Visiting OLKHON ISLAND in winter is an awesome adventure! Possibility to see miles and miles of frozen water, observe ice caves, hear and sometimes see how THE LAKE cracks and moves is something surreal !
This tour is suggested as a MUST DO for everyone who can spend 2 day and 1 night in the area.
Description of the 2 day / 1 night Tour to Olkhon island in winter (February – March)
View Way to Olkhon island in a larger map
Distances:
Irkutsk – Lunch stop: 220 km, takes 3.5 – 4 hrs
Lunch – 30-40min
Lunch stop – Khuzir, Olkhon Island is 80 km, takes 2 hr.
Photos of winter tour to lake Baikal 2018-2019. By Dima Yakovlev
DAY 1
You’ll be picked up from my hostel (or train station or any other place in Irkutsk) at 8 am. Vehicle: a 8 sit minibus or a car. We will be driving through vast open spaces – so called Buryat Steppes – where we eventually see herds of caws and horses on green fields.
In 3 hrs, we’ll stop for lunch in an off road cafe (NOT included). Meals there are inexpensive but good. The menu usually has 2 or 3 salads, 2-3 variety of soups and -always – a local specialty – big meat dumplings – “Posy”. Those cafes selling Posy are scattered along the main driving routes and called “Posnaya”.
In winter season – February and March – we drive across the small sea for 10-12km using the ice road. It is an official way with marks and signs where the ice is constantly being checked and cleaned.
Once we are on the island, we have to drive another 36km, 40min.
We will be getting the main village of the island – Khuzir – in the afternoon, around 1-2 pm.
We will be spending all 1 night of a tour at place in Khuzir: BAIKALER RURAL HOSTEL aka “U Olgi” or any other available guesthouses . Rooms with shared toilet and shower as well as private rooms are available.
After check in, we will have a walking excursion around the village, see the famous Burkhan Rock and walk on the ice.
Dinner. Meals are home cooked. Most of meals are based on famous Baikal fish ‘Omul’. Vegetarian meals can be offered on request.
DAY 2
Breakfast.
At 9 am we are picked up by a local guy on a 4WD minibus.This excursion is the great way to explore the Northern part of the island on ice. Total driving mileage for this day is 70km.
Please note, if the Northern Part of the island is full of snow, we will explore the South part of the island.
We will be driving along the Eastern shore of the island ON LAND SURFACE. Our drive is combined with stops to observe the cliffs and landscapes and – of course – to take photos.
We will be visiting the most famous Cliffs of the island: ‘Three Brothers’ and ‘Khoboi / Tusk’. We will also see the Kharatsy island with its ice caves.
Khoboi Cliff from the ice looks like a lady. According to the legend she used to be a wife of one of the spirit of the island. However, her behaviour was so bad that Baikal spirits turned her into a stone till her character improves.
Also, end of the island is a start for enormous ice crack which appears at the same place. It is a separation of Northern Baikal ice plate and Middle Baikal ice plate. So, one we are there we can try to walk around the lady cliff if the chaotic broken ice plates will let us to.
Khoboi Cape
Three Brothers
We’ll be eating our snack lunch and have hot tea in the car.
We return to our homestay in Khuzir by 4pm.
Returning by road to Irkutsk by 10-11 pm.
En route: Dinner (not included).
Price for Feb , March and a little bit of April:
Price *: please ask for actual price !
To book the tour please contact Jack Sheremetoff INFO@BAIKALER.COM | BAIKALER@GMAIL.COM
Prices include all services, pointed in the itinerary:
private car (and driver) transportation, 1 night accommodation, meals as noted (day 1: D, day 2: B) , local guide-interpreter services, national park fees, 4WD Jeep rent and taxes. No hidden costs.
what to bring:
– moisturising facial / hand cream
– vaseline lipstick
– sunglasses
– compact crampons
– handkerchiefs
– scarf
– 1 L metal thermos
– extra batteries
– extra thermal socks
