Bolshie Koty - Bolshoe Goloustnoe (Great Baikal Trail)

Bolshie Koty – Bolshoe Goloustnoe is a Great Baikal Trail long-distance hiking leg mapped as a coastal path route along Lake Baikal’s western shore. The course is built from path segments with steep incline sections.

Expect a mix of ascent, then extended travel along the shore with small altitude changes. The mapped character includes along-coast travel and short steep stretches rather than a consistently level walk.

Route highlights on this leg focus on coastal going and a few standout areas: Cape Skriper (the trail’s elevated point before continuing), “Devil’s Bridge” (a notably dangerous rocky section above a beach), and the Bolshaya Kadilnaya area where the Pribaikalsky National Park cordon is located.

Several places require real footing. There are known down-steps to rocky beaches with short distances walked along the shore, plus steep, loose descents back to the waterline in places along the coast.

Where the trail transitions toward the Malaya Kadilnaya Pad, the recommended line is down to the rocky beach rather than staying on the upper, partly collapsed path; a wooden staircase then brings you back onto a more defined route.

Approach and access for this leg is tied to small remote settlements: getting to Bolshie Koty and Bolshoe Goloustnoe generally means organizing transport to/from those villages, and you should treat communication and services as limited while on-trail.

This route passes through Pribaikalsky National Park territory, so a backcountry permit is required for visiting the park area and for setting up tents. Permits are handled through park administration or local forestry offices, with contact options available for e-mail requests.

Trip scale for the mapped leg is about 12.79 km, rated moderate. Use this as a short multi-day component of the broader Great Baikal Trail rather than a standalone day hike plan.

More information: Great Baikal Trail, Adventure at the Lake Baikal - Tari Travel, Big Cats - Big Goloustnoe | GBT - Great Baikal Trail