One of the most important questions of almost every traveler - "What to bring home as a gift?". You always want to bring for your family and your friends something special and unique, something that will always remind of the wonderful trip. Today, we'll tell you - what to bring from the lake Baikal?

1. Baikal omul
For sure, delicious omul is the best gift, and also unique one. Because the home of this wonderful fish is only the lake Baikal. If 5-10 years ago bringing omul home was a big problem (it goes off on the road, stinking all the luggage), now the fish plants produce vacuum packages. Today on the shelves you can find smoked omul, dried omul, omul in oil with various spices, kegs of omul, preserves etc. Do not overpay in souvenir shops - go to any large supermarket, where you are sure to find omul in any gift box, and at reasonable prices. Salty omul in plastic round jar (150 grams) will cost about 120 rubles, smoked omul in vacuum package (650 grams) costs about 500 rubles, a barrel of omul (1 kg) - about 900 rubles. Such a gift will surely surprise everyone!

2. Pine nuts (chocolate sweets "cedar roasted nuts", honey with pine nuts)

Now nobody will be surprised from pine nuts - they can be easily found on the shelves of supermarkets in almost every city of every country. But at what price! And here, on the Lake Baikal cedar grows in many places, and as a consequence, the price of nuts is much lower. Entrepreneurs do not relax: here you can find pine nuts in gift packages (sacks, bags, birch baskets), very delicious cedar roasted nuts, honey with nuts etc. It is a very tasty and useful gift! Of course, prices in supermarkets are lower than in souvenir shops. The average value of 100 grams of peeled pine nuts is about 160 rubles (for comparison, in Moscow it will cost about 300-400 rubles), chocolate sweets "cedar roasted nuts" (180 grams) - about 500-600 rubles.

3. Buddhist amulets and talismans

The Republic of Buryatia is the center of Buddhism in Russia, there are here about 25 datsans. Therefore it is not surprising that here you will find a selection of Buddhist amulets, figurines, talismans, beads, pendants, aroma etc. They can be purchased in souvenir shops and in shops around datsans. Be consulted by vendors (especially if you buy souvenirs near the datsan), they will explain, what is the meaning of each amulet, who is your patron, will help you to choose the amulet under your year of birth and so on. And be assured, they will bring good luck and fulfill all your desires. Rates vary depending on what you will choose and from what material.

4. Tea from Baikal shores

The lake Baikal is famous not only for clear waters and sandy beaches, there are here a lot of unique herbs and plants, that makes the basis of tea variety. Therefore Siberian tea in a box is a great gift and souvenir! This tea is not only tasty and natural, but also very useful. The composition of tea includes plants, roots, flowers and herbs, you will not find any chemistry there. Rhododendron adamsii, thyme, willow herb, nettle, meadowsweet, lungwort, mountain ash, wild rose, raspberry and currant leave etc. And a list of health properties of these teas is endless! The cost of tea in a gift box on average 100 grams of about 200 - 250 rubles.

5. Jewellery and souvenirs from local stones

Around the lake there are many deposits of precious and semiprecious stones, so their products - one of the most important gifts that you can bring back from a trip here. Jade, lapis lazuli, tourmaline, turquoise, charoite, malachite, agate, and many others. Necklaces, earrings, figurines, pendants, rings, dishes and everything your heart desires, you will find on the shelves of souvenir and jewelry stores. Prices, of course, are different. You can find the beads of inexpensive stones for 1,000 rubles, but you can find decorations of tens of thousands. But if you want to make a special and precious gift, that is exactly what you need. From souvenirs - key chains with stones from 50 rubles to 300 rubles from the figures, for example, a vase of onyx will cost 1000 rubles.

6. Baikal seals
Of course, it’s impossible to buy a real seal, still you like to take this lovely creation to your home! But now on the shelves of souvenir shops you can find just great choice of soft toys - seals white and gray, big and small. These heartwarming toys will be a great gift, besides very thematically, as the Baikal seal is endemic and can be found only here on Baikal. In addition to the soft toys - you can find everything your heart desires with the image of these lovely animals, towels, T-shirts, caps, mugs, stones, statues and more. The cost varies depending on the size of souvenir toys: small stuffed toys will cost you about 500 rubles, seal large about 1000 rubles, stones depicting the seal can be bought for 200 rubles, beach towels - 800 rubles, etc.

7. Chocolate sweets of local factory

The most famous confectionery factories are "Amta" (Republic of Buryatia) and "Angara" (Irkutsk region). These plants have been operating for decades and produce many different types of chocolates. Now in stores you can find a beautiful gift box of chocolates, which will be a great and tasty gift from the shores of the lake: it is a beautiful set with views of Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude and the lake, and sweets with pine nuts  and premium sets in smart boxes "Gifts of Buryatia", "Buryatia" and "Uliger” etc. Sweets, of course, are cheaper to buy in supermarkets. Cost: a box of chocolates is quite possible to buy for 150 rubles, for example, "Baikal meteorite" (170 grams) costs 100 rubles, and "cedar roasted nuts" (180-200 grams) of this pine nuts about 500-550 rubles. Premium set is more expensive: for example, "Uliger" (390 grams) of about 700-750 rubles, and a three-level box "Gifts of Buryatia" (550 grams) costs about 1100 rubles.

8. Souvenirs "I have been to the Lake Baikal!"
How without magnets, key chains and plateaus? This stuff in souvenir shops in recent years has also become a lot of variety and is much improved. A particular demand is the slogan "I've been to the Lake Baikal!", which is applied to T-shirts, caps, jackets, badges, bags, mugs and other things. If not as a present, then buy for yourself to proudly flaunt on the streets of your city and overseas resorts – it is required. The cost varies from what you get: the magnets are from 30 rubles (there are magnets made of leather or wood - 150-200 rubles), small plates from 300 rubles, T-shirts from 400 rubles and so on.

9. Leather and wood souvenirs

Birth baskets, wood and leather figurines are souvenirs is not only from Siberia, but the whole of Russia. Here, at Lake Baikal - it is no exception, but with the national color. Here you will find the wooden figurines of local people in national costumes, articles of leather with national symbols (wallets, handbags, business card holders, slippers, blankets, paintings etc), wooden bowls, picture frames and boxes, dolls and amulets, in general, all that you wish. Also popular products from camel and sheep wool: socks, slippers, belts, blankets. Prices, of course, depends on what you choose, but significantly lower than counterparts in other regions of Russia: a great leather wallet, you can buy for 800-1000 rubles, wooden box with pine nuts - 800 rubles, socks of this camel wool - 300 rubles.

10. Sulphur

For many people, the word Sulphur is not associated with how it’s used here. Baikal sulphur is a chewing gum from Siberian larch. Here, on the shores of the Lake Baikal, the local chewing gum was known a long time ago, the locals chew sulfur, which is a preventive and therapeutic tool for oral cavity: and strengthens enamel, saves  your teeth from caries, heals gums. In general, not a chewing gum, but a miracle. Taste is specific, but if you like it – you will miss it definitely, so it is better to purchase, as in other regions it’s difficult to find. One packet of sulfur (5 plates) - about 35 rubles