Southern Baikal and Olkhon island

The itinerary covers the most attractive sights of Southern Baikal: the legendary Circum Baikal railroad, mineral springs of Tunka valley, Listvyanka village – once a small fishermen’ village and today a fast growing tourist center, and the mysterious Olkhon island.

Itinerary

• 1 day
• 2 day
• 3-4 day
• 5 day
• 6 day
• 7 day
• 8 day
• 9 day
• 10 day
• 11 day
• Tour budget (based on double occupancy)
• The price includes
• The price excludes

Day 1

Arrival in Irkutsk. Meeting and assistance at the airport. Transfer to your hotel and accommodation. After you have had some rest our guide will invite you for a brief city tour ^*. Meals at personal expenses.

* You’ll visit the place where 350 years ago Irkutsk was founded at the confluence of two Siberian rivers: Irkut and Angara. The place is framed by three churches, two of which are Russian orthodox and the third one is Roman Catholic.

Day 2

Early breakfast. Transfer to the boat station for a ride to Olkhon island. The road takes about 6 hours. As you reach Olkhon island our representative will meet you at the boat station and drive you 35 km to Khuzhir village that is located in the very middle of Olkhon island. Accommodation in log cabins (2 pax in a room all amenities outdoors). Dinner and overnight. (BD)

Day 3-4

2 full days for excursions and sightseeing on Olkhon island. Hiking and cycling trips, automobile excursions, horseback riding and fishing – all these activities can be reserved and paid right at the administration desk. Full board (BLD)

Day 5

Breakfast and transfer back to Irkutsk city by regular bus. The trip takes about 7 hours with a short stop for lunch at a road cafe. In Irkutsk our representative will meet you at the bus station and drive you to hotel. Accommodation in TWIN rooms. Dinner on your own (B)

Day 6

Full day automobile trip to Tunka valley – a unique natural phenomenon located 100 km south from lake Baikal. The area is famous for its healing mineral springs, gorgeous mountains and rapid rivers. You will drive to Arshan village located at the foot of Eastern Sayan mountains leave the car and walk 2 km upstream the Kyngarga river assisted by our guide. On the way back we’ll stop at the spar to take a sip of mineral water that bubbles right from the ground. At a local market one can buy traditional Siberian souvenirs as well as cedar nuts, herbs and other treasures of Siberian wilderness. Lunch in a cafe at personal expenses. In the afternoon we’ll drive 140 km back to the southern most extremity of lake Baikal Sludyanka town. Dinner and overnight in a guest house. (BD)

Day 7

After breakfast transfer to the railway station from were a small diesel locomotive will take you for a full day excursion along the legendary Circum Baikal railroad ^* that was built at the end of Russian Royalism and once called the golden Buckle of Siberia. The railroad is only 80 km long but the trip takes 8 hours. The train moves really slowly with numerous stops so one has plenty of time to appreciate the landscape. Stop for overnight in the Port of Baikal – a small village located at the headwaters of Angara river – the only river that flows out of lake Baikal. Accommodation in a wooden house. (BLD)

* The volume of earth-moving work done on every kilometer of the way was equal to 400 carriages that may be compared to the volume of work done during the Suez Channel construction. 424 engineer constructions were built along 84 kilometers-long stretch of the road from Kultuk to port Baikal including 39 tunnels with the total length of 8994 meters, 14 kilometers of supporting walls, 47 stone and 3 iron galleries.

Day 8

After breakfast we’ll have at least half a day to explore the area. In the afternoon we’ll walk to the Angara river bank and take a ferry across the waters (about 2 km) to Listvyanka village – once a small fishermen village and today a fats growing tourist center. Drive 5 min to a guest house. Accommodation in TWIN rooms. (BL)

Day 9

After breakfast we’ll take an easy walk to the museum of Baikal. From there one can easily get on top of Chersky mount – a natural observation point. On a good day you will have a magnificent view of lake Baikal and Angara river outlet. In the afternoon our guide will leave for Irkutsk and the next day you will stay on your own. (B)

Day 10

Free time before noon in Listvyanka village. In the afternoon our minibus will pick you up and drive you to Irkutsk city (1 hour). Accommodation in hotel in TWIN rooms. Lunch and dinner on your own. (B)

Day 11

Transfer to the airport. (B)

Please, note that the check in is at 12-00. In case of early arrival you might have to wait at the reception for the check-in hours.

Tour budget (based on double occupancy)

• Single supplement Rubles, 13 500

The price includes:

• Accommodation for 3 nights in Irkutsk City Hotel (***stars category) TWIN rooms,
• Accommodation for 3 nights in a tourist camp on Olkon island (rooms for 2 pax all amenities outdoors),
• Accommodation for 1 night in a guest house in Sludyanka town (TWIN rooms),
• Accommodation for 1 night in a tourist center at the Circum Baikal
• Railroad (all amenities outdoors),
• Accommodation for 2 nights in a guest house in Listvyanka Settlement TWIN rooms,
• Meals as mentioned in the program (B – breakfast, L – lunch, D – dinner);
• Circum Baikal rail road ticket;
• All ground and water transfers as mentioned in the program;
• Bilingual guide on Days 1, 6, 7, 8, 9
• Tours and entrance fees as mentioned in the program.

The price excludes:

• Excursion on Olkhon island