Munku-Sardyk is the highest point of Buryatia and the highest peak of the Eastern Sayan Mountains. What is the Sayans? This is the name of the mountain system, which combines two large massifs located in the south of Siberia. The territory they occupy belongs to Russia and Mongolia. Sayans are divided into Western and Eastern. In total, the mountain range has 7 peaks. The eastern system completely passes through our state, stretching over a thousand kilometers between the Yenisei and Baikal. It is here that the highest peak of the Sayan Mountains is located.
Hydronym
The name of the peak in Buryat language means "eternal char." Why did indigenous peoples have such associations? And everything is extremely simple. Mount Munku-Sardyk is constantly covered with ice and snow. And the word “char” is the name of the bare rocky peaks used in the Far East.
This mountain had a huge impact on the culture of local peoples, the massif is mentioned in many old tales, legends and traditions that only old people who heard them from their fathers now remember. Even 7 peaks of the massif got their names for a reason, they were named after the sons of Abai-Geser Khan.
Mongol traditions
In many Mongolian tales, there is a saying that mentions a hero whose father was heaven, and his mother was Earth. He lived on the shores of the blue sea, at the foot of the mountain and had a palace whiter than snow, where the door sills were made of silver and the doors were mother-of-pearl. This hero had a throne with 23 legs, also of silver. The owner had many subjects and cattle. No one knows where the mythical palace was and whether it was at all. The ancient legend gave only one more name for the grief - Silver.
Legends about the epic inhabitants
For local peoples, this mountain is a sacred place, the abode of Abai-Geser Khan (an epic hero in the culture of the peoples of Central Asia) and other spirits. Entrance here is forbidden, and only men, having asked the permission of the spirits, can climb the mountain where sacred religious rites are held.
Description of the slopes
The height of Munku-Sardyk is 3,491 m. The summit is located on the border of Mongolia and Buryatia. Mountain valleys of glacial origin. Now there are four glaciers on the slopes. The main one is the northern one, with a thickness of up to 85 m and a depth of 6 m. Nowadays, the area of these glaciers is sharply reduced. The northern slopes of the mountain abruptly break into the valley of the Irkut River, the southern ones, going down to Lake Khubsugul, are more gentle.
Geographic features
The Oka Plateau (plateau in the East Sayan Mountains) is located northeast of the mountain, and rivers such as the Oka, Irkut and Kita originate on it. To the east of Munku-Sardyk are the Tunkinsky Loaches. This is a mountain range, the easternmost spur of the Eastern Sayan Mountains. Exactly in the north is the Aihai glacial lake, at an altitude of 2613 meters. The local landscapes fascinate and amaze with their beauty. Lake Khubsugul is located to the south, at a distance of 12 kilometers from the peak of Munku-Sardyk. Granites prevail in the composition of the rocks; forests are also found in river valleys and on slopes, which can be found up to a height of 2.1 thousand m.
Tourism
It is not surprising that tourism is very developed in this area. The mountain is located on the border of Russia with Mongolia, so climbing is possible on both sides without a visa, but with registration at the border guards. Often group ascents to Munku-Sardyk take place. Several thousand people can go at once.
Russian naturalist Gustav Radde in 1858 made the first ascent. He conquered Munku-Sardyk from the side of Lake Khubsugul, that is, from the south. Today, many mountain climbing routes of varying difficulty have been laid along the top. On the Russian side, the most difficult route is frontal ascent from the icy north, and the easiest way is from the south, where the slope is more gentle.
Popular route among Russians
Most comers climb in early May from the north side of the peak. Recently, this tourist route is very popular, especially among Russian citizens. Every year in the spring, about 5,000 people visit the mountain, of which about 800 climb the massif. They start climbing in the valley of the White Irkut River, where the most popular place is the Mugoveka gorge, with a narrow canyon of 2 kilometers, where you can see many unusual ice waterfalls and ice with steps . Climbing is greatly complicated by the presence of ice with a large slope, in such cases claws, ski poles and other climbing tools are required. However, after overcoming this section, you can enjoy a beautiful view from the top, from where you can see the mountain ranges of the Eastern Sayan Mountains and Lake Hubsugul.
Climbing from Mongolia
Mountain peaks attract many people with their unexplored riddles and enchanting views. Those who want to visit these parts, but are not ready to overcome difficult routes, are advised to travel the path from Mongolia. Climbing is much easier here, as the slope is not very steep, almost to the very top. This side of the slope is actively used for skiing or even hang gliding, because the snow lies here until the end of July. All 7 peaks of Munku-Sardyk are covered with snow, many climbers testify to magnetic storms and difficult weather conditions. Negotiations are currently underway with Russia on the creation of a ski base here.
Bayasgalant Peak
At a distance of about 9 kilometers from Hankh (a small village) is the mysterious peak of Bayasgalant, where there is a fairly large kereskur (funeral structure), with a diameter of about 12 meters. This place is sacred to local residents, and women are strictly forbidden to enter it. None of the old-timers can remember or learn something about the history of this place, it is so ancient. Only the lamas' stories about 1944 are known, when they erected here an obo-religious stone structure, decorated with ribbons and flags.
Legend of the border
Local peoples have a legend about the first drawing of the border between the Chinese and Russians, in which folk heroes appear. According to legend, from Russia went to divide the territory of Gong-Sava, and from China - Sesen-ugan. They divided the lands, set boundaries, and Mount Munku-Sardyk was on the Russian side. The Chinese wished to get the top for himself and came up with a trick: he asked Gong-Sava to give him a piece of land the size of a bull’s skin, and when he allowed, he found the largest bull, took off his skin, cut it into belts and wrapped them all mountain and, thus, the highest peak went to China. But, according to legend, the Russian seal remained on the mountain, the Chinese press out the mountain to remove the seal, but they cannot do it at all.
To summarize
As a result, we can say that the mountain peaks of the Sayan massif are undoubtedly a significant attraction. These places are perfect for a pleasant vacation with health benefits. Studying these territories and conquering the peaks will help expand your horizons and give you the opportunity to plunge into the rich culture of Central Asia. Those who want to climb to the top should remember that the slopes here are quite dangerous, so you need to have good physical preparation.
Each year, many tourists visit Munku-Sardyk, mainly in order to relax, enjoy the wonderful views of the Eastern Sayan Mountains and take part in the mass climb, which is held annually.