• Most get-to-know-local-people journey
• Discovery of main sights of Buryatia
• Baikal freshwater seal observation

The tour is for all those who wish to undertake a trip with moderate physical involvement. There is only optional walking without major difficulties. The maximum duration is 1 to 2 hours, the group may be shared at any time and give up certain activities.

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.

La plupart des services sur une base non exclusive, certains composants privés.

Destinations: Lake Baikal. Visited areas: Buryatia Republic, Ulan-Ude, Ust-Barguzin, Chivyrkuysky Gulf, Barguzinsky Gulf, Svyatoy Nos, Barguzinskaya Valley

Tour start area: Ulan-Ude, end area: Ulan-Ude

Day 1

Arrival in Ulan-Ude. Transfer to the homestay (at extra cost). Rest. Walking city tour. Discovery of the historic centre of the city, the Soviets square, Lenin's head, Orthodox church. Visit to the historical museum of Buryatia. Dinner and night with a local family.

Day 2

Transfer to the bus station. Leave for Ust-Barguzin by bus (270 km/168 mi). We will go through taiga and reach the Baikal shore, and then the road (that is sometimes only a track...) will follow the lake. Arrival in Ust-Barguzin in the afternoon, homestay accommodation, lunch. Discovery of the village, walk along the shore. Dinner in homestay. Banya (Russian sauna) in the evening.

Day 3

All-day excursion on Lake Baikal. Early in the morning we will start our drive to Monakhovo following the tongue of sand that separates two largest gulfs. On the way discovery of Barguzinsky Gulf and Svyatoy Nos Peninsula. Boarding a fish boat, grand tour of Chivyrkuysky Gulf. We will visit Zmeinaya Bay (bay of snakes) and its hot springs, bathing. Lunch in the open air, you will taste a local dainty, endemic fish of the lake – fresh omul. Return to Ust-Barguzin in the evening, homestay overnight, opportunity to take banya.

Day 4

All-day excursion to the Barguzin valley, passing by the village of Barguzin (not to be confused with Ust-Barguzin), first settlement site of the Russians over Lake Baikal. Rock paintings of more than 3000 years old, stone garden of 10 sq km (4 sq mi), salt lakes and teeth of majestic rocks. Picnic in the open air. Return to Ust-Barguzin in the evening, homestay overnight. Opportunity to enjoy banya.

Day 5

Boat embarkation and sail towards the Ushkany Islands. Here, this is the largest rookery of endemic Baikal freshwater seal. This unique animal observation. Return to Ust-Barguzin for traditional banya.

Day 6

After breakfast we will make our way back to Ulan-Ude. Arrival in the city by 2 o'clock, transfer to homestay. Then we drive outside the city, to the village of Ivolga, up to the cloister. Visit to Ivolginsky Datsan, Buddhist temples complex located in beautiful steppe. This Datsan, the most important building for public worship in Buryatia, is the centre of Buddhism in Russia. Excursion around the Datsan complex.

Day 7

After breakfast visit to the open-air ethnographic museum: discovery of architecture and lifestyle of Buryats, Russians, and Cossacks. Leave for the village of Old Believers - Bolshoy Kunaley. We will visit traditional homes, enjoy a folk concert, participate in different games and customs. Lunch in the village. Return to Ulan-Ude by 5 pm. Homestay overnight.

Day 8

After breakfast transfer to the airport or train station (at extra cost). End of the programme.

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.

Groups of more than 4 persons will be accommodated in different places in the city centre of Ulan-Ude.

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.

7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners.

At restaurants and homestays in cities, traditional cuisine consists of local specialties.

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.