From heart to heart. Trekking, rafting and excursions on Lake Baikal

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Explore Lake Baikal from different angles. On this tour, you can hike through the mountains, kayak along the Olkhon and even go down into the caves. The route is suitable for all outdoor enthusiasts. You will see the most interesting places on the western and southern sides of Lake Baikal: from Lake Heart to the island of Olkhon, which is considered the heart of Lake Baikal.

Location

Irkutsk

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Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

Baikal Museum

Let's get acquainted with Baikal seals and other inhabitants of the lake

Rafting on the Small Sea

We will go kayaking along the picturesque coast of Olkhon Island

Pleasant bike rides

We will rent bicycles and ride around the island from dusk to dawn

Climbing Chersky Peak

We will climb to the saddle, from where we will definitely see the same lake, which is shaped like a heart

The famous Baikal fish

Let's go to the market and buy some delicious and fresh fish

Itinerary

Day 1 - Group meeting. The Baikal Museum in the village of Listvyanka. Departure to the village of Slyudyanka
We will meet at Irkutsk airport terminal No. 3 at 10:00 a.m. (you can have coffee and a snack in the neighboring terminal No. 2).
Our active tour of Lake Baikal begins with a trip along the Baikal highway to Listvyanka village.
Take a guided tour of the Baikal Museum, Listvyanka village (1 hour drive).
The Baikal Museum is very interesting. On the ground floor, in large aquariums, you can observe various fish found in Lake Baikal, as well as the world's only freshwater seal, the seal.
We have lunch in Listvyanka (you can buy and taste Baikal omul, smoked, salted, and taste local beer on your own. Lunch time is 1 hour).
Today we have our first acquaintance with Lake Baikal.
After the inspection, we move to the village of Slyudyanka (4-5 hours).
Dinner and discussion of plans.
Distribution of equipment, tents and food for 3 days.
Overnight at the recreation center in rooms for 3-4-5 people (economy). Outdoor amenities. Double occupancy must be booked in advance (additional payment is required). payment).
Note: In case of delay for any reason, tourists catch up with the group on their own. We recommend that you arrive the day before the start of the tour.
Route of the day: Irkutsk – Listvyanka – Irkutsk – Slyudyanka.
Meals: Lunch on your own. Supper.

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Day 2 - Trekking (walking along the river)
After breakfast, we start packing and go out on the trail to Chersky Peak.
For an additional fee, it is possible to drive a highly passable car (payment on site) and drop it off at the trail.
Active tours on Lake Baikal are interesting because you can see the variety of mountains and waters.
We will drive near the marble quarry, where pieces of marble are scattered, and cross the mountain river several times.
After a short trip among the beautiful mountains, we make a snack.
We take our things and hike along the trail that surrounds the mountains, to Kazachy Polyana or to the weather station. Participants carry personal belongings, food for 3 days, tents and group equipment in backpacks (you can order a backpack delivery service (horse or porter)).
Upon arrival, the camp is set up.
Free time.
We are preparing dinner.
Fire.
Overnight in tents for 3-4 people.
If you want to live separately or as a family in a house or a separate tent, you need to be informed about this when buying a tour, i.e. before starting the route.
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch is a snack. Supper.

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Day 3 - Climbing Chersky Peak. Heart Lake. Waterfalls of the Komkarnaya River
After breakfast and a short rest, we begin climbing Chersky Peak, accessible to every outdoor enthusiast (it is mandatory to fulfill all the requirements of the guide, the group must move together).
At first glance, the difficulty is overcoming the saddle (rocky area).
By fulfilling all the requirements of the guide, you will be able to cope with this.
From the saddle, where we will relax and enjoy the scenery, we will definitely see the Heart Lake.
The ascent to the Lake of Hearts and descent will take about 4-5 hours, depending on the weather conditions, as well as the preparedness of the participants.
Have a snack at the top in good weather or at a bus stop.
For those who wish, a walking tour to the waterfalls of the Yarnaya River (3-6 hours).
The cascade of waterfalls with crystal and mountain clear water is amazing in beauty and structure.
Each waterfall is unique, of course you want to visit everything, but you will have to try, because there are so many of them.
We return to the bivouac in the evening.
We have dinner, chat, share impressions and photos.
Free time.
Overnight in tents.
Route of the day: Base Camp – Chersky Peak – Base Camp.
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch is a snack. Supper.

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Day 4 - Descent to the recreation center. Excursion to the Mineral Museum
Today is the day of return to the village of Slyudyanka, after breakfast we go down to the village.
The participants carry tents, group and personal equipment in their backpacks.
Lunch.
There is a small (wild) cafe along the way (very tasty tortillas) and refreshing drinks!
Everything in the cafe is paid for independently.
In Slyudyanka, optional excursion to the private museum of minerals, famous throughout Russia and one of the five largest exhibits.
Entrance tickets are purchased on site independently (the guide takes the group to the gates of the private museum).
Sauna at the base for an additional fee.
Supper.
Overnight at the recreation center.
The Museum of Minerals exhibits more than 10,000 samples from many deposits of the former USSR and from abroad.
Route of the day: Base camp – Slyudyanka.
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch. Supper.
Day 5 - Departure to Olkhon Island. Preparation for kayaking
Get up early, have a snack and transfer to the train station.
You will have to move to Irkutsk by car (depending on the number of people) or by train along a scenic highway.
We arrive in Irkutsk, get kayaks for rafting on Olkhon, permission from the national park and products for the next part (it takes about 1 hour).
Departure to Olkhon Island as part of the national team (MRC stop).
The road runs through the steppe expanses, where the Baikal Mountains are visible in the distance.
On the way, we will have lunch at a cafe (payment on the spot is 300-500 rubles).
Transfer to Olkhon is carried out by public ferry.
In case of a huge traffic jam, after moving by ferry, we leave by another means of transport (usually by UAZ).
Each participant carries out the ferry crossing with their own and group items independently.
Accommodation at the economy class recreation center (outdoor facilities).
Today we need to put the necessary things in hermetic bags, and leave the rest at the base.
Getting to know Olkhon, having dinner at the base or cafe on our own.
Route of the day: Slyudyanka – Olkhon Island (Khuzhir village).
Meals: Breakfast (snack). Lunch and dinner on your own.

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Day 6 - A trip to Cape Hoboy. Collecting kayaks
Early breakfast.
Today we have a busy day, tourists who come on an active tour are always ready for changes and something new!
Sightseeing tour of the island with stops on the shore of Lake Baikal.
We have breakfast early in the morning and go to the mysterious and mystical Cape Khoboy with lunch.
Delicious lunch in the fresh air!
Visiting natural attractions – the Sandy tract, the Three Brothers rock, the Face of Lake Baikal, Cape Khoboy.
Great pictures are guaranteed, in almost any weather.
Transfer to the shore.
Kayak collection and safety measures.
If we have time and good weather, we swim and relax.
Accommodation in tents.
Dinner on the beach.
Our company is one of the few that offers rafting on Lake Baikal, it is so interesting that many have traveled half of Lake Baikal with us.
No special training is required, but do not forget that a little physical training should be present.
The total rafting time is 6-10 hours for all days.
Depends on the weather.
Attention! Cooking food from the water of Lake Baikal. We recommend taking bottled water with you if tea made from Lake Baikal is not suitable for you.
Route of the day: Olkhon Island (Khuzhir) – Cape Khoboy – Nyurganskaya Bay.
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch. Supper.

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Day 7 - Rafting on the Small Sea. Inspection of Olkhon from the water
Breakfast is served early until 6:00.
Kayaking on the Small Sea (during strong winds or waves, rafting is not carried out).
Olkhon Island is very close to us, with grottos, caves, rocks and quaint shores, and on the other side there is a Small sea with islands.
We will definitely go in, go around the island (depending on the weather) by kayak and look at it carefully, stop on the shore and climb the rocks, walk next to the rocks like Argonauts.
Lunch on the shore.
There is practically no forest on Olkhon from this side, all the food is cooked with gas or firewood purchased in advance.
Kayaking to the Picturesque bay.
Note: In case of poor physical fitness of the group or bad weather, the guide has the right to shorten the route. According to statistics from recent years, all participants have completed it ahead of schedule. Rafting only in good weather!
Route of the day: Nyurganskaya Bay – Bayan-Shungen Bay.
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch. Supper.
Day 8 - Continuation of the alloy
On rafting on Lake Baikal, it is advisable to get up early, as the wind has not gone out for a walk.
We have breakfast and continue kayaking at dawn along the picturesque shore of Olkhon Island to Shamanka Rock.
Quaint sandy beaches and high cliffs with different shades.
Lunch.
Swimming in Lake Baikal on the sandy shore.
Rest.
Overnight in tents or possibly at a recreation center (at a good pace of the group).
The sunset is simply impressive!
Many participants say that it was on rafting that they felt Baikal, its beauty, power and uniqueness.
Shamanka Rock is considered a sacred place steeped in mysteries and legends.
Route of the day: Bayan Bay-Shungen Bay – Khuzhir Bay.
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch.

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Day 9 - A spare day. A walk to the Shamanka rock. Free time. Cycling trip
Breakfast (spare half a day in case of bad weather).
Free time.
Lunch on your own at any cafe in the village (we try local cuisine or dine with a view of Lake Baikal. Experience shows that camping food gets a little boring...You can have a Feast in good company at the barbecue base, but this is all organized independently).
While resting, we explore the Shamanka rock (we recommend visiting early in the morning and at sunset) and the village of Khuzhir.
You can visit the Revyakin Museum (for an additional fee).
After an independent lunch, you can rent bicycles.
We take them for a day. Now moving around Olkhon will become much faster. You can meet the dawn and see off the sunset and return to the base.
We ride without a guide – on our own!
Dinner on your own at any cafe in the village.
There is quite a trendy cafe by the pier.
Route of the day: Olkhon (Khuzhir).
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch and dinner on your own.

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Day 10 - Olkhon bike tour. Relaxing on the beach. Guided tours on request
We have breakfast at the base.
Before lunch, you can still ride bicycles along the picturesque shores of Lake Baikal.
You choose the route yourself, depending on your ability to ride bicycles.
Someone can take a ride to the local beach, and someone can take a ride along the coast outside the village.
There is also a route through the forest to the source or to an observation point.
You definitely need to get a phone with a good camera!
Lunch on your own at any cafe in the village.
For those who do not like bicycles, you can relax on the beach of the Sarai Bay, or you can purchase an additional tour from the base administrator or ride horses, mopeds, etc.
It is enough to write to the guide, and he will try to arrange new adventures for you.
Dinner on your own.
We spend the night at the campsite.
Free time.
Route of the day: Olkhon (Khuzhir).
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch and dinner on your own.
Day 11 - A day of rest. Guided tours on request
Early breakfast.
Guided tours to choose from for an additional fee.
The sacred island of Ogoy with a stupa or the South of Olkhon (we will take a ride through all the bays and gulfs), as well as a visit to the Dream Cave (1 hour in the cave).
The groups are combined.
The whole group needs to decide within the first five days.
Departure to the caves is closer to lunch. Waterproof suits, hard hats, and flashlights are provided. Be sure to take warm clothes, water, and a snack.
Return to the recreation center in 4-5 hours.
Rest.
Lunch and dinner on your own (maybe in a cafe with a sunset view).
You can have dinner in a cafe or at the base by ordering in advance.
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch and dinner on your own.
Day 12 - Departure to Irkutsk
Departure to Irkutsk around 9-10 a.m. in the national team group.
The road goes through Olkhon, then by ferry (queues and technical breaks are possible) and again along the picturesque steppes to Irkutsk.
On the way, we will stop for lunch, where you can choose and buy on your own what you like.
The program ends at 18-20 hours.
Route of the day: Olkhon (Khuzhir) – Irkutsk
Meals: Breakfast. Lunch on your own.

Difficulty

Does not require specific skills, but one must be in a good physical shape

Accommodation

Tent

5 nights
Camp Site

6 nights

Comfort

Basic
Basic+

The tour provides accommodation at camp sites in the village. Slyudyanka and Olkhon Island have Economy rooms for 3-5 people (on-site amenities), as well as overnight stays in tourist tents for 3-4 people.

in the village Slyudyanka (2 nights: 1st, 4th days) – recreation centers "Silver Spring", "Edelweiss", "Gennady's Place", "Zhigalov's Shelter" or recreation centers of the same category;
tourist tents at the Hamar-Daban weather station (2 nights: 2nd, 3rd days);
on the island of Olkhon (4 nights: 5th, 9th, 10th, 11th days) – recreation centers "Shamanka", "Like at home" and private wooden small recreation centers;
Tourist tents are located in the bays of the Small Sea (3 nights: 6th, 7th, 8th days).

On request, single and double occupancy is possible for an additional fee and subject to availability. Check the availability of camp sites and double tents when booking a tour.

The surcharge for double occupancy in the tour is 8,000 rubles.

The surcharge for single occupancy on the tour is 15,000 rubles.

Tour conditions

Group

From 4 to 15 tourists

Minimum age

8 years old

Duration

12 days 11 nights

Group meets at

Irkutsk

Included in price

meeting in Irkutsk, guided tour services;
group first aid kit and equipment;
transfer and transportation according to the program;
payment for visiting the national park;
guided tours according to the program (except additional ones);
accommodation according to the program (campsites and tents) (3-4-bed, 1- and 2-bed extra charge);
meals specified in the program, as well as the purchase of groceries and their delivery to the beginning of the route (on Olkhon Island – dinner at the recreation center and lunch – on your own);
entrance tickets to the museum (except the Museum of Minerals and the Revyakin Museum);
bike rental day 9.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Irkutsk and back;
sauna — from 1,500 rubles/hour for up to 3 people (on-site payment);
a trip to the caves starts from 7,500 rubles/person (to be booked in advance, payment is made on the spot);
dinners and lunches on Olkhon 9, 10, 11, 12 (meals can be ordered at the recreation center or in a cafe);
cook's services on request (and everyone cooks in turn) — from 10,000 rubles/day per group (payment upon booking);
translation services (for foreign citizens) — from 10,000 rubles/day per group (payment upon booking);
drop—off by high-speed car from Slyudyanka to the trail - from 7,500 rubles. for a group of up to 10 people (payment on site);
luggage transfer services on Hamar Daban (9 km. from dropping by car on foot with climbing): a horse starting from 5,000 rubles one way, and a porter starting from 3,000 rubles one way (up to 15 kg);
the Mineral Museum and the Revyakin Museum — from 350 rubles/person (payment on site);
bicycle rental — from 1200 rubles (payment on the spot);
horse riding for 1 hour – from 1,500 rubles (to be booked in advance, payment to the guide);
guided tour of the Small Sea or the Golden Triangle — from 5,500 rubles (to be booked in advance, payment to the guide on the spot);
south of the island — from 4000 rubles /person (to be booked in advance, payment to the guide on the spot).

Prices are dynamic, subject to change.

It's important to know

Passport (birth certificate for the child).
Compulsory medical insurance policy.
A certificate from the therapist, if there are chronic diseases (the tourist assumes responsibility for his health on the tour).
Personal medicines. A roll of Band-Aid is required.
Backpack (70-80 liters for women; 80-90 liters for men) + rain cover on the backpack.
A sleeping bag suitable for the temperature regime during the hiking season.
Travel mat (foam).
A hermetic bag (or a thick plastic bag) for packing things in a backpack.
Clothing: windproof and moisture-proof jacket; rain cape; fleece, 2 pieces; thick, windproof and light trousers, thermal underwear, T-shirts with long and short sleeves, 2 pieces; trekking socks, 2 pairs; warm socks, 2 pairs; underwear; hat; cap or panama hat with brim; gloves, 2 pairs.
Worn shoes: trekking boots, thick-soled sneakers, flip-flops (sandals).
Sunglasses.
A headlamp.
Trekking poles.
Mug, spoon, bowl, knife, flask or water bottle.
Matches or a lighter.
Insect repellents, sunscreen.
Personal hygiene products.

Additionally, you can take your own tent if you want to live separately. This does not affect the cost of the tour in any way.

We advise you to schedule your arrival the day before the start of the program, as your flight may be delayed due to weather conditions. If you are late for the start, you will have to catch up with the group on your own, this is not the best way to start your vacation.

At the end of the program, we recommend that you stay on Lake Baikal for a couple of days to enjoy this unique place to your heart's content.

When booking a tour, keep in mind that the group may include participants with different physical fitness. The hike takes place at a pace that the group is ready for.

Participants take turns cooking on their own along the entire route, setting up tents, harvesting firewood and carrying all necessary equipment (including kayaks).

They help the guide in every possible way in creating a favorable psychological environment in the group. The guide guides the route, distributes duties among the participants, but does not act as a guide, animator, psychologist, etc.

If you want to get more information about Lake Baikal, then perhaps you should purchase an excursion tour, since, in an active tour, the main goal is still a safe and comfortable route from start to finish, as well as the opportunity to visit picturesque places where tour groups are never taken, to acquire certain skills that they may come in handy on further trips.

The guide (instructor) coordinates all the group's movements along the route, according to the tour program. If you have any questions about equipment, overcoming certain obstacles on the route, immediately contact the guide.

Tourists receive all information about the area, history, and culture when visiting museums and excursions.

Of course, all our guides live on Lake Baikal and they will be happy to tell you about their lives, the way of life of the local population, customs, local cuisine (what to try and what to buy with you home), etc. They will share with you the stories they know about Lake Baikal. They are also always happy to play various games with tourists if the tour participants support the guide in all his initiatives.

Dates and Prices

$1,442

19 – 30 Jul 12 days 11 nights

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$1,442

2 – 13 Aug 12 days 11 nights

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Reviews Leave a review

N
Nikita

about provider

16 Apr, 2026

Everything went well. The program was carried out in full as planned.