Baikal Gems

Baikal in winter
Baikal in winter
Taltsy
Taltsy
Taltsy
Taltsy
Taltsy
Taltsy
Hovercraft
Hovercraft
Olkhon island
Olkhon island
Buryatian food
Buryatian food
Ogoy island
Ogoy island
Iced splashes
Iced splashes
Baikal ices
Baikal ices
Olkhon island
Olkhon island
Baikal ices
Baikal ices

General information

DurationDestinationDeparture
7 days and 6 nights
Russia (Listvyanka, Baikal Lake, Irkutsk)
Russia (Irkutsk)

Description

The unique landscapes of winter Baikal had never left anyone indifferent. Hundreds of kilometers of the most transparent ice on Earth; giant hummocks that can grow literally in front of your eyes; ice caves, overgrown with three-meter icicles - all this is Baikal in winter. The ice of Lake Baikal never repeats itself, it has dozens of names and varieties: transparent, like glass, but at the same time strong, like concrete; it can range from bright turquoise to deep blue; it can be perfectly smooth, like glass, or be covered with small cobwebs from constant movements. We invite you to visit this largest ice rink in the world and marvel at its treasures of ice gems!

Program

Day 1:

We will meet you at the airport of Irkutsk. After receiving the luggage, we will immediately depart to Listvyanka - a cozy village on the shore of Lake Baikal . Today you will have your first acquaintance with Lake Baikal, as well as with the culture and life of the indigenous people who inhabited its shores. On our route we will make a stop to take a look at Taltsy ethnic-park, which is located on a half-way drive drive from Irkutsk. Taltsy is an open-air museum of wooden architecture. Here you can see old Russian huts, Buryat yurts, buildings of Evenks and Tafalars. Original objects of wooden architecture were brought here from all over the region. After visit to the museum you will continue yur way to the shore of Baikal. After check-in to the hotel you’ll have a free time to walk around the village and to the visit the famous observation point “Chersky’s Stone” located here. A cable car will take up and down. You can dine in the hotel restaurant or in one of the many cafes in Listvyanka village.

Day 2:

Today, after the breakfast, you will have your first ride over ices of Baikal on the Khivus hovercraft . We will visit the Pribaikalsky National Park. It is advised to dress warm, there may be windy on the ice. However, inside our ice-glider it is warm and cozy. We will drive by the shore, near the famous Round-Baikal Railway and disembark near the tunnels. This old railway is a unique and very picturesque architectural monument. The road is cut in the rocks at the very edge of the shore of Lake Baikal. You will see many tunnels, bridges, arches here. You will have a picnic lunch during your trip. After the excursion, you will return back to Listvyanka. The rest of the evening is at your disposal. You can walk along the embankment and visit the fish and souvenir markets of the village.

Day 3:

This morning, we will depart from Listvyanka to a new location. Our destination is the Smaller Sea Bay, this is the name of the part of the lake between the mainland and the Olkhon Island. On our way, we will stop at a typical Buryat café, where you can try the delicious local dishes: the Buryat poses (a kind of meat dumplings) or the bukhler – beef or mutton in a dense broth (lunch is not included in the price of the tour). The overall road will take 5-6 hours. Our path will run along the Tazheran steppes. As legends say, it was the part of the road of the legendary Tschingis Khan. You will pass by the sacred mountain of Ehe-Erdo, where the Buryats celebrate the sacred Yordyn games, and by the unique mineral lakes, small in size, but surprisingly mineralized in comparison to Lake Baikal. You will see a huge bronze eagle among the steppes - the symbol of the Olkhon region. After check-in, you can have a tasty dinner at the local café (dinner is not included in the price of the tour).

Day 4:

After breakfast, you will have a drive over the iced surface of Baikal on the Khivus hovercraft. It is advised to dress warmly, there may be windy on the ice. However, inside our ice-cruiser it is warm and cozy. Today you will see a real ice grottoes with ice stalactites and the fabulous frozen ice splashes! A picnic lunch awaits you on the way (lunch is included in the price of the tour). We will have a stop at a small and uninhabited Ogoy Island, where you will see the famous Buddhist Stupa of Enlightment. Buddists believe, that here, your desires c may come true. And, if nature allows, we will see here an ice forest from a fairy tale. In the evening we return to our cozy hotel.

Day 5:

On this morning, we will ride the already familiar Khivus hovercraft and arrive to the Olkhon Island. Olkhon is considered to be the heart of Lake Baikal - it is the largest and most famous island of the lake. Everyone who travels to Lake Baikal seeks to get here. On Olkhon you can recharge yourself with Baikal energy and meet shamans. You can see here the plants of the Ice Age and meet the giant steppe eagles. You'll see the places of worship around the island. They are marked with "saerge" - the wooden pillars tied with colorful shreds of cloth. Coming to Olkhon, you must definitely bring offerings to the spirits of the area: sprinkle milk or put any white food on the saerge pillar to feed the spirits. A picnic lunch and lots of exciting emotions are waiting for you today.

Day 6:

Today, the time has come to leave Baikal. After breakfast, we will depart back to Irkutsk. The road will take about 4 hours. Upon arrival, you will check-in to the hotel. The rest of the day will be at your disposal and Irkutsk is a big city that offers various attractions and activities for you.

Day 7:

Today is the last day of your tour. The breakfast will be served at the hotel, and the check-out has to be done until 12:00. Depending on your further route, we will arrange a transfer to the airport or train station. Say farewell to the coast of Baikal and Irkutsk.

Price includes

• Services of a professional guide throughout the program;
• breakfasts at the hotel;
• picnic-lunches on days 2, 4 and 5 of the program;
• transfers according to the program;
• accommodation at comfortable Twin rooms;
• excursion along the western shore of Lake Baikal by Khivus hovercraft on 2nd day of the program;
• entrance fees to open-air museum Taltsy & Pribaikalsky National Park;
• roundtrip tickets to cableway to the Chersky’s Stone observation deck in Listvianka
• excursions on Khivus hovercraft on 4th and 5th days of the program;

Price does not include

• Airline tickets;
• additional services and excursions, that are not mentioned in the program;
• lunches at days 1, 3, 6 and 7;
• dinners at all days.

Itinerary

Day Overnight Itinerary highlights
1 3 Stars or similarListvyanka   Irkutsk - Irkutsk Airport
2 3 Stars or similarListvyanka
3 3 Stars or similarBaikal Lake   Baikal Lake - Guesthouse in the Smaller bay of the lake Baikal
4 3 Stars or similarBaikal Lake
5 3 Stars or similarBaikal Lake
6 3 Stars or similarIrkutsk   Irkutsk - Irkutsk
7   Irkutsk - Irkutsk Airport

Accommodations provided in each place

Place
Listvyanka3 Stars
Baikal Lake3 Stars
Irkutsk3 Stars