Lake Gusinoye

Lake Gusinoye lies in a basin near Gusinoozyorsk, a few kilometres from Lake Baikal's southern tip. Area ~164 km²; water is brackish and warms less than fresh lakes in summer. Low, sometimes marshy shores; steppe on the south, Khamar-Daban slopes to the north. Fed by the Jida and Barun-Udun rivers and springs. Nesting and stopover site for migratory birds — ducks, swans, waders in season. Fishing and shore recreation are possible but infrastructure is modest. Gusinoozyorsk grew around coal mining; old piers and water use remain visible. Steppe horizon and dark ridges on the skyline. Combine with Altan-Bolag springs and Khamar-Daban passes — a base for southern Buryatia away from Ulan-Ude.