Fantastic Baikal

Tour features:

• Clean air, beautiful scenery and amazingly transparent ice of Lake Baikal in winter are simply breathtaking! Active rest with an interesting excursion program!;
• A visit to the island of Ogoy, where the Buddhist stupa of ENLIGHTENMENT is located;
• A visit to the legendary island of Olkhon;
• Grottoes, rocks and plaques of the southern part of Olkhon Island;
• Shamanism on Lake Baikal, a visit to the sacred place - Shaman Rock;
• A jorney across the ice to the North of Olkhon Island - Cape Khoboy, a fascinating legend about the Cape Sagan-Khushun;
• Travelling on Baikal ice on Hibuse (hovercraft);
• A visit to one of the most beautiful places on Baikal - Sandy Bay;
• A visit to the sled dogs center, dog sledding, getting positive vibes by taking pictures oа Malamute's puppies;
• A visit to one of the most beautiful caves on Lake Baikal;
• Trekking on the ice of Baikal;
• The world's widest source of the river - the source of the Angara river;
• Interactive visit to the Baikal Museum in Listvyanka village;
• A walk around Irkutsk with a guide (tour);
• New acquaintances, a lot of positive emotions!

Dates for groups in 2020:

Tour program “Fantastic Baikal”:

Day 1

Gathering of the group at the train station or airport in Irkutsk from 8 to 9 a.m.

Travel from Irkutsk to Olkhon Island.

Lunch at the Yurt-cafe. Introduction to Buryat cuisine.

The tour begins! Now we are about to dive into a fascinating world of winter Baikal.

Only in the winter can you see magnificent caves, bizarre ice hummocks and rocky capes, all rising over the mirrored surface of the Baikal ice!

We will be traveling across the ice of the strait called Maloye More (the Small Sea) (решила тут указать, что Малое Море – это пролив) to Khuzhir village, making stops at the most interesting places along the way.

We will visit of the biggest island on Maloye More, called Ogoy, where you can see the Buddhist stupa of enlightenment. As a sign of respect, we will go through the Goroo (circle) clockwise for purification from bad acts that were committed in current and past lives. The Goroo needs to be competed without any thoughts, doubts or anxieties. For full enlightenment and clarification of thoughts, a person needs to go around 108 times!

Check in, dinner.

Meals: lunch, supper

Accommodation: tourist complex "World of Baikal", double occupancy, standard room

Day 2

Breakfast.

Excursion "Journey to the edge of the Earth!" (for the whole day, lunch included).

We will visit the famous shamanic place Cape Burkhan (Shamanka Rock), "Sagan Khushun" rocks ensemble, Cape Khoboy...

Moving across the ice of Lake Baikal! During the trip you will be able to see fascinating ice caves and hummocks, admire the “Three Brothers Rock”, whose silhouettes were immortalized in stone by the mighty and fair father. You will also learn a lot about the lake and its fascinating legends and will get acquainted with traditions and customs of the local inhabitants. The impressions from today’s trip will be unforgettable!

Meals: breakfast, lunch, supper

Accommodation: tourist complex "World of Baikal", double occupancy, standard room

Day 3

Breakfast.

Travel from Olkhon to Buguldeyka village.

We go on a trip on khivus - a hovercraft on the ice of lake Baikal. Along the way - the most impressive panorama of open lake Baikal along the coast, where there are no roads or infrastructure – 120 kilometers of stunningly beautiful ice with a web of cracks and bubbles, picturesque bays, cliffs with rock paintings, untouched taiga nature.

Hot lunch on ice.

Skating on the biggest skating rink in the world - the mirror of lake Baikal

Arriving in Goloustnoe village. Accommodation in hotel.

Dinner.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, supper

Accommodation: homestead “Baikalskaya/ camp cite “Mikhailovich” (double occupancy, economy)

Day 4

Breakfast.

We are going to visit a sled dog center in Maloye Goloustnoye village.

You will become acquainted with the strongest and kindest friends of man- sled dogs (huskies and malamutes)!

You will participate in sled driving training which will be an unforgettable trip!  After sled driving training, there will be a lunch with a cup of hot herbal tea, which is so nice after a walk in fresh air!

A small trip to Bolshoye Goloustnoye village. Accommodation at the camp site.

In Bolshoe Goloustnoye village, you will have an opportunity to skate on the ice of Lake Baikal and the Goloustnaya River. Skates are available for rent (for 100 rubles/hour), or you can bring yours with you.

In the evening there will be a real Russian banya (sauna) and a delicious supper.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, supper

Accommodation: homestead “Baikalskaya/ camp cite “Mikhailovich” (double occupancy, economy)

Day 5

Breakfast.

Today an equally interesting part of our tour begins - trekking across the ice of Baikal from Bolshoye Goloustnoe village to Listvyanka village. It is about 15 km.

Traveling across Baikal ice is very fun and exciting with no need of carrying a backpack on your back, just put your stuff on the sledge, and they will become almost weightless. In windy winter, with a little amount of snow the skating lovers can enjoy skating on mirror-smooth Baikal ice! The beauty of the winter scenery delights, and the spring sun gladdens us with its warm light!

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Bolshoy Cadilny Cape, warm house with outdoor facilities

Day 6

Breakfast.

Today we will see such famous places on the lake, as the Devil's Bridge and the Rock Skriper.

The day is full of new emotions! Let's have a winter fun to set the mood: the snow party, sledge racing, hockey without rules... We will not even notice 15 km of the way. That night we will be staying in Bolshiye Koty village.

17:00 - landing in Khivus (air cushion ship). Transfer to Lisvyanka. Placement.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, supper

Accommodation: hotel "Homestead od Demidovy", double occupancy, standard room

Day 7

Breakfast.

Check out.

10:00 - 11:30 - visit to the interactive Baku Museum and virtual immersion to the bottom of Baku.

11:30 - 12:30 - lifting on a funicular to the observation platform "Stone of Chersky."

12:30 - 13:00 - lunch in the cafe at own expense.

13:00 - 14:00 - free time for sowing fish and souvenir market.

14:00 - 15:00 - transfer to the ethnographic park-museum in the open air of Taltsy. On the way we will make a stop at Shaman-stone in the origin of Angara and remember the famous legend about the daughter-fugitive.

15:00 - 16:00 - Tour of the museum

16:00 - 17:00 - transfer Listvyanka - Irkutsk.

Check in. Dinner.

Meals: breakfast, supper

Accommodation: hotel “Fregat”, (Irkutsk, double occupancy, standard)

Day 8

Breakfast.

Transfer to the airport.

Meals: breakfast

If you request it, you can extend your stay in Listvyanka village, or visit the famous Circum-Baikal railway and/or the ethnographic Museum at Taltsy, where you can view buildings built in the same style as Siberia's first settlers built when they arrived in the area.

Tour price: 61 000 rub/person

The price includes:

• Accommodation: 

  double occupancy, standard - 4 nights

  double occupancy, economy - 2 nights

  with outdoor facilities - 1 nights

• Excursions mentioned in the program,
• Meals – three times a day,
• During the active part of the route (trekking), tourists cook for themselves! Chef services are available upon request: 3000 rub per day! For groups of 10 people and more chef services are included.
• All transfers to and from various points on the tour, according to the program;
• Guide services;
• Banya (sauna);
• Payment of entrance fees to visit Pribaikalsky National Park;
• Rental of camping equipment: gas equipment, sled, shoes for ice walking (in sizes from 35 to 43).

The price does not include:

• Plane/ train tickets
• Rental of the shoes for ice walking, if your shoe size is 44--46 or more;
• Sightseeing tour in Listvyanka village;
• Skate rental;
• Accommodation in Irkutsk before the start of the tour;
• Additional drinks and meals (outside of what was mentioned in the tour program).