Baikal Great + Arshan + Olkhon

Day 1

Meeting to the city of Irkutsk at 8.00-9.00 (local time, difference from Moscow + 5 hours) at the railway station, at the suburban ticket office inside the station, the 3rd entrance (far right). From the airport to the station can be reached by taxi (15 minutes, 200 rubles).
Sightseeing tour of the city.
Architectural and ethnographic museum "Taltsy" is a museum of wooden architecture in the open air.
Lunch in the inn (national Russian cuisine).
Moving to Listvyanka.
Excursion to the Museum of Baikal SB RAS. The museum has a unique collection of flora and fauna of Lake Baikal, live exhibits – fish in huge aquariums deserve special attention.
Nerpinarium (for an additional fee - 300 rubles) - here you will see the famous Baikal seal-nerpa.
Transfer to Baikalsk.
Accommodation in the hotel "Comfort" or "White Sable".
Dinner.
Auto: 265 km.
Meals: lunch, dinner.

Meals: Lunch, dinner.

Cities: Irkutsk, Listvyanka, Baikalsk

Attractions: Spasskaya Church, Znamensky Monastery, monument to Alexander III, 130 quarter, Lower embankment of the Angara, Architectural and Ethnographic Museum "Taltsy", Baikal Museum, Nerpinary in Listvyanka

Ponds: Lake Baikal, The source of the Angara River

 

Day 2

Breakfast.
Water trip by boat along Baikal along the Circum-Baikal Railway (KBZhD). The Circum-Baikal Railway is a grandiose complex historical, architectural, engineering and landscape monument of federal significance, a favorite place for tourists from different cities and countries to relax and travel. The sacred lake here plows in all its gigantic beauty and power. The unique structure amazes with the design, the number of tunnels, galleries and majestic bridges - and all this at the edge of the coastline! We will dock and go ashore, listen to a fascinating story of the guide about the history of Circum-Baikal, walk through one of the tunnels. After that, there will be time to relax, contemplating the amazing beauty of Baikal.
Picnic in nature (ear of Baikal fish!). Return to Baikalsk.
Dinner.
Auto: 60 km, on foot: 2 km.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner.

Cities: Baikalsk

Attractions: Circum-Baikal Railway (KBZhD)

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

Day 3.

Breakfast.
Walking trip to Hamar Daban along the Solzan mountain river. Emerald water of streams and mountain rivers, lush greenery of forests, majestic mountains - this is what will appear to your eyes on this tour. The Hamar-Daban mountain range consists of a number of chains and nodes, dissected by deep river valleys and gorges, the height of the peaks reaches 2000-2300 m above sea level. The softening role of Lake Baikal contributes to the formation of the characteristic climate of these places. Mountains abruptly break to the lake and are a natural barrier to air flows carried through Baikal. For this reason, several dozen representatives of preglacial flora have been preserved here, which allowed botanists to attribute this part of Hamar-Daban to the zone of “cold subtropics”. On this day you will be able to appreciate the beauty of the Taiga Baikal. We will have lunch at the foot of the rocky remnant of the Devil’s Finger, and we will prepare tea at the stake with the addition of Baikal herbs. It will charge with vivacity and be remembered for its unique aroma. Return to Baikalsk.
Dinner.
On foot: 7+7 km.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner.

Cities: Baikalsk

Attractions: Mount Hamar-Daban

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

4th day

Breakfast.
Auto excursion to the Warm Lakes. Near the fast mountain river Snezhnaya in the spurs of Hamar-Dabana, at the foot of the mountain Capka Monomakha are amazing in beauty of the lake "Fairy Tale", "Dead", "Emerald". In summer, the water in the lakes warms up to +20 + 24 ° C, so they are called Warm. The road passes through a dense mixed forest, a characteristic feature of which are the mighty relic poplars, whose trunk will cover only three or four people. The combination of snow-capped peaks of Hamar Daban, relict plants, transparent ice water in the Snow River and the sandy beach of Emerald Lake make a lasting impression.
After walking through all the lakes, we will return to the shore of the Emerald, and rest during lunch. By our arrival from the tour will be ready omul hot smoking. After lunch in nature, all afternoon we will sunbathe, swim, ride catamarans. Return to Baikalsk.
Dinner.
Auto: 80 km, on foot: 5 km.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner.

Cities: Baikalsk

Attractions: Mount Hamar-Daban

Ponds: Warm Lakes - Lake Fairy Tale, Warm Lakes - Dead Lake, Warm Lakes - Lake Emerald

 

5th day

Breakfast.
Free time.
Lunch at the hotel.
Departure to Slyudyanka. The city is located in the southern and narrowest part of Lake Baikal, surrounded by majestic mountains. We will visit a private museum of minerals in Slyudyanka. Local resident Valery Alekseevich Zhigalov, a former photojournalist, and now a passionate collector, collected a unique collection of more than ten thousand copies. The collection contains all the minerals known to modern science. The museum has a souvenir shop where you can buy stone products or mineral samples.
The conclusion of the program of the day will be a visit to the Shaman Cape. The most beautiful Shaman cape in the southern part of Lake Baikal was called Aykha-Shuloun in Buryat – a terrible stone, because earlier rituals of sacrifice to the gods were performed here. In the old days, Buryat shamans came here to meet the dawns. Shaman cape is a symbol of the beginning of Baikal. Remains of the Neolithic era, petroglyphs and a cape are rightfully considered a monument of archaeology. Back to the hotel.
Dinner.
Auto: 48 km.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Cities: Baikalsk, Slyudyanka

Attractions: Museum of Minerals "Gems of Baikal", Cape Shamansky

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

Day 6

Breakfast.
Auto excursion to the mountain resort of Arshan (mineral springs). The village of Arshan is located in the picturesque Tunkin Valley of the Republic of Buryatia at the foot of the monumental Sayan Mountains. The mountain river Kyngarga, flowing through the territory of the resort zone, is famous for waterfalls. We will be taking a tour of one of them. The bottom of the canyon, where the river flows, is lined with polished water marble of pink and yellow colors. The fame of the resort brought mineral sources of carbon dioxide silica waters of different temperatures. The waters of Arshan are unique, you can try the cold and hot mineral water during a sightseeing tour of the resort.
For lunch, which will be held in the cafe of the resort area, you will be served dishes of the national Buryat cuisine: poses, buckler, etc. Next, we will go to the Buddhist complex, the acting datsan Badhidharma. Buddhist cult complexes are distinguished by characteristic architectural solutions and multicolored interior decoration. If possible, a meeting with the lama will be organized. After buying a variety of souvenirs from Buryatia and Mongolia at the local extensive market. Return to Baikalsk.
Dinner.
Auto: 200 km.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Cities: Baikalsk, Arshan

Attractions: Tunkin basin, Eastern Sayan Ridge, Buddhist datsan "Bodhidharma"

Waterfalls on the Kyngarga River

 

Day 7.

Breakfast.
Transfer to Irkutsk.
Transfer to a minibus next to Khuzhir (Olkhon Island). Transfer to Olkhon, to the post. Khuzhir (with a small group is possible on a comfortable shuttle bus).
Accommodation at the solar camp. Lunch on your own.
Dinner at the tourist base (dinner only when placed on the t / b Sunny option "budget", when placed in the mini-hotel Baikal (options "economy" and "standard") meals only breakfast.
Auto: 442 km.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner (only in the "budget" option).

Cities: Baikalsk, Irkutsk, Khuzhir

Attractions: Olkhon Island

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

8th day

Breakfast.
Independent rest in Olkhon.
Excursion to Cape Burhan, Shamanka Rock. This is one of the nine shrines of Asia, which has become a kind of visiting card of the lake, one of the most famous key images of Baikal, without its image, no film or photo album about Baikal can do.
You have the opportunity to purchase excursions on Olkhon (an additional fee of 200-4000 rubles) and visit:
Cape Khoboy is one of the places of power of Olkhon, it is a large column-shaped rock, where, according to legend, the first Buryat shaman found his strength. Khoboy is still revered by Buryats and occultists of all stripes.
Buddhist stupa on Ogoi Island, where to make your most cherished wish and it will come true.
Dinner at the tourist base (dinner only when placed on the t / b Sunny option "budget", when placed in the mini-hotel Baikal (options "economy" and "standard") meals only breakfast.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner (only in the "budget" option).

Cities: Hujir

Attractions: Olkhon Island, Cape Burkhan, Cape Khoboi, Ogoi Island

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

9th day

Breakfast.
Rest at the tourist base, the opportunity to purchase independently (for an additional fee) excursions to Olkhon (Cape Khoboy, Holy Source, etc.). The cost of excursions from 200 to 4000 rubles. per person.
Dinner at the tourist base (dinner only when placed on the t / b Sunny option "budget", when placed in the mini-hotel Baikal (options "economy" and "standard") meals only breakfast.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner (only in the "budget" option).

Cities: Hujir

Attractions: Olkhon Island

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

10th day

Breakfast.
Transfer to Irkutsk (with a small group is possible on a comfortable shuttle bus).
The estimated time of arrival in Irkutsk is 17-19 hours. But given the possible delay (queue at the ferry), return tickets are recommended to take no earlier than 22 hours.
At the request of tourists, the transfer is carried out both to the station and to the airport, negotiated on the spot with the driver.
Auto: 280 km.

Meals: Breakfast.

Cities: Khuzhir, Irkutsk