Ergaki national park, ultimate hiking experience
In 2011, I've down a huge one-month road trip to Siberia. We visited Altay, Baikal, Tuva and of course Sayan mountain.
This post is about Ergaki, amazing park for hiking in Siberia.
How to get there
Ergaki is located 600km from Krasnoyarsk and 220km from Abakan. You can get there by car, tour bus. or a route bus. It is possible to rent a car in Krasnoyarsk. if you like guided tours then it is possible to find a tour. But if you are only a solo backpacker you can travel on a route bus. The journey is about 13 hours. For more information about bus, check link
Where to stay
There are two options: small houses and tents. In summer periods it is warm at night( about 10 ºC) so if you are used to staying in a tent, bring it on. There are many people choosing that way, you will be not alone and safe.
If you need more comfort just book the house. Up to 10 people can stay in one. The houses are pretty good. There is all you need to cook and eat there(check the picture). Don't forget to bring all the food with you. There is a just small cafe, which is expensive and almost have no food.
Let's move to the main part.
Inside at Ergaki house
What to do
The main thing to do in Ergaki is hiking. There are tons of routes, If you prefer a tent, you can move from one point to another. We stayed in a house so every morning we spend about 2-3 hours walking from it to the main part of the park. And there are lots to see in the park.
The most famous place is the Hanging Stone. It is possible to make cool picture holding it, Don't be afraid it will not fall.
The Hanging Stone
Lakes
There are lots of lakes, all are different sizes. Some are heated properly so it is possible to swim in summer. I swim in one of them. After a day of hiking, it was very refreshing.
lake "Big"
Mountains
Check the map on the internet. There are tons of routes. Mountains are low, so you don't need any acclimatization to walk around there. If you like to climb rocks(check the photo below) you'll find it. Most routes are easy and welcome, just print the map and choose where you want to go.There is a post where you can ask additional information from rangers.
Getting up
Views
The most important in hiking that you get prise for it: the beautiful view of nature.
For more photos check my album Album, Ergaki
If you have any questions about Ergaki, hit me with a message.
Hi Max, Thank you for the cool post and the nice pictures :). I actually plan to go to Ergaki this summer to hike with some friends, and I have a question. You say in your post: "If you prefer a tent, you can move from one point to another." Does that mean that we are allowed to camp in the wild? We really hope so, because we would like to do a 10-day trek, hiking from place to place. Thank you very much in advance! Best, Margot