• Discovery of the prettiest places of summer Baikal Lake
• Meals aboard cooked of fresh Baikal fish
• Discovery of the way of life of the villagers
• Various activities - fishing, trekking, cultural discovering, bathing
• Nerpas (Baikal fresh water seals) observation and wild animal tracks identification in the nature reserves and national parks

This trip will allow you to follow an exceptional route which is aimed to introduce you to wilderness. It alternates discovery of splendors of a region and immersion in local culture. It allows you to dive into the history of civilization, to share the daily life of local ethnic groups, to be initiated into the religious practices, to approach an unusual wildlife in a natural protected area, to feel the rhythm of nature .

Modérément facile - 1-3 heures d’activité physique par jour.

During this trip you will alternate nights spent in inn where you can enjoy simple comfort, with more rustic overnights at homestay or even in tents.

Tous les services fournis sur une base exclusive pour le groupe.

Destinations: Lake Baikal. Visited areas: Irkutsk Region, Lake Baikal, Listvyanka, Peschanaya Bay, Sagan-Zaba Cape, Maloye More, Olkhon Island, Zama, Baikalo-Lensky Nature Reserve, Pokoyniki Cape, Barguzinsky Nature Reserve, Davsha, Svyatoy Nos, Chivyrkuysky Gulf

Tour start area: Irkutsk, end area: Irkutsk

Day 1

IRKUTSK

Meeting in the city centre (Tranfer for additional price). Hotel check-in. Rest. City tour : historical centre, ancient churches, wooden houses. Visit to the museum of Decembrists.

Day 2

IRKUTSK – LISTVYANKA – BUKHTA PESCHANAYA (SANDY BAY)

In the morning transfer to Listvyanka village located in 70 km from Irkutsk at the Baikal shore. Discovery of the museum of wooden architecture Taltsy and Baikal museum. Visit to the village of Listvyanka, to its market and wooden church of St. Nikolay. Boarding at the ship. Lunch before the voyage. Navigation along the western shore of Baikal up to the Bukhta Peschanaya (Sandy Bay). Arrival in the bay in the afternoon. Discovery of the Sandy Bay, a paradisiacal place of Baikal. Flanked with two capes – Malaya Kolokolnya and Bolshaya Kolokolnya (Small and Big Belfries) – that border its amber sands, this bay offers a terrific view. “Walking trees” (“trees on stilts”) with bare roots are peculiar this place. Visit to Malaya Kolokolnya Cliff.

Day 3

BUKHTA PESCHANAYA (SANDY BAY)

Before noon, ascending Bolshaya Kolokolnya and a ramble to the Babushka Bay. Lunch. After lunch, free time for bathing. Optionally: climbing to the hill to enjoy the panoramic view over the bay (3 hours hiking up the steep hill).

Day 4

BUKHTA PESCHANAYA (SANDY BAY) – SAGAN-ZABA CAPE – OLKHON ISLAND

Further coasting. Visit to Sagan-Zaba Cape with its rock paintings (2500 years old) facing Baikal. Passage to the Maloye More (Small Sea) Strait. Overnight at the southern end of Olkhon Island.

Day 5

OLKHON ISLAND

Visit to the ruins of the Kurykan’s Wall at Khorgoy Cape. Sail to the Maloye More. Visit to Ogoy Islet and its Buddhist Stupa. In the afternoon visit to Khuzhir – the main village on the Olkhon Island. Discovery of Burkhan Rock – the dwelling of the god of the lake, one of the nine sanctuaries of Asia, a sacred place for the Buriats. Coasting along the western shore of Olkhon Island, overnight in one of its bays.

Day 6

OLKHON ISLAND – WESTERN COAST

Navigation to the marble cape of Sagan-Khushin. Disembarkation and a ramble to Khoboy Cape – the northernmost point of Olkhon. It is a magic place worshiped by the Buriats. Spectacular view of 360°. Transfer to Uzury hamlet in the north-east of the Island by Russian 4x4 UAZ. Lunch: traditional Siberian cuisine at a local’s home. Embarkation at the ship. Passage to the western coast of Baikal. Overnight in the Zama Creek.

Day 7

BAIKALO-LENSKY NATURE RESERVE

Coasting to Pokoyny Cape. Baikalo-Lensky Nature Reserve. Meeting with a reserve ranger. You will be offered to choose one of two routes: a ramble through the taiga to discover a big inner lake hidden in the wild taiga forest (1 hour 30 min. of easy hiking, soft elevation changes) or a hike to the source of the Lena River (3 hours of rather hard hiking through taiga, by a wild animals’ run with strong elevation changes, possible encounter with wild animals). Overnight in the bay.

Day 8

BARGUZINSKY NATURE RESERVE – CHIVYRKUYSKY GULF

Passage across Baikal (70 km). Barguzinsky Nature Reserve. Visit to the hot water spring in Davsha village. The Davsha museum will introduce the animals of the reserve to us and tell us about its history. Excellent collection of stuffed animals. A hike guided by a reserve ranger through the wild taiga forest without following a trail; ascent on the rock rising above the Davsha Bay. Don’t get surprised seeing the tracks of a bear or other wild animals… Sailing down to the Chivyrkuysky Gulf. Overnight in the gulf.

Day 9

CHIVYRKUYSKY GULF

The Chivyrkuysky Gulf is one of the most picturesque gulfs of Baikal. Its ingeniously drawn creeks, steep cliffs, majestic capes, colonies of birds, and flocks of fish make it incredibly attractive. When the water is low, the shores of the gulf warm under the sun and make it possible to bathe. Fishing. Bathing in the hot springs of the Zmeinaya Creek (Creek of Snakes – the reason is a colony of harmless grass-snakes living there). Hiking along the coast of Svyatoy Nos Peninsula to the Millionnaya Bay. Visit to the fishermen’s village of Kurbulik. The crew of the ship will renew the supply of bread with village home-made bread that differs very much from the urban one. We will devote the afternoon to fishing in this gulf swarming with fish more than any other in Baikal. Overnight in the gulf.

Day 10

CHIVYRKUYSKY GULF – USHKANY ARCHIPELAGO – OLKHON

In the morning passage to the Ushkany Archipelago, a part of a national park with limited access, known as a shelter of fresh water seals of Baikal – nerpas (disembarkation is not included, additional 2000 rub./person should be paid in advance). Return to the eastern shore of Olkhon Island, anchoring in the Olkhonskiye Vorota (Olkhon Gate) Strait. Overnight in the strait.

Day 11

OLKHON – IRKUTSK

Disembarkation of the ship, transfer to Irkutsk through Tazheranskaya Steppe, taiga forest, and grasslands. En route, visit to the museum of Ust’-Orda, discovery of the history of the Buryat people. Meeting a shaman, participation in a shamanic rite. Arrival in Irkutsk in the afternoon. Hotel check-in. In the evening, dinner in a restaurant.

Day 12

IRKUTSK

After breakfast, independent transfer to the train station/airport.

BaikalNature ethics charter

Choosing BaikalNature as a travel partner you undertake together with us for travelling in full harmony with nature. As our name implies, BaikalNature is sensitive to the long-term health of the natural environment towards which we feel such affection. It is with great pleasure that we invite travellers to discover the region of Lake Baikal in all its manifestations and in maximum possible comfort. But as the environment is fragile we do it with conscious responsibility. Respecting its landscapes, fauna, flora and the way of life of its people is a priority for us as well as for our travellers.

Together with you we are ready to meet the challenge: all partakers of BaikalNature act as caretakers of the planet’s future. Thus, we eagerly join for initiatives of responsible tourism hoping for the Russian and Mongolian natural heritage protection to become a number one priority for the sake of the brilliant future of these lands.

The departure guaranteed for minimum 6 persons.

Booking is made by paying a 30% deposit of the total cost.
The balance of 70% is to be paid 21 days before departure.
If late booking (made less than 21 days prior to departure), full payment is required at the time of booking.

The cancellation options are:

• up to 21 days before departure - 30% of the tour price,
• 20 to 15 days before departure - 50% of the tour price,
• 14 to 7 days before departure 70% of the tour price,
• less than 7 days before departure - 100% of the tour price.

It is hot in summer at Lake Baikal area. Nevertheless, you should always have something to put on, as weather in Siberia is very changeable.

If you plan your trip in May or September, please feel free to bring your hat, gloves and windbreaker jacket in case of snow or rain.

June is also pretty cool.

July and August are the hottest months, which offer you temperatures of 25 ° - 35 ° at daytime and 15 ° - 18 ° at night. On the shores of Lake Baikal, like in the Alps, you should wear T-shirts and shorts in the sunny afternoons, sweaters and jackets in the cool evenings.

We recommend you to pack all your stuff in two bags: a small backpack and a large travelling bag.

SMALL BACKPACK: will be useful for carrying your personal belongings during the day (camera, film, personal medication, bottled water, etc.) You will also use it as hand luggage during air travel for all your heavy (to lighten the travel bag in the luggage compartment), fragile (camera, etc.) and necessary (toilet bag, etc.) things.

BIG TRAVEL BAG or BIG BACKPACK: must contain the rest of your stuff. It will be in the luggage compartment during the flight. It will be transported by vehicles.

11 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 10 dinners.

At restaurants

Some hotels and inns offer laundry services for a variable sum of money. It is sometimes possible to use laundry services at homestay (when there is running water) for a fee.

You need a tourist visa to travel to Russia. It can be issued for a maximum period of 30 days. Your passport has to be valid for at least six months after the expiry date of your visa and to have at least two blank pages.

Documents to provide consular services:

You must first obtain a letter of invitation. BaikalNature offers visa support and has created "BaikalNature letter of invitation" package to that end. If you buy a BaikalNature tour, this package is absolutely free; when you buy any other BaikalNature service, you will have to pay for this package. For more information, please see "Visa Support " and "Russia Invitation Letter."

  Besides, you will need:

• a photocopy of passport pages containing the photo,
• a visa application form (completed on computer or with a black ballpen) available for download on the Russian Embassy website in  "visa information" rubric,
• a color photo for documents, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, to stick on the visa application form,
• a tourist voucher certifying that all travel services were paid in full,
• a detailed program of the trip (only if your stay exceeds 15 days),
• travel insurance, provided by nsurance company, which protects you throughout your trip .

For more information, please see "Do I need a tourist visa to travel to Russia or Mongolia?" of our FAQ.

The Russian currency is ruble. In all cities and many large villages of Russia, you can easily withdraw rubles, using a Visa or MasterCard, from ATMs, located in banks, department stores or hotel lobbies, some of them are open 24 hours a day. If you have euros or dollars with you, exchange offices will allow you to change them easily in the cities, seldom in the countryside. However, it can be difficult to exchange traveler's checks, even in cities.

All persons who compose the BaikalNature travel team (guides, drivers, cooks, etc.) are paid a decent wage for their services and do not expect any tips from you. So you have no obligation to leave anything. If you really want to express your satisfaction by leaving a gratuity, and if it is in foreign currency, be aware that torn or glued coins and banknotes cannot be exchanged. Anyway, thank you for your tips, left at your discretion in envelopes.

No compulsory vaccination.

You need to get a health examination before a great trip. Consult your doctor. Get a dental checkup. If you have health problems that could worsen during the trip, make sure you have taken all your medications with you.

It is advisable to keep the following vaccines valid:

• diphtheria,
• tetanus,
• Polio.

Tick-borne encephalitis is present in areas of forest, taiga where ticks are the carriers of encephalitis between May and July. As of August, they are no longer carrying the virus. If you do not get vaccinated, you should follow the basic precautions, including:

• protective clothes
• use of repellents
• daily check of the skin.

It is also possible to take out special insurance covering the analysis of the insect and vaccines.

Provide a first aid kit that includes among other items:

• aspirin or paracetamol,
• anti-diarrheal tablets,
• antiseptic,
• adhesive plaster,    
• sterile pads.

If you have individual diseases, make sure you have taken your medications.

La sécurité est notre objectif primordial et aussi la réputation de notre agence à long terme. Une pharmacie adaptée aux conditions du voyage est à disposition du guide.

No particular physical condition is required.

In addition to your personal insurance, you have an opportunity to purchase local insurance. Please, do not hesitate to ask us about our services.

You can contact BaikalNature by:

• phone: 00 7 3952 97 45 01 or 00 7 3952 20 95 19
• fax: 00 7 3952 206 873.

In addition, you will be sent the telephone number of your correspondent staff who you can reach 7/7.

Professional Guarantees: BaikalNature LLC (ООО "БайкалНейче") United Federal Register of Tour Operators number: MBT 007826 Financial Guarantee: JSC "Insurance Group MSK" (Открытое акционерное общество "Страховая группа МСК") Insurance contract N ОТА/5301/000235 from 01/12/2011. Amount of coverage: 10 000 000 RUB. Legal and actual address: BaikalNature LLC 119А Dekabrskikh Sobytiy Str., office 13
664007 Irkutsk Russia.