Russiakrasavato the big water: a guide to trips to Russia's lakes

An independent guide to trips to Russia's large lakes. We sell no tours or tickets and are not connected with the former site on this domain.

Planning

How to Plan a Trip to a Big Lake, Step by Step

This article lays out the steps for anyone heading to the big water for the first time or hoping to plan their next trip with less stress. By the end, you'll have a clear goal, a chosen season, a well-thought-out route with a backup option, the rules for museums and protected areas checked, a realistic plan for each day and a backpack packed with warm layers. You won't find hotels, carriers or prices here, just the steps and pointers on where to check current conditions.

A lake trip starts with the wind forecast, not with a ticket. Everything else is easy to adjust once you know what the water will be like.

— Editor's note

What you'll need

  • Rough dates and the number of days you have free
  • One sentence about your goal: quiet by the water, hiking, islands or a winter landscape
  • A website with wind and wave forecasts for the lake you've chosen
  • The official websites of museums and protected areas along your route
  • A phone with an offline map and 112 saved in your contacts

  1. Define your goal

    Decide what matters most to you: quiet contemplation, hiking along the shore, islands and wooden architecture, or a frozen lake. Your goal shapes your choice of lake, the season and your gear.

    If you want to see wooden churches, you need an island museum and a season when boats run there.

  2. Choose a season

    The northern summer is short, fall on the water is windy, and in winter the lake freezes over. Choose the time of year based on your goal, not on hopes of perfect weather.

    For long walks without the heat, early summer or early fall works well, as long as you're ready for cool weather.

  3. Check the wind and water

    Start following the wind and wave forecast a few days before your trip. Strong wind on the big water cancels boats and makes the water's edge dangerous.

    The forecast calls for gusty, squally wind over the weekend, so move your island day to a calmer one.

  4. Plan the journey

    Break the journey into legs: to the town on the shore, from there to the trail or pier, and across the water to the island. Find a backup option for each leg.

    If the boat is canceled, you'll spend that day on a shoreline trail and in the town's museums.

  5. Check the rules for museums and protected areas

    Island museums, cliffs with ancient rock art and protected shorelines are visited according to their own rules and schedules. Read them on the official websites.

    Before heading to an island museum, find out which routes are open in your season and how to get back on the last boat.

  6. Find lodging that fits your route

    For a stay of several days, it's convenient to base yourself in one place by the water and head out to different shores traveling light. Confirm booking and cancellation terms directly.

    A lakeside town with a pier makes a handy base for both an island trip and shoreline walks.

  7. Keep a spare day

    Don't schedule a boat trip for your last day, and keep at least one day free for bad weather. The wind doesn't care about your tickets.

    For a week at the lake, plan five full days and two free ones.

  8. Pack your bag and double-check everything the day before

    A warm layer, a waterproof jacket, comfortable shoes, water, a first-aid kit, a charged phone and a power bank. If you're going out on the water, a life jacket.

    The evening before you leave, check the forecast and the boat schedule one more time and send your plan to family or friends.

Common mistakes

  • Scheduling the island trip for the day you leave
  • Counting on warm water and packing only summer clothes
  • Going out on the water without a life jacket or in strong wind
  • Walking out on the ice where it isn't allowed, or alone
  • Heading to an island museum without checking the schedule and visitor rules
  • Leaving trash by the water in the hope that someone else will pick it up

If plans change

  • If the boat is canceled, swap the island for a shoreline trail and the town's museums
  • If it gets too cold, cut your walks short and enjoy the water from the waterfront
  • If you only have a couple of days, choose a lake closer to home and a single goal
  • If you want to visit a lake in winter, admire the ice from the shore and stick to walks on land

Check before you go

  • Trip goal and season chosen
  • Wind and wave forecast checked the day before
  • Journey planned, with a backup option for the boat trip
  • Rules and schedules for museums and protected areas read
  • Lodging chosen to fit the route
  • A free day for bad weather built into the plan
  • Warm layers, life jacket, first-aid kit, charged phone and 112 saved
  • Getting there

    Train, car, local bus and passenger boat: how to reach the lake and why boat service depends on the weather.

  • Destinations

    Six kinds of lake trips, from northern islands to a winter shoreline, plus four questions to help you choose.

  • Local guide

    Shoreline etiquette for travelers, cold water, life jackets, ice safety and the 112 emergency number.

Sources

  • Encyclopedic sources on Lake Baikal and Lake Onega
  • Kizhi Museum-Reserve: visitor rules
  • EMERCOM of Russia: water and ice safety guidelines

This guide covers lake trips in general terms. Boat schedules, visitor rules at museum-reserves and protected shorelines, ice conditions and weather on the water all change, so check them against official sources shortly before you go.