Baikal Observation
The group is almost complete!
Departure date:
11 August 2010 - 19 August 2010
Group size: 5-10
Duration: 9 days
Day 1 Irkutsk
Meet at the railway station/airport accompanied by our English-speaking guide. Check-in to the hotel “Irkutsk” (breakfast only). Shower/rest. Enjoy a 2-hour walking city tour. It starts at the historical part of the city: Epiphany Cathedral, the oldest stone-structure Church of our Saviour and the only Catholic Cathedral in Irkutsk, Polish Roman Catholic Church. The tour leads you through the Kirov Square and circus, taking you to the main street of Irkutsk, the Karl Marks Street. You’ll walk along the street to get to the Angara river embankment. Right there, where the monument to Alexander III is, all young people gather, so you’ll have a chance to see “the youth culture” of Irkutsk. Free time. Traditional Russian dinner (not included). Overnight.
Day 2 Listvyanka
Breakfast. Car transfer to the village situated only 60km away from Irkutsk - Listvyanka. On the way visit an open-air wooden architecture museum “Taltsy”. In the museum you’ll see the settlements of indigenous Siberian people of 17th-20th centuries. Some of the buildings presented in the museum were brought there from the villages that were flooded after building hydro-electric dams in the Irkutsk region. Check-in to a mini-hotel (breakfast only). Guided walk to a local biological museum that also has a set of aquariums amongst which there is one with the only mammal representative, the Baikal Seal, in it. Take a chair-lift to a nearby view point. There you’ll get a chance to take panoramic pictures of Baikal from above. Lunch (not included). Enjoy your visit to a local 19th century wooden St.Nicolas church and a local fish market where you’ll see a great variety of fish and different ways of cooking it. Free time. Overnight.
Day 3 Bolshie Koty
Breakfast. Arrive at Bolshie Koty by boat, check-in to the resort “Priut Staratelei”(full board). Enjoy an easy 2-hour hike to the lunch place on the shore of Lake Baikal. Hike back to the resort. Free time. Overnight.
Day 4 Bolshie Koty
Breakfast. Walk around the village, visit to the remains of gold mine of 19th century. Feel the wind while getting to the view-point where you’ll be presented the panorama of Lake Baikal. Enjoy swimming in the clear water of Baikal. Banya (Russian sauna) in the evening. Overnight.
Day 5 Olkhon Island
Breakfast. Transfer to Khuzhir village on Olkhon Island by car (Khuzhir is the main village of the Island with the population of 1500 people). Check-in to a mini-hotel (breakfast only) in the afternoon. Shower/rest. Dinner (not included). Visit to the Buryat (indigenous people) village where the natives will tell you about their origin and open up few secrets for you. Enjoy the sunset on the Shaman cape near the Khuzhir village. Overnight.
Day 6 Olkhon Island
Breakfast. Enjoy a tour to the south of the Island. You'll visit the remains of the Kurykan (ancient people of Siberia) wall that was built in the 5th-8th century. You’ll stop by at the legendary Sharanur Salt Lake where some people come to experience the healing power of magic clay. Picnic lunch served on the way. Finish your trip in the Tashkiney valley that is located on the eastern part of the Island and opens a great view on Baikal’s rough side for tourists. Return to the village. Overnight.
Day 7 Olkhon Island
Breakfast. A day long trip to the northern part of the Island by car (lunch included). You’ll be taken to the best view points of Olkhon Island where the guide will introduce you to all mysterious legends that this place holds. Return to the village. Banya (Russian Sauna) in the evening. Overnight.
Day 8 Irkutsk
Breakfast. Check-out from the mini-hotel. Transfer to Irkutsk. Check-in to the hotel “Irkutsk”(breakfast only). Free time. Overnight.
Day 9 Irkutsk
Breakfast. Check-out from the hotel. End of the programme.
Attention:
The price above applies for the group of minimum 5 people.
The group departure is guaranteed if there are at least 3 people in a group, however the following surcharge is applied:
4 people in a group -
2000 rub. or $66 or €51 / per person
3 people in a group -
4000 rub. or $131 or €102 / per person
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