info@baikalnature.com

Great Baikal. Winter Version

Destination: Lake Baikal
Easy - nothing more than normal walking while sight-seeing
Moderately Easy - 1-3 hours of physical activity daily
Moderate - 3-5 hours of physical activity daily
Challenging - 5-7 hours of challenging physical activity daily
Extreme - 7+ hours of challenging/extreme physical activity daily
Difficulty
Basic — most of nights in tents or rooms with shared WC, some nights in comfortable rooms.
Standard — most of nights in comfortable rooms, some nights in tents or rooms with shared WC.
Upgraded — all nights in comfortable rooms.
Comfort
Minimum age of the participant of this trip
12 Days
February - March
Highlights
  • Baikal crossing from the south to the north
  • Overnight in the pre-prepared tent camp in the centre of Lake Baikal - "BaikalNature Ice Camp"
  • Visit of the symbolic places of Lake Baikal
  • Visit of the northernmost and the southernmost points of Lake Baikal
  • Double crossing of thelake in the central and the northern parts
  • More than 800 km on the Baikal ice
  • More than 2000 km of the total itinerary
  • Bathing in the hot springs
  • Circular itinerary via the Republic of Buryatia and the Baikal–Amur Mainline
Tour Overview

Once you have made a decision to go for a travel to Lake Baikal, you have thought a great deal about places to visit. We have elaborated for you the unique tour that allows trying and seeing everything! You will see all types of landscape, all essential landmarks and all types of the Baikal ice: snowy fields, unlimited polished ice rinks, ice hummocks, ice coves and others. The total distance of the itinerary is more than 2000 km! For understanding the immensity of this tour, just take a look at the map!

Symbolically the first meeting with Baikal will be held in the southernmost point of Lake Baikal and the tour will end in the northernmost part near the stele “Northern Baikal”. When you will go on ice for the first time in the south part of the lake, you will get acquaintance with the Circum-Baikal railway. Moreover, you will pass by the Angara source by hovercraft. During this tour you will cross Lake Baikal twice. The first crossing will be in the deepest and widest central part of lake on the crystal ice fields. You will stay overnight in the BaikalNature Ice Camp in the geographical center of the lake. In the camp the unique activities are proposed: you can skate on the natural ice rink, to play ice hockey or to have a rest in Ice Bar. For those who want we propose to take Russian banya (sauna) and to dive in an ice hole. The second crossing will be in the north of Lake Baikal – the most under populated and hard-to-get part of the lake.

The special part of the tour is the rest in the Baikal corner of paradise far away from civilization – Khakussy hot springs. Besides that you will visit the symbolic places: Listvyanka village, Peschanaya bay, Olkhon island, Barguzinskiy and Chivikuysky golfs, Khakussy hot springs, Severobaykalsk city.

In the end of the tour you will go on train by the Baikal–Amur Mainline (BAM) – one of the biggest railway lines all over the world.

After this tour, you will be able to say that you know the winter Baikal!

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Tour programme
  • Day 1
    The southernmost point of lake Baikal
    Irkutsk — Litsvyanka
  • Day 2
    On Baikal ice by hovercraft
    Listvyanka — MRS
  • Day 3
    The biggest island of the Baikal lake
    MRS — Olkhon island
  • Day 4
    BaikalNature Ice Camp
    Olkhon island — Baikal lake
  • Day 5
    Baikal crossing
    Baikal lake — Ust-Barguzin
  • Day 6
    Day at leisure in the Baikal village
    Ust-Barguzin
  • Day 7
    Along the Eastern coast of Lake Baikal
    Ust-Barguzin — Khakussy
  • Day 8
    Hot springs in Khakusy
    Khakusy
  • Day 9
    The northernmost point of lake Baikal
    Khakussy — Severobaykalsk
  • Day 10
    Day in Severobaykalsk
    Severobaykalsk
  • Day 11
    Baikal–Amur Mainline on train
    BAM
  • Day 12
    Return to Irkutsk
    Irkutsk
  • 11:00
    Meeting with group in the Irkutsk airport
    Meeting with the group, your guide and driver in the airport. Acquaintance with the group and discussion of the tour's details. *You can choose the morning flight for taking the breakfast in one of the airport cafes or to arrive the day before. Please, contact us for the supplement overnight reservation.
  • 11:05
    Departure to the Kultuk village
    Kultuk is a village and the bay of the same name situated in the southernmost part of lake Baikal. Near Kultuk village there is a view point of lake Baikal against a background of the majestic Khamar-Daban mountains.
  • 13:00
    Lunch in the cafe Not included
    You can taste the dishes of the local cuisine in the cafe with picture windows. The lunch is not included in the price, the payment on site in cash.
  • 14:00
    Departure by hovercraft to the Listvyanka village
    We start our itinerary by hovercraft on the frozen lake Baikal. We go along the Circum-Baikal Railway, unique monument of engineering art of the end of 19th century. On the way several stops are provided in the most interesting and beautiful places. Passing by the Angara river source you can see the Shaman rock that is considered the natural monument.
  • 17:00
    Arrival to the Listvyanka village
    Transfer to the hotel and accommodation. Rest.
  • 19:00
    Dinner in the hotel
  • Overnight in the hotel
Photo of the day
Kultuk - southe of lake Baikal
Route
Irkutsk — Litsvyanka
Accommodation
Accommodation in Usadba Demidova
Note

2 h transfer  (101km)

  • 09:00
    Breakfast in the hotel
  • 10:00
    Transfer to the port
  • 10:15
    Departure by hovercraft to the MRS village
    Travel by hovercraft on Baikal ice to the village named MRS on the shore of Small Sea. All journey will be on the ice. On the way we will make several stops in Sandy bay and near the rock Sagan-Zaba to observe the mountain relief and cave paintings.
  • 13:00
    Lunch box
  • 14:00
    Continuation of the way to MRS
  • 16:00
    Arrival to MRS
    Check-in at your resort and rest.
  • 19:00
    Dinner at your resort Not included
  • Overnight at your resort
Photo of the day
Route
Listvyanka — MRS
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Naratey
Twin room
Note

0.4 h transfer  (2km)

hovercraft  (70km)

  • 09:00
    Breakfast at your resort
  • 10:00
    Transfer to Olkhon island
    Transfer to the village of Khuzhir – the main village on Olkhon island. En route, you will visit the Ogoy island - the biggest island of the Maloye More. On the top of the island there is the Buddhist stupa, that also named "The stupa of the clarification". Also, you will visit the Kobylia Golova half-island (Horse Head, Khorin-lrgi) with the length about 4 km. This half-island is very tight and cuspate. It's landscape and scarps are really impressive. The name stems from the fact that one of its capes is shaped like a horse's head.
  • 13:00
    Arrival to Khujir
    Accommodation at the resort.
  • 13:30
    Lunch at your resort
  • 14:00
    Visit of Khujir
    Excursion around the village, discovery of the Burkhan Rock, "place of residence of the Baikal's God" and one of the nine sanctuaries of Asia.
  • 19:00
    Dinner Not included
  • Overnight at the resort
Photo of the day
Route
MRS — Olkhon island
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Lada
Chambre confortable
Note

2 h transfer  (40km)

  • 09:00
    Breakfast at the resort
  • 10:00
    Transfer to the ice camp
    Today you will go on the ice of the lake by 4x4. You will spend a night in the real camp on the Baikal ice situated in the geographic centre of the lake on the boundary between the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. En route, you will visit the Belenkiy island (White), the habitat of thousand of gulls, you will stop near the cape Tri brata (Three brothers, Sagan-Hushun) with its picturesque ice caves and, of course, you will visit the most popular place of the island - the Khoboy cape. Here the giant ice-hummocks remind the radiating rays.
  • 13:00
    Picnic lunch
  • 15:00
    Arrival to the camp
    The ritual of meeting and greeting where every participant of the group can try to bore the ice. The briefing. You have a possibility to spend a night on the ice of the lake Baikal over 1500 metres of the water column.
  • 19:00
    Dinner
    Hot meals (food cooked on gas burner).
  • Overnight in the camp BaikalNature Ice Camp
Photo of the day
Ice Camp
Route
Olkhon island — Baikal lake
Accommodation
Camp on the ice of Baikal
Tent for 5-6 persons
Note

3 h 4x4  (60km)

  • 09:00
    Breakfast in the camp
  • 13:00
    Lunch in the camp
  • 14:00
    Time at leisure in the camp
    For those who prefer the active rest, we suggest to go skating or to walk near the camp. The transparent ice, the ice-hummocks and breaks will allow you to make thousand of photos. If you are keen of the photo, we suggest you to wake up earlier and make photos of the Baikal ice in the morning sunshine. For those who like the measured rest there is an Ice bar - the special menu of the ice exotic things. The purest ice is everywhere - around you and even in your glass.
  • 16:30
    Departure in Ust-Bargouzin and accommodation in the guest house
  • 19:00
    Dinner Not included
  • 20:00
    Russian banya
  • Overnight in the guest house
Photo of the day
Route
Baikal lake — Ust-Barguzin
Accommodation
Accommodation in Ust-Barguzin
Twin room
  • 09:00
    Breakfast
  • 10:00
    Time at leisure
    This day you can stroll the Baikal coast or just have a rest in the homestay. For those who want we propose some optional excursions: - There are 7 islands in the Chivyrkuisky Bay, but we will visit the largest and most interesting of them, surrounded by ice grottoes and sokuyi. During the excursion, we will visit the Zmeinaya Bay, where everyone can swim in hot springs with temperatures up to 45 degrees (you need to take a swimsuit and towels with you). On the way back, we will get acquainted with the life of fishermen engaged in ice fishing for omul and grayling in a fishing village in the center of the Chivyrkuisky Bay. - "Dancing divinity" (The 2nd May of 2005, the image of the Saint Yanjima was appeared on the big bowlder near the Datsan of Barguzin in the siberian tayga. Now, this place became the pilgrimage destination of the faithful and tourists. The approximate duration is 6-7 hours).
  • 13:00
    Lunch
    *For those who will go to excursion that day we propose lunch boxes or lunch-picnic will be organised during the excursion.
  • 18:00
    Russian banya
  • 19:00
    Dinner Not included
  • Overnight in the guest house
Photo of the day
Route
Ust-Barguzin
Accommodation
Accommodation in Ust-Barguzin
Twin room
  • 09:00
    Breakfast
  • 10:00
    Transfer to Khakussy
    After the breakfast, we start our road to Khakussy. We go along the eastern coast of the lake to the north by the ice road. Firstly, we will cross the Chivykuysky Gulf. if the weather and the ice situation allow, we will visit the Zmeinaya bay for bathing in the hot springs.
  • 13:00
    Lunch
    On route we will make a stop for the lunch with hot tea.
  • 14:00
    Continuation of the journey
    The north-est coast of lake Baikal isn't populated and you will see only winter cabins for park rangers. There are no tourists and the access to these area is more accessible in summer during the navigation period.
  • 18:00
    Arrival to Khakussy
    Accommodation at the resort. Rest.
  • 19:00
    Dinner
  • Overnight at the resort
Photo of the day
Route
Ust-Barguzin — Khakussy
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Laskoviy Bereg
Twin room
Note

6 h 4x4  (223km)

  • 09:00
    Breakfast
  • 10:00
    Free day in Khakussy
    Khakusi is a thermal station known for its hot springs and their waters whose temperatures are reaching 46°C. It is also an opportunity for you to bathe in the medicinal waters and draw strength from the surrounding environment.
  • 13:00
    Lunch in the resort
  • 15:00
    Free time for bathing
  • 19:00
    Dinner in the resort
  • Overnight in the resort
Photo of the day
Route
Khakusy
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Laskoviy Bereg
Twin room
  • 09:00
    Breakfast
  • 10:00
    Baikal crossing from the east to west
    We will go to the northernmost city of the lake Baikal - Severobaykalsk. You will cross the lake once again - from the est to the west in its north part.
  • 13:00
    Continuation of the road
    En route we will visit the stele "North Baikal" situated on the lake's coast.
  • 14:00
    Arrival to Severobaykalsk
    Accommodation in the hotel. Rest.
  • 15:00
    Lunch in the hotel
  • 19:00
    Dinner
  • Overnight in the hotel
Photo of the day
Severobaykalsk
Route
Khakussy — Severobaykalsk
Accommodation
Accommodation in the hotel Olymp, Séverobaïkalsk
Twin comfort room
Landmarks
Note

3 h transfer  (45km)

  • 09:00
    Breakfast in the hotel
  • 10:00
    Time at leisure in the city
    The Severobaykalsk city is situated in the valley surrounded by the Baikal Mountains. The city's foundation and the developping of the north baikal territory is related to the construction of the BAM (Baikal–Amur Mainline). You have possibility to stroll, to have a rest and to buy all you need for the train. As option, we propose the bathing in the hot springs "Goudzhekit". The thermal waters are located in the floodplains of Goudzhekit and come out of the ground at a temperature of 50°C. The waters of the hot springs are well known for their rich composition of silicic acids and alkalis properties.
  • 20:30
    Transfer to the railway station
    Embarkation and departure.
  • Overnight in the train
Photo of the day
Severobaykalsk
Route
Severobaykalsk
Accommodation
Overnight in the train
The 2nd class compartment
  • 11:00
    Day in the train
    Our itinerary passes by the the popular BAM mainline (Baikal-Amur Mainline), one of the biggest railroad in the world. Its construction began in 1938 and goes through the country for 4287km. The BAM mainline crosses the path of the legendary Transsiberian railroad before the two part from each other in Tayshet. This mainline was mainly built by prisoners from the labour camps, then, by volunteers. This is an opportunity for you to see with your own eyes a part of Russia’s History.
  • Overnight in the train
Photo of the day
Train
Route
BAM
Accommodation
Overnight in the train
The 2nd class compartment
  • 12:10
    Arrival to Irkutsk
    End of the programme. *The supplement transfer from the railway station to airport/hotel - 1600 roubles.
Photo of the day
Route
Irkutsk
Detailed description
New departures available soon
Price includes
  • English-speaking guide
  • Accommodation as per itinerary
  • Transport as per itinerary
  • Excursions and visits as per itinerary
  • Railway tickets in 2nd class
  • Sleeping bag in BaikalNature Ice Camp
  • Letter of invitation
  • Guide in the trains
  • Bathing in hot springs
  • Meals according to the program
  • Ice studs for shoes
Price does not include
  • Personal expenses and tips
  • Visa fees and travel insurance
  • Airline tickets
  • Optional activities
  • Transfers in Irkutsk
  • Transfer to airport / railway station on last day
For more info, please download the detailed description of the trip.
Note

Departure is guaranteed from 4 people. You can book the optional excursions in advance or on site with payment in cash.

Reviews
4.33
4.33
Total score
5.00
Work of BaikalNature office before and during travel / customer support
5.00
Quality of accommodation
5.00
Quality of transport / transfers
4.00
Quality of meals
3.00
Friendliness and professionalism of guides / management
4.00
Quality and originality of visits / attractions / events
Gérard
From 26 February 2020 to 8 March 2020
Destination: Lake Baikal
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? 
voyage interessant mais peut être améliorer
5.00
5.00
Total score
5.00
Work of BaikalNature office before and during travel / customer support
5.00
Quality of accommodation
5.00
Quality of transport / transfers
5.00
Quality of meals
5.00
Friendliness and professionalism of guides / management
5.00
Quality and originality of visits / attractions / events
Luciano
From 1 March 2019 to 12 March 2019
Destination: Lake Baikal
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
All very well, thanks. I will publish in a month a full travelogue with lot of photos on my personal blog.
4.17
4.17
Total score
4.00
Work of BaikalNature office before and during travel / customer support
4.00
Quality of accommodation
4.00
Quality of transport / transfers
4.00
Quality of meals
5.00
Friendliness and professionalism of guides / management
4.00
Quality and originality of visits / attractions / events
Hugo
From 1 March 2019 to 11 March 2019
Destination: Lake Baikal
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
This guest did not leave a comment.
No reviews anymore or no reviews at all for this tour. Below reviews for destination:
5.00
5.00
Total score
5.00
Work of BaikalNature office before and during travel / customer support
5.00
Quality of accommodation
5.00
Quality of transport / transfers
5.00
Quality of meals
5.00
Friendliness and professionalism of guides / management
5.00
Quality and originality of visits / attractions / events
Pierrette
From 29 February 2024 to 8 March 2024
Destination: Lake Baikal
Custom tourBaïkal Hivernal Classique
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
Ce voyage, compliqué en cette période géopolitique critique, a été bien organisé en coopération avec le bureau, selon mes préférences, mes besoins. Tout a été prévu avec minutie. Accueil très chaleureux individualisé. J'ai été réellement bluffée et hyper satisfaite de toutes les prestations. Le personnel, guide et chauffeurs, est très professionnel, très attentionné, bienveillant et d'une qualité
  Read more
5.00
5.00
Total score
5.00
Work of BaikalNature office before and during travel / customer support
5.00
Quality of accommodation
5.00
Quality of transport / transfers
5.00
Quality of meals
5.00
Friendliness and professionalism of guides / management
5.00
Quality and originality of visits / attractions / events
Владислав
From 23 July 2023 to 27 July 2023
Destination: Lake Baikal
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
Замечательный тур! Очень понравилось всё, начиная от организационных моментов, заканчивая самим путешествием, замечательным гидом Егором, удивительно живописными местами, супер устойчивыми байдарками и разнообразной погодой.
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