Nilova Pustyn resort treatment. Nilova Pustyn - thermal waters of Lake Baikal
I’ll tell you briefly what radon baths are.
Radon baths are a treatment method based on the use of radioactive water or air enriched with radon-222 (222Rn, an isotope of radon that occurs during the alpha decay of radium-226 and is part of the radioactive family of uranium-238).
Don't be alarmed, everything is much more prosaic and simpler.
But that's not what I'm talking about.
Today there will be a few photos, for the quality of which I immediately apologize. The fact is that, as usually happens, I forgot my camera at home, which I only remembered while sitting on the bus, leaving the bus station. So everything was filmed on a phone, and the camera on it, as it turned out, is “not ice”...
I'll start in order. I had a rest in “Energetika”, so that’s what we’ll talk about next.
Solution: take a break from cooking and crocks, from my husband, and in general for a couple of weeks of vacation and a change of scenery. Result: purchasing a ticket.
How to get to Nilova Putsina
People come “to the waters” to improve their health from everywhere, from young to old. Bathing is allowed from the age of five.
You can get to Nilova Pustyn and the boarding houses located in it only by regular bus, which makes daily trips there once a day, and also leave. Or on your own. Electric trains don't go there.
Travel time is six hours (if there is no force majeure - local rivers may overflow their banks, then God knows how long the wait will be). I was lucky - I arrived at my destination - the Energetik boarding house at 15-45. local time. There was a quick check-in with receiving room keys according to the tariff and we were directed to a late lunch.
Next to Energetik there are four more boarding houses located adjacent to each other. The prices for accommodation in all of them are different, you need to find out everything in advance.
Service of the sanatorium complex Nilova Putsyni
They fed us “for slaughter”, quite tasty and very high in calories. And if you are not picky)) and are omnivorous, then by the end of your vacation you will also gain a few kilos)), so don’t get carried away.
There are three buildings in total in the boarding house; the time of their creation (at least two of them) can be judged from the photo. I was moved to the third, as it later turned out, VIP building. I still don’t understand what’s so VIP about it. The difference between the building is its more or less modern decoration and the presence of a plastic shower.
TVs and refrigerators (small) are in all rooms. I’ll say something about TV separately - it shows 7 channels without interference, but... the remote control in our room, no matter how we tried to use it, did not work. All switching is only on the plasma itself)) In principle, for me this is garbage. I still read a lot.
The rooms are quite spacious, but the service... Room cleaning is daily, but its quality... left much to be desired.
In simpler rooms, the shower consisted of a bathtub with a side about 30 cm high and a curtain. At least wash yourself...
Entertainment and leisure in the Nilo Stolobenskaya desert
There are practically none. There is a modest bar located in the basement of the first building, where local “aboriginals” have fun almost every day. For reference, the acoustics in all rooms of all buildings are excellent, so I sincerely sympathize with those who moved into the first building. My neighbor and I could also hear the young active couple well at night. They envied them in silence.
If you have a sudden desire to read a book, welcome to the shelves. We had two of them on our floor. For all vacationers... However, few people took advantage of this offer...
You can walk a few kilometers (about 4x) on foot to the datsan, located in front of the slope of the sacred mountain, entry is prohibited, visit the lama, who, for an unspecified symbolic fee (read - give, whatever you don’t mind), will make a prediction for a month or a year. But in general terms, don’t expect any specifics. Everything is streamlined, in general terms. The three of us went, one of my fellow travelers was outraged that the lama appeared in ordinary jeans and a sweater. Where's the exotic outfit? She received compensation in the form of a mantra read (for her success) at high speed...
By the way, photography and video shooting are prohibited on the territory of the datsan, but the Russians are a cunning people, and I took a photo before entering the territory. The most interesting thing is that a prayer house is being built right opposite the entrance, but it is NOT in the photo. Mysticism? Or were the spirits against it? Who knows... My fellow travelers actually ended up with photos with a dark, empty background... at the entrance to the datsan
On the territory of the datsan, the branches of all visible trees are decorated with ribbons, symbolizing the requests of those who come - for love, health, money. (For the reason stated above, the photo was not taken, why break the established order?)
Opposite the datsan there is a local eatery, a cafe, where you can eat manti and drink tea. All amenities are on the street.
The Tunkinskaya Valley itself has a very beautiful area. Not yet cut down forests, rivers with sharp turns. In this regard, there is something to look at and admire.
Nature and surroundings of the Nile Desert
What else besides treatment in a sanatorium?.. You can order shish kebab in the dining room (additional fee), where would you be without it. They marinate the meat for you (if there is any meat), you yourself on special. on the site, light up the grill and off you go, and the firewood has already been prepared for you, you don’t have to chop or chop anything. You buy hot drinks for the barbecue yourself in one of the stores, table and sandbox table and sandbox
- For children there is a sandbox, for adults there is a table.
- Sun loungers are available for sun lovers.
- Those who wish can ride a rented bike. Specifically, in my boarding house, the bicycles were old - a couple of refurbished “adults” - maybe someone still remembers them, and cams.
There was also an emergency. One madame, far from Balzac’s age (about 60 years old), decided to shake off the old days and show class to the youth. She sat down on a two-wheeled vehicle right in the garage and, while quickly taxiing out of there, fell. The result is an open fracture of the arm, a trip to a neighboring village to see a doctor to apply a plaster cast, interrupted treatment. Conclusion - when remembering your youth, be careful.
These are the things...
"Supermarket" for tourists
If you want to buy yourself something tasty, there are two (!) stores, one of them with a very meager assortment.. And only one of them can pay for purchases plastic card. If there is a connection...
In general, there are no ATMs there, so take cash with you. In sufficient quantities to pay for the necessary procedures and any extravagances. For comparison - at the time of my trip - the cost of a massage of the entire spine area (I think that’s what it’s called - from the tailbone to the crown) is 400 rubles, add another 50 and the massage therapist will come to your room at a time convenient for you. In the city, the same type of massage is from 800 to 1200. The difference is noticeable, right? You can also (I’m sleeping everyone now) 😆 😳) agree to pay for the massage “in your hands” to the specialist himself. Their salary is small, so they “make a living” as best they can...
Local traders sell souvenirs at exorbitant prices, apparently brought from Mongolia. Hats, keychains, jewelry, belts and vests made of camel hair, “Made in China” slippers, Mongolian green tea in briquettes and other crap. Active trading goes from 10-00 o'clock until 2-3 days, if there is bad weather outside, then there is no one at all. Why torture yourself once again and leave the walls of the health resort?
Information: both the shops and the medical buildings themselves are located within a 20-minute walk from the boarding house. A bus runs to the medical buildings once an hour back and forth. And then until three in the afternoon... Along this same (and only road) there are a number of boarding houses located at different distances from each other.
Wellness procedures
At the place where the radon baths were taken there were queues... In short, we had to wait everywhere. Fortunately, time flew by unnoticed, I took an e-reader with me... I had to wait from 30 minutes to 2 hours. I'm serious. It all depends on the influx of people and the season. These are the things...
Well, I already wrote about massage above.
Generally in the area large number stray dogs fed by visitors. The livestock is not regulated in any way. It should be noted that these animals there are amazingly impudent. They can even bite the bag with their teeth if it smells like something tasty. Thank God, there were no attacks on people.
Stay in this wonderful place
There are at least a dozen boarding houses in the Nile Desert. “Filatovsky”, “Shumak”, “Health”, “Energetik” and a number of those whose names I don’t remember.
Do you want a vacation? budget option- you can go to a hotel where shared kitchen and a refrigerator, a bathroom, payment only for a bed. The rooms are, accordingly, far from VIP class, but quite well built and clean(!). Cook it yourself. As a result, the vacation turns out to be 3-4 times cheaper, even if you buy a full package of procedures.
Locals also rent out houses for a very reasonable price.
In general, that's all, if you have any questions, welcome to the comments. I hope I didn’t scare anyone off with my story).
Is it worth visiting the sanatorium in Nilova Putsyn?
As it turned out, the effect of radon baths is not felt immediately - it is cumulative. Those. you arrived, like in a fairy tale, took a dip in the water once or twice and jumped out, like the fairy-tale Ivanushka, from a cauldron of a young gazelle - no one promises this. But you will forget about crunchy knees and a sore neck, like many other “joys”, for a while.
Please note: drinking alcohol and sunbathing during radon treatment is not recommended.
I had a good rest. The company was excellent, no everyday worries. Disadvantages of the service - so where are they not? But in the foreseeable future, if I go to Nilovka, it will only be as a “savage.” Firstly, it’s so cheap and cheerful, and secondly, only because of the baths.
Find out how much it will cost to stay in the Nile Desert for your dates. If the price suits you, you can directly book a hotel or sanatorium in the Nile Desert
Nilova Pustyn (Buryatia)- Very quiet place. Most people come here for treatment at one of the many boarding houses, as well as on health vouchers from enterprises. So if your goal is to have fun, it's better to choose another place.
The nature here is very beautiful, everything seems conducive to a peaceful holiday. You can come to Nilova Hermitage for one day as an excursion if you are vacationing in Arshan or Zhemchug.
One of my favorite roads is the Kultuk-Mondy highway.
The road to Nilovka: another picturesque bridge 156th km of mountain beauty. Turn right.
Nilova Hermitage - view of the mountains 
Nilova Hermitage - near the sign 
Nilova Pustyn - the beginning Along a narrow road running along the bank of a river with a difficult name for me, Ikhe-Ukhgun, which flows into Irkut, we reach the entrance, where rocks stand like gates, separated by water.
Well, basically the whole village...
KIDDING! A couple more views of this resort:
Once we spent the night in this green building. There was no more desire to stay overnight in the Nile Desert. I'll explain why below.
On the bridge over Ikhe-Ukhgun 
Now I’ve definitely shown everything (at least what I saw))) There is also the Shumak cafe - as I understand it, the center of local social life, and several more boarding houses further along the river.
As I said above, here they are treated for everything, in my opinion. And this means that most of the people from the resorts of the Nile Desert are middle-aged and older people who came here for a specific purpose - to get rid of ailments. Guess who were our neighbors in the green boarding house, whose name I forgot???
That's right, but we are accustomed to freedom of movement, the absence of a mode and the sounds of “Field of Miracles” from the TV speakers. So, when our old bones ache and our eyes begin to twitch nervously because our hearts are stabbing, we will definitely come here for treatment. Well, for now... Let's move on, the most interesting thing is there, you just have to drive/walk along the road!
Nilova Pustyn Resort - huge boulders 
Nilova Pustyn Resort - huge boulders and small child for contrast 
Nilova Hermitage in winter - that time it was just very cold! 
The frost was below 30 degrees Celsius 
That's why we only traveled by car. 
The Nilova Desert in winter attracts with its special icy beauty! ABOUT medicinal properties The water in this area has been known for a very long time. The name of the resort is deciphered as follows. It arose on behalf of Archbishop Nile, to whom the Irkutsk governor in the mid-19th century transferred several buildings made so that the governor’s wife could improve her health here. Nile founded a “hermitage,” which means an Orthodox settlement for monks, located at a distance from the monastery.
The peak of popularity of the Nilova Pustyn resort occurred during the period of the USSR, after the collapse of which it began to fall into disrepair. But now, every year, I have again begun to occupy the place that it deserves. Sanatoriums and boarding houses are gradually being rebuilt, tourists are increasingly interested in this area, because... the healing effect of radon and other sources is truly impressive! And nature and silence have a positive effect on well-being.
Namzhal Longevity Stupa, built on the site of two sacred stones in 2003 
The stupa expresses all stages of the path to enlightenment 
Datsan Nilova Pustyn - here the belief in the protective power of this place is preserved 
Inside we noticed a lot of children's toys and dolls: boys and girls. It turns out that this is the place where they ask for children to be born.
Inscriptions on the territory of the datsan:
Near Mount Kholma-Uta, I meditate in wild rosemary As you can see, there are ribbons tied everywhere - zalaa in Buryat.
When we were in the datsan, we talked with the servant and he gave us a blue hadak. As we learned later, it is a symbol of harmony, concord and tranquility, the embodiment of kindness, fidelity, infinity, location, and longevity. It was a very unusual gift.
In September 2014, the datsan in the sacred place of Burkhan Baabay reopened after restoration. Unfortunately, we haven't been there yet, but we'll definitely go and see the improvements!
The road to Shumak begins from the Nilova Hermitage:
And just beautiful views surroundings:
Nilova Pustyn - the beginning of the trail to Shumak 
Nilova Pustyn-Dry Stream in winter 
Have a successful and educational holiday in the Nile Desert (Buryatia)!!!
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In the Buryat Eastern Sayan Mountains, 265 kilometers from Irkutsk, at an altitude of 915 meters above sea level, in the gorge of the Ukhe-Ugun River, there is one of the most ecologically clean places Russia - balneological resort Nilova Pustyn. Its radon sources cure diseases of the joints, skin, and nervous system. Official story The resort dates back to the mid-19th century and is associated with the Decembrists. In other matters, like most of the attractions of the Baikal region.
On a September morning at 8.45 at the Irkutsk bus station I got into regular bus Irkutsk - Nilova Pustyn. While we were driving through the territory Irkutsk region, the indescribably beautiful Siberian taiga floated past the window...
Gradually the landscape changed. Instead of the golden wall of the taiga autumn forest, a valley and mountain ranges spread out on both sides of the road. We entered the legendary Tunkinskaya Valley, one of sacred places Buryatia. Millions of years ago, a gigantic lake splashed here, and its shores were numerous volcanoes. Their powerful eruption led to the water breaking through the dam and flowing into Baikal. And the volcanoes “fell asleep.” The result of their “sleepy” tectonic activity are numerous mineral springs. On the left side of the road lay dark, gloomy Hamar-Daban. Buryat legends personify him with a cruel old man who tore out the heart of his beloved when she changed her mind about marrying him. On the right side, the white tops of the Tunkin loaches rose to the sky. This name was given to the bare, snow-covered peaks of the Sayan Mountains. On their tops lies basaltic lava, which makes it impossible for any plants to appear there. The Buryats settled their gods on these white peaks in ancient times. And to this day, simultaneously with Buddhism, a shamanic cult is widespread in Tunka, as the inhabitants of the valley lovingly call it. mountain range Sayans. Its common name is Mundarga. But each peak has its own “master” god.
At 14.30 the bus was already in the Nile Desert. I didn’t book anything in advance, thinking that I could easily find a place for one night. Of course, I wanted to spend the night in one of the most comfortable boarding houses, which are Energetik, Filatovsky and Shumak. But alas. You can stay in them for at least 5 days. Not so “sophisticated” boarding houses by local standards, such as “Cheremkhovsky”, “Gornyak”, “Metallurg” and some others accept guests for one night.
My choice fell on the pleasant wooden guest house “At the Karaskovs”, located right on the river bank. The window of the room also overlooked the river and its noise could be heard. But I didn't intend to stay in the room. I wanted to quickly go and enjoy the effective natural beauty around me.
I walked along the bank of the river, carrying its waters between the basalt walls of the gorge and remembered the Buryat legend about the Nilovsky radon spring and the history of the development of the resort.
A long time ago, a brave hunter tracked down a strong and beautiful deer and wounded him with an arrow. But the wounded deer began to run away from the hunter. The hunter pursued his prey for many days, but could not catch up. And suddenly the hunter saw a wounded deer, all exhausted, descending to a stream flowing from a granite rock and forming a small lake. And the deer sank into the lake and after a while jumped out of it, as if it had never been wounded. The hunter did not shoot at the deer, but plunged into the water. And I felt such strength, as if I had become a mighty hero. He thanked all the gods and spirits of this place, and upon returning to the village, he told his relatives about the magical water. And people began to go to the source for healing...
Indeed, the Buryats have long taken unique radon “baths” here: they dug a hole next to the source, and when it was filled with water, they sat in it and sat for as long as they could stand it. But these are men. But women were forbidden to approach the springs, since, according to beliefs, they could desecrate it. For a sick Buryat woman, a husband, father or brother set up a yurt several hundred meters from the water, dug a hole-“bath” in it and carried healing water there in leather bags.
As they say, the earth is full of rumors. And then rumors about healing water reached the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia V.Ya. Rupert. At the end of the 30s of the 19th century, he instructed the Turan border detachment to study the area near the springs for safety. In 1840, a commission consisting of the inspector of the Irkutsk Medical Council Sorochinsky and the pharmacist Kulau conducted studies of the composition of water to determine its medicinal properties. Radon springs, which contain large amounts of silicic acid and fluorine, were considered unsuitable for drinking, but very useful as baths. As a result, it was decided to begin construction of a bathhouse and a house “for visitors.” The governor was personally interested in the resort because his wife “suffered from cramped hands.” And the Irkutsk nouveau riche began building their own houses on the still “no man’s land” and renting them out to vacationers.
Soon the Archbishop of Irkutsk and Nerchinsk Nil Isakovich Stolbensky, known as Nikolai Fedorovich (1799-1874), became interested in this place.
A comprehensively educated man with extensive knowledge of Christian and Buddhist theology, as well as geology and chemistry, Archbishop Neil took the healing place under his protection. By decision of the Irkutsk governor in 1845, it was ordered to give up the nascent resort Orthodox Church“as a revenue item for the spiritual department.” The archbishop began active work on the construction of a resort. Local wealthy merchants and nobility made large charitable contributions to its development. As a result, a bathhouse, a small hotel, premises for church services and a church were built. At the same time, a monastery for monks was built here. In 1852, Tsar Nicholas I approved the “Regulations on the provincial male desert in the name of the Venerable Nil of Stolbensky,” and the resort was named Nilova Pustyn. And although Neil himself was transferred in 1853 to the position of Archbishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov, his brainchild continued to function and develop.
The resort was run by a monk sent by the archbishop. There was no permanent doctor here. Patients came on the recommendations of their doctors and used the baths at their own discretion. Hot water, about 40 degrees, flowed out in a small stream from a crack in the granite; She was led along an open chute to the bathroom building - a simple hut with three rough wooden bathtub boxes. There was no cold water supply, and holidaymakers had to wait until the water cooled down. The resort could accommodate 20 people at a time, equal to the number of rooms in the house for visitors. But despite such spartan treatment conditions, the resort was very popular, and visiting here was considered a special luxury. And no wonder. His fame in the circles of the Irkutsk nobility was created by the Governor-General himself and the Decembrists who were freed after hard labor and settlement, who were allowed to live in Irkutsk. It is documented that princes S. Volkonsky and S. Trubetskoy, the Bestuzhev brothers, visited here. In the Nerchinsk prison for many years they were in shackles day and night, working in the mines. The subsequent exile to a settlement in the Petrovsky plant, in a marshy area, also did not improve their health. And the water of the Nile Desert was able to heal joints crippled by shackles and restore mental health.
Over the following years, Nilova Hermitage continued to be a favorite place for the local secular, spiritual, and merchant elite to heal. After 1917 it was recognized as a resort of local importance. During the Great Patriotic War, a hospital was established here. In subsequent years, the resort developed and expanded. Some decline occurred at the end of the last century, but modernization is now underway. Most recently, a new building was built for the bathroom building, which also housed numerous rooms for physiotherapy, massage and other procedures. Here vacationers are ensured the restoration of physical health.
For mental health, most of them go to the Nilovsky datsan, located 4 km from the resort, upstream Ukhe-Ugun, at the foot of the sacred Buryat mountain Burkhan Baabai.
Burkhan Baabai is the Father, the Supreme Deity, who chose the mountain as his residence. Residents of the Tunka Valley also call it Shargai Noyon. According to legend, the god Khan Shargai Noyon, the head of all the gods sitting on the peaks of the Sayan Mountains, descended from heaven here to protect Tunku from nomads. The armed god was accompanied by four war horses. With their hooves they dug up the slopes of the mountain so much that white sand. This sand was and is considered healing. Since ancient times, amulets for warriors have been made from it; it has been used as a means of giving male strength and longevity. Now climbing the mountain is prohibited and no one collects sand anymore. But still the mountain remains a place of reverence and worship. Its healing and protective power is believed today as it was many centuries ago. At the foot of this mountain is the Nilovsky Datsan. The history of the datsan began in 1868, when the first prayer building was built. However, it is precisely in our days that the datsan has become one of the most revered religious places in Buryatia. In the summer of 2003, the Buddhist stupa Namzhal, the Stupa of Longevity, was erected here. The money for its construction was collected by everyone in the republic. The stupa was consecrated by the highest Lamaist leadership. Nowadays, services are held periodically in the datsan and the lama is received daily. Some of them are professional specialists in Tibetan medicine. The fee for visiting lamas is not fixed. Whoever can pays as much as he can.
In Buryatia, especially in the Baikal region, Lamaism and shamanism are very closely intertwined. Therefore, you should not be surprised that a Buddhist datsan was built next to an ancient cult shamanic place. As the lama in the datsan told me, it doesn’t matter what religion you are. It is important that you pray from your heart and turn the prayer wheels only clockwise.
The road to the datsan is a true immersion in the mighty and majestic beauty of the Siberian taiga. On the left, the Ukhe-Ugun River lives up to its name with its flow, which means “big water” in Buryat. It either flows rapidly through the gorge, foaming on small rapids, or spreads quite widely and shines like a mirror.
And of course, numerous “zalaa”, ribbons that Buryats tie in the habitats of deities. By tying a ribbon, a person makes a request. Some write prayers on ribbons. Buryats believe that not only spirits and gods help people, but also people help the gods, using their “zalaa” to drive away all evil from sacred places.
Well, the circle has been completed. In front of me is the Namzhal Stupa, and behind it the sacred mountain is visible. “The purpose of building the stupa is long health for the old and the absence of obstacles to the life of the young,” reads the text next to it. In general, there are many signs on the territory with sayings of famous Buddhist figures. As for the Longevity Stupa, its energy is designed to improve the health of visitors.
Having recharged with this energy and thanking God, the ruler of this place, I set off back to the Nilova Hermitage. Walking along the river, I think about how great it is to sunbathe on its rocky banks here in the summer and that I might come back here someday, but at least for a week... I fall asleep late in the evening to the sound of the river, and In the morning I wake up to the cries of taiga birds.
Bus again at 8.45. Now to Irkutsk. I'm leaving this amazing place, which is so insightful even in mid-19th century was described by the Irkutsk writer and local historian N.S. Shchukin, and which has remained virtually unchanged over the years: “A fast, high-water river noisily makes its way between huge stones, so that if you stand on the bank, you cannot hear the words of the speaker. On the opposite bank hung a dilapidated cliff with blocks of huge stones... .
The formidable peaks of the granite Mandryk ridge are visible, covered up to half the height with snow.... The river seems to burst out of a dense forest and boil with white foam.”
.In my soul there is harmony, unity with the Universe, nature, myself and gratitude to the people who were able to preserve this unique place almost in pristine condition.
→Nilova Pustyn is one of the most famous places in Siberia. It is located in the picturesque foothills of the Eastern Sayan Mountains. This valley has no equal in its healing properties. Mountain climate, clean air, favorable climatic conditions- all this creates a favorable environment for relaxation and strengthening and health.
There are legends about the healing properties of the springs of the Nile Desert. How many people have been cured by the miracle water of the Nile Desert, how many ailments it has helped get rid of! It was formed as a result of faults and shifts in the earth's crust. At a depth of hundreds of meters, the Nile springs, heated by the temperature of the earth's crust, gain strength. Enriched with microelements and biologically active components - silicic acid, nitrogen, fluorine, etc. - this water becomes living and healing. It also contains radon gas, which makes it unique.
There is a huge list of indications for treatment with radon baths. These are diseases: musculoskeletal system, disorders of the nervous system, peripheral nervous system, skin, cardiovascular, central nervous system, gynecological, as well as the male reproductive system, skin, endocrine system and metabolism. One of the extraordinary properties of radon sources is its stimulating effect on the immune system, on the work of “killer” cells that destroy cancer cells in the body.
The Radon boarding house is located in this unique valley. Well-appointed single, double and triple rooms with hot and cold water are homely and cozy. And food, seasoned with good and friendly service, is complete and healthy. Vacationers here are truly comfortable, which means that treatment becomes more effective and their vacation memorable.
