ADVENTURE / BAIKAL Along the shores of Baikal

Arrival in Irkutsk from Moscow by overnight flight. Meeting at the airport, brief city tour of Irkutsk and transfer to Buguldeika village located on the shore of lake Baikal.  Lunch en route in a café. 

Accommodation at a tourist center. Sauna. Dinner and overnight in log cabins.

Breakfast. Start your backpacking adventure following North-East direction on top of a vast plateau covered with forest. Your hiking this day will finish in the scenic fold on the shore of Baikal. Overnight in tents.

Day trekking distance: 20 km. BLD

Ascend a gorgeous cliff to enjoy a panoramic view of Lake Baikal and continue along the shoreline bypassing a number of other cliffs. Lunch en-route. To avoid climbing over every cliff be prepared to wade once (about 7-8 meters). Pass a sandy beach of unusual black color sand to arrive in the picturesque bay where your camping site is. Overnight in tents.

Day trekking distance: 22 km. BLD

Continue trekking along a forest road towards the famous white Sagan-Zaba Cliff with rock drawings (petrogliphs) depicting hunting and shamanist scenes. Upon your wish you can spend some time looking for ancient inscriptions on the rocks. Overnight in tents.

Day trekking distance: 20 km. BLD

Rest day. Stay around the camping site to relax and explore the area of Sagan-Zaba. Easy short hikes with daypacks. Overnight in tents.BLD

With newly acquired forces, head for the next destination - Birhit bay, one of the many spots along the coast where local Buryat people make their living by fishing. Continue your trip to the valley of the Anga River from were you’ll ascend Murtyl Hada Mountain, a wonderful viewpoint, which used to serve as a lighting and signaling spot for its ancient inhabitants. Overnight in tents.

Day trekking distance: 18 km. BLD

Complete trekking along the western shore of Baikal taking the short route to Ust-Anga village. From here you’ll continue your trip by mini-van to Sahyurta village located right opposite the Olkhon island.

Siberian  Banya, dinner and overnight in wooden houses. 

Day trekking distance: 4 km. BLD

Cross by ferry the so-called Small Lake separating the mainland from Olkhon Island and Great Baikal. Arrive on Olkhon island, the largest island of Baikal, and continue by Russian 4x4 van to the central village of Olkhon island – Khuzhir. Visit to the Buryat Museum of Local Lore to get to know the life and culture of locals. Walk to the Shaman Cliff, the holy of the holiest of Baikal-Mongolian Asia worshipped both by shamans and Buddhists. 

Overnight in tents on Baikal shore. BLD

Start the full-day biking adventure to discover the most scenic places on Olkhon island. Head along dirt roads across steppe and woods for Shara Nur lake famous for its medicinal mud and Tashkiney valley. Overnight at the same camp site.

Day biking distance: 36 km. BLD

Trek a short distance from Khuzhir along the coast to Saraisky bay that has a wonderful sand beach. Accommodation in gers.

Russian Banya, dinner, overnight in yurts.

Day trekking distance: 6 km. BLD

Full day by Russian 4x4 vans along the rough road  to Khoboi Cape,  the northernmost  point of the Olkhon island, from where unfolds a marvelous view of the Small Sea and the Great Lake. On the way to Hoboi we will pass Peschanoye Tract, with its abandoned huts and picturesque sand dunes. Lunch as a picnic at the Cape Khoboy that used to be the tailagan spot (meetingplace for meditation of shamans). Nowadays here, if you are lucky, you might spot a Baikal endemic seal (nerpa). Return to the ger camp

Dinner and overnight. BLD

Transfer by van to the ferrystation and further by water to the mainland. Return to Irkutsk by van (300 km, 5 hours) with stop for lunch in a roadside cafe. Check-in a 3-star hotel in Irkutsk. Time at leisure and dinner on your own.

Overnight at the hotel. BL

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for departure to Moscow by a morning flight