The taste of Lake Baikal. Gastronomic tour

Many peoples and cultures intersect on Lake Baikal – the indigenous Buryats, the Russians who came and strengthened themselves, Baikal is separated from the Mongols only by the Khamar-Daban mountain range, and Uzbek and Chinese cuisine were brought here by merchant caravans. This tour is a rare opportunity to try a mix of dishes from Buryat, Chinese, Asian and Siberian cuisines!

Location

Russia, Irkutsk
from
$903
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
4 Days
3 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • Dates for next season
    • 13 – 16 February, 2025
    • 14 – 17 March, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    3 nights
Comfort
  • Premium
Difficulty
Easy
Suitable for everyone
Group
Up to 8 people
Minimum age
3 years old
Group meet at
Russia, Irkutsk
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Famous Buryat buuzes
We will taste the most delicious dish of Buryat cuisine and even learn how to cook it
Chinese cuisine
Let's try dishes from chefs specially invited from Shanghai and Harbin
Taltsy Museum
Let's take a walk through the ethnographic museum in the open air
Circum-Baikal Railway
Let's get acquainted with the architectural heritage of a century ago and learn about the history of its creation
Baikal fish
Let's take a walk through the local market and try fresh cold and hot smoked fish

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Irkutsk

    09:00 The starting point of our route from Irkutsk airport. 

    We recommend arriving in the city no later than 08:00. 

    After meeting with our esteemed guests, we will all go to the hotel together to relax after a long journey and gain strength to explore Irkutsk. 

    First of all, we will go to a Russian cuisine restaurant for lunch. 

    On the menu you will find dishes prepared according to recipes of the XVIII–XIX centuries, which recreate the atmosphere of a merchant's table.

    The lunch will be truly rich and includes: 

    • roast beef salad; 
    • borscht with sour cream;
    • vinaigrette with pears;
    • steak; 
    • cherry cake. 

    After a hearty lunch, we will start exploring Irkutsk. 

    In our excursion program you will see only the most significant places in the history of the city.

    In the evening, we will have a real meat feast in the first smoker restaurant in the city.

    It was here, in Khasanovsky Lane, since 1872, that the famous wine cellars of the Nerchinsk millionaire Mikhail Butin — an entrepreneur, public figure, philanthropist, true patriot and just a surprisingly interesting person from the history of Irkutsk - were located. 

    We will definitely try: 

    • roast beef with smoked cherries; 
    • pork knuckle with cabbage; 
    • for dessert — mousse "White mushroom". 

    After a hearty dinner, we will return to the hotel to relax and gain strength before the new day.

    Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

    As part of our gastronomic tour, we offer you a variety of meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy the best dishes of Russian cuisine in the atmosphere of Irkutsk!

    1 more photo
  • Day 2 - Ust-Orda settlement
  • Day 3 - Listvyanka
  • Day 4 - Circum-Baikal Railway
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    3 nights
Comfort
  • Premium

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel in Irkutsk and Listvyanka.

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

Number of people in the groupThe cost per person in the group, RUB.
Group of 2 people89 700 

The number of participants in the group is up to 8 people.

For groups of 7 people or more, the tour is held on any convenient date.

The Central Hotel 4* 2 nights

In the tour program, we offer accommodation in a 2-bed comfortable Standard room with two separate beds/a double bed. The furniture in all rooms of the "Standard" category is made according to sketches of the interiors of the mansions of Irkutsk merchants and patrons of the 19th century. The windows in the rooms overlook the quiet pedestrian Bogdanov Lane or the courtyard of the Central Telegraph Office. The room size is 20 sq.m. Each room has a large plasma TV, air conditioning, a wardrobe, a telephone, a safe, a kettle with the necessary set of dishes and individual items for each guest.

8 more photos
The Mayak Hotel 1 night

Tour conditions

Group
up to 8 tourists
Minimum age
3 years old
Duration
4 days 3 nights
Group meets at
Russia, Irkutsk

Included in price

  • 2 nights at the hotel "Central" 4* (Irkutsk) standard room;
  • 1 night at the Mayak Hotel (Listvyanka village) standard room;
  • transfer according to the program;
  • meals according to the program (4 breakfasts, lunch and dinner);
  • entrance tickets to museums with guided tours;
  • boat trip along the KBZHD;
  • funicular ascent;
  • services of an accompanying guide;
  • memorable gifts.

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Irkutsk and back;
  • accommodation in rooms and hotels of a higher category;
  • early check-in/late check-out;
  • an additional day of accommodation;
  • guide services with a different language;
  • restaurant specialties on the main menu;
  • alcoholic beverages;
  • additional excursions not included in the itinerary;
  • additional transfer not included in the program;
  • insurance.

It's important to know

Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?

Air and railway tickets are not included in the price of the tour. You can purchase them yourself or contact us for help.

Is insurance included in the price of the tour?

Dates and Prices

  • Individual dates available on request
    1 Jan – 31 Dec
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $903
    13 – 16 Feb, 2025 4 days 3 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now
  • from
    $903
    14 – 17 Mar, 2025 4 days 3 nights
    Submit request
    No need to pay now

Reviews

  • MB
    Maria Barakova
    13 Nov, 2024
    about tour
    Good afternoon! We’d like to extend a huge thank you to all the organizers of the “Taste of Lake Baikal” tour, which we enjoyed from July 15 to July 18. The entire experience was flawlessly arranged, with every detail thoughtfully considered! Special thanks to manager Kirill, who was always available and took excellent care of us throughout the trip. Our group was small—just five people—which was a real advantage for us as travelers! We felt like VIPs in Irkutsk! Our guides, Alyona and driver Roman Kondratiev, shared so much about the history of Irkutsk and the incredible places we visited. Their laid-back storytelling kept it interesting, giving us insights that most tourists don’t get. The choice to use a car for such a small group was perfect—flexible, comfortable, and easy to hear everything. From the initial greeting to our final departure, we were so well looked after. The program was rich and engaging without a single wasted moment! Irkutsk is a beautiful city, full of amazing people and historic sites, and we were fortunate to have enthusiastic guides who truly love what they do. We highly recommend this tour to everyone! It left us with the very best memories.
    13 Nov, 2024
    5 more photos
  • MB
    Maria Barakova
    12 Nov, 2024
    about provider
    Good afternoon! We’d like to extend a huge thank you to all the organizers of the “Taste of Lake Baikal” tour, which we enjoyed from July 15 to July 18. The entire experience was flawlessly arranged, with every detail thoughtfully considered! Special thanks to manager Kirill, who was always available and took excellent care of us throughout the trip. Our group was small—just five people—which was a real advantage for us as travelers! We felt like VIPs in Irkutsk! Our guides, Alyona and driver Roman Kondratiev, shared so much about the history of Irkutsk and the incredible places we visited. Their laid-back storytelling kept it interesting, giving us insights that most tourists don’t get. The choice to use a car for such a small group was perfect—flexible, comfortable, and easy to hear everything. From the initial greeting to our final departure, we were so well looked after. The program was rich and engaging without a single wasted moment! Irkutsk is a beautiful city, full of amazing people and historic sites, and we were fortunate to have enthusiastic guides who truly love what they do. We highly recommend this tour to everyone! It left us with the very best memories.
    12 Nov, 2024
    5 more photos