Baikal Ballad
+ North of Baikal

This tour is made for those who want to get a full impression of the Lake Baikal: during this tour you won`t miss an opportunity to explore most popular tourist sites, and moreover you`ll enjoy a cruise across Baikal from the very south to the northernmost point, from west to east. During this tour you will explore the most popular tourist sites of Baikal, and moreover you'll enjoy a cruise across Lake Baikal. This trip allows you to see and enjoy the unique world of wild and unspoilt nature of the Barguzinsky Nature Reserve and the unique landscapes of the Pribaikalsky and Zabaikalsky National Parks. You will discover the sacral center of Lake Baikal - Olkhon Island - and visit Siberian cities Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude and Severobaikalsk (Baikal Capital of Baikal-Amur Railroad /BAM/).

1st day: Ulan-Ude - Ivolginsky Datsan - Buryat village
Arrival in Ulan-Ude. After breakfast a guided city tour. Visit to the History Museum. Excursion to the Ivolginsky Datsan, the most important Buddhist temple in Russia (40 km from Ulan-Ude). Visit to the Buryat village to enjoy folklore entertainment and traditional Buryat dinner. Return to the hotel. (B,L,D)
2nd day: Ulan-Ude - Old Believers` village
After breakfast visit the Ethnographic Museum and see collections of traditional dwellings, clothes and furnishings of all ethnic groups of the region. Visit to the Old-Believers` village (a Russian religious group that split off from the Russian Orthodox Church in the seventeenth century) and introduction to the original folklore and cuisine of Transbaikalian Old Believers. Return to the hotel. (B,L,D)
3rd day: Ulan-Ude - Ust-Barguzin
After breakfast drive to the Ust-Barguzin settlement (264 km). Accommodation at homes of local families (homestay). Enjoy real country cooking and experience Siberian banya. (B, L, D)
4th day: Ust-Barguzin - Zabaikalsky national park (Chivyrkuisky Gulf, Svyatoy Nos peninsula) - Barguzinsky Nature Reserve
After breakfast drive to Monakhovo bay (40 km) on the Svyatoy Nos peninsula where we board motorboat to Zmeinaya bay (opportunities to try thermal mineral baths). Excursion by boat to the famous Ushkany Islands with the biggest rookery of endemic Baikal Seal (nerpa). In the evening, boat trip to the Barguzinsky Nature Reserve, this is the oldest protected natural area in Russia. Overnight on board. Meals and overnight on board. (B,L,D)
5th day: Barguzinsky Nature Reserve (Davsha) – Ayaya bay
Visit to the Nature Reserve Museum. Boat trip across the eastern shore of Baikal (Khakusy, Ayaya bays). Meals and overnight on board. (B, L, D)
6th day: Ayaya bay
At leisure in Ayaya bay with opportunities to walk to the mountain Frolikha lake (15 km)
Meals and overnight on board. (B, L, D)
7th day: Severobaikalsk
Arrival in Severobaikalsk. Guided city tour. Visit to the museum of BAM (Baikal-Amur Magistral /Railroad/). Free time to explore. Meals and overnight on board. (B, L, D)
8-9th day: Western shore of Lake Baikal - Olkhon Island
Boat trip to across the western shore of Lake Baikal to the Maloye More (Small Sea) strait by the Olkhon Island. Meals and overnight on board. (B, L, D)
9th day: Olkhon Island
Arrival in Khuzhir settlement on Olkhon Island. Accommodation at guest houses. Siberian banya (traditional steam bath). (B, L, D)
10th day: Olkhon Island
After breakfast visit the famous Shamanka rock (Burkhan cape), one of Holy of Hollies of shamanists. Visit a Local Lore museum of Khuzhir. Free time to explore. Opportunity for a trip by mini-bus (off-road) to the northern part of Olkhon Island (40 km Khoboy cape, Sagan-Khushun cape, Uzury cape). Overnight like previous day. (B, L, D)
11th day: Olkhon Island - Irkutsk
After breakfast departure for Irkutsk (320 km). Accommodation at hotel. According to arrival time, refreshment followed by city guided tour. Free time to explore. (B, L, D)
12th day: Irkutsk
Transfer to the airport. (B)

Baikal Ballad: General info

Baikal Ballad: map of route