Monakhovo - Zmeevaya bay (Zapovednoe Podlemorye, Great Baikal Trail)

Monakhovo - Zmeevaya bay is a Great Baikal Trail section in Zabaikalsky National Park (Zapovednoe Podlemorye) that runs from the Monakhovo observation deck to the shores of Zmeevaya Bay near its thermal hot springs. The length is about 12 km one way, typically done as a point-to-point day hike.

The route is easy in the sense that it’s built on trail travel rather than big technical objectives, with no long climbs in the general flow. Much of the hiking stays along bay-side terrain and requires managing repeated short descents and reascents as the path drops to shore areas and climbs back onto the peninsula slopes.

Trail marking is consistent: the way is marked with red paint along the entire length. The start point is reached by a wooden staircase from the beach at Monakhovo to the observation deck, where the hike begins.

From Monakhovo the trail drops toward Katun, then climbs up the mountain slope using a serpentine section before reaching the coast around Sorozhya Bay. After that coastal stretch the route crosses a small mountain and descends again toward Kurbulik, which is used as a mid-route waypoint before the final approach to Zmeevaya Bay.

In the Zmeevaya Bay endgame you make several descents to the beach and then work your way down to the thermal springs on the shore. Zmeevaya Bay is known for hot mineral springs, and the shore area includes wooden bathing tubs supplied by spring water.

Overnight options exist along the way: campsites and special campfire sites are provided on-route. Camping is restricted near the villages of Kurbulik and Katun (tents are forbidden in their vicinities), while designated areas are used instead.

More information: Winter Baikal hiking around the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, Chief treasures of Zabaikalsky National Park, Monakhovo - Zmeevaya Bay | GBT - Great Baikal Trail