This trip is aimed at offering you a rare opportunity to take a tour of the WHOLE Lake Baikal. Such a proud name of the trip reflects its ambition to make you discover all the diversity of landscapes of the lake over a short period of 17 days. Expressing our idea of all round discovery, Great Baikal Tour presents both nature and culture discoveries putting an emphasis on trekking and physical activity. Our tight schedule and careful planning of changes allowed us to weave the best hiking routes of Lake Baikal. Motorboat, hydrofoil, 4x4, car, the Trans-Siberian Railroad, and fynally… plane – we will use all means of local transportation during our tour. While trekking our outfit will be transferred by 4x4, so you will carry only your personals and admire the nature !

Just look at the route map to be inspired to make this journey !

Lake Baikal of 636 km long covers various microclimatic zones – it explains the diversity of landscapes. From steppes to marshes, from sand dunes to cliffs, from beaten paths to wild lands – it will differ every time!

The journey starts with going by the Circumbaikal Railway to the south of the lake. The genius of architectural engineering in the late 19th century, this line of 84 km long is constructed on the steep shore of the Baikal. You will be fascinated by the sumptuousness austere bridges, tunnels, bridges and galleries. We will get off in Port Baikal, a strategically important point during the Russo-Japanese war, will cross the source of the Angara by ferry to reach the village of Listvyanka. We will visit the Baikal museum presenting all the diversity of flora and fauna of the lake and its surroundings.

The visit to Listvyanka is folowed by trekking. We will go along the west shore of the Baikal to the island of Olkhon, with a few passages by boat and by offroadster. The cliffs, steppe and taiga landscapes will change each other while our moving on. On the way you will discover the cave drawings and the ruins of the ancient civilization dated 6-11 BC.

After exploring Olkhon, the heart of Lake Baikal and the sacred land of shamans and the Buryats, we will go by hydrofoil to the north of the lake up to Severobaikalsk. This navigation along the Baikalo-Lenskiy reserve will allow you to discover all the northwest shore of the lake. This route is the only way to reach the north because there is no road in this area of the Baikal. Then we will cross the lake to discover Khakussy, the most famous thermal springs of the Baikal, located in the middle of wild taiga. Swimming and having a rest! The next day we will go along the north-east shore, and reach the northern point of the lake. With passages by boat we will walk on the sands of the Yarki islands, formed in the Angara delta. There we will take a plane to Ulan Ude. If the weather is fine you will enjoy A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW of a very large part of Lake Baikal ! In Ulan Ude, the capital of the Republic of Buryatia, another cultural programme will await for you: we will visit Ivolginsky Datsan and will discover buddism and its rituals.

We will return to Irkutsk by the famous Trans-Siberian Railway. First we will go along the Selenga, the greatest river of all flowing into the lake which comes from Mongolia, then we will go along the south-east shore of the lake to end our Global Tour of Lake Baikal. Thus on foot, by train, by boat and by plane you will discover all the beauty of the Baikal landscapes and will return home being a real "Expert" of the Baikaly !

Day 1 Arrival in Irkutsk *. Transfer to the station. Departure by train to the south of the lake. Change of locomotive (we stay in the same coach) – the Old Railroad runs on diesel fuel. Excursion, frequent visits to cultural and picturesque places. While stopping your guide will tell you about the place or its history. Lunch on the train. Arrival at Port Baikal, boarding the ferry, crossing the mouth of the Angara, arrival to Listvyanka, the village located on the Baikal shore 70 km away from Irkutsk. Accommodation at the hostel in the village.

Day 2 Discovering Listvyanka. Visit to the Baikal museum with its aquarium with fish and seals of the lake and exhibition of the unique flora, fauna, exploration history, geology of the lake. Visit to the village market with its typical saleswomen of omul, local delicacy. Lunch at the restaurant facing the lake. Start of northward trekking to the village of Bolshiye Koty. Overnight in tent on the Baikal shore in Chernaya valley (Dark valley), called so because of dense forest.

Day 3 Further trekking. Discovering the village of Bolshiye Koty and Skriper rock known for its cave where archeologists found hunting tools and utensils fragments from the Iron Age. Lunch in a picturesque bay. Taking necessary precautionary measures we will follow the path * going down to the beaches and up to the rocks. We will reach forest officers of Pribaikalskiy National Park located at the foot of Kadilniy Cape. Many years ago this place saw minerals processing for production of soda. Overnight in the hamlet, banya (Russian bath) in the evening.

Day 4 * Trekking to the village of Bolshoye Goloustnoye. The path passes pebble beaches followed by pine forest. Overnight in tent near the village.

Day 5 Boat boarding. Cabotage to Peschanaya Bay. We will get off facing an islet named "Baklaniy Kamen" (Rock of Cormorant), the southernmost island of the lake and the place of sea gulls and cormorants nesting. Going to Peschanaya Bay (Sandy Bay). Forming a semicircle with two pyramid rocks at its extremities the bay meets a wonderful beach with amber sand. We will apply energies to climb the mountain to contemplate the perfection of nature. Among others you will see famous trees "on stilts" - pines whose roots are bare because of wind blowing off the sand. Hiking up to Babushka Bay *. Overnight in tent near the lake.

Day 6 Early morning boat boarding, continuation of navigation to the north. Going along the west shore of Lake Baikal you will see the rocky shoreline covered by the Siberian taiga turning into large steppe. Arrival to the March Bay, we will reach Krestovskiy cape that the Buryats formerly called "cape of war". Accommodation at the hostel. Walk to Sagan-Zaba Cape, 5 km away from Krestovskiy cape *. Sagan-Zaba Cape is known for its cave petroglyphic drawings from the Bronze Age. These drawings were recognized universally. At one time the Bouriates did their shamanic rituals and sacrifices to these drawings. This shrine is one of the most important worship places in the Baïkaly. Overnight at the hostel. Banya.

Day 7 Trekking to Aya Bay *. The Evenks were very wise to call it "good, beautiful, comfortable": well hiden from high winds, the bay is an ideal shelter for ships during storms. It is also well known among cavers for its numerous caves. At the foot of a cliff in the north of the bay shamans made sacrifices to mollify evil spirits, and they perform their shamanic rituals now. Return by bus to the Olkhon Gates – strait that separates the island of Olkhon from the continent. Overnight at the inn on the shore of Maloye More.

Day 8 Transfer to the quay, crossing the strait by ferry. Arrival on the island of Olkhon, transfer by offroadster to the village of Khalgay, trekking up to the weather station of Uzury. Lunch on way in the middle of beautiful taiga. Passage through Peschanaya Bay (that of Olkhon) known for its extraordinary sand dunes. Arrival in Uzury, small hamlet located on the northern coast of Olkhon. Overnight at locals’. Banya.

Day 9 Trekking through the east coast of the island to Khoboy Cape, northern point of the island. In Buryat language Khoboy means "tusk". Indeed the impressive rock in the shape of a column looks like a tusk of an animal. The view from Khoboy Cape covers the widest part of Lake Baikal. The panorama of both shores of the lake, the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, the Maloye More, the Ushkany islands as well as of the east coast of Olkhon and of a large extent of the Baikal to the north. Walking along the coast of the Maloye More to Sagan-Khushin cape *. The natives call it "Three Brothers" because of the pyramid of three rocks overlooking as natural monument of Lake Baikal. Passage by 4x4 (offroadster) to the main town of Olkhon, the village of Khuzhir. Accommodation at the hostel. A three-minute walk from the hostel is Shaman rock (Burkhan Cape), one of nine sanctuaries in Asia. Venerated by shamans and Buddhists, the beautiful image of this place of worship is often a visiting card of Lake Baikal. Here we will see Sarayskiy beach of 3 km long with sand of the Mediterranean. Overnight at the hostel. Banya.

Day 10 Trip by 4x4 to Zagli Bay. Located in the south of the island it is the sunniest place of the Irkutsk region. The amount of precipitations is approximately equal to that of dry steppes of Kazakhstan! Here we will find the remnants of Kurykanskaya wall * dated from 2000 BC. Then we will leave Olkhon Island going by hydrofoil to the north of the Baikal. This navigation will allow us to admire the north-west of the lake. Arrival in Severobaikalsk. Hotel overnight.

Day 11 Boat boarding, crossing the Baikal up to Khakussy in the north-east of the lake. There are the best healing hot springs of the Baikal here. Accommodation at the health station. Bathing, walking in the surroundings, having a rest. Bungalos overnight at the station.

Day 12 Hiking up Aya Bay, its beauty has always impressed people. It is even said that the name comes from the exclamation of wonder: "A-ayaya, what a beauty!"Then we go along the shores of picturesque Frolikha Bay and put up our tents. Overnight in tent near the lake.

Day 13 The day will be devoted to trekking to the Bay Dagarskaya *. Moving to the northwest you enjoy the beauty of wild nature of the north Baikal's endless virgin taiga, rocky capes and turbulent mountain rivers. Overnight in tent near the lake.

Day 14 Crossing the mouth of the Angara by boat. Visiting Yarki island. The extremely narrow and long island of sand separates the lake and the Angara and the Kichera rivers deltas. Boat boarding to return to Nizhneangarsk. Accommodation at the hotel.

Day 15 Transfer to the airport. Flight to Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia. Aboard a small propeller aircraft AN-24 we will fly over the major part of Lake Baikal to see its immensity! Arriving in Ulan Ude. Accommodation at the hotel. City tour. Historic centre, “Lenin’s head”, the museum of history of Buryatia. Hotel overnight.

Day 16 Early morning departure to discover Ivolginsky Datsan, the buddism center in Russia. Lunch at Buriat kitchen, you will be served in real yurts! Getting on train. To return to Irkutsk we will take the line of famous Trans-Siberian! The railroad along the southern shore of the Baikal will allow you to enjoy the scenery of the lake during a journey. Arrival in Irkutsk late in the evening. Accommodation at a local resident’.

Day 17 Breakfast. Transfer to the airport or to the railway station. Departure. End of the programme.

Two trips will be organized in 2008: summer 2008 :