The Spectacular Baikal Sea. Why is it the sea, not the lake? It is so majestic and huge that for thousands of years the locals called it the sea. It contains 20% of the planet's fresh water. Besides, it's the deepest in the world. This seems already enough to plan a visit and tour Lake Baikal to see this miracle with your own eyes. Its blue waters are so clean and the rocks are so high that you will never forget the Baikal Lake trip.
Baikal tourism is becoming increasingly popular among travelers from all over the world who want to see the beauty of Russia. It is an opportunity to rest away from the noise of civilization and breathe the cleanest air of Siberian Taiga. Baikal will not disappoint even the most experienced travelers, revealing its greatness to them. There are a lot of beautiful places on Baikal – all worth visiting.
The details of exact trip depend on one’s preferences and the season, as Baikal is attractive all year round.
Winters here are warmer, and summers are not as hot as in the rest of Siberia. The water in Baikal works like a thermos, accumulating heat to a depth of 200 m in summer, and slowly giving it back in the atmosphere during winter.
The summer season begins in June and ends in September. Whether you’re planning to chill on the beach or to visit as many attractions as possible, changing the landscapes and the activities daily – you can choose a tour to Baikal, which will suit you.
The perfect time for winter tours is February – the Baikal Ice season. Clear transparent ice, ice drifts and peculiar ice sculptures glittering in the sun, snowmobile tours, mountain skiing, horseback riding and dog sledding - all these attractions await you in the mild winter on Baikal. Skating on the lake is very popular among both tourists and locals, as Icy Baikal is the largest open-air ice arena.
There are 27 islands on Baikal, 12 of them are quite large. But the greatest one is Olkhon. It’s 71 km long, 12 km wide and has the area of 729 km2. The tour to Olkhon Island is one of the most popular tours on Baikal. Olkhon is known for the rich culture of the indigenous people. Tourists can see interesting shaman rites and rituals. Most travellers stay in the village of Khuzhir, the largest settlement on the island. There are souvenir shops, markets, family hotels and guesthouses, equipment rentals and tourist centers offering water, hiking, bicycle and horse tours. There is a Local history museum telling the story of the island from ancient times to our days. Here you can also see The famous Shaman Rock.
The closest point on Baikal to get from Irkutsk is the village of Listvyanka. By ordering a tour to Listvyanka, you can begin your acquaintance with the powerful Lake. Even the road to the shore of Baikal will give you aesthetic pleasure. It goes up and down through the ancient Siberian taiga. The tour program is full of activities and such as visits to several museums and view points. The popular fish and souvenir street markets are also included in the itinerary.
If you feel like exploring the hidden treasures of the region, you can go to the village of Arshan to conquer mountain peaks and admire waterfalls. It is an unforgettable adventure for mountain lovers. Here great mountains are surrounded by endless green alpine meadows. This place is still an active geological zone. There are hot springs all around. Healing mineral water flows out of the ground here and there. And the taste of it is different in each spring. People come here for treatment from all over Russia – isn’t the best recommendation? It is worth mentioning that Buddhism is spread in this area, and there are several Buddhist temples.
We are happy to offer you a tour to Baikal lake of your choice, from a lake cruise to a trekking adventure. We can also make an individual tour to Baikal for you, which will perfectly feet your interests and your schedule. One of the main advantages of our tours is that transfers, accommodation, meals, and excursions are already included in the program and you do not have to book anything yourself.
We will help you to plan your trip in advance and choose the option, which will be both interesting as suitable for you.
The unforgettable Tours to Baikal from Irkutsk begin here! We recommend Baikal local tour where you can see the main attractions:
- Olkhon island
- Baikal seal (freshwater seal)
- Ushkan Islands
- Chivyrkuysky gulf
- Cape Khoboy
- Listvyanka
- Peschanaya (Sandy) bay
- Circum-Baikal railway
All the people who once visited Baikal say that a holiday spent here relieves stress and brings mental balance. The air is filled with the spirit of freedom and romance. Many people dream of visiting the shores of Baikal. However, there aren’t big crowds of tourists here. So visit Baikal and you’ll get the experiences that the others only dream of getting. Some may think it's difficult, far and dangerous. Not with us. The experience we’ve got over the years of work allows us to say so. We live and work here all our lives and we are ready to make your holiday easy, safe and fascinating! So choose the tour you are interested in, fill in the application form and we will contact you to arrange all the rest!