The Icy heart of Lake Baikal

Only in winter you can see hummocks and amazingly beautiful grottoes with giant frozen icicles shimmering in the sun, make exciting trips on transparent and smooth ice, arrange a delightful photo shoot against the background of snow-capped peaks, fluffy fir trees and the fabulous beauty of Lake Baikal! 

We will live in comfortable conditions on the tour. Let's look at Irkutsk, the capital of Eastern Siberia, its churches, mansions, old houses. We will visit the new tourist center with restored historical buildings – Irkutsk Sloboda.  On the way to Olkhon, we will admire the Siberian expanses – fields, forests, interesting relief of steppe and forest-steppe areas.

Location

Irkutsk
from
$655
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
6 Days
5 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • 11 – 16 Feb, 2025
    • 18 – 23 Feb, 2025
    • 25 Feb – 2 Mar, 2025
    • 4 – 9 Mar, 2025
    • 11 – 16 Mar, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    5 nights
Comfort
  • Midscale
Difficulty
Easy
For any person
Group
Up to 16 people
Minimum age
7 years old
Group meet at
Irkutsk
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Hearty Buryat cuisine
Let's try the famous poses and delicious rich soup
Traveling on Khivus
Let's race through the icy expanses on an original hovercraft
Secrets of Buddhism
Let's make our innermost desires, bypassing the sacred Buddhist stupa of Enlightenment
Baikal Ice Table
Let's have a picnic right on the ice!

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Sightseeing tour of the city of Irkutsk

    Welcome to Irkutsk! 

    The meeting takes place in 2 stages: 

    • at the airport 8-8:30 (inside the building at the exit to the city with a sign "The Icy heart of Lake Baikal");
    • at the railway station 9-9:30 (meeting with a sign at the exit to the city inside the railway station building);

    After gathering the group, we go to breakfast. 

    Attention! Check-in at the hotel is made after the excursion program. 

    Sightseeing tour of the city of Irkutsk.

    We start from the place where in 1661 Yakov Pokhabov founded the Irkutsk prison, here we will also see the most memorable and ancient shrine of Irkutsk – the Church of the Savior, next to the colorful Epiphany Cathedral, the Polish Church, the Eternal Flame, the Moscow Gate, a monument to the Pioneers. 

    We will visit the Znamensky Monastery, next to which there is a monument to Admiral Kolchak. 

    Then we will go to Gagarin Boulevard. 

    No less interesting sightseeing sites are located here: the monument to Emperor Alexander III, erected in honor of the completion of the Great Trans–Siberian Railway, the only Moorish Castle in Siberia – the building that now houses the Irkutsk Museum of Local Lore, the White House (or Sibiryakovsky Palace) - the house that belonged to the merchants Sibiryakov, and then served as a residence for a long time Governor-General of Eastern Siberia. 

    Then we will visit a new tourist center with restored historical buildings – "Irkutsk Sloboda" (or the so-called 130th quarter). 

    Let's get to know babr here. 

    Lunch at the cafe. 

    Transfer to the hotel, accommodation. 

    After the excursions, in your free time, you can independently visit the favorite place for evening walks of Irkutsk residents and guests of the city – the embankment of the Angara River, or one of the many museums of the city.

    And if you are not very tired after the road, you can go to the museum of wooden architecture "Taltsy" or to Listvyanka, take a walk through the tourist village, which is called the "Gates of Baikal" (independently, not included in the price).

    Meals: breakfast, lunch. Guide: Yes.

    3 more photos
  • Day 2 - Olkhon Island
  • Day 3 - Cape Khoboy
  • Day 4 - Ogoy Island
  • Day 5 - Transfer to Irkutsk
  • Day 6 - Departure
Difficulty
For any person

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    5 nights
Comfort
  • Midscale

The tour provides accommodation in a hotel, comfortable rooms.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation, RUB.:

2-3-person1-local
56 00073 600
The Lake Place Hotel or a similar one on Olkhon 3 nights

LakePlace Guest House is located in the village of Khuzhir. It offers barbecue facilities and a terrace. The guest house has a shared kitchen and a shared lounge. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. Free private parking is available on site. An airport shuttle can be arranged for an additional fee. Each room is equipped with a private bathroom. Some rooms have a balcony, while others overlook the lake. A continental breakfast is served daily.

1 more photo
Matryoshka Hotel or similar in Irkutsk 2 nights

Tour conditions

Group
up to 16 tourists
Minimum age
7 years old
Duration
6 days 5 nights
Group meets at
Irkutsk

Included in price

  • accommodation in Irkutsk (comfortable room);
  • accommodation at the recreation center on Olkhon Island (comfortable room);
  • meals specified in the program: 
    • Day 1: breakfast, lunch;
    • Day 2: breakfast, lunch, dinner;
    • Day 3: breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner;
    • Day 4: breakfast, dinner;
    • Day 5: Breakfast;
    • Day 6: Breakfast;
  • transfer Irkutsk – Olkhon – Irkutsk;
  • excursions:
    • city sightseeing tour;
    • walking tour to Cape Burkhan;
    • car tour to Cape Khoboy;
    • excursion to Khivus island Ogoy (3 hours) - napleski, Cape Dragon;
  • collection of the Baikal National Park.

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Irkutsk and back;
  • meals not specified in the program;
  • additional excursions;
  • personal expenses.

It's important to know

Personal equipment you need for the tour
  • passport, compulsory medical insurance policy, birth certificate for the child;
  • warm and stable shoes;
  • a warm windproof jacket (preferably with a hood);
  • trousers - with the same qualities as the jacket;
  • the hat is better synthetic, with a non-blown membrane;
  • warm two-layer scarf;
  • non-blown gloves and mittens (gloves can be made of fleece, mittens must be with protective material) it is better to take both;
  • thermal underwear;
  • fleece;
  • sweater, T-shirt;
  • trekking winter socks (moisture-absorbing) + wool socks. (and light cotton ones);
  • sunscreen;
  • sunglasses (you can also take a ski mask);
  • thermos (at your discretion);
  • first aid kit (personal);

Also, for the convenience of moving with personal belongings, you can take a backpack up to 40 liters or a small bag (in addition to a suitcase / bag that will be located at the hotel).

Are plane/train tickets included in the tour price?
Is insurance included in the price of the tour?

Dates and Prices

The tour dates are not confirmed yet. Please, for clarification
  • $655
    11 – 16 Feb, 2025 6 days 5 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • $655
    18 – 23 Feb, 2025 6 days 5 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • $655
    25 Feb – 2 Mar, 2025 6 days 5 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • $655
    4 – 9 Mar, 2025 6 days 5 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • $655
    11 – 16 Mar, 2025 6 days 5 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now