Your whole Baikal. The Transbaikal Expedition

A unique 800—kilometer route will run through the entire lake - from south to north. For those who want to see Baikal wild, real, not the way everyone sees it. 

You will visit three unique specially protected natural areas, including the oldest nature reserve in Russia. You will find airboats and all-terrain vehicles, clean ice and protected taiga, hot springs and snowy mountains, a spa hotel and an acquaintance with winter quarters without amenities.

Location

Irkutsk
from
$2,812
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
8 Days
7 Nights
Departures
  • Group departures
    • Dates for next season
    • 13 – 20 February, 2025
or
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    4 nights
  • Guest House
    1 night
  • Camp Site
    2 nights
Comfort
  • Basic+
  • Midscale
  • Upscale
  • Premium
Difficulty
Moderate
Involves moderate physical activity
Group
Up to 12 people
Minimum age
12 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

Skiing trip
Let's take a walk through the Siberian forest in the company of a gamekeeper on kamus skis
The Kiss of Lake Baikal
Let's take a sip of the purest water right from the lake!
The heat of thermal springs
We will warm the soul and body in springs with water temperature up to + 42 ° C
Circum-Baikal Railway
We will visit the KBZHD — a unique monument of engineering architecture
Ice fishing
We will receive a master class on ice fishing from experienced guides
Boro-Boro Polar Station
We will be able to hear the "breath of Lake Baikal" in the ice tunnel, visit a real snow hut and ride a Finnish sled

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Irkutsk – Kultuk – KBZHD – Listvyanka

    Group meeting at Irkutsk airport until 09:30.

    10:00 Transfer by minibus to Kultuk village — the southwestern point of Lake Baikal.

    12:00 Lunch at the cafe.

    13:30 Start of the expedition! 

    On the Khivus airships we will walk along the entire KBZHD and make 8 stops: Staraya Angasolka station, Maritui station, Cape Polovinny, Italian wall, Shumikha station, Ulanovo station, Cape Tolstoy, Baikal port.

    17:30 Arrival in Listvyanka village, transfer to the hotel, accommodation at the hotel.

    18:30 Dinner (on your own), a mini-lecture about Lake Baikal and a travel plan.

    Meals included: lunch at the cafe.
    Accommodation: Krestovaya Pad Hotel in Listvyanka.
    105 km by minibus, ~85 km by Hivus.
    1 more photo
  • Day 2 - Listvyanka – Aya Bay
  • Day 3 - Aya Bay — Tazheran steppes — Kurkut Bay — Chara camp site
  • Day 4 - Chara campsite — Boro-Boro ice station — Cape Khoboy — Ust-Barguzin settlement
  • Day 5 - Ust-Barguzin settlement – Chivyrkuysky Bay – Davsha cordon
  • Day 6 - Davsha settlement – Cape Kotelnikovsky
  • Day 7 - Free day at Cape Kotelnikovsky
  • Day 8 - Cape Kotelnikovsky – Severobaikalsk – Nizhneangarsk – Irkutsk
Difficulty
Involves moderate physical activity

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    4 nights
  • Guest House
    1 night
  • Camp Site
    2 nights
Comfort
  • Basic+
  • Midscale
  • Upscale
  • Premium

The tour includes accommodation in hotels, camp sites and cordons:

  • Listvyanka village, Krestovaya Pad Hotel, Standard rooms, double occupancy, 1 night; 
  • Aya Bay, Aya Bay Hotel, rooms. Standard, double occupancy, (double bed only, for separate accommodation – additional place (sofa-couch), 1 night;
  • Chara campsite, 1 night; 
  • Ust-Barguzin village, Baikal Breeze Hotel or Sindbad Guest House, Standard rooms, double occupancy, 1 night; 
  • Davsha village (cordon of the Barguzin reserve), guest houses, accommodation for 4-5 people, heating with a Russian stove, no shower, sauna (for an additional fee), outdoor toilet, 1 night; 
  • Cape Kotelnikovsky, recreation center "Cape Kotelnikovsky", Standard rooms (double bed only, for separate accommodation – additional place), 2 nights.

The surcharge for a single room (except for a long time, because it is impossible to have a single room) is 44,125 rubles.

The Krestovaya Pad Hotel 1 night

Krestovaya Pad is a modern hotel complex on the shore of Lake Baikal.

The distance from the shore is 200 meters. There are pleasant Italian interiors, original furniture and hospitable staff.

ROOM OF THE CATEGORY "STANDARD SUPERIOR":

  • personal use items;
  • towels;
  • electric kettle;
  • fan;
  • TV;
  • shower cabin;
  • W i-Fi.
3 more photos
The Aya Bay Hotel 1 night
Chara Campsite 1 night
Sinbad Guest House 1 night
Davsha Group of Companies 1 night
Recreation center "Cape Kotelnikovsky" 2 nights

Tour conditions

Group
up to 12 tourists
Minimum age
12 years old
Duration
8 days 7 nights
Group meets at
Irkutsk

Included in price

  • the placement specified in the program;
  • meeting at the airport; 
  • transfers according to the program; 
  • flights on the route P. Nizhneangarsk — Irkutsk;
  • recreational fees of the Baikal and Trans-Baikal National Parks, Barguzin Nature Reserve.
  • services of a professional guide throughout the tour;
  • services of a second guide, 7 days; 
  • SVP rental along the routes Kultuk village – Listvyanka village, Listvyanka village – Aya Bay, 2 units. 
  • UAZ car rental on the route Aya Bay – Tazheran steppes – Sakhyurt village, 3 units.; 
  • rent of all-terrain vehicles "Trekol", 6 days, 2 units.; 
  • visit to the Boro-Boro polar station (1 hour); 
  • tour of the taiga with a huntsman on special kamus skis;
  • swimming in the thermal spring in the Serpentine Bay; 
  • bathing in thermal springs at Cape Kotelnikovsky;
  • ice fishing master class on day 7; 
  • Snow hut construction workshop on Day 7;
  • rental of camping equipment for organizing picnics;
  • satellite phone for urgent communication.

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Irkutsk and back;
  • accommodation and meals in Irkutsk;
  • alcohol and tobacco products;
  • skate rental;
  • visit to the Nature Museum and the Sable Museum in Davos;
  • bathhouse in Davsha;
  • sauna at the Aya Bay hotel;
  • sauna at the Chara campsite;
  • souvenirs.

It's important to know

Personal equipment you need for the tour

Footwear

In winter, special attention should be paid to the legs. First of all, shoes should be warm, and it is desirable that they do not get wet. Traditional Siberian shoes are considered the best for the Siberian winter – these are boots and boots. Our grandfathers also wore such shoes in the most severe frosts. However, if you do not have boots and boots, we recommend using modern analogues.

High-quality sports shoes for winter are made by Salomon, Sorel, and Meindl companies. The main qualities that winter boots should have are the presence of a good synthetic insulation, a sole with a shallow tread and made of "soft" rubber (in order not to slip), the presence of membranes, wear resistance.

Outerwear

The jacket and trousers should be comfortable, warm, should "breathe" and be light. The ideal option for a jacket is a down jacket. She has all of the above qualities. You can also consider jackets with synthetic fillers (Thinsulate, Primaloft). The jacket should have a hood, preferably with cuffs made of soft fabric, puffs on the waist and neck (from the wind).

We recommend you to look at jackets of such brands as Bask, Red Fox, Sivera, Marmot, Millet. Trousers (men's and women's) must have the same qualities as a jacket. Plus, they should not be blown through, they should have special "gaiters" (protection from snow). Overalls are quite comfortable. A nice little thing is the presence of ventilation. It is better to choose synthetic insulation for trousers. The manufacturing companies are the same as for jackets.

Hat and mittens

It is better to take synthetic caps with windproof membranes (Windstopper, Windbloc). It is desirable that there be ear protection, and of course, that it be combined with trousers and a jacket.

gloves and mittens. To begin with, you need to take 3 sets of them, because they can tear, get wet, etc. Gloves are better to take from synthetic fabrics. A good option is thin gloves made of fleece or Polartec (in order to take pictures) and leggings made of waterproof materials (leggings are large mittens made of dense nylon). You can also take woolen mittens in stock.

Thermal underwear

For winter and spring tours of Lake Baikal, we recommend that you take winter thermal underwear made of fleece or Polartec. Check out the thermal underwear of the companies Yahoo, Red Fox, Virus, Bask, Sivera.

In addition to all of the above, do not forget:

  • Sunscreen (protection factor of at least 20);
  • sunglasses (with at least 2 UV protection);
  • headlamp (and spare batteries);
  • trekking winter socks, as well as wool socks;
  • bathing accessories (if you are going to the sauna or hot springs);
  • a personal first aid kit (if you have any specific diseases);
  • photo and video equipment.
Are plane/train tickets included in the tour price?
Is insurance included in the price of the tour?
What is the weather and temperature on Lake Baikal at this time?
Will we see ice and, if so, in what percentage of the total route?
Should I take my skates and skis? Ice shoes?
How are things going with the connection and will there be wi-fi?
How much cash should I take with me on the tour?
How do I choose flights? Can the tour dates change?

Dates and Prices

  • $2,812
    13 – 20 Feb, 2025 8 days 7 nights
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    No need to pay now