3 D / 2 N tour from the PEARL of BAIKAL: Sandy Bay / Bukhta Peschanaya / Бухта Песчаная to Olkhon island / Ostrov Olkhon / Остров Ольхон
This tour is available 1-15 March
This is a fantastic tour, which combines an adventure and rarely visited Sandy Bay and White Wall , and the highlights of Olkhon island : Shamanka Rock, Three Brothers and Khoboi Cape.
Alexei Batorov, a famous traveller from Irkutsk, says:
“Peschanaya Bay is an inimitably beautiful nook of the lake where Nature has gathered and generously given man the blue sky, a vast space of Baikal, the amber-like quicksand of its beaches and the healthy air of the Baikal taiga. The bay is famous for plenty of sunny days: it is the only place on the lake where the average rage annual temperature is +3,40 C. The major part of the bay is occupied by a wonderful surprisingly clean sandy beach 15 – 20 m wide.”
Day 1
Meeting your group in Irkutsk. Driving from Irkutsk to the village of Bolshoe Goloustnoye (125 km) . After we reach the village, our 4WD vehicle starts driving on the ice. Stop for lunch in one of the cosy bays. Lunch cooked on fire. After lunch we proceed moving on the ice along the lake’s shore. Due the safety reasons and ice conditions we keep 1-2 km offshore.
En route: visiting an island “The Сormorant Stone / Baklani Kamen’ / Бакланий Камень ” This is a small island – favorite place for the see gulls and cormorants. The most remarkable sight there is a cedar tree growing from the stone surface. They called it “The courage of Life”. We make a ritualistic drive around the island. A main part of the Sandy Bay – Cape Small Bell Tower / Malaya Kolocolnya / Малая Колокольня can be seen from that spot. The view is especially dramatic if you manage to get on the top of the island – easy!
On our way to Sandy Bay we visit an ice cave, located right next to the Bay’s border. Sandy Bay is of of the most beautiful places of lake Baikal.
Activities:
- walking uphill to the viewpoint to enjoy the vista of endless ice fields of Baikal, the Cedar Tree mountain range and the Big Bell Tower Cape / Bolshaya Kolokolnya / Большая Колокольня (80 metres high). There are also interesting little bays around : Grandma, Grandpa and Granddaughter.
- Visiting those bays and ice caves.
In the afternoon, the group is checked into a guesthouse Sandy Dunes / Peschanye Duny / Песчаные Дюны.
Dinner included. Heated twin rooms with an outhouse. Electricity is only when it’s dark. There is no shower. For an extra charge a steam bath / banya may be requested. No WiFi. Cell phone coverage for the TELE2 users.
Day 2
Breakfast included. Driving on the ice along the Western shore to the village of Buguldeika. Once there, we drive to the village old part, to visit few typical Siberian cabins built one hundred years ago. It is a kind of Wooden Art Museum in its natural environment.
Lunch cooked on fire.
We continue driving on the ice. After some time, we reach the White Wall , a white marble cliff , decorated with ancient drawings. Images of swans, animals and dancing (?) people with triangle heads are told to be made in early bronze and iron era. We will have a walking tour around the White Wall.
After that, we drive to the mainland and proceed over the Step of Tazeran: remote, deserted and beautiful place. Visiting the viewpoint of the top of the hill to enjoy the view of a frozen lake.
Accommodation in a private guest house in the village of Sakhurta. Twin rooms with inbuilt facilities. Free WiFi. Dinner included.
Day 3
Breakfast.
Another driving intensive but beautiful day! During that day we will be driving along the Western shore of Olkhon island, seing the Burkhan / Shamanka Cape. Once sacred centre of Siberian shamanism, now it is a well photographed natural beauty. After that , we keep driving to North of the island to see two more famous sites: the Three Brothers and Khoboi Cape.
Picnic Dinner.
Please note: the area visited during Day 3 is a very popular tourists attraction, so we will be seeing lots of other tour groups. This will contradict with deserted feel of Day 1 and 2.
Late afternoon transfer to Irkutsk (4 hrs)
Drop off at your hotel, hostel or train station / airport.
If needed: Transfer from Irkutsk to Listvyanka is extra 3000 R per group. Accommodation at Belka Hostel in Listvyanka can be arranged for an extra charge of 600 R per person.
Prices:
1 vehicle rent, 1 driver, 1 cook
1 person pays 35000 Rub (if the group is 2 people)
1 person pays 30000 Rub (if the group is 3 people)
1 person pays 26000 Rub (if the group is 4 people)
1 person pays 24000 Rub (if the group is 5 people)
1 person pays 20000 Rub / (if the group is 6 people)
Prices include all services, pointed in the itinerary:
private car (and driver) transportation, 2 nights accommodation, meals as noted (day 1: L-D, day 2: B-L-D day 3: B-L ), national park fees, 4WD Jeep rent and taxes. No hidden costs.
Terms of Payment : all prices are paid in Rubles. The USD prices are shown to indicate price level in case of Ruble devaluation. a deposit via PayPal required, rest of money due to pay on arrival, cash in Rubles.
White Wall
Burkhan / Shamanka Cape
