MongolTravel.mn - Journeys to Mongolia and Northeast Asia

Indigenous Siberians have a mystical reverence for Lake Baikal. They believe that this is not merely 23 thousand cubic kilometers of water in an enormous stone bowl, containing over 30% of the world fresh water, but that Baikal is a wizard and healer who should be neither jested with nor enraged. This is why they never call Baikal a lake, only The Sea, or The Old Man. Scientists claim that Lake Baikal is the oldest lake on our planet, that its water basin was formed over 20 millions year ago, and that it was once part of an ocean. They also observe that the shores of this lake gradually move apart, making the lake wider every year. Lake Baikal may someday become an ocean again! We invite you to take a sailing trip with us across the waters of The Old Man. On your cruise, the gentle lapping of Baikal's waves and the whisper of the wind will make you forget urban stress. Relax on beaches of fine sand and bathe in the warm waters of picturesque bays that can be accessed only by water.

Day 1 Arrival/Irkutsk
Arrive in Irkutsk and tour the city • Visit the Cathedral of the Holy Sign, browse the central market and visit Prince Volkonsky Mansion.

Day 2 Irkutsk/Listvianka
Transfer to the Listvianka village • Visit the "Taltsy" open-air wooden architecture museum • Tour the Baikal Ecological Museum featuring exhibits of many fish and animal species, sponges and crustaceans geographical and geological information, ship models, diverse pictoral and video materials, and a number of models of the lake and marine vessels.

Day 3-8 Boat Ride On Lake Baikal
Depart from Listvianka, sailing about 5 hours to Peschanaya Bay • Swimming opportunity • Easy hike to explore the beautiful surroundings of Peschanaya Bay • Continue sailing to Olkhon island • En route, stop by the white sandstone Sagan Zaba Crag to sec world renowned rock drawings depicting scenes from the lives of ancient shamanistic people dating back to the New Stone and Bronze ages • Cruise to Chivirkuisky Gulf via the Ushkany islands, the breeding grounds for colonies of Baikal freshwater seals, the lake's only aquatic mammal • Explore the premises of Zabaikalsky National Park. Fishing, bathing in hot springs and hiking at leisure • Visit Khuzhir village, the central settlement of Baikal islanders • Enjoy a Siberian specialty dinner and experience a Shamanic rite of purification, specially performed by a local shaman for our guests.

Day 9 Irkutsk/Departure
Sail to the mainland for transfer to Irkutsk then to the airport or railway station for departure.


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Prince Volkonsky Mansion

Taltsy

Khuzir Village

Pristine Siberia