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
9 Days
Highlights
- Tour with primary focus on the acquaintance with culture and spiritual life of the region
- Crossing of the lake in its widest and deepest part
- Possibility to see all types of the Baikal landscapes
- Acquaintance with the Republic of Buryatia and Olkhon island
- Participation in the shamanic ritual
- Comfortable accommodation all tour long
- Private boats and transports
- Tasting of the local cuisine
Tour Overview
Baikal is one of the most amazing places in Russia! Tours to Baikal are not only an acquaintance with the nature of the great lake, because the Baikal region is also considered a place where many religions intersect, the most common of which are Orthodoxy, Buddhism and shamanism. The route of our tour is built around these three religions. You will learn how these religions have coexisted peacefully side by side for hundreds of years and how intertwined they are in the culture of the local people.
Of course, we did not ignore the nature of Lake Baikal. To comprehend the full power and grandeur of Lake Baikal, you must cross it at its widest and deepest place - in its central part. A change of all types of Baikal landscapes awaits you: taiga hills, desert steppes, sand dunes, mountain valleys and, of course, the expanses of the purest Baikal waters stretching into the horizon.
We suggest going on this tour during the most favorable summer period for travel, when the water is warmest, the sun is brighter, and there is practically no rain. To introduce you to the Baikal culture in all its manifestations, we invite you to walk along the streets of ancient Irkutsk, listen to the ringing of the bells of Orthodox churches, visit the Republic of Buryatia and the center of Buddhism in Russia - the Ivolginsky Datsan, and also attend a real ceremony of one of the shamans of the sacred lake. You will visit the real cradle of shamanism - on the island of Olkhon, where every sacred place is shrouded in hundreds of legends.
This tour is open to all ages and you can go alone, as a couple or as a family. Comfortable accommodation is provided throughout the route. All components of this tour are exclusive: no scheduled buses or ships are used on the tour.
We want to show you Lake Baikal in all its diversity, not only natural, but also cultural. Having come here once, you will definitely want to come back again!
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Tour programme
- Day 1Discovery of the Irkutsk cityIrkutsk
- Day 2Taltsy museum and first meeting with lake BaikalIrkutsk — Listvyanka
- Day 3Meeting with a shaman and road to Olkhon islandListvyanka — Olkhon island
- Day 4Ogoy island and Buddhist StupaOlkhon island
- Day 5Sacred site for shamansOlkhon island
- Day 6Baikal crossing from west to eastOlkhon island — Ust-Barguzin
- Day 7Barguzin valley and the Dancing GoddessUst-Barguzin
- Day 8Centre of the Russian Buddhism and Buryat capitalUst-Barguzin — Ulan-Ude
- Day 9Return to IrkutskUlan-Ude — Irkutsk
- 10:00Individual transfer from the airport to the hotel (private car)*The indicated time is approximate. It can be changed according to the time of your arrival.
- 12:00Accommodation in the hotelFor tourists arriving early in the morning, check-in from 06:00 at no extra charge. Rest after the flight.
- 13:00Lunch in the restaurant of the city
- 14:00Excursion in the city centre of IrkutskExcursion with the guide in the city centre of Irkutsk. You will visit the most worth seeing places of Irkutsk: the Decembrists' museum, Orthodox churches, quay of the Angara river, wooden houses, central markets. You will feel the particular atmosphere of the city. You will have an opportunity to listen to the bells ringing in the Church of the Saviour. Also, we will visit the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the Church of the Epiphany.
- 19:00Dinner in a restaurant — Not included
- Overnight at the hotel
Photo of the day
Route
Irkutsk
Accommodation
Accommodation in the hotel Angara
Chambre twin confort
Landmarks
Note
0.5 h transfer (6km)
- 09:00Breakfast in the hotel
- 10:00Transfer to the Listvyanka villageMeeting with your guide and driver and departure to the Listvyanka village situated on the board of Lake Baikal near the moth of the river Angara.
- 11:00Excursion to Taltsy museumVisit to the open-air museum Taltsy, discover a typical Siberian village of XVIII-XIX century. The museum has become the place of the conservation of the monuments of the popular culture.
- 13:00Lunch in the restaurantWe will have lunch at a restaurant of Baikal cuisine overlooking the source of the Angara River.
- 14:10Lift on the Chersky rockYou will take the chair lift to the Chersky rock 728 metres above sea level. There is a breathtaking panorama: Listvyanka village, Angara river's source and the skyline flowing with the Baikal waters.
- 16:00Arrival to ListvyankaAccommodation in the hotel. Rest.
- 16:30Walking in the villageWalking with your guide, visit of fish and souvenir markets. Free time. Optionally you can go to the nerpenarium (seal park show) or take a boat excursion (extra charges). For those who wants it's possible to visit the The Church of St. Nicholas that was built in the beginning of the XIX century.
- 19:00Dinner — Not included
- Overnight in the hotel
Photo of the day
Route
Irkutsk — Listvyanka
Accommodation
Accommodation in the hotel "Undina", Listvyanka
Twin room
Landmarks
Note
1 h transfer (69km)
- 09:00Breakfast in the hotel
- 10:00Departure to the Olkhon islandLeave for the Olkhon island by the private car. We will stop to blandish the local spirits, to ask their benevolence during the trip.
- 12:10Excurion to the ethnographic museum and meeting with a shamanWe will get acquaintance with the culture of the Baikal Buryats. We will take part in the rite of purification, get acquaintance with the local spirits and ask them to bless our travel.
- 13:00Lunch in the cafe en routeYou can taste the national dishes of the Buryat cuisine.
- 17:00Arrival to KhujirCheck-in in the resort. Free time. Discovery of Burkhan rock. Walking around the village, visiting port.
- 19:00Dinner in the resort
- Night in the resort
Photo of the day
Route
Listvyanka — Olkhon island
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Nabaymar
Chambre twin confortable
Landmarks
Note
6 h transfer (361km)
- 09:00Breakfast at the resort
- 10:00Transfer to the port of Khujir villageEmbarkation on the boat. Navigation in the Maloye More strait.
- 12:00Visite of the sacred water source SurkhaytorWe will go on shore and will walk to the sacred water source . This source was divided by one powerful shaman into parts: male and female. The water of the source is of a high silver-ion concentration and it is considered as healing.
- 13:00LunchPicnic with hot tea on board.
- 14:00Excursion to Ogoy islandOgoy island is a the biggest island of the Maloye More strait. The island is considered as a "pure" place: people have never lived there and the is no negative energy. There is a Buddhist Stupa - the stupa of Enlightenment.
- 16:00Return to KhujirTransfer to the resort and rest.
- 19:00Dinner at the resort
- Overnight at resort
Photo of the day
Route
Olkhon island
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Nabaymar
Chambre twin confortable
Landmarks
- 09:00Breakfast at the resort
- 10:00Olkhon island excursionAfter breakfast excursion by 4X4 (UAZ) to Khoboy Cape, the northernmost point of Olkhon, sacred place of the shamans. The trip will allow you to discover the beauty of the Maloye More (Small Sea) and its islets, also places of worship of shamans. Stroll towards the cape.
- 13:00Outdoor lunch
- 14:00Stroll and return tripReturn to Khuzhir. Visit of the hamlet of Uzury on the east of the island. The road passes through steppes, beaches and taiga.
- 19:00Dinner at the resort
- Overnight at the resort
Photo of the day
Route
Olkhon island
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Nabaymar
Chambre twin confortable
Landmarks
Note
7 h 4x4 (80km)
- 09:00Breakfast at the resort
- 09:40Transfer to the port
- 10:00Navigation to Ust-BarguzinBoarding on private boat. We will sail above 1.5 kilometres abyss for several hours before reaching the village of Ust-Barguzin. During this cruise, we can admire the picturesque views of Lake Baikal and of Svyatoy Nos peninsula.
- 13:00LunchPicnic (lunch box) on board.
- 14:00Continuation of the navigationCrossing of Lake Baikal in its widest part. This great cruise will really allow us to sail in the geographical centre of the lake.
- 16:00Arriving on the islandAccommodation in the guest house of the locals.
- 19:00Homemde dinnerThe hostess will serve dinner round cooked from fresh local products.
- 20:00Russian banya
- Overnight in the guest house
Photo of the day
Route
Olkhon island — Ust-Barguzin
Accommodation
Accommodation in Ust-Barguzin
Twin room
- 09:00Breakfast
- 10:00Full-day excursion by Russian 4x4 (UAZ)By the prairies of the Barguzin valley, we will go to the Barguzin Datsan where in 2005 the image of the Saint Yanjima was appeared on the big bowlder near the Datsan of Barguzin in the Siberian taiga. Now, this place became the pilgrimage destination of the faithful and tourists.
- 13:00Lunch (picnic)
- 19:00Homemade dinner
- Night in a guest house
Photo of the day
Route
Ust-Barguzin
Accommodation
Accommodation in Ust-Barguzin
Twin room
- 09:00Homemade breakfast
- 10:00Transfer to Ulan-UdeDeparture to Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Buryat Republic, by private car.
- 13:00LunchIn the cafe of buryat dishes
- 14:00Excursion to the Ivolginsky datsanVisit of the Ivolginsky datsan, serving the most important place of worship in Buryatia and the centre of Buddhism in Russia, located outside the city in a beautiful steppe.
- 16:00Walking city-tourWe leave our luggage in the office of the railways station and go for a walk along the centre of Ulan-Ude city - the capital of the Republic of Buryatia
- 22:30Departure to Irkutsk by night train* Train, 2nd class compartment, 4 berths
- Overnight in the train
Photo of the day
Route
Ust-Barguzin — Ulan-Ude
Accommodation
Overnight in the train
The 2nd class compartment
Landmarks
Note
4 h transfer (268km)
- 07:00Arrival to IrkutskTransfer to the airport. End of the programme.
Photo of the day
Route
Ulan-Ude — Irkutsk
Note
4 h (268km)
Discount system
| > 6 months | > 8 months | > 10 months |
| Amount of discount (total payment) | ||
| 5% | 10% | 20% |
| Amount of discount (deposit payment) | ||
| 0 | 5% | 10% |
Travel smart with our discount system!
| New departures available soon |
Price includes
- English-speaking guide
- Russian-spaking guide
- Accommodation as per itinerary
- Excursions and visits as per itinerary
- Nature reserves and parks entrance permissions
- Bathing in springs
- Accident insurance
- Letter of invitation
- Meals according to the program
- Airplane/ train tickets
- Ice crampons
Price does not include
- Meals as per itinerary
- Personal expenses and tips
- Visa fees and travel insurance
- Airline tickets
For more info, please download the detailed description of the trip.
Note
The departure is guaranteed for the group of 4 participants. If there are less persons in the group, the price can be recalculated. Single supplement – 24 900 RUB / pers.
Reviews
Total score
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Carlo
From 6 August 2015 to 14 August 2015
Destination: Lake Baikal
Tour: Three Religions
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
Un voyage très bien organisé de bout à bout et vraiment intéressant avec un très bon mix d’aspects culturels et naturels.
Vivement conseillé (le voyage et Baikal Nature)
No reviews anymore or no reviews at all for this tour. Below reviews for destination:
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Jean-Pierre
From 22 February 2025 to 28 February 2025
Destination: Lake Baikal
Custom tour: Baïkal Hivernal
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
Excellente organisation.
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Laura
From 29 February 2024 to 10 March 2024
Destination: Lake Baikal
Custom tour: Grand Nord du Lac Baïkal
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
Préparation du voyage d’un grand sérieux, attention particulière à répondre aux besoins exprimés (grands espaces sauvages peu visités), disponibilité et fiabilité mêlées d’une agréable sympathie! Lors du séjour, la communication a été facile. Le voyage en transsibérien, l’accueil a Oust Bargouzin et le road-trip avec Alexander Beketov comme guide ont été mes moments préférés; son expérience est
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Pierrette
From 29 February 2024 to 8 March 2024
Destination: Lake Baikal
Custom tour: Baïkal 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
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Владислав
From 23 July 2023 to 27 July 2023
Destination: Lake Baikal
Tour: Baikal by kayak
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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