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
8 Days
Highlights
- Navigation when the ice field thaws
- Visit of the difficult of access places
- Discovery of Baikal during unique period of nature awakening
- Baikal seals observation on Ushkany Islands
- Visit of the biggest Baikal island - Olkhon
- Opportunity to watch brown bears and other wild animals
- Get acquaintance with the Buryat traditions and shaman rites
Tour Overview
In May, the Baikal starts to free itself from its ice cover presenting an affecting spectacle. On the shores of the lake the nature wakes up and the land is covered with a green carpet of fresh grass. First snowdrops, globe-flowers of bright orange colour, violet bellflowers, and white anemones can be seen everywhere. Wild animals enjoy the arrival of spring and appear on the shores to regale themselves with insects and plants. At the same time ice slabs float in the water creating a polar atmosphere on the Lake Baikal. It is not rare to see a freshwater seal would watch us from afar having stretched itself on a floating ice slab.
We invite you to go on an amazing journey to contemplate breathtaking scenery, walk off the beaten path in national parks and nature reserves.
This cruise has the character of an expedition where the itinerary is given for illustration purposes to mark the main lines of the journey and the sites you are going to visit. However, it is important to realize that our tour will proceed depending on weather conditions and ice state. It may occur that it won't be possible to get to some locations marked on the route map because at night it may freeze so much that the access to our destination is blocked with the ice the boat is not able to break. In this case that point of sightseeing program will surely be replaced with other not less exciting discoveries. Do not forget that the only judge aboard a vessel is the captain whose task of prime importance is to provide our safety.
Tour programme
- Day 1Arrival to IrkutskIrkutsk
- Day 2Meeting with BaikalIrkutsk — Olkhon island
- Day 3Northernmost point of OlkhonOlkhon island
- Day 4Start of cruiseOlkhon island — Pokoiniki cape
- Day 5Crossing of BaikalPokoiniki cape — Chivyrkuiskiy Bay
- Day 6Ushkany Islands and Baikal sealsChivyrkuiskiy Bay — Ushkany Islands
- Day 7Return to IrkutskUshkany Islands — Irkutsk
- Day 8End of the programIrkutsk
- 11:40Meeting of the participants in the airport and transfer to the hotel*The indicated time is approximate and can be changed according to the chosen flight.
- 12:00Check-in in the hotel and rest
- 14:00Time at leisure and possiblity to discover the cityTake an advantage staying in the historical center of the city, go for a walk along the Angara embankment, past the Church of the Savior and the Epiphany Cathedral. Make a wish under the arched gates of Moscow, stop at the monument to Alexander III and visit Karl Marx Street with its special architecture. Finally, we advise you to visit the 130th quarter, that consists of wooden houses, and dine in one of the authentic restaurants. * Contact us if you want to order services of guide for excursion.
- Overnight in the hotel
Photo of the day
Route
Irkutsk
Accommodation
Accommodation in the hotel Angara
Chambre twin confort
- 08:00Breakfast in the hotel
- 09:30Departure to the Olkhon island
- 11:00En route excursion to the National Buryat museum of Ust-OrdaMeeting with a shaman, discovery of shamanic practices.
- 13:00Lunch in a Buryat cafeServing the traditional cuisine: posy, chebureki, Buryat tea etc
- 14:00Continuation of the way to Olkhon islandAfter lunch, continuation of the way. Several times we will stop over at picturesque sites to make offerings to the spirits of the places. Arrival to the strait of Olkhonskiye Vorota ("Olkhon Gates"). Crossing of the strait by ferry. Drive to the village of Khuzhir, the capital of the island. On the way, discovery of the ruins of the Kurykan wall which barred formerly the access to the holy site. Arival to Khujir in the afternoon.
- 19:00Dinner in the resort
- Overnight at the resort
Photo of the day
Route
Irkutsk — Olkhon island
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Shamanka
Note
5 h transfer (292km)
- 09:00Breakfast in the resort
- 10:00Olkhon island excursionAfter breakfast excursion by 4X4 (UAZ) to Khoboy Cape, the northernmost point of Olkhon, sacred place of shamans. This trip will allow you to discover the beauty of the Maloye More (Small Sea) and its islets, also places of worship of shamans. Stroll to the cape.
- 13:00Outdoor lunch
- 14:00Walking around and come backReturn to Khuzhir. Visit of the hamlet of Uzury on the east of the island. The road passes through steppes, beaches and taiga.
- 19:00Dinner in the resort
- Overnight at the resort
Photo of the day
Route
Olkhon island
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Shamanka
Note
7 h 4x4 (80km)
- 09:00Breakfast in the resort
- 10:00Sail to cape "Pokoiniki"After breakfast sail along the western coast to cape "Pokoiniki". If the weather conditions are good it’s possible to stop near Rytyi cape and Solontsovyi cape – the territory of Baikal-Lenskiy reserve. The mysterious cape "Rytyi" is located in the central part of the Baikal on western coast, opposite the widest place of the Baikal. There are no any settlements here, it couldn’t be reached by any highways, and there is no even track along the coast to this place. Local residents diligently avoid visiting cape "Rytyi", calling it as a damned place. Something inexplicable still happens at this cape. The source of such influence still remains mysterious for people.
- 13:00Lunch on board
- 14:00Continuation of the naviagation and arrival to the capeThe cape "Pokoiniki" is located in the north part on western coast at the foot of the Baikal mountain ridge. On one of the first maps this cape was called "Pokoiniy". The fold, near it, has the same name. And then, this name had changed to "Pokoiniki", which means in English "dead people". Nowadays, old weather station "Solnechnaya" is located here. Time for rest on shore. *According to the weather conditions and ice quality the itinerary can be changed on the similar one.
- 19:00Dinner on board
- Overnight on board
Photo of the day
Route
Olkhon island — Pokoiniki cape
Accommodation
Accommodation on boat
Cabin for 4 persons
- 09:00Breakfast
- 10:00Departure to Chivyrkuiskiy BayLong sail to Chivyrkuiskiy Bay. Crossing of Lake Baikal in its widest part. This great cruise will really allow us to sail in the geographical centre of the lake. We will sail for several hours before we reach Chivyrkuiskiy Bay.
- 13:00Lunch on board
- 14:00Visit of the Chivyrkuiskiy BayDuring this day visiting the bay Zmeinaya. Zmeinaya (Snake) Bay is famous for curative baths with temperature from +41 to +45 degrees Celsius.
- 19:00Dinner on board
- Overnight on board
Photo of the day
Route
Pokoiniki cape — Chivyrkuiskiy Bay
Accommodation
Accommodation on boat
Cabin for 4 persons
Note
2 h trekking (5km)
- 09:00Breakfast
- 10:00Discovery of Ushkany IslandsThe Ushkany Islands is a small archipelago off the eastern coast of Lake Baikal, a specially protected place where the largest rookery of the Baikal seal is located. If we are lucky, we will be able to observe this endemic animal of the lake from the boat!
- 13:00Lunch on board
- 14:00Return to Khuzhir and check-in in the resort
- 19:00Dinner in the resort
- Overnight in the resort
Photo of the day
Route
Chivyrkuiskiy Bay — Ushkany Islands
Accommodation
Accommodation at the resort Shamanka
- 09:00Breakfast in the resort
- 10:00Return to IrkutskThe road will passe through the taiga, steppes, bouryat villages.
- 13:00Lunch — Not included
- 17:00Arrival to Irkutsk and check-in in the hotel
- 19:00Dinner — Not included
- Overnight in the hotel
Photo of the day
Route
Ushkany Islands — Irkutsk
Accommodation
Accommodation in the hotel Angara
Chambre twin confort
Note
5 h transfer (292km)
- 09:00Breakfast in the hotel
- 11:00Transfer to the airportEnd of the programme.
Photo of the day
Route
Irkutsk
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
- Russian-spaking guide
- Accommodation as per itinerary
- Excursions and visits as per itinerary
- Nature reserves and parks entrance permissions
- Letter of invitation
- Meals according to the program
- English-speaking guide
- Bathing in springs
- Airplane/ train tickets
Price does not include
- Personal expenses and tips
- Visa fees and travel insurance
- Accident insurance
- Airline tickets
For more info, please download the detailed description of the trip.
Note
Guaranteed departure for a group of 6 persons. The price includes breakfast on Day 2-8; lunch Day 2-6 and dinner on Day 2-6. Singe supplement 12 400 RUB / pers. (days 1-3, 6, 7) We can switch the category of rooms or accommodation according to your request (days 1-3, 6, 7). Please contact us before your departure. During our cruise we will sail an eight-cabin ship (one cabin for 4 people, 7 cabins for 2 people).
Reviews
Total score
Work of BaikalNature office before and during travel / customer support
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Guy
From 14 May 2019 to 21 May 2019
Destination: Lake Baikal
Tour: Cruise Among Ice Floes
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
Désolé de n’avoir pu faire le programme prévu, mais le bateau n’était pas un brise glace. Cependant le dépaysement est total. L’organisation irréprochable nous permettra de revenir pour une autre destination.A bientôt.
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Olga
From 14 May 2019 to 21 May 2019
Destination: Lake Baikal
Tour: Cruise Among Ice Floes
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
Quelques petits détails à améliorer à l’hôtel sur le lac, manque miroir, de quoi poser affaires et valises, poser affaires de toilette dans salle d’eau. Sinon bonne cuisine et accueil. Bateau très bien.
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Yvonne
From 28 May 2016 to 4 June 2016
Destination: Lake Baikal
Tour: Cruise Among Ice Floes
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
This guest did not leave a comment.
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Paolo
From 28 May 2016 to 4 June 2016
Destination: Lake Baikal
Tour: Cruise Among Ice Floes
Would you like to travel with BaikalNature again? Yes!
"In the month of May Lake Baikal starts to free itself from its ice" This is the starting of the description of this trip in the Baikal Nature internet site. It comes together with the photo of a ship fending the ice. Why writing this if in May there is not an ice cube to put in the whisky glass? As we learned, in the past five years the ice disappeared IN APRIL. This has been a major
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BaikalNature's reply
Dear Paolo,
thank you for all the remarks and commentaries that you are drawing our attention to.
Concerning the topic of ice on the lake, in fact, this year we experienced abnormally warm temperatures that spurred ice melting. Every year there is a shift to the period when the ice cubes are still visible and the navigation is already open. That's why it becomes difficult to pr Read more
No reviews anymore or no reviews at all for this tour. Below reviews for destination:
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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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