Natural miracle of Transbaikalia - Haetaei cave

The mysterious underground world has always attracted people who dream of going through the narrow galleries that were created by nature. Mysterious caves are the most researched objects of our time, storing many secrets. The silent magical realm causes real delight with special beauty. Unique natural monuments are located in different parts of our planet, and today the story will be about the largest miraculous sight of Transbaikalia, where millions of years ago primitive people lived.

Unexplored nature monument

Beautiful at any time of the year, the Hahetai Cave was discovered in the 17th century. A unique karst object is created by water, washed over many years of rocks. He gained fame after visiting Transbaikalia by academician I. Gmelin, who described the natural monument in 1737. However, even over three centuries, the ice kingdom, which does not store ancient rock paintings, has not been thoroughly studied by specialists. And only since the middle of the last century, speleologists seriously engaged in a natural object, which in the local epic there are no mention.

Two names of the sacred cave

The name of the karst monument from Buryatia is translated as "patterned", and it is given for lace laces of ice crystals that adorn the local landmark. Earlier miraculous miracle was called Mikhachin ("cannibal"). Ostensibly the inhabitants used it as a refrigerator and stored meat supplies here, and it was for this reason that it got such a strange name. However, the old people, remembering the long times when single travelers went to the underground grottoes and never returned back, do not agree with this statement and consider this place extremely dangerous.

Dangerous and mysterious

Descents into a mysterious dungeon, which has a special energy, without special equipment, always ended in accidents. The fact is that immediately after the entrance to the cave of imprudent travelers, a failure was expected from the height of a four-storey house. It is simply impossible to stay on slippery ice, and the brave souls, trying to explore the halls, flew down.

The Hahetay cave (Trans-Baikal Territory), which the Buryats are afraid of, is considered sacred. Residents come here only to pray and communicate with spirits. They try to appease the dead and leave small coins near the entrance or "about" - trees, whose branches are tied with colored ribbons.

The Underworld

Haatei Cave of about three hectares is located in the south of the Trans-Baikal Territory, on the mountain ridge Katyu-Nuru. Cave explorers found in the grotto bones of both animals and humans, fragments of ceramic products and even arrowheads, which primitive people used. It is always cold in it, and the air temperature does not exceed one degree. Decorated with frozen icy crystals, she admires the unique sculptures that create water on the frozen floor, and calcite formations.

Two Sisters Heatei

It should be noted that the cave Haatei is a whole complex consisting of two dungeons, once connected with each other. A narrow passage linking the miraculous monuments collapsed after the explosion at the quarry where limestone mining was conducted. And now descend into the cave "Mokryu" and "Sukhuy", which were formed in the rocks, have become famous, they are separately.

Ecological problems

They became tourist objects only recently - in the 70s of the last century. And according to ecologists concerned with environmental problems, unique natural monuments, where a large number of ice sculptures are destroyed, are lost forever. This led to an uncontrolled visit to tourists and non-compliance with the requirements for the protection of geological attractions. People often leave garbage, throw cigarette butts, write down walls with various inscriptions and try to break off pieces of stalactites that are several thousand years old. There, where you can reach for your hand, there are almost no remaining formations.

Descent through the icy waterfall

To get to the caves of Hahetai (Transbaikalian region), photos of which can not leave anyone indifferent, will have to go down the vertical frozen waterfall. Numerous tourists, year-round visiting the underground facility, so polished ice stones, that now without the help of an instructor and riding equipment is indispensable. After a few seconds, the visitors are downstairs, and those who come down first light the candles, placed along the entire perimeter of the "Wet" cave. With the light of a living fire, a miraculous miracle begins, the floor of which is covered by a thick layer of ice in winter and summer.

Admiration for the greatness of nature

Haatei Cave consists of several grottoes, where they found the bones of long-extinct animals. Inside, it's always very cold, and therefore it's worth taking care of warm things so as not to freeze during a journey through the fantastically beautiful world of the dungeon. Immediately after the entrance, tourists who have experienced ecstasy before the grandeur of nature-mother, fall into a giant hall height of more than 26 meters.

More reminiscent of a football field, it makes a huge impression on visitors, admiring limestone, forming a flow of various shapes. The water that enters the cave instantly stiffens with unusually looking sculptures. It seems that the skilful master captured fantastic animals, whose images in the dim light awaken fantasy. Sometimes water turns into unusual patterns and mysterious letters that are not deciphered by anyone.

Fantastic beauty of frozen lace

The unique caves of Hahetai (Trans-Baikal Territory) with stunned stalagmites and stalactites in the gloom, which resemble mysterious statues, evoke delight. Grottoes, differing from each other, fascinate the special beauty of ice lace. They give a miraculous miracle, decorated with amazing patterns of frost, a mysterious look. Unfortunately, many tourists who want to take something as a souvenir from the dungeon behave like vandals and break limestone formations.

A kingdom without ice

"Dry" Haatay (cave), the photo of which conveys all its amazing beauty, consists of limestone rock, prone to destruction. On the walls and arches, deep cracks formed intertwined in bizarre patterns. In a small underground kingdom, in which water and ice are completely absent, clay soil does not freeze even in severe frosts. There are a lot of pigeons flying in the deep recesses of the walls of the nest.

Haatei Cave: where is it?

If you do not know the exact location of a natural monument of regional significance, you can not find it in the Aginsk steppe. And even at a distance of 100 meters, it looks like an ordinary ravine. Experienced travelers recommend to focus on the limestone quarry, located between the Onon and Moguituysky districts, and the nearest village of Ust-Borzya is seven kilometers from the unique sights.

Reviews of tourists

Many visitors who believed that the beauty of the popular cave of the Transbaikalia is strongly embellished, after her visit, they admit in love to the exotic place with ice columns, painted walls and sculptures frozen in eternity. The miraculous miracle filled with living energy leaves a deep imprint on the soul. Having got out of the dungeon, tourists admired by the skill of nature, receive a lot of positive emotions. A fascinating journey through a very popular cave evokes a sense of inner harmony.