Natural Park "Shumak" in Irkutsk

High in the mountains of the Eastern Sayan, hiding among gorges and blue
There is a mountain resort "Shumak" (at an altitude of 1558 m). Administratively, this territory belongs to the Okina region of the Republic of Buryatia, the “pearl of Siberia” or “Little Tibet”, as this region is also called.

This place is unique for its flora: there are many rare plants for the Baikal region. For example, an oval stash, a Vergina rose, a blue spruce. Here is the only place in Sayan where strawberries grow on the glades. The vegetation of these places is cedar-leaf taiga with an admixture of spruce, birch, pine, aspen. The border of the forest at an altitude of 1800-1900 m. Above is a high-altitude tundra belt with areas of alpine meadows. Even higher, mosses, rocks. Animal world, characteristic of Eastern Siberia, chipmunks, bears, pikas, lynx, etc. The climate is continental, the amount of precipitation is 500 mm, the power of snow cover is average.

Shumak is known for its healing mineral waters as one of the youngest and most inaccessible springs on the planet. About the power of healing water Shumak composed a lot of legends. Three scientific expeditions were organized to study the water quality of the Shumak type, including an international one (1999). According to the results of the research, it was found out that in a relatively small area along the Shumak River, at the confluence of the right and left beds, in a small distance from each other there are more than 100 sources of mineral water of various properties, radon water outlets and therapeutic mud. Fresh mountain air, alpine landscape and “special” energy of this place helps to restore the health of people and gain vitality.