Baikal sun

Day 1

Arrival in Ulan-Ude, meeting at the airport at the entrance to the city, outside the building at 9:30-10:00; at the railway station at 11:00-11:30 with a sign "Baikal Sun". Breakfast at the cafe.
Sightseeing tour of the historical part of Ulan-Ude:
St. Odigitrievsky Cathedral (the first stone building of Verkhneudinsk); shopping rows of merchant Kurbatov in 1820, Revolution Square; walk along the pedestrian street "Arbat"; Museum of History of Ulan-Ude; I. F. Goldobin estate in 1880; Triumph Arch; Theater Square; the house of the merchant Rosenstein; the Square of Soviets; a monument to V.I. Lenin.
Then we move from the central part to the highest place of the city, from where there is a panoramic view of the entire capital of Buryatia, here is the Buddhist center "Rinpoche Bagsha" (precious teacher, translated from Tibetan). The territory of the Buddhist center is carefully planned and maintained.
In 2004, in the datsan "Rinpoche Bagsha" was installed the largest in Russia bronze, covered with gold leaf, six-meter statue of Buddha Shakyamuni.
Hotel check-in. Rest. Free time.
Guide: Yes.

Meals: Breakfast.

Cities: Ulan-Ude

Attractions: Revolution Square in Ulan-Ude, Soviet Square in Ulan-Ude

 

Day 2

Breakfast at the hotel, departure for a tour.
Today we will go to Ivolginsky datsan, which is located 30 kilometers from Ulan-Ude.
In the Ivolginsk valley, at the foot of the Hamar Daban range, there are Buddhist dugans, sacred stupas, this is the territory of pacification and the strongest energy.
Beautiful and bright architecture of Buddhist temples, combining Tibetan, Chinese, Mongolian styles.
The tour route starts from the main gate of the datsan and goes in a circle along the movement of the sun (left to right), during which the guide will tell the story of the creation of the datsan, about rituals, traditions, about everyday life in the datsan and about the main deities worshiped by Buddhists.
On the way, tourists spin "Hurde" - prayer drums, inside which Buddhist mantras are laid, while rotating the drums, prayers for the welfare and health of pilgrims and guests of the datsan are practically read.
Then we will visit the village of Old Believers – Tarbagatai.
Tarbagatai district is one of the places of compact residence of the Old Believers of Transbaikalia. In these parts they are called family.
This is a very bright and ancient branch of the Russian people – a particle of pre-Petrine Moscow Rus. Through the centuries, they have preserved traditions and customs, everyday life, which we will get acquainted with during our excursion.
Lunch during the tour. Free time. Dinner (independently, additional fee).
Guide: Yes.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch.

Cities: Ulan-Ude, Ivolginsk, Tarbagatai

Attractions: Ivolginsky datsan "Hambyn Sume", Hamar-Daban Mountain Massif

 

Day 3.

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to Maximiha.
The village of Maksimikha is one of the remarkable places in the Barguzin Bay of Lake Baikal. This is the largest bay on Baikal, with chic sandy beaches and beautiful pine trees.
Arrival, accommodation at the camp.
Lunch.
Free time, independent walks along the coast.
Guide: Yes.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Cities: Ulan-Ude, Maximikha

Attractions: Barguzin Bay

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

4th day

Breakfast
Water excursion on the Chivyrkui Bay.
Chivyrkui Bay is one of the most beautiful places on Baikal. Warm coves, islets, sandy beaches, wonderful views of the Holy Nose Peninsula. The depth in the bay is small and the water here warms up very well.
Lunch during the tour.
Back to the hotel.
Guide: Yes.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Cities: Maximikha

Attractions: Chivyrkui Bay

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

5th day

Breakfast. Free time.
For an additional fee, you can book a tour of the Barguzin Valley (the approximate cost is 3700 rubles / person).
At 50 km from the shore of Lake Baikal, the expanses of the Barguzin River valley stretch. According to legend, the motherland of Genghis Khan, with numerous monuments of nature and archaeology. Rock paintings 3000 thousand years ago, Ininsky garden of stones, Shrine of Barguzin valley - stone Bukhe-Shuloun (Bull stone), Suvinsky Saxon castle. Here is a sharp contrast with the Baikal nature of the Barguzin Bay. We will also visit the village of Barguzin, the first Russian settlement beyond Baikal. Duration of 7-8 hours.
Guide: Yes.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Cities: Maximikha

Attractions: Barguzin Valley, Barguzin Bay

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

Day 6

Breakfast. Free time (exact departure time will be announced the day before).
Transfer to the marina.
Water crossing by boat (mini-cruise) through Baikal to the West coast of Baikal, to the Small Sea.
In Buryat, the Small Sea sounds like Narin Dalai, which means the Narrow Sea. This narrow strait is separated from the “Big Baikal” by Olkhon Island. The climate of the coast is ideal for recreation: there is very little rainfall and most of the time it is sunny. This part of the lake (including Olkhon Island) is all the natural zones of the coast of Baikal, replacing one another: it is steppe expanses, chic sandy and pebble beaches, steep cliffs, mountains and taiga ... during our excursions you will see for yourself how beautiful and diverse the nature of the Small Sea is.
Accommodation at the recreation center. Lunch. Rest.
After the rest, you will be offered a walking tour along the coast of the Small Sea.
During the tour you will learn the legends about the sacred lake, about shamanism, the faith of the Baikal Buryats. The guide will tell you interesting facts about Baikal, about its flora and fauna, about Olkhon Island, about the Olkhon Gate Strait.
Guide: Yes.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Cities: Maximikha

Attractions: Small Sea

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

Day 7.

Breakfast
A full-day car excursion to the island of Olkhon to Cape Khoboy.
Having resorted to poetic images, we can say that Baikal is the blue heart of Siberia, and Olkhon is the heart of Baikal. The island is the geographical, historical and sacred center of the lake - the center of ancient legends and historical legends.
So, Cape Burkhan is an extraordinary rock, which since ancient times is sacredly revered by the indigenous population of the island. Currently, it is considered a state natural and historical monument, and in ancient times, cult sacrifices were made here to the owner of the island, who according to legends lived in the cape cave. The history of Burhan attracted the attention of not only domestic but also foreign archaeologists. In the 70s of the last century, a joint Soviet-American expedition worked here, one of the results of which was the hypothesis about the Asian origin of the indigenous population of North America. Many archaeological finds and discoveries have also been made in this area.
The purpose of our trip - Cape Khoboy is located near the widest place of Baikal (79.5 km), and in clear weather from it you can see the opposite shore, the mountainous contour of the St. Nos peninsula. On the cape there is a platform where all-Olkhon shaman tailagans are performed.
After lunch (picnic), refreshed in the fresh Baikal air, we go back.
Moving to the campground. End of the tour.
Dinner, free time.
Guide: Yes.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Cities: Hujir

Attractions: Small Sea, Olkhon Island, Cape Burkhan, Peschanoe tract, Cape Sagan-Khushun, Cape Khoboi

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

8th day

Free time, meals full board.
For an additional fee, additional excursions and tours on quad bikes are possible.
We recommend that you pay attention to the following excursions:
Water excursion to the island of Ogoi (duration of about 3 hours, estimated cost of 1600 rubles per person).
The Buddhist Stupa, erected on the island of Ogoi in the summer of 2005, is officially referred to as the Stupa of Enlightenment, the Conquest of Demons, containing a statue of the Female Form, the mother of all Buddhas. In other words, this stupa refers to a type of stupa in which various Buddhist relics are nested. The island of Ogoi, stretching a narrow wriggling strip of land from south to north for 6 km, from the air strongly resembles the dancing goddess Dikanja with outstretched arms, directed to the north. The stupa, built at the highest point of the island (512 m), at an altitude of 60 meters above the level of Lake Baikal, was located just in the heart of the island. Volunteers from different places took part in the construction of the stupa: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Minsk, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, New York, London, Lisbon. Everything necessary for construction was transferred on boats and then manually lifted to the top, and the heaviest loads - by helicopter. The stupa project was designed by an Irkutsk architect. The construction was led by a lama from Bhutan.
Sarmin Gorge (estimated cost 2200 rubles per person).
Sarmin Gorge is one of the legendary places of Baikal. The Sarma is the largest of the rivers (42 km long) flowing into the Small Sea. The river originates from the northern slopes of the Three-headed char. For millions of years, the ice stream of the Sarma River washed in the Primorsky Range powerful gorge "Sarminskoe", on both sides of which rise two rocks, creating an unusual, somewhat sinister pattern of the Sarmin Gate.
Here, rolling over the Primorsky Range from the vast Prilensk elevation, the arctic air rushes into the valley narrowing to the mouth, which at the exit to the basin of Baikal forms a kind of natural wind tunnel. Thus is born the most powerful wind of Sham.
The approach to the Sarmin Gorge in ancient times was separated from the rest of the shore of Lake Baikal by a wall of stones. Shamans of the ancient tribes inhabiting Baikal separated the sacred territory of the mouth of Sarma from outside visitors.
The excursion to the Sarmin Gorge begins along the picturesque road along the Mukhor Bay, the warmest and shallowest section of the Strait of the Small Sea. Behind the Huzhir-Nugai Bay begins a vast delta of the Sarma River, with several low sand islets, nesting places for birds. Further journey takes place on the road in the valley of the river, which in 1643 passed Cossack Pentecostal Kurbat Ivanov.
The sight of tourists opens a vast space, with chaotically scattered huge boulders against the background of emerald grass, as if the spirits of the mountains were playing pins. The whole road is a change of amazingly picturesque landscapes: it is a blooming mountain valley, and a dense forest thicket, and a trail leading along a cliff over the river and, of course, a mountain river with its changes and rapids.
Safari along the Tazheran steppes (an estimated cost of 2200 rubles per person).
The tour begins from the recreation center in the direction of the "Big Sea" - open Baikal. The first object of visit will be the Cove of Azure. Finding it from land is not so easy, but having been here once - I want to return again and again, in sunny weather, its waters resemble the azure sea coast. Further, the path passes along the western coast of Lake Baikal. From any point, fascinating panoramas of the “big” sea open, and in clear weather the east coast is well visible.
Bypassing numerous ascents and descents, the group falls into the Snake Gorge. Do not be afraid, there are no snakes, just the gorge itself resembles a trail from a creeping snake. The gorge will lead to the bay with the same name. But not only by its name is this place interesting, if you are lucky, you can see the Baikal seal. Almost all summer near the bay live one or two seals. This is where they hunt.
From the edge of the water, we will again climb to the top, to the top of Mount Tan Khan. This is the highest point of the coast of the Small Sea. It is from here that a fantastic view opens: Olkhon Island, numerous bays and bays, the islands of the Small Sea, the endless Tazheran steppe. It is impossible to cover everything with one look. Here I want to stay and recharge the energy of this place. The locals consider this mountain sacred. Not far from the Tang Khan mountain there is a cave accessible to view without special equipment and preparation. In the cave there are traces of people living in it, and at the entrance there is a sacrificial stone.
Baikal is a sacred lake and on its banks there are many secrets and mysteries. We will get to know one of them closer. Before us is the Valley of Stone Spirits! You will see many bizarre stone statues, various in size and shape. Valley of stone spirits is a plateau filled with hundreds of thousands of stone pillars, which still tower over the Tageran steppe, continuing to excite the imagination of tourists.
We will continue our journey along Baikal. When you stop at one of the hills, look around. It seems that all the mountains around - plush, they want to stroke. And who said that Siberian nature is very harsh? Plush mountains, white wool of clouds, soft blue of clear water – all this is reality! This is Baikal!
Guide: for the duration of additional excursions.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Attractions: Small Sea, Ogoi Island, Sarmin Gorge, Tazheran steppes

Ponds: Lake Baikal

 

9th day

Breakfast at the recreation center.
From 13.00 to 14.00 a minibus will come for you (Note: time can be changed, the exact time of departure must be specified in the evening of the 8th day at the administrator of the recreation center).
Departure on minibuses to Irkutsk.
Attention! It is highly recommended to take tickets for the return trip home after 22.00, as there may be a delay. (Approximate time of arrival in Irkutsk 19.00-20.30).
Guide: Yes.

Meals: Breakfast.

Cities: Irkutsk

Attractions: Small Sea

Ponds: Lake Baikal