5 days
Fixed dates
10 people
from 8 years
Basic
Guest house or camp site, Hotel
English Russian
On snowmobiles, Excursion tours
The same tour that was included in the TOP 30 of National Geographic Traveler magazine. This is what travel bloggers choose to explore winter Baikal! Hundreds of fantastic photographs, thousands of shades and shapes of ice, aromatic dishes and a little extreme - we invite you to the most memorable adventure!
Visiting the most beautiful and secluded corners of Lake Baikal: grottoes, caves, rocks decorated with ice splashes, grandiose hummocks. Don’t think that these views can get boring: the ice creations of nature are so diverse and amazing that you definitely won’t want to let go of your camera. On this tour you will raft on an ice floe, play hockey on the largest skating rink in the world and go to a polar station where tulips grow right from under the ice.
You will also see the famous stilted trees of Peschanaya Bay and visit the sacred uninhabited island of Ogoy and the Buddhist Stupa of Enlightenment, which contains 2.5 tons of relics and sacred texts. We will take a walk around Olkhon, where one of the most recognizable Baikal attractions is located - the Shamanka rock, and the famous Serge pillars. You will learn about the beliefs, traditions and rituals of the region, be initiated into Baikal travelers and take a sip of the purest lake water right through a hole drilled in the ice.
Unusual transport deserves special attention: on the tour we will travel not only in comfortable minibuses, but also in hovercraft (hovercraft) and trakols. Trekols are the most suitable and safest way to travel on the Baikal ice. Thanks to the huge wheels, they are quite high, so the view of all the icy wonders around will be impressive!
Double rooms of the “Standard” category. The hotel is located near Listvyanka, on the shore of Larch Bay, where the Angara flows into Lake Baikal. Maximum comfort surrounded by Siberian nature, a panoramic restaurant with local products and delicious local cuisine. Within walking distance is the Baikal Museum.
Double rooms of the “Standard” category. Hotel complex on the territory of a national park. The atmosphere of peace and just 500 meters from the shore of Lake Baikal is exactly what you need to recuperate after an active day. All rooms have lake views.
Double rooms of the “Standard” category. The hotel has an optimal location in the historical center of the city, from here you can walk to most of Irkutsk’s attractions in a matter of minutes, for example, to the Angara embankment or monuments of wooden architecture.
We meet at Irkutsk airport - make sure you arrive no later than 9:30 local time.
We begin our acquaintance with the region with a short excursion around Irkutsk, then go to the village of Listvyanka. The transfer will take about an hour. Here you will have lunch, check into a hotel and change clothes for your first trip to the Baikal ice. Next on the program is rafting on an ice floe under the control of the Hivus hovercraft. Just imagine: you are surrounded by endless icy elements, deep blue shades of water and snow-white ice, enjoying the mesmerizing nature and tasting warming local liqueurs! If weather conditions or ice conditions are unsuitable, the rafting will be replaced by a visit to the Circum-Baikal Railway. Upon returning to the hotel, free time. You can go for a walk around Listvyanka, look into souvenir shops, the fish market, and see the panorama of Lake Baikal from the Ferris wheel.
On this day we will travel along Big Baikal towards Olkhon Island.
Along the way we will visit the most famous locations, ideal for photo shoots! In the morning we leave Listvyanka and set off on the Khivus to our first destination - the famous Peschanaya Bay. Picturesque stilted trees with intricately intertwined exposed roots, a panorama of Lake Baikal, marble patterns of crystal clear ice - here we will have a snack and take a lot of photographs! Next stop is Aya Bay. We will admire the ice and the surrounding landscapes, have lunch in a cafe with an inspiring view.
By evening we will reach the Small Sea - a narrow strait between the coast and Olkhon Island. We will check into the recreation center and have dinner.
On the third day of the trip, we will get acquainted with another unusual type of transport: from the Khivus we will transfer to the TREKOL amphibious all-terrain vehicles.
Mysterious snow-white grottoes and hummocks await us - grandiose piles of transparent sparkling ice. We will have lunch at an amazing restaurant at the Arctic station “Boro-Boro”. The atmosphere of polar and Siberian expeditions of the 19th-20th centuries is recreated here; there are many unique photo zones: for example, under-ice tulips and a snow igloo. The menu includes aromatic local dishes: hot-smoked Angara trout, fish soup, Siberian pickles. Also on this day we will see Olkhon Island, the Shamanka rock, and the sacred pillars of Serge. The guide will tell you about local traditions and legends. In the evening we will return to the hotel complex, have dinner and relax from a day full of emotions.
Let's continue our acquaintance with local beliefs: we will visit the sacred island of Ogoy.
Here is the Buddhist Stupa of Enlightenment. It is believed that it helps travelers fulfill their wishes: if you walk around the stupa an odd number of times, thinking about your cherished dream, it will certainly come true. After lunch on the shore of Lake Baikal, we will continue to explore the hummocky fields, frozen snow-white splashes and fantastic grottoes. You will also be initiated into Baikal travelers and perform the most memorable ritual of this tour - you will take a sip of the purest water directly from a hole in the ice. In the afternoon we say goodbye to the lake and head to Irkutsk. After checking into the hotel, there will be time for dinner and a walk around the city.
If you have time left before departure, you can devote it to further acquaintance with Irkutsk. Please note: the journey to the airport takes 30 minutes, check out at the hotel until 12:00.
The group assembles and leaves at 10:00. Please purchase tickets with arrival no later than 9:30 local time.
You need warm winter clothes and shoes that are windproof and do not restrict movement. We provide a detailed list with recommendations when purchasing a tour. Also, don’t forget about sun protection: you will need cream with SPF 20 and sunglasses.
This is an active adventure, but there will be no significant physical exertion. Children over 8 years old are allowed (younger is discussed privately) and active pensioners.
All routes are well studied, transport is prepared for the conditions of winter Baikal, and experienced guides, captains and drivers will accompany you. We monitor weather and ice conditions and adjust the program if necessary. Also, we are always a short distance from civilization and can quickly get to a populated area.
All hotels are well-equipped, all rooms have a shower and toilet.
In placements there is such an opportunity. You must book your visit the day before your trip and pay separately.
Ask questions to the tour coordinator
Tour from an official tour operator from the Rostourism register
