Baikal Diamonds

Baikal Ice Hovercraft Olkhon Island Buryatian food Picnic on the ice Stupa of Enlightment Baikal Ice Baikal Ice Winter fishing at Baikal Buryatian shrine Baikal Ice Baikal Ice

Duration	Destination	Departure
5 days and 4 nights	Russia (Baikal Lake, Irkutsk)	Russia (Irkutsk)

Description

This is a shortened version of our tour named Baikal Gems. Here, we offer all the most exciting points from the longer route. You will visit the truly amazing places. Do you want to make some really great photos of Baikal ice? Do you want to see yourself the giant transparent ice floes and huge frozen ice splashes? We have prepared a tour especially for you and included those places that turned out to be the most popular among the guests of Baikal Lake.

Program

Day 1:

We will meet you at the airport of Irkutsk. Departure is scheduled for 10:00, therefore, we ask you to purchase tickets for flights, that arrive in Irkutsk before 9:30 local time. After receiving the luggage, we will immediately go to the very heart of Lake Baikal. Our destination is the Smaller Sea Bay of Baikal, this is the name of the part of the lake between the mainland and the Olkhon Island. On the way, we will have 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 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 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 the check-in, you can have a tasty dinner at the hotel café (dinner is not included in the price of the tour).


Day 2:

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 guesthouse.

Day 3:

This morning, we will ride the already familiar Khivus hovercraft and arrive to Olkhon Island. Olkhon is considered 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 4:

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 5:

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 rourte, 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 2nd and 3rd days of the program;
• transfers ,according to the program;
• accommodation at Twin standard comfortable room;
• excursions on Khivus hovercraft at 2nd and 3rd days of the program;
• entrance fees to the Pribaikalsky National Park.

Price does not include

• Airline tickets;
• additional services and excursions, that are not mentioned in the program;
• lunches at days 1, 4 and 5;
• dinners at all days.

Itinerary

Day	Overnight	Itinerary highlights
1	2 Stars or similarBaikal Lake	Irkutsk - Irkutsk Airport   Baikal Lake - Guesthouse at the Smaller Bay of Lake Baikal
2	2 Stars or similarBaikal Lake
3	2 Stars or similarBaikal Lake
4	2 Stars or similarIrkutsk	Irkutsk - Hotel in Irkutsk
5		Irkutsk - Irkutsk Airport

Accommodations provided in each place

Place
Baikal Lake	2 Stars
Irkutsk	2 Stars