confluence of two paths in front of a river, about 20 kilometers from the place of her disappearance. At the confluence of Fedyushkina and Kitoy, at opposite side rivers, there is a tour. a base and a store, where we decided to replenish our quickly melting provisions. The process of crossing the river is as follows: On the other bank there is a sad little man sitting in a boat; if you run along the bank and wave your arms, he swims across the river and, for a fee worthy of Charon, transports you to the other side. When climbing to the Arshan pass, a spontaneous incident arose. It was at that moment when we were cheerfully climbing it that a good 8-magnitude earthquake occurred on Baikal. For the first time I saw a real wave rolling along the ground. It shook, my friend and I ended up on the ground, and the third comrade was found with all his limbs wrapped around the tree trunk. After the pass, descent along Kyngarga and, finally, civilization. One more night and we're home. And so this fascinating journey to the Valley of 100 Springs ended. And, although now there is a constant helicopter connection, comfortable houses and other delights of civilization, such wild tourism still evokes in me much more sensations, feelings and thoughts.
First experience of traveling to the mountains! And I remember him forever))) (07/02/15-07/12/15)
Friends suggested visiting Shumak, at first I doubted it, but then I finally decided and agreed (And for good reason). We gathered a company of six people (these are those who eventually went; at first there were a lot of people willing).
Road to Shumak!
There are three ways to get to the Shumak springs:
1. By helicopter from Irkutsk (it’s expensive)
2. On horseback from Nilova Pustyn (also costs money)
3. And of course on foot, on your own! (walk 2-3 days)
I took a week off and hit the road! On the second of July at 8:00 we ordered a minibus from Angarsk ( Irkutsk region) to the village of Nilova Pustyn, you can also get to it by bus from Irkutsk or by car! Travel time takes 3-4 hours.
The hiking route already begins from the Nile Desert! We exhaled the last city air and hit the road))))
First, the trail goes through the forest, where you are bothered by all sorts of gnats, flies and mosquitoes. All the way we were reassured that they would soon end, as soon as the forest ended and we would be in the mountains. How we have been waiting for this moment!Our first overnight stay was on dry lakes in the forest. We got there in the evening, set up our tents and got ready for dinner. We spent the night, packed our things in the morning and set off again. We had to get to the very pass to spend the night in front of it, and in the morning (get up at 5 am) already ascend into it! The height of the pass is 2760 m. This was the last night; after the pass we had to reach Shumak itself.
It is not recommended to climb the pass in the evening, because you will not have time to cross it. At the pass itself there is no place to hide from bad weather. There is no firewood, and the wind can be so strong that it will blow away tents. At the pass there is a sharp change in weather, almost always precipitation in the form of rain or snow, or rain turning into snow and back. Sudden sharp gusts of wind. Even in the summer in July.
We were lucky with the weather and met us at the pass good weather, not counting the mountain wind)) Although it was even more pleasant with him, after a difficult climb, he helped a lot.
The view from the pass is, of course, simply gorgeous! The feeling cannot be expressed in words and even the photo does not convey how beautiful it was.
While we were waiting for the rest we managed to do beautiful photos and to admire the beauty of the mountains, they left an offering to the mountains and asked for an easy road. After waiting for the others, we began our descent, which did not turn out to be as easy as we thought.There I learned about mountain rivers that rustle underfoot, under thick stones. The mountain lake that we could see from the pass seemed so close, but in fact it turned out to be not so at all. We really wanted to get to it and take a dip from the heat, but it didn’t work out. The lake is so cold that even the most desperate can swim in it.
After the lake we were greeted by meadows, just like in a chocolate commercial Milka, alpine meadows, but there weren’t enough cows)))
After the alpine meadows, our path lay through forests, in some places we had to ford, through rivers that could rise very high during the rains, but we were lucky and they were not deep. If rocks and boulders allowed, we simply jumped on them)))
On the way there is a waterfall, in front of which people stop, some to have a snack, and others to just relax and take beautiful photos.
By evening, having finally reached the Shumak springs, we were looking for a winter hut where we would stay for these five days. It turns out that not everyone is lucky, and many end up living in tents. But we were lucky and found places in a good new winter hut near the river and the bridge (which leads to the other bank, on which the springs themselves and the camp site are located)
Almost everyone who visits Shumak tries to leave something about themselves; all the winter huts are decorated with fakes and inscriptions. And of course, we also decided to leave a memory of ourselves)))
Each of our mornings began with crossing to the other side to drink healing springs, of which there are more than 100 pieces. Each source has its own temperature and different composition. Each of them is signed and will help cure an illness (Pressure, Nerves, Kidneys, Stomach, Heart, Headaches, Women's and men's diseases, Vision). There are also mud springs and radon baths on Shumak.
There are also many places in Shumak that are worth visiting. The most famous are the Sacred Pillars! As the Buryats say, this is where the spirit of Shumak lives.
This is where married couples come and ask for children. They say they will definitely appear. People leave their offerings there and there are a lot of them there.
There are also a lot of places on Shumak where you can go on an excursion, for example, there are also waterfalls, only they are marble, so beautiful. The water is clear and blue, like a lagoon. Go on an excursion to Mount Three Captains, or to Golden Lake.
It’s a paradox, but residents of Buryatia still rarely visit wonderful Shumak, although this is the territory of the republic. Mostly residents of the neighboring Irkutsk region go here. And also a lot of people from the most different regions Russia and even foreigners. In Buryatia, there are only a few travel organizations that offer tours to Shumak. Coming to Shumak is not just about “breathing air,” but also about cleansing your soul. Experienced guides to Shumak always warn newcomers that in this sacred place they must behave like human beings. Those who come here to really ask for healing and vitality are fully rewarded by this place. Although sometimes the opposite happens...
Shumak is still a new direction for most residents of the republic. Last summer, I was able to fulfill my old dream - to go to Shumak, which I talked about in my blog. Just go, and not fly in a helicopter or ride a horse. I wanted to test my strengths and capabilities, and, of course, see one of the most beautiful places in Buryatia and a unique place in the world.
I “made my way” up the mountain to Shumak for 60 kilometers with a backpack of 15 kilograms and safely descended back. And I “made my way”, because a hike to Shumak involves mountains, a swamp, and a forest... During the 12 days of the hike, I lost five kilograms in weight, but I don’t regret anything at all.
Before the hike, our tour instructor Tuyana talked a lot not only about equipment, but also about the fact that we need to prepare mentally for the hike. Afterwards I realized how important this remark was.
Hiking tours to Shumak are both pilgrimage, health and ecological tourism, which in the conditions of our notorious tourist and recreational zone is simply a panacea.
The sources of Shumak and its mystical-energy component are a natural healing complex. A unique place on the planet, where more than a hundred healing springs are collected. The water of each of them selectively affects one or another organ. And it's amazing. Of course, Buryatia is rich in places with healing water and mud, but such natural complex- the only one on Earth. This should be appreciated and visited at least once.
The same wild tourism that they are so eager to eradicate in Buryatia can demonstrate civilized forms in places like Shumak. The people who come to Shumak are quite adequate. I didn’t see any drunken people here, swearing angrily or deliberately littering.
Of course, it also happens that there is simply a barbaric way of preparing firewood for a fire. To make a fire, someone does not go looking for dead wood, but chops down magnificent slender cedar in places. Cedar wood burns well even when raw. Traces of barbarism are especially noticeable on the border of the forest zone and alpine meadows. But still this is rare. Most people understand what a natural treasure it is and how priceless it is.
State Institution “Burpriroda”, in my opinion, is still not able to deal with the timely removal of Shumak’s garbage. Naturally, there are boards with rules about what “DO NOT” stand both at the approaches to the place of the springs and at the trail stops.
In this case, a certain fee will be charged for visiting. During the season, the gorge is visited by several thousand people. Mostly people, being in a specially protected territory natural area, they put the garbage in the right places, but how quickly this garbage is removed is another question. The pile of garbage in the “Waterfalls”, “Dry Stream” area, along the route to Shumak, is especially unsightly. These unsightly dumps were present both on the way there and back.
Burkhan didn't let me in
Recently there was a flood in Arshan, people died. Of course, there were some opinions about the sacred. The shamans suggested that the people had angered the spirits of the area. The Sayan Mountains are a very harsh place, despite their wondrous beauty, where every stone and tree is guarded by the spirits of the area. Believing it or not is an individual matter. But it is necessary to respect and honor local customs.
The Shumak Gorge is a special place in this regard. They said that last year a group of young and strong people, after standing under the pass for two days, returned back due to rain. According to local residents, “Burkhan didn’t let them in.” Perhaps our group was lucky, or we all sincerely asked the local spirits to ease our path, but almost all 12 days the sun shone for us, and the rain only dampened things a little.
And a year ago, literally before our hiking trip to Shumak, a wild incident occurred with three drowned women. Three Irkutsk women decided to cross the river and drowned in front of the husband of one of the women. Again, it all came down to the fact that the dead, no matter how mystical it smacked of it, clearly angered the spirits of the area. Who knows…
The weather in the area of the springs is extremely unstable. Even in July it can snow. There is a real possibility of dying from hypothermia if a person is not properly equipped. Beginners do not take into account the altitude factor, when even at above-zero temperatures hypothermia can occur with cardiac arrest.
The quality of the sleeping bag and travel mat, shoes and raincoat is very important.
Several years ago, schoolchildren died from hypothermia at the Shumak Pass. The memorial plaque installed here speaks about this. At the same time, a lot of children go to Shumak. By the way, I didn’t dare take my daughter on a hike. It's still early for her. To go to Shumak, you need to not only get stronger, you need to mature morally.
Also, Shumak is not a place for parties and drunkenness. A bottle of vodka here replaces hard currency and costs up to 1,000 rubles. As a rule, those who feel that it is clearly running out come here (very often on their own) to be treated or gain vital energy. Therefore, there are few random people here. Our group was overtaken on the trail by one man from Ust-Ilimsk. We called him “Divine” behind his back. He talked a lot and excitedly about Shumak. This is not the first time he comes to Shumak and, as a rule, for a month. He says that he was cured of a serious illness here and his wish after his last visit to the gorge came true. I met him at the springs very happy. He often collected garbage.
Civilization or flea market
As a resident of the city of Shelekhov, Anatoly Shumilin, an experienced person in Shumak, told me, businessmen rudely shoved “civilization” here several years ago. Now, at a camp site that has appeared in a protected area, you can buy an apple for 100 rubles apiece or a bun for 80, take a shower for 400 rubles, or get hold of bread for 150. The people are visually divided into “camp camp” and “wild”.
The first spent (including helicopter delivery) up to 45 thousand per person for a week’s vacation. And this, as they say, slightly debunks Shumak’s idea of equality and tolerance. However, to some extent this made life in the camp easier.
According to local legend, the owners of these places are two sisters who, having not lived very well happy life, they tell everyone on Shumak to enjoy life, absorb the power of this land and be more tolerant of each other. It’s very nice that everyone on the trail says hello and wishes you a good journey, helping you to put your backpack on your shoulders.
Shumak is quite crowded during peak season. Therefore, regulars prefer to come here in the fall, when there is no longer a “crush”, and in the winter huts you can find a lot of food left as a gift for newcomers. In the summer, someone often does not get a place in the “winter hut”.
For example, our group was given a winter quarters by local resident Bazyr, from whom we rented a horse to transport food. Carrying them for more than three days would have been difficult for a group with a predominance of women. However, we had an excellent guide, Alexey, who did an excellent job with the mission entrusted to him.
At the same time, previously, as they say, there was enough space in the free houses for everyone. I read that Shumak was not the place for a tourist center in the 60s, they planned to open a sanatorium...
Without a llama in my head
No matter how good the mood people come here, there is clearly a xenophobic component here. The mere fact that there is a division between the left and right banks. Not territorial, but ideological. On the right they sing songs with a guitar, and few people evict anyone from their winter huts. On the left bank, often in places prohibited for horseback riding, there are horse “apples.” Local residents who carry tourists on horseback look to people from all over the country and abroad as a source of income.
Visitors unconditionally vacate their houses if a local demands to vacate “his” winter quarters. They say that a horse owner can earn enough to buy a car in a season, but a lot of it gets wasted, and the people on horses don’t give the impression of being very happy with life.
They say that due to the dominance of civilization, several excellent “Russian” winter huts were destroyed, and they were afraid to touch the Buryat houses. The still proud “children of the mountains” on horseback, earning money by transporting tourists on horseback, give the impression of being hosts. But it’s already very nominal.
As for horseback riding, it is fraught with danger. Still, the horse is more of a steppe animal, and humans force it to walk in the mountains. Sometimes throwing stones at the animal's rump. Personally, this shocked me. Crossing the pass on horseback is fraught with danger. They said that horses often fall off the mountain. Therefore, walking is much more reliable. Although it requires preparation.
There were two ladies in our group who returned back, having rented a horse each. Because the ascent on foot caused one of them to become hysterical, which our young guide Alyosha barely calmed down. In general, it is precisely such hikes that test people’s endurance, reliability and strength not only of muscles, but also of spirit.
Renting a horse now costs from 7 to 9 thousand rubles one way per person. For comparison, a 12-day walking tour with meals and transfer from Ulan-Ude to the beginning of the trail costs 9 thousand.
As I understand it, alcoholism is a catastrophic problem for local Buryats (and not only). And this is largely due to the fact that the lama is not here now. Faith is a colossal deterrent, but it has been lost. And there is no one to mentor people with a very peculiar “mountain” mentality who have found an easy way to make money.
At the same time, people from various places clearly come here with faith.
Throughout the camp, you can find objects related to many religions and teachings. These are Buddhism, Christianity, shamanism, paganism. All this is expressed in crafts made from scrap materials, but with soul, as well as numerous boards. Some of these things, left as gifts to Shumak by grateful travelers, are sometimes simply amusing. Especially huge phalluses at the source site " Male strength" About ten years ago, a famous St. Petersburg artist, in gratitude to this place where she restored her sight, carved out a beautiful wooden sculpture personifying one of the sisters, the guardians of the area.
They say that a cross was erected at the Shumaksky pass after the death of three women. It is visible from below and is adjacent to a Buddhist stupa.
Six kilometers from the valley of the springs there is a sacred place - Stolby. Mostly childless people here ask for children, as evidenced by the pile of toys. True, she made a depressing impression on me. Dirty, broken toys resemble a cemetery. This probably needs to be cleaned up somehow, but clearly no one is doing it. But the place is really strong. I felt it.
Four stone idols seemed to pass through the mountain and loomed over Shumak running at the foot. Someone wrote that this is one of the places on Earth where there is contact with a parallel reality. They say that if you make a wish while there, it will definitely come true. It came true for me...
And this is truly a comedy video about how you shouldn’t go to Shumak))) Thank God that nothing happened to the hero of the video.