This tour is a great chance to see probably the most beautiful part of lake Baikal – OLKHON ISLAND. Staying with a local family in the authentic Siberian village, seeing truly Shamanic sites, walking on the ice, and taking a 4WD photo safari will make this tour unforgettable. This tour is suggested as a must do for everyone who can spend 4 days and 3 nights in the area.
Available in February and March
Description of the 4 day / 3 night Tour to Olkhon island
View Way to Olkhon island in a larger map
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 10 am. Vehicle: a car, 8 – 12 pax minibus or a 17 pax minibus. We will be driving through vast open spaces – so called Buryat Steppes – where we eventually see herds of caws and horses on green fields.
Driving distance : 300 KM, travelling time : 6 + hrs
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 “Poznaya”.
Finally, we reach the the beginning of the ice road… and start driving on the ice.
driving on the ice
You’ll see wooden polls with colourful ribbons along the road. The island still remains being the truly shamanic place. Those polls are the ‘borissa‘ – horse tethering post – a mark, where travellers have to stop (or slow down) and drop on the ground a little item (usually coin or piece of material) to show their respect to the spirit of this area. In fact, dropping a coin is a routine daily ritual conducted every time you pass though this place. Presumably, once a year, people from the villages nearby should have a proper ceremony and sacrifice an animal.
We will be getting the main village of the island – Khuzir – in the afternoon, around 1-2 pm.
We will be spending all 3 nights of our tour at the same place in Khuzir: BAIKALER RURAL HOSTEL aka “U Olgi” or in another guest hose if rooms with attached shower are requested.
Accommodation is in the main wooden house or a wooden guesthouse, twins. The place has shared shower and a flash toilet.
if you wish to upgrade the rooms, we will change the guesthouse. Rooms with private toiler and shower are provided for an extra charge.
After check in, we will have a walking excursion around the village, see the famous Burkhan Rock.
Dinner. Meals are home cooked. Most of meals are based on famous Baikal fish ‘Omul’. Vegetarian meals can be offered on request.
Sunset at Khuzir, Olkhon island. Photo by Jack Sheremetoff
Day 2
Breakfast.
At 10 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, which is not accessible for the regular cars and too far to cycle up there in one day. Total driving mileage for this day is 70km.
View Olkhon: 4WD Excurtion in a larger map
We will be driven along the Eastern shore of the island on the ice. Our drive is combined with stops to observe the cliffs, caves and landscapes and – of course – taking photos.
We will be visiting the most famous Cliffs of the island: ‘Three Brothers’ and ‘Khoboi / Tusk’. From Khoboi Cliff you can its widest 80km part.
Lunch (picnic style) is included .
This 4WD drive around is number one excursion here. So we may see other minibuses packed with tourists following the same route.
We return to our homestay in Khuzir by 4-6pm.
Day 3
Full board.
We explore the Southern part of Olkhon island on the 4WD vans. Please to visit: Khuzir viewpoint , Ogoi – Stupa- island , ice cave, Bubble Bay , the Throne view point.
Returning to the village in the afternoon
Day 4
Breakfast. Return by road to Irkutsk by 3-5pm.
En route: Dinner (not included).
Drop off at your hotel.
Prices : ask
To book the tour please contact Jack Sheremetoff INFO@BAIKALER.COM
Prices include all services, pointed in the itinerary:
private car (and driver) transportation, 3 night accommodation, meals as noted (day 1: D, day 2: B-L-D, day 3: B-L-D, day 4: B) , local guide-interpreter services, national park fees, 4WD Van 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
