May Landscapes of Lake Baikal

A tour on may holidays! Acquaintance with Irkutsk, mountain landscapes of the Tunkinskaya Valley, meadows of snowdrops and rhododendron, last ice pieces of an ending winter - all this awaits you in the tour "May Landscapes of Lake Baikal"

Tour features:

• Sightseeing tour around Irkutsk;
• "Journey to the land of hills;
• The Island of Olkhon, shamanism on Lake Baikal;
• "Journey to the edge of the Earth"

Dates for groups in 2021:

Tour program “May Landscapes of Lake Baikal”

Day 1

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

Travel to the hotel. Accommodation. A little time to relax.

Classic tour around Irkutsk (sightseeing, 2 hours). Dinner in the historic district of the city (at own expense).

Meals: -

Accommodation: apartment/ Hotel "Fregat" (Irkutsk).

Approximate route of the tour program in Irkutsk:

Historical origins of the city, construction of Ostrog, the town Square of Kirov, Spasskaya Church, the Epiphany Cathedral, veterans Boulevard, the Eternal flame, the Regional administration building, the Roman Catholic Church, the Moscow gate, lower quay, Znamensky monastery, the Place of Kolchak execution, Kolchak Monument, the Museum of the Decembrists, a monument dedicated to the wives of the Decembrists, Karl Marx street, local lore museum, tourist monument, Okhlopkov drama theatre, White house, upper quay, the Monument to Alexander III, district 130, Sukachev’s manor.

Day 2

Today you can choose from two options.

Option 1:

Early breakfast and check out. Travel to Arshan mountain village, located in Tunkinskaya valley (the southern part of Lake Baikal). Stop at the observation point, which offers a breathtaking view of the lake. (Lunch is not included).

A walk to the drinking water well.

On Buryat land there is a law: if you took something, you should give something else in return. If a person drank the healing water, that was given by the spirits (ezhyn) of the sacred place, he should leave something as a sign of gratitude. As guests, we will perform a gratitude ceremony, treat ezhyn with wine, tie up satin ribbons as a sign of great respect and continue our tour. On the departure day, we will honor the spirits of Arshan, pray for health and longevity, and thank the spirits for a wonderful stay.

Walk around the waterfalls of the Kyngarga River.

The mineral waters of Arshan are good for the gastrointestinal tract. Pure mountain air combined with mineral water has a wonderful healing effect for tired citizens, and a path to the waterfalls of Kyngarga River according to ancient beliefs prolongs human life for as many years, as many times a man has been to Arshan.

We will definitely visit Khoymorskiy datsan, located in a quiet and peaceful place near the Arshan village.

A traditional building in oriental style with observance of all the Buddhist rules. 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, then spin the prayer cylinders to activate mantras within them, and only after that we will go inside the temple (optional).

Trip to Zhemchug (pearl) village.

We will get a great amount of energy, visiting hot springs and curative mud of Zhemchug village. There is nothing like a nice hot mineral outdoor shower! Methane baths relax, restore our nervous system and have an anti-aging effect. Mineral mud is used for musculoskeletal system treatment. The healing springs of Zhemchug village are recommended as a treatment of male and female diseases.

Travel to the hotel.

Meals: breakfast, supper.

Accommodation: apartment/ Hotel "Fregat" (Irkutsk).

Option 2:

Breakfast.

A trip in a comfortable vehicle on a smooth road along the Angara River to Listvyanka village near Lake Baikal. During the trip we will stop to visit the unique Park-Museum in Taltsy village where you will be able to learn something interesting from the excursion. After that there will be a delicious and hearty Siberian lunch waiting for you at "the Tavern". We will surely make a stop at the observation point from which you can see the Shaman Stone, and listen to the exciting legend about Baikal and his beloved daughter, the beauty Angara.

In the evening you will visit the Limnological Museum that very clearly presents all the information about the great lake. Exhibitions are devoted to the history of the lake, the specifics of natural landscapes, seismic environment, the animal world of Baikal and the history of its studying.

The aquarium in which tourists can study Baikal fish, crustaceans and even cute and modest seals is everyone’s favorite exhibition.

At the end of the tour you will virtually dive into pure Baikal water. You will have an opportunity to become real researchers!

The climb to the observation point "Chersky Stone" which offers a beautiful view: entire Listvennichny (Larch) Bay, famous source of the Angara River and the legendary Shaman Stone.

Meals: breakfast, supper.

Accommodation: hotel (Irkutsk).

Day 3

Travel from Irkutsk to MRS.

Lunch at the Yurt cafe. Acquaintance with Buryat cuisine.

Ferry across the Strait of Olkhon Gates. A small trip to the camp site. Accommodation.

We will surely visit the famous Shaman rock (Cape Burkhan).

Unfortunately, photos cannot fully show the magic of the island, which you can feel only by coming here yourself. Shamans all over the World consider this place sacred.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, supper.

Accommodation: tourist complex "Baikalov Ostrog" (Olkhon).

Day 4

Cape Khoboy is the northernmost Cape of Olkhon Island.

When you stand on a rock at the very edge and below there are miles of water, it seems that this is the edge of the Earth, that brave explorers and fearless characters of Russian tales were looking for…

There our path lies. To get to the north of the island, you need to overcome: a steppe landscape with incredible ascents and descents, very similar to a roller coaster, a sandy tract and impassable taiga. During the trip you will be able to see the face of the wise father Baikal on the slopes of Primorskii ridge, fascinating ice caves and hummocks, admire the “Three Brothers” Rock, whose silhouettes were immortalized in stone by the mighty and fair father, see the edge of the Earth, make a wish at the Love Stone, learn a lot about the lake and its fascinating legends, get acquainted with traditions and customs of the local inhabitants. The impressions will be unforgettable!

Travel to Irkutsk.

Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Accommodation: hotel.

Day 5

Travel to the airport.

Meals: breakfast.

Tour price: 23 000/ 26 000 rub/person

The price includes:

• All transfers to and from various points on the tour, according to the program;
• Accommodation standard: double occupancy
• - 3 nights in Irkutsk, standard rooms, facilities in the room (apartment/ Hotel “Fregat”);
• - 1 night on Olkhon Island, standard rooms with extra bed, facilities in the room (tourist complex "Baikalov Ostrog")
• Accommodation economy: double occupancy
• - 3 nights in Irkutsk, economy room, shared facilities (one bathroom per floor) (apartment/ Hotel “Fregat”);
• - 1 night at the Olkhon island, economy room, shared facilities (one bathroom per section, consisting of 3 rooms) (tourist complex "Baikalov Ostrog")
• Meals included in the program;
• Entrance tickets to the museums mentioned in the program, excursions mentioned in the program;
• Guide services;
• If it is an economy tour - tourists cook for themselves! Chef services are available upon request!

The price does not include:

• Banya (sauna);
• Additional food and drinks;
• Lunch on the 2nd day, dinner on the 1st and 4th day.