GRAND TOUR
Tour Itinerary
Day 1. Irkutsk – Listvyanka (lunch)
10:00 – Gathering the group at the airport of Irkutsk.
Excursion to village Listvyanka (65 km).
Listvyanka – one of the oldest Russian settlements on the shores of the great lake. From time immemorial Listvyanka was the Gateway to Baikal. Now it has turned into a tourist center with equipped attractions, museums, cafes, restaurants, hotels and sledding sports centers.
In Listvyanka we will take a sightseeing tour of the village with a visit to the observation deck at the famous Shaman Stone, listen to a romantic legend about Lake Baikal, visit the active Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker – patron saint of all travelers and sailors.
Those wishing to learn more about Lake Baikal can go on an excursion to the Baikal Ecological Museum (for an additional fee), which contains many exhibits telling about the inhabitants of Lake Baikal, you can even see them live in the aquariums located in the museum.
For tireless travelers there is an opportunity to ride a boat on Lake Baikal (for an additional fee), walk on foot or on ATVs (for an additional fee), along the forest shore of this picturesque lake. Pay attention to the purity of the water, the transparency of which can be assessed by looking at the water from the height of the coastal cliffs. We will end this busy day with a visit to the souvenir market adjacent to the fish rows, where you will be offered all the variety of Baikal fish cooked in various ways. We assure you that you are not tempted to try Baikal delicacies!
Return to Irkutsk.
Accommodation at the hotel. Free time.
Day 2. Listvyanka – Olkhon Island – Khuzhir (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel.
After breakfast on the bus we go to island Olkhon (320 km, 7 hours) along the road that runs along the steppes past the ancient Buryat villages, through the picturesque spurs of the Baikal ridge, the Siberian taiga, which then they are again replaced by the Mongolian landscapes of the Tazheran steppe.
Ferry to the island Olkhon – the largest of the 26 islands of Lake Baikal, its geographical, historical and sacral center, even in its shape resembles the outline of a lake. The crossing takes about 40 minutes. You will see at the same time " Small '' and " Big '' sea – two parts of Baikal, separated by Olkhon , and the famous strait Olkhon gate, which runs between the island and the mainland.
Another 40 kilometers around the island and you are in the village Khuzhir – the capital of the island.
We are accommodated in a tourist center and set off to conquer the unexplored expanses of the island Olkhon .
Your evening activity will be a walking sightseeing tour of the surroundings: a walk around the village Khuzhir , visiting the sacred cape Burkhan (Shaman-rock) – one of the 9 shrines of Asia, equally revered by shamanists, Buddhists and Lamaists.
For those who wish – excursion to the local museum of local lore, where a collection of ancient objects reflecting the life and culture of the islanders is presented (for an additional fee).
Day 3. Olkhon Island – Cape Khoboy (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Excursion to Cape Khoboy – the northern tip of the island, near the widest part of Lake Baikal. On the way, you can see the whole variety of Baikal natural landscapes, concentrated on the island: steppes with deep bays protruding into the land, sand dunes, mixed deciduous forests with areas of relict spruce forest, picturesque rocks on the shore of marble covered with red lichens.
And on the very cape, from where a panoramic view of the northern part of Lake Baikal opens, and in good weather you can see the outlines of the Ushkany Islands and the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula – a walk around the surroundings, during which the guide will tell you about the legends, traditions and customs associated with these places.
And if the local gods are completely complacent, they will give you the opportunity to see the unique Baikal seal – the only freshwater relative of the seal.
A hot lunch over the fire.
Dinner at the camp site.
Day 4. Olkhon Island – Saraisky Bay (breakfast, lunch)
Free day.
Everyone can choose their own entertainment. If you liked traveling on Olkhon at – we offer you to ride a bicycle across the Olkhon expanses (for an additional fee).
Well, those who like to be lazy in the sun are waiting for the sandy beach of Saraysky Bay.
Day 5. Olkhon Island – Barguzinsky Bay (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Today we have a short trip – on an airplane with a low passenger capacity.
We will fly over Baikal from the west coast to the east. During the flight, a magnificent panorama of the lake will open to your eyes, with its valleys, wooded slopes and a network of intertwining rivers and streams.
We will find ourselves on the shore of Barguzinsky Bay – the largest bay of Baikal. The Barguzin River , rich in fish, flows into the bay, nearby – unique natural reserves, and the Barguzin Valley, according to legend, – the birthplace of Genghis Khan's ancestors.
Accommodation at the camp site.
Dinner at the camp site.t or train station.
Day 6. Barguzinsky Bay (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Free day.
Excursions for an additional fee:
- water, along the Barguzinsky Bay;
- bus tours to the legendary Barguzinsky Valley to the homeland of Genghis Khan's ancestors;
- walking along the Holy Nose Peninsula, to the neighboring Chivyrkuisky Bay or to the famous Zmeinaya Bay with a thermal spring.
Day 7. Barguzinsky Bay (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Free day.
Excursions for an additional fee:
- water, along the Barguzinsky Bay;
- bus tours to the legendary Barguzinsky Valley to the homeland of Genghis Khan's ancestors;
- walking along the Holy Nose Peninsula, to the neighboring Chivyrkuisky Bay or to the famous Zmeinaya Bay with a thermal spring.
Day 8. Barguzinsky Bay (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Free day.
Excursions for an additional fee:
- water, along the Barguzinsky Bay;
- bus tours to the legendary Barguzinsky Valley to the homeland of Genghis Khan's ancestors;
- walking along the Holy Nose Peninsula, to the neighboring Chivyrkuisky Bay or to the famous Zmeinaya Bay with a thermal spring.
Day 9. Barguzinsky Bay – Ulan-Ude (breakfast, lunch)
Breakfast at the camp site.
Transfer by regular tourist transport to Ulan-Ude (240 km) – the capital of the Republic of Buryatia, called the "eastern gate of Russia''.
Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 10. Ulan-Ude (breakfast, lunch)
Breakfast. A mischievous tour of Ulan-Ude, during which we will see the old part of the city, merchant mansions with rich carvings, stone buildings of the 18th-19th centuries. The excursion goes out of the city and, after admiring the endless Mongolian steppe, we will find ourselves at the main local attraction – Ivolginsky Datsan – a functioning Buddhist monastery, the capital of Buddhism in Russia.
Lunch time – also a kind of excursion in a real Buryat yurt with real dishes of the national Buryat cuisine.
Continuation of the knowledge of the distant days of antiquity will take place in the Architectural and Ethnographic Museum of the Transbaikal Peoples, introducing visitors to the history of the settlement of the Transbaikal Territory, cultural monuments of the peoples inhabiting it since ancient times
Lunch at a cafe.
Day 11. Ulan-Ude – Irkutsk (breakfast, dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time in Ulan-Ude.
Excursion program. During the excursion, you will get acquainted with their original culture, customs and folklore, try traditional cuisine. The split of Christianity in Russia is known to us from school textbooks and a picture about boyarynya Morozova. But to see in life how the followers of Patriarch Nikon differ from traditional Orthodox Russians will help a whole-day excursion to the village of Old Believers (or Semeiski) – Russian Old Believers, exiled to Siberia after the split of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 17th century.
Dinner in the village of Old Believers.
Night train to Irkutsk (4-seater compartment).
Day 12. Irkutsk (breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Sightseeing tour of the city: visiting the historic center, the embankment of the river. Hangars, architectural monuments. Excursion to the Znamensky Monastery with one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Siberia, famous for its iconostasis and burials on the territory (the graves of the Decembrists, Grigory Shelikhov, etc.). Visit to the central market and souvenir shop. Estimated time of the end of the program – 13:00.
Self-service transfer to the hotel, airport or train station.
Overview
Itinerary: Irkutsk–Listvyanka–Olkhon Island–Khuzhir–Cape Khoboy–Saraisky Bay–Barguzinsky Bay–Ulan-Ude–IrkutskDays: 12 days / 11 nights
Group: от. 1 pax, max. 10 pax
Accommodation: 3★, eco-hotel
Visa: citizens of 58 states that hold all types of passports are eligible for visa-free entrance to Russia for a period up to 14 days (you can see the list on the official website), citizens of the 52 countries will be able to obtain a single e-visa of up to 16 days (you can see the list on the official website)
Accommodation: in hotels in Irkutsk (1 night), Ulan-Ude (2 nights), at camp sites on Olkhon (3 nights) and in Barguzinsky Bay (4 nights), in comfortable rooms, toilet and shower in the room
Transport: Toyota Hiace (6 or 8 seats), Hyundai Grand Starex (10 seats), Mercedes Sprinter (19 seats), regular transport, UAZ (Olkhon)
Accompaniment: experienced guides, tour guides
Children: accompanied by adults are allowed to participate in the tour without restrictions
Schedule
Available departure dates in 2024: нет
Available departure dates in 2025:
Fees
The price of the tour per pax (without airfare), USD:Hotels 3★ and tourist centers 2★, shower in the room | ||
½DBL (double accommodation) | — | 155,500 |
SNGL (single accommodation) | — | 185,200 |
CHLD (children under 12) | — | 154,400 |
Payment schedule: 5% – at booking, 95% – 15 or 30 days prior to arrival.
Payment methods:
- bank transfer in USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AED, ILS, DKK etc.
- credit/debit card online on our website
Fees include
- accommodation:
in Irkutsk, 1 night in « Hangar »
in Ulan-Ude, 2 nights in « Buryatia »
on the island Olkhon , 3 nights in « Olkhon »
in the Barguzinsky Bay, 4 nights in « Sinbad »
- meals according to the program
- transfers and excursions according to the program, including flights Olkhon – Barguzinsky Bay
- services of local guides for the excursion program
- railway ticket Ulan-Ude – Irkutsk (1 seat in a 4-seater compartment)
- necessary permits to visit specially protected natural areas
- the language of excursions is Russian but the guides speak English.
The place of residence is determined by the Travel Company, taking into account the wishes of the tourist, subject to the availability of free places in the indicated accommodation places or in similar ones.
Fees exclude
- airfare to Irkutsk city and return
- transfers airport / train station – hotel – airport / train station
- meals not specified in the program
- personal spending
- early check-in or late check-out in hotels
- accommodation in Irkutsk hotels before and after the end of the program
- not included in the program or indicated as additional excursions
- personal English/Spanish guide: 100 USD per required day.
Travel tips
Our distant ancestors called Baikal the sea for a reason – the great lake is really very similar to the sea, with the only difference that the water in it is fresh and incredibly tasty ...
Going on a trip along this route, you can see for yourself. And also to see how the Baikal and Transbaikal regions differ from each other – two shores, separated by an immense surface of water, two capitals and three religions.
Many ancient legends, holy places and ancient rituals are waiting for you in combination with bright sun, clean air, clear water and unique landscapes.