In the Jungles of Khamar-Daban - 1

Project dates: July 9 – 22, 2009

Project Duration:  Two weeks

Languages:  Russian & English

Project Location: Baikalskiy National Natural Reserve, south of Lake Baikal, in the Khamar-Daban Mountain Range region. The project site will take place in the reserve itself, within a forested area near the Osinovka River. It will be located near the shore of Lake Baikal, some 5 km north of Tankhoi Village, with its 1,300 mainly Russian and Buryat residents.

(If you have  Google Earth program, you can see a map of this project).

Setting:  The Baikalskiy National Nature Reserve is situated in the southern part of Lake Baikal. Its northern border runs along the lake, separated from the water only by the steel rails of the Trans-Siberian railway. In 1986, Baikalskiy gained the status of a Biosphere Reserve and was recognized by UNESCO as part of the international network of biosphere reserves which represent the most important types of the world’s ecosystems. The Reserve is especially important as a conservation area for water fowl. Its rare species include black storks, white-tailed sea eagles, and the rare Daur storks. Among the many mammals living in the Reserve are moose, brown bears, sable, deer, foxes, badgers, mink, weasels, and bats.

The Khamar-Daban mountain range, which passes through the territory of the Reserve to the south and south-east of Baikal, is one of the most beautiful and fascinating mountain ranges of the Baikal region. The gently sloping mountains of the Khamar-Daban range arch alongside Baikal for 350 kilometers, reaching an average of 1500-1800 meters in height. The highest peak, Khan-Ula, is 2,371 meters above sea level. The Khamar-Daban range is a unique and rare place even by Baikal standards. The vegetation here truly reminds one of a lush Amazon wilderness – hence the project name. Because of the humid climate in the area, enormous relict trees predating the Ice Age, and ferns taller than man, flourish throughout the Khamar-Daban.

Long-term Goal: The Reserve conducts several popular environmental educational programs for local children and adults and international groups. These programs range from a few hours in the field to overnight hikes. In partnership with local schools, the Reserve staff uses eco-trails to take visitors on tours to see the local flora and fauna. The trail is one of two reserve trails allowing organized groups, accompanied by Reserve staff, to experience the wildlands here. The Reserve’s future plans include the addition of 12 kilometers of educational eco-trails. (There are currently 7 km of existing trail) GBT volunteers will take part in the construction of these new trails and the improvement of existing trails.

Project Work: Working on the trail bed, clearing fallen trees and dwarf pines from the trail, rerouting some sections of the trail, building small bridges and dikes, and reinforcing the trail along the steeper slopes. The current 7 kilometers of trail requires some improvement and restoration. Some sections are rocky in their terrain, so trail construction can be especially challenging for this project.

Work Schedule: The group will work 5 days a week, 6 hours a day with rest breaks and a longer break for lunch. Please read the description of a typical day at camp.  Depending upon weather conditions and the mood of the group, the crew leader has the authority to change the daily working schedule.

Meals and Accommodations: Camp will be in the vicinity of a zimovyo, or a wintering hut built by Reserve workers. The zimovyo is about 5 kilometers from the village of Tankhoi, where the Reserve headquarters and the nearest modern facilities are located. Here, next to a beautiful, but chilly, mountain river (don’t forget your bathing suit!), you will live in primitive, wilderness conditions: in tents with a pit latrine, cooking over a campfire. There will be three hot meals and two snacks a day, and volunteers will share cooking and cleaning duties during the project. GBT staff will buy all the necessary cooking supplies and ingredients in advance of the project.  See our MENU for examples. Most likely there will be no other groups in the area, so you will enjoy the solitude and beauty of the area without distractions. Please note: you will need to carry your personal belongings and camp gear to the camp site.

 Entertainment and Relaxation: During one weekend off, you will visit Tankhoi village, where you will be able to enjoy the Baikalskiy Nature Reserve Museum as well as familiarize yourself with local Buryat culture. You will have a guided tour of the area and be able to talk with and ask questions of the reserve staff.  You will also have an opportunity to see traditional Buryat and Evenk dwellings. And of course you will have a great time experiencing our Russian wet saunas- which are called banyas in Russian.

There will also be an additional weekend excursion – the group will go to Lake Baikal, enjoy wonderful views across the lake, sunbathe and swim in the lake as well.

For two weeks you will live and work in one of the most unique environments of Lake Baikal. You will be fall asleep to the soothing sounds of mountain waterfalls. During your time off you can take walks along the Osinovka River, located just 30 meters from the camp.  You can also go for a quick dip in its refreshing water, and explore the many secrets of Khamar-Daban. And don’t forget the evenings, which you will spend talking and laughing by the camp fire, under the starry Siberian sky.  There will be plenty of chances to get to make new friends out of recent strangers, who are likely to become your new family during the two weeks of unforgettable adventure.

Contribution Fee: 10900 Rubles (approximately $ 420 US or 320 EURO; please check the current exchange rate at http://www.cbr.ru/eng/currency_base/daily.asp.) The contribution fee covers: a special invitation from the GBT organization, which you can use to apply for a Russian visa; GBT staff person meeting you at the airport or train station in Irkutsk; help with arranging your accommodations in Irkutsk; visa registration with the Russian authorities; arranging transportation to Tankhoi, the project starting point (cost for transportation to Tankhoi is not included in this overall fee, but is not a large sum of money); all transportation within the project area; all meals on the project; the services of a crew leader and interpreter during the project; all administrative expenses; project entertainment costs including week-end excursions; tools and other equipment, including a tent for two persons to sleep in. 100% of the project fee goes for direct project expenses.

Required Experience: None

Age Range:  18+ years

Additional Requirements:  Please make sure to carefully read the General Information for Volunteers and the List of Necessary Equipment, Fitness

Fitness: Trail building includes: walking 1 - 4 kilometers a day through forested areas possibly with no paths; using pick, shovels, and other tools to dig out vegetation to make a path; lifting logs and other debris; hand sawing; and carrying tools. You will need to carry your personal stuff and project gear and food all the way to the project site, it may be somewhat physically challenging.

Transportation and Meeting Location: Volunteers travel independently to Irkutsk. Once in Irkutsk, you will travel as a group by minibus or train to Tankhoi. In general, it takes 4-5 hours to get from Irkutsk to Tankhoi and costs between 500 and 600 rubles (about $27 US or 16 EURO). If you have questions regarding transportation, contact our volunteer coordinator. 

To Irkutsk by air:   Moscow – Irkutsk (5.5 hours)

To Irkutsk by train: Moscow – Irkutsk (3.5 days)

Please note that your contribution fee does not include any expenses incurred while getting to the starting point of the project, the village of Tankhoi.

Important Visa Information:

1. The Great Baikal Trail is registered in the Federal Migration Service as an organization with the permission to provide official invitations to foreign visitors. This process takes between 4 and 6 weeks. However, it may take even longer than this at times, which is why we accept applications for an invitation only until April the 1^st. After April 1, you will still be able to obtain your invitation for a fee through other specialized agencies, like Get Russian www.getrussian.com/order/forms.php?a_aid=BaikalInfo and Red Star at www.waytworussia.com

2. Every foreigner traveling through Russia has to comply with the obligatory visa registration process in any location where you stay for more than three business days. Since this process takes at least a day, project participants should arrive in Irkutsk no later than July 8th.

Contact Yulia Misevich, international volunteer coordinator at gbt.volunteers@gmail.com, with any questions.

If you are interested in participation, please, fill in GBT volunteer application form

Note:  In the past we have had a few instances of technical difficulties where some information sent to us through the website was lost in transition.  If you do not receive a response within a week of writing us please email us at these addresses: gbt.volunteers@gmail.com and yulia@greatbaikaltrail.org .

Project Personnel:

Project Manager: Victoria Krasnopevtseva, Baikal State Biosphere Reserve, director of Environmental Education. Department, Project manager at Baikal Nature Reserve for summers 2005 through 2008.

Responsibilities: The project manager is responsible for the overall planning, coordination and implementation of the project. You will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the manager and she will be in frequent contact with the volunteer group throughout the duration of the project. However, she will not always be present at your project location. Your crew leader will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the project.

Crew Leader: TBA. We will send you background information about your crew leader several weeks before the project starts.

Responsibilities: The main GBT staff member on the project, the crew leader coordinates the day-to-day trail work and the organization of the camp.

Assistant Crew Leader: TBA.

Responsibilities: The Assistant Crew Leader will help the crew leader in the management of the project. 

Translator: TBA

Responsibilities: The translator is responsible for translating for the crew leader (who may or may not speak English) and helping with communication between Russian and English speaking crew members. The translator also plans and conducts the social activities of the group. 

Past volunteer comments about this project:

• If you want to see Siberia, or even just any area of the beautiful nature, up close, I think this is the way to do it. There is a really good balance between working on trails and relaxing with people from all over the world. You get to live in a beautiful, unique place and at the same time help preserve it. A wonderful experience!

• A once in a lifetime experience that changes your way of thinking about nature and the world. If you live in a city you have to do it to know that there are not cars, houses, bad smells,…everywhere in this world.

• Great to work together with people of different nationalities and share experience!

 

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