Cape Khoboy

Cape Khoboy is the northern tip of Olkhon Island on Lake Baikal, in the Olkhonsky District of Irkutsk Region. It sits at the lake's widest point, where Baikal reaches 79.5 kilometers across, and its viewpoint looks out toward the eastern shore and the Svyatoy Nos peninsula. The name "Khoboy" means "fang" in Buryat. The cape stretches about a kilometer and covers roughly 34.7 hectares.

Rocks and relief

The cape's cliffs are made of Precambrian crystalline rock. The cape itself forms a huge marble slab that drops straight into the waters of Baikal. Wind and weathering have carved through arches in the stone, and coastal grottoes survive at the foot of the cliffs — the largest reaches about 22 meters in length. At the very tip of the cape stands Deva Rock ("Maiden"), a narrow pillar-like formation visible from the water from far away.

Legends

Several legends surround the cape. One says the name "Khoboy" appeared because a dragon flying past lost a fang here. Another holds that the rocks are a young woman turned to stone out of envy of her own husband; Deva Rock is said to embody this figure frozen in despair. Travelers report hearing a many-voiced echo bouncing off the monolithic rock, and some claim to have seen glowing orbs and pillars of light suddenly appear near the cape. According to belief, walking around the cape three times grants a wish.

Nature

West of the cape is a shamanic site with ritual serge posts. Baikal seals can often be spotted from the viewpoints, and rare and relict plants survive on the cape itself. It is considered one of the windiest spots on Olkhon. In winter, ice sokui build up on the cliffs — ice splashes up to seven stories high that can take the shape of arches and colonnades.

Getting there

Cape Khoboy lies about 40 kilometers from the village of Khuzhir on Olkhon Island, reached by a dirt road. From the parking area near the cape, an eco-trail roughly 2 kilometers long leads to the viewpoint, a walk of about 20 minutes.