LAKE BAIKAL AND BURYATIA
Irkutsk (2 nights) – Arshan (1 night) – Irkutsk (1 night) –
Olkhon (1 night) – Ulan Ude (2 nights)
Dates: year round, on Fridays
Duration: 9 days / 8 nights
The Baikal is one of the greatest and most antique lakes on our planet, and a supernatural occurrence of
Siberian nature. It is not a spot for rushing about. Here you have a craving for everlasting world's congruity.
Today, as before, Baikal stays at the intersection of societies, where local Sayats still crowd reindeers and
Buryat individuals keep a considerable lot of their old customs. Baikal is delightful any time of the year: clear
limpid waters, a lot of great sounds, beautiful scene, unfathomable field of backwoods and mountains. Lake
Baikal contains more than 1/5 of the world's stores of fresh water. It is the world's most profound lake with the
incredibly clear water. Truth be told, a few guests feel uncomfortable when they peer over the side of the vessel
and have the capacity to see 50 meters descending!
Tour program:
Arrival in Irkutsk in the morning
Transfer to the hotel
Free time (2-3 hours)
City tour
During the city tour you will see the beautiful Russian Orthodox churches and the Polish Cathedral (the only
Siberian Gothic-style building), you will see many small one- and two-storied wooden houses decorated with
“wooden laces” (hand-made carvings) as well as modern constructions on the present time. The guide tells
you about the development of Irkutsk, and shows the most interesting sights of one of the most beautiful cities
in Russia. Our tour in the city will be finished in the 130th District of Irkutsk (“Irkutskaya Sloboda”)
Day
1
Breakfast
Excursion to Listvjanka Village (6-7 hours)
On the way: The open-air museum of wooden architecture “Taltsy” visit
The Baikal motorway connects Irkutsk with Listvyanka village (70 km from the city) on the shore of the lake. On
the 47th km of the motorway the open-air museum of wooden architecture Taltsy is situated, featuring the
lifestyle of Siberian natives and Russian settlers.
Baikal Museum Visit
Day
Baikal Museum displays flora and fauna of Lake Baikal. Its collection includes Baikal fishes, stuffed animals
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and birds, examples of bottom sediments and Baikal minerals and many other different objects discovered
during scientific expeditions. You will enjoy watching fresh-water seals, playing in aquarium.
Listvyanka walking tour with Chersky Stone visit
Listvyanka is one of the main tourist attractions in the area with its fascinating old wooden church of St.
Nicholas, local fish and souvenir market. Another place, which is definitely worth visiting, is Chersky Stone with
an observation platform with panoramic view on the lake.
Return to Irkursk
Breakfast.
Full day excursion to Tunka and Arshan. Tunka valley and Arshan village are unique spots. There is a
beautiful land between two mountain chains, where cows graze, springs come from the mountain tops, and air
is fresh and full of herbs in the fields around. There are several medical springs, that very similar to many
famous mineral waters. Also there are several scientific objects monitors’ solar activity and satellites. We will
leave our van and we go up to the edge of the crater, covered by the forest. Walk to waterfalls, 500-year old
larch, and taste mineral water from the springs. After Arshan we will come back to the main road, coming to the
Mongolian border pass (which is open only for Russians and Mongolians), and will drive about 20 km to
Zhemchug village with hot springs, open all year. Zhemchug means Pearl, underlining the meaning for locals of
this beautiful place.
Accommodation in guesthouse in Arshan
Day
3
Breakfast.
Circum Baikal Railroad Day Tour
We invite you to join a tour along the Circum-Baikal railways – the monument of historical and cultural heritage.
Circum-Baikal is a name given to a 89 km long branch of the railways from Slyudyanka to Port Baikal through
Kultuk and Maritui. There are now 4 stations here (Kultuk, Maritui, Ulanovo and Baikal port) . There are 38
tunnels here with the total length of 9063 м (the longest one is the tunnel through Polovinnyi cape with the
Day
length of 777,5 m), besides, there are 15 stone galleries with the total length being 295m and 3 reinforced
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concrete galleries with the openings; 248 bridges and viaducts, 268 supporting walls. In terms of the amount of
engineering constructions Circum-Baikal is number one in Russia and it is one of the most interesting railways
in the world. The tunnels and stone galleries here are unique for the fact that they were constructed after nontypical projects and they were not altered afterwards, thus the original design of architects and engineers was
preserved
Transfer and accommodation in Irkutsk
Breakfast.
Transfer to Olkhon Island
Olkhon is a great place to hide away from civilization, feel the nature, stay just next to Baikal shore and enjoy
magnificent views. You can find here a unique combination of landscapes: steppes, sandy beaches and marble
rocks. You will experience the diversity of Baikal nature; meet the Buryat culture, their way of life and history.
The sacred Cape Burhan, the unique Lake Shara-Nur, the amazing Sarayskyi Bay and more worth to be
looked at!
Lunch is at the road cafe.
Visit of the sacred Yord mountain. Yord mountain is a place where ethnic locals come together for Yord
(Yordin's) games taken now every 4 years, celebrating the coming of summer and leading round dances by
thousands of people around the mountain. Close to this place there is a hill with Kurykan wall of 16th century
and beautiful view to the lake and the island. Then we will arrive to the ferry, the only connection between
mainland and island during most of the year (except February and March, when we'll just cross the lake by the
official iced road)
Arrival in Khuzhir village. Shamanka Rock, where local people still doing their rituals
Khuzhir is the main village of the island, located in its central part. It is convenient to travel to any place of the
Day island from here. We will have free time after the walk to the rock. Dinner at 19-00 (included). Traditional
Russian sauna (optional).
5
B,D
Breakfast.
After the breakfast we will start our tour to the most northern point of Olkhon by UAZ, Russian military jeep.
12:00 Cape Sagan-Khushun and Rock of Three Brothers
This is one the most beautiful spots of the Northern Baikal, the cape is formed from light-color marble, covered
by lichens. This is the widest part of Lake Baikal, about 80 km.
13:00 Cape Khoboy (Tusk), famous place of the Power.
One of the most beautiful places of the lake. You can see Sacred Nose peninsula from here, and also, if you
Day are lucky, baikal seals during summer. There is also Deva (Girl) Rock, which was (by the legend) turned into
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the rock to avoid evil thoughts to her relatives. Lunch cooked on fire.
14:00 Departure to Khuzhir. Peschanka village and Kharantsy Capes
We will see beautiful views from the old wooden pier made for fish factory (which is now deconstructed).
16:00 Arrival back in Khuzhir, then drive to the ferry, departure to Irkutsk
From here we start to go back to the city.
21:00 Arrival in Irkutsk
We arrive to Irkutsk and take an overnight train to Ulan Ude – the capital of Buryatia
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Meet at the railway station and breakfast. Transfer to a native Buryat village Arbizhil, lunch in yurta. You can
see the villager’s life and take part in archery contest. Return to Ulan Ude, transfer to hotel Baikal and
overnight
B,L
Day
7
Breakfast.
Full day excursion to the sacred places of Buryatia. The tour starts with Ivolga datsan, until recently it was
the only functioning monastery in Buryatia not only, but also in Russia. Next we see the petroglyphs of
Yangazhinsk Valley (45km). Then we travel to Tamchinsky datsan on the shore of the Goose lake, where we
will see the buildings of the former center of Buddhism in the Russian Empire.. Among the unique objects
found and returned to the people, the so-called "Deer" Stone, who served during the lavish ceremony of the
feast of the gods. This piece of art depicting deer dates back to the Bronze Age. Lunch in the cafe "Taliin
Hargana." Then we go to Novoselenginsk (160 km), which has traces of an English spiritual mission - ruins of
the house and a monument to the Protestant missionaries, Robert Yull ,his children and his wife Martha Covey.
Here we can visit the picturesque English rock. On the opposite bank of Selenga river we can see the
dilapidated Spassky Cathedral and the Chapel of the Holy Cross - witnesses of penetration of Orthodoxy in the
Trans-Baikal region.
During this tour, we can get an idea of the past peaceful coexistence of Buddhism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism
Day and Shamanism in Buryatia.
8
B,L
Breakfast.
Day
Half day excursion to the old-believers village near Ulan Ude, lunch with folkloric show, visit of the church
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Your transfer to the airport is scheduled according to the departure of the plane.
Tour cost, US dollars, per pax: 1525 USD
Single supplement on request
3rd pax reduction on request
Hotels in Irkutsk:
3* Irkutsk hotel or similar http://www.irkutsk-hotel.ru/
Hotels in Arshan and Olkhon:
Family run guesthouses
Hotel in Ulan Ude
4* Baikal Plaza hotel http://www.baikalplaza.com/
Incuded:
-Accommodation: 8 nights at respective hotels or similar
-Buffet breakfast in the hotel
-Lunches and dinners where mentioned
-Transfers (airport / railway stations)
-Tours and excursions in group or private (depending on the season)
-Transport: a/c minibus or bus or private car for all the tours and transfers
-Train ticket Irkutsk-Ulan Ude
-English speaking guide
-Entrances to the museums as per the itinerary
-Russian visa support letter
-Russian SIM card (balance to be settled upon arrival)
Not included:
-Air tickets
-Visa fees
-Transfers and excursions in private
-Travel insurance
-Mobile phone rental
-Optional excursions
-Tips
-Meals not noted in the program. Note: we can book any of the restaurants for a dinner free of charge.
ALL GROUP TOURS CAN BE ARRANGED IN PRIVATE, PLEASE ENQUIRE