Sacred waters of Lake Baikal (12 days, 11 night)
Irkutsk-Circum Baikal railway-Olkhon island-Ust-Barguzin town-Ulan-Ude
This tour gives a great chance to see the most rememberable man-made and natural sites of Lake Baikal. You will start the tour in Irkutsk city, take a trip along the old section of great Circum Baikal railway road, proceed to the sacred Island of Olkhon, cross the lake on a boat and turn out to be in Zabaikalsky National park where you will see the amenities of Barguzin valley and picturesque sceneries of Chivirkujsky and Barguzinsky bays. Finally you will get to the center of Buddhism in Russia that is the republic of Buryaitia which will strike you by the wealth of different ethnic groups peacefully coexisting together.
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Day
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Program
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Details…
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Day 1
(Tuesday)
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Arrive at Irkutsk
Transfer to the hotel
Free time for independent exploration
Independent lunch
City tour of Irkutsk*
Visit famous Znamensky Cathedral** and Decembrist museum***
Independent dinner
Overnight at the hotel
(-,-,-)
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* On Siberian map Irkutsk appeared in the middle of the XVII century. It began with the ostrog (wooden fortress) built in 1661, then it grew into a settlement which got its state insignia in 1686. In the beginning of the XVII century the town began to develop rapidly. The first ambassadors went to China through Irkutsk, Japan and America. In 1970 Irkutsk was included into the list of protected Russian cities with preserving its ancient planning and houses.
** Znamensky Cathedral is famous of its lavishly decorated and individual icon-stand. On the territory of the cathedral there are the graves of famous Decembrists: Mukhanov, Beschanov and Shelekhov.
***The family of the Desembrist Sergey Volkonsky spent 30 years in Siberia. For 17 years the family lived in the log two storied house that stands for the museum now. This house used to be the center of Irkutsk public life. The family usually threw balls and fancy balls for youth, arranged literary musical and theatre soirees. The museum keeps the original belongings of the family as well as the personal effects of the other Decembrists.
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Day 2
(Wednesday)
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Transfer to the railway station
Getting on a train
Depart to a full day tour along the old section of the Circum Baikal Railway road *
Lunch, dinner on board
Evening arrival at Irkutsk
Transfer to the hotel
Overnight at the hotel
(B, L, D) |
*The Circum Baikal Railway Road consists of 40 tunnels and 16 separate galleries, 470 viaducts, variety of bridges and pipes. Apart from that there are about 280 separate complexes of supporting walls for different purposes. On the background one can see breathtaking huge capes and cliffs, picturesque valley of the rivers.
No doubt, the tunnels and the galleries are the most impressive and tremendous, among the engineering installations of the CBRR. One really cannot remain unmoved by the beauty of the railroad tunnels and galleries. If you just come around you will feel the great scale and if you enter the tunnels you will feel the age-long coolness and anxious darkness! It is impossible to find identical tunnels and galleries, because even standard design had to be changed to a specific locality. That is the root reason why the tunnels and other architectural structures are so different and we must pay tribute to the scenery, which helped the engineers to create such a wonder of the engineering thought!
Practically all the tunnels are built according to Belgian system and for the most part, they have a circular outline in transverse section, and 10 of them are built according to a parabolic type of construction.
The galleries were built in order to protect the permanent way of the railroad from probable landslides. Today it is difficult to imagine that a great number of foreign businessmen also took part in building the tunnels for instance: Italians, French, Swiss, Greek and Austrians. These businessmen were allowed to hire their countrymen as bricklayers or as supervisors. The longest tunnel is Polovinniy (which means «the half of the track»). The most dangerous part at the railroad during the building is the Beryozovaya bay, the 99th kilometer (Birch bay). |
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Day 3
(Thursday)
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Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to Olkhon island (5 hours en route)
Independent lunch en route
Arrive at Olkhon island
Accommodation at the guest house
Dinner at the guest house
Overnight at the guest house
(B, -, D)
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* Olkhon is the biggest island of lake Baikal as well as the historical and sacred centre of it. Olkhon is the focus of early legends and historical traditions. Olkhon is the only anciently populated island at Baikal. It is famous of its historical and cultural memorials and nature beauties. |
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Day 4
(Friday)
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Breakfast at the guesthouse
Full day excursion to Khoboi Cape
Picnic lunch en route
Coming back to the town
Tour to sacred Shaman cape** and local museum
Dinner at the guest house
Overnight at the guest house
(B, L, D)
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*Khoboi cape (from Buryat language «Fang“) is the most northern cape of Olkhon island. From the sea the cape resembles the side face of a woman who is looking afield. Local legend says that it is the petrified Buryat lady who asked the celestials to present her with the better castle than her husband was presented with. For her anger and envy she was fated to be a stone till there would be evil and rancor.
**Shaman Cape is one of 9 Asian relics. Used to be known as «Stone temple». The Cape is considered to be the residence of the top ranked celestial Hute-Baabay Khan who has come down to earth to manage human beings lives.
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Day 5
(Saturday)
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Breakfast at the guest house
Free day on the island
As an option (extra charge): tour to the Shara-Nuri Lake, tour to Ogoi Island, tour to Buryat village , tour to the Maloye More strait, tour to the southern part of the island.
Dinner at the guest house
Overnight at the guest house
(B,-,D)
(No guide)
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*Optional tours on Olkhon island (extra charge):
(to organize the tour please make a request to your Olkhon hotel's manager)
1. Cruise to Ogoi Island located in the Maloye More strait. On the way the boat stops at the sacred places and the guide gives the tours. Lunch on board. Hiking to the top of Ogoi island. On the top of the island there is Buddhist stupa erected by volunteers 2005. In Buddhism Stupas denote the mountain connecting the earth sky and space.
The cost of the tour: 1400RUR per person
2. Tour to the Maloye More strait islands. The duration of the tour is 2 hours. The boat starts from the town's pier. The boat passes by the famous Shaman cape, Belenky island, sand bar of Saraisky bay and the island called Crocodile.
The cost of the tour: 600RUR per person
3. The tour to the southern part of Olkhon Island.
The northern part of Olkhon island is covered by coniferous forest and rocks. The Sothern part is very flat with low mounts and is in a marked contrast with the northern one. During the tour you will visit the sunniest place of Irkutsk district — Zagli bay, Khorgoi cape that is famous for its site of ancient town ruins and stupa located on the top of Ogoi island.
The cost for the transport: 6000RUR. Number of people in the group up to 10 persons.
4. The tour to Shara-Nur Lake.
In Buryat language «Shara-Nur» means «yellow lake“. The lake is located 150 meters higher than the flat part of the island and is surrounded by the forest and mounts. In summer time the waters of the lake are very warm. The lake is very famous by its treatment mud that is very healthful for joints.
The cost for the transport: 6000RUR. Number of people in the group up to 10 persons.
5. Buryat village.
Buryat village Malomorets is located on a distance of 4 km. from Khuzhir. In Malomorets village lives the oldest Buryat family. The family will welcome you, show the open-air museum and serve traditional drinks. You will have a chance to learn about Buryat traditions and handicraft inside of woolen Ger.
The cost of the tour: 500 per person. |
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Day 6
(Sunday)
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Breakfast at the guest house
Free day at Olkhon island
As an option (extra charge): horse tours, fishing, four wheeler rental, sail sings
Dinner at the guest house
Overnight at the guest house
(B,-,D)
(No guide)
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*Optional tours on Olkhon island (extra charge):
(to organize the tour please make a request to your Olkhon hotel's manager)
1. House tours (the instructor may escort you in a tour) to Shara-Nur Lake, to Tashkiney fold, to Yalga village.
Full day horse tour with the instructor: 1600 RUR per pax.
Horse rental: 500 RUR per hour.
The cost of transfer from the guest house to the stable yard is 300 RUR.
2. Night fishing on a boat. From 23-00 till 8-00. Dinner on board.
The cost of the tour: 2000 per person.
3. Four wheeler rental.
Cost 1100 RUR en hour.
4. Sail sings on Yamaha boat:
Tour to Ushkany islands (240 km., 7 hours en route)
The cost of the tour: 35000.
Tour to Chivirkuisky bay (320 km., 9 hours en route)
The cost of the tour: 45000.
Tour to Barguzinsky bay (240 km., 7 hours en route)
The cost of the tour: 35000.
Maloye More Cruise, duration 5 hours.
The cost of the tour: 20000.
Tour to Surkhaiti, duration 2 hours. 1 hour stop for fishing.
The cost of the tour: 7000.
Tour to Khoboi cape (northern part of the island), duration 3 hours.
The cost of the tour: 13000.
Tour across Olkhon island (4 hours en route)
The cost of the tour: 30000. |
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Day 7
(Monday)
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Breakfast in the guest house
Free time for independent exploration
Independent lunch
Transfer to the pier
Getting on board
Sailing to Ust-Barguzin by a public scheduled ship (6 hours en route)
Independent dinner on board
Late arrival at Ust-Barguzin*
Transfer to the home stay**
Late tea at home stay
Bathhouse
Overnight at the home stay
(B, -,-)
(guide will meet you in Ust-Barguzin) |
*Ust-Barguzin is the the last big populated village on the way to Zabaikalsky National Park. It is situated in the delta of the Barguzin river, which flows into Lake Baikal.
**Appreciate the heat of Siberian banya, Russian cuisine and Siberian hospitality!
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Day 8
(Tuesday)
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Breakfast at the home stay
Full day tour to Barguzin valley*
Getting back to Ust-Barguzin
Dinner at the home stay
Bathhouse
Overnight at the home stay
(B,L,D)
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* Barguzin valley is the northern steppes of Asia. The valley is situated at the picturesque place - between two mountain ranges: Ikatski and Barguzinski. It is famous for its natural and historical monuments. The tour begins with Petrogliffs (rocky paintings, age 3000), continuous to the Suvinski Castle an architectural miracle created by nature forming a picturesque group, reminding castles ruins with huge stone towers and narrow rocky ravine between them with the length about 200m and height 50m. There are a lot of nests of doves and swallows in the rocks.Near by the Suvinski Castle there is a place of admiration of Barguzin buryats — The Stone Bull (a stone which looks like a bull where shaman rituals take place). Near the river Ina there is Stone Garden (10 km large stones which grow out of the land). Scientists still don't know the origin of such a natural phenomenon. |
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Day 9
(Wednesday)
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Breakfast at the home stay
Full day tour to Zabaikalsky National park
Transfer to the Holly Nose peninsular by minivan across the Myaghkaya Karga isthmus * (1,5 hours en route)
Lunch en route
Hiking to the fishermen village
Dinner at home stay
Bathhouse
Overnight at the home stay
(B,L,D) |
* Zabaikalsky National park was founded 1987. It integrates the holly Nose peninsular, Sothern part of Barguzin mountain range, Ushkany islands, Chivirkujsky and Barguzinsky bays. Flora and fauna of the park are very various. The most interesting place is the archipelago of Ushaky islands that is a famous rookery of unique Baikal fresh water seals. The park inhabit bears, reindeers, black-capped marmots, elks, Siberian stags, roe deer, sables, squirrels, foxes, wolves, beaver-rats, seals and 241 spices of birds.
**The isthmus Myaghkaya karga links the Holy Nose peninsula with the mainland. There is a great probability to see with your own eyes a white eagle flying or sitting on a nest.
*** Holly Nose is the biggest peninsular of lake Baikal. It is the branch of Barguzin mountain range, the highest point is 1878 meters. The isthmus that connects the peninsular with the main land separates two most beautiful Baikal bays.
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Day 10
(Thursday)
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Breakfast at the home stay
Free time for independent exploration
Lunch at home stay
Transfer to Ulan-Ude (5 hours en route)
Arrive at Ulan-Ude
Accommodation at the hotel
Independent dinner
Overnight at the hotel
(B, L,-)
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Day 11
(Friday)
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Breakfast at the hotel
Pedestrian city-tour of Ulan-Ude
Independent lunch
Tour to Ivolginsky Buddhist monastery
Tour to Old Believers village
Farewell dinner, folk show
Overnight at the hotel
(B, -,D)
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* Historical center of Verkhneudinsk (nowadays Ulan-Ude), merchants' houses of the XVII-XIX centuries, churches and the biggest Lenin's monument in the world.
** Ivolginsky monastery is the center of Buddhism in Russia. Nowadays it's also an institute called «Dashi Choikhorling» (from Tibetan language «Land of the happy Teaching»). It's a special place where Buddhist monks, scientist-buddhologists, specialists in Tibetan and Old Mongolian languages are taught. Now the monastery keeps one of the most important Buddhist relicts — the imperishable body of XII Pandito Khambo lama Dashi Dorzho Itegelov.
*** The Old Believers of Buryatia are a colorful branch of Orthodox Russians exiled in Siberia in the XVI century after the church reform carried out by Patriarch Nikon. They managed to save their culture, singing art, religion as they were two centuries ago. Lunch at a family, ritual funny games, Old Believers polyphonic songs and a lot of fun! |
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Day 12
(Saturday)
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Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to the airport
(B,-,-)
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| Number of the pax. |
2 |
3-4 |
5-7 |
8-10 |
11-15 |
16-20 |
| Cost per pax. in Russian Rubles |
71.600 |
59.850 |
47.950 |
43.250 |
41.560 |
38.650 |
Included services:
- Guide assistance along the trip;
- Meals, marked in the program (B, L, D);
-Tickets to the museums;
-Transfers, according to the program;
-Included excursions in Irkutsk, Olkhon island, Ust-Barguzin, Ulan-Ude;
- Accommodation in Irkutsk (2 nights at 3-star hotel, twin/double rooms);
- Accommodation at Olkhon island (4 nights at twin campings. Shower, toilet);
-Accommodation in Ust-Barguzin (3 nights at homestay);
-Accommodation in Ulan-Ude (2nights at 3-star hotel, twin/double rooms);
-ticket to the public boat.
Not included services:
-Alcoholic drinks except of several dinners and lunches according to the program;
-Extra services not mentioned in the program or marked as «extra charge»;
-Porter assistance.
To contact us please mail russian-mir@yandex.com
21.03.11
27.05.2008
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Our address
670000, Ulan-Ude,
Profsoysnaya Street, 31
Tel/Fax Ulan-Ude:
8 (3012) 216-177
664025, Irkutsk,
Rossiyskaya Street, 6. Office 2
Tel/Fax Irkutsk:
8 (3952) 342-043
ICQ: 616-858-802
Skype: russianmir
e-mail: russian-mir@yandex.ru
Certif. РОСС.RU.АЮ03.У00830
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