Zabaykalsky Krai in 3 Russian words

Gateway to Russia

Jul 14 2026

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This resource-rich region, also known as the Trans-Baikal Region, is often dubbed the "Uranium Heart of Russia". According to one theory, it was where Genghis Khan was born. Here are the three of its main symbols.

1. ЧАРСКИЕ ПЕСКИ (Chara Sands)

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The Chara Sands is a true desert in the Siberian taiga, formed on the site of an ancient glacial lake. This 30-square-kilometer sandy expanse is surrounded by swamps, marshes and dense spruce forests. In winter, the sand is covered with ice crystals – a kind of "snow flowers".

2. АГИНСКИЙ ДАЦАН (Aginsky Datsan)

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This is the largest Buddhist monastery complex in the Trans-Baikal Region. Russian masons and carpenters built it from 1811 to 1816, which is why the datsan combines elements of not only Tibetan and Chinese, but also Russian architectural styles. During the Soviet era, it was closed; at various times, it housed a military unit, a tuberculosis clinic and a drug treatment center.

3. ГОРА ПАЛЛАСА (Mount Pallas)

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Mount Pallas is located in a unique spot where the basins of three great rivers – the Amur, Yenisei and Lena – converge and, consequently, the basins of the Arctic and Pacific Oceans. The 1,236-meter-high mountain is located 35 km from Chita, the administrative center of the Zabaykalsky Krai. It’s also dubbed the "Great Source".