5 days
Fixed dates
10 people
from 6 years old
Basic
Guest house or tourist center, Hotel
Russian
Sightseeing tours
A favorite holiday on the shores of the cleanest lake on the planet, surrounded by magnificent Siberian landscapes! You'll celebrate the New Year 2025 and spend its first days in a magical atmosphere, make your deepest wishes at the Place of Power, and participate in unique master classes and entertainment.
A New Year's banquet with live music and a festive program is just a small taste of the experience! This tour is packed with a variety of activities to suit every taste. Over the course of five days, you'll enjoy a dog sledding ride, learn how to make authentic Buryat buuzas, and participate in a blacksmithing workshop. You'll learn a lot about the region's traditions and beliefs: visit an ethnographic museum recreating an 18th-century Siberian village and stay with a Buryat family.
Spend two days on Olkhon Island, where you can enjoy the tranquility, solitude, and closeness to nature. And, of course, you'll see the famous Baikal ice—the purest and most transparent on the planet. Take a ride on a hot airship, enjoying the endless expanses and stunning views.
A multitude of culinary adventures await you throughout the tour. For example, during a tour of Irkutsk, you'll dine at Okhotnikov, a restaurant ranked among the top 100 best restaurants in the country. Its signature dish is Siberian game and fish. Visiting local families, you'll enjoy homemade pancakes, rich bukhler, buuz, and sagudai made with Baikal fish, and then sample traditional drinks at a traditional café.
Deluxe Twin rooms. This is the perfect place to celebrate the New Year on the shore. Modern, spacious rooms, decorated in subdued, calming tones, boast top-notch service and stunning views of Lake Baikal and the surrounding countryside. The elevated location of the hotel complex means the panorama is truly spectacular.
Standard Double Rooms. The perfect place to soak up the incredible atmosphere of Olkhon. The rooms are finished with eco-friendly natural materials, and the grounds are tranquil and peaceful. The hotel boasts a luxurious spa and sauna (additional access required). The famous Saraisky Beach is just a 7-minute walk away.
The group will assemble and meet the guide between 9:00 and 10:00 AM. Please ensure your flight arrives on time.
After the group reassembles, we'll embark on a sightseeing tour of Irkutsk, followed by a hearty lunch at Okhotnikov Restaurant, ranked among the top 100 restaurants in the country. Then, on our way to Listvyanka, we'll stop at the Taltsy Architectural and Ethnographic Museum. This amazing place dispels any myth that museums are boring! You'll immerse yourself in the faithfully recreated atmosphere of an 18th-century Siberian village, complete with taverns, a fair, and troikas of horses flying past! Upon arrival and check-in at the hotel, you'll have free time to relax and prepare for the holiday. At 11:00 PM, the New Year's banquet begins with a sumptuous table, live music, and a host. Time to make a wish as the chimes ring!
Free time until lunch. After lunch, we'll visit a private estate where the owners breed huskies and practice traditional crafts. You'll participate in a blacksmithing workshop and enjoy a thrilling ride on a dog sled—either as a passenger or a musher. We'll warm up with aromatic tea and homemade pancakes, then head to the cable car. Take it up to the Chersky Stone observation deck. Although the deck is located at a relatively low altitude (about 800 m), it offers a magnificent panorama of the lake. You'll see Port Baikal, located at the source of the Angara River, the famous Shaman Stone, and the Khamar-Daban mountain range cloaked in a bluish haze. Return to the hotel by 5:30 PM, free time, and dinner (on your own).
We'll leave the hotel and head to one of Lake Baikal's most famous landmarks—Olkhon Island. En route, we'll stop at the Golden Horde Ethnographic Park for lunch. You'll see a traditional Buryat yurt and sample signature Buryat dishes. Then, on a hovercraft, we'll cross the Olkhon Gate—the picturesque strait separating Olkhon from the mainland. We'll enjoy the views of secluded bays and coves. On the island, you'll check into the atmospheric Baikal Wood Eco Lodge & Spa—a haven of privacy and tranquility surrounded by stunning nature.
Today, you'll explore Olkhon. We'll take a hike to the island's most recognizable site—Shamanka Rock (also known as Cape Burkhan). Your guide will explain why this place is considered sacred and the legends associated with it. You'll also see 13 sacred serge pillars, decorated with colorful ribbons, and learn about local rituals and ceremonies. For lunch, we'll head to a Buryat village, where you can not only enjoy a delicious meal but also try your hand at making the famous buuz. Our hospitable hosts will tell you about the national traditions passed down from generation to generation. After lunch, return to the hotel and have free time.
We'll return from Olkhon to the mainland by airship, then take a minibus to one of the bays of the Maloye More (depending on ice conditions). You'll see first ice—the clearest ice on Lake Baikal—and have the opportunity to walk on it or go ice skating (skate rental is not included in the tour price). You'll also be introduced to the Baikal travelers and experience the Kiss of Baikal—a refreshing sip of the lake through a freshly cut hole in the ice. Get your cameras ready: the shots on the ice, near the ice, and through the ice will be breathtaking! Then you'll have lunch at a Buryat café and sample national drinks: tarasun, khorzo, Mongolian and Buryat tea. We'll arrive in Irkutsk by 5:00 PM. After checking into your hotel, you'll have free time.
Meet your guide and group from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Purchase tickets for arrival no later than 9:45 AM.
Average temperatures on Lake Baikal in January range from -12 to -15 degrees Celsius. Temperatures can drop to -20 degrees Celsius or warm up to -5 degrees Celsius. It's best to bring windproof clothing, as strong winds can occur.
This tour is suitable for families with children aged 6 and up. Children under 12 receive a 10% discount.
The banquet at the Baikal Hotel will feature a host, entertainers, contests, and live music. Please note that your guide will not be with you on New Year's Eve; they will leave around 5:00 PM.
The program includes all expenses except lunch and dinner on the second day. The average bill for lunch or dinner is 1,000 to 2,000 rubles per person. Bring extra cash if you plan to use the sauna or spa at your Olkhon Island hotel, buy souvenirs, or rent skates.
MTS, Megafon, and Tele2 have coverage almost everywhere. There will be no service for approximately 2-3 hours on the way to Olkhon.
Ask your tour coordinator questions
Tour from an official tour operator listed in the Rostourism register
