"Baikal - Amikan", individual tours and nature at Baikal Lake

If anyone asks me about my favourite place on Baikal, I may talk about several places like that. But this bay "Sagaan-Zaba" is one of the most remarkable places and one of my favourite. Not many people have visited this place, as it is not so popular. But it is unique and has its own magical atmosphere. Cars cannot reach this bay, so you may get here only on foot or by boat from water-side. Dark cliff. White cliff. "Sagaan-Zaba" means "White Rock (cliff)" from the language of local people of Baikal. On the steep wall one may find petroglyphs - ancient rock drawings. When four hundred years ago, Cossack gangs invaded an unknown country and saw cave paintings, they decided that these were not just drawings, but letters left by its ancient inhabitants. That's why they called them "scribes" or "written stones." Indigenous people considered these rocks sacred places of their ancestors, drawings - works of spirits and surrounded them with...

Welcome to join our tour to wintry Baikal lake in Feb-March 2019! There are two persons at the moment. Special cost of the tour is 62 500 rub p/person for 8 days tour! Dates: 28 February - 07 March 2019. This is a new route which we decided to implement this wintry season on Baikal. It is a nice combination of sightseeing of places near Olkhon island - the biggest island on lake Baikal, with ice grottoes and beautiful icy shores and ice - trekking on Baikal.  Splendid sunrises, severe nature of Baikal lake, vast expances of ice around you during the trekking and overnight in tent on ice (heated by the stove) is a truly unique experience! Ice-formations of Baikal lake can be explored in wintry tour to Baikal The short itinerary is as follows: Day 1.  (February 28th) 10.00am - Transfer Irkutsk - Olkhon (Khuzhir) by public mini-bus, accommodation in guest house. Day 2. (March 1st) UAZ excursion to northernmost of Olkhon - Khoboy (join a group) Day 3.(March 2nd)...

Dreaming about travelling among endless spaces of frozen Baikal? Baikal lake is freezing very soon, it is -31C today! And in southern corner of Baikal there is already thin layer of ice! Can't wait to walk on the ice just like we do? Then you have a real chance to join us for ice-trek to cross Baikal from Listvyanka to the opposite shore! It is avaiable from middle of February till end of March. During this tour you will ice-trek in the middle of frozen Baikal lake, spend one night in tent on ice, listening to Baikal breath, walk on skis in deep snow of wintry taiga, experience warm sauna and spend the night in wooden hut in the silence of surrounding forest. Also you will try traditional Russian cuisine and may experience dog-sledding (optional). The approximate itinerary is: Day 1.Transfer Irkutsk - Listvyanka (70 km). Start of trekking on ice. Day-distance is about 20-25 km. Overnight in tent. After you arrive to Irkutsk you will be met by a local guide. Transfer to...

With reindeer of Northern Baikal On the North of Baikal lake, in the highlands of Verkhnelenskiy mountain range there is a reindeer farm. This remoted place has preserved old unique culture, lifestyle of Evenki people - the native people of Siberia. They are called "Deer people" as reindeer breeding, hunting and fishing used to be their main activity. I was lucky to meet these people myself this June 2017. We stayed and travelled together for 5 days in dense untouched taiga and tundra. We have met no other people during all that time except for the Evenki who live there and watch for the reindeer. A little piece from my notes which I made during my stay: "This trip is adventure of the lifetime. I still remember clearly the valley where our deer were eating the moss, the place where we set up our Chum, the meadows of the wild flowers and Rhododendron blossoming, the fresh footprints of bear on our path, the grace and mighty of this huge wild animal chasing away u...

We invite you to make an exciting one-day trip by train along the old Circum-Baikal railway. You can see the grand structures of the Circum-Baikal railway, get off the train on the most remarkable sights, walk through the tonnel, visit an old village along the way, may have a swim in the water of Great Lake. Arrival to Irkutsk late in the evening. For season 2017: On Thursdays  and Sundays  the excursion program starts at 8-00 am (8.30) from Irkutsk (departure by bus from Drama theatre), then transfer by bus to the village of Listvyanka, then get on ferry from Listvyanka to Port Baikal (started at 10-00). Visit museum in Port Baikal, board on train and start the train ride to Sludyanka village  (arrival at 18.00) and further to Irkutsk train station (arrival at 21.00). On Wednesdays and Saturdays the tour starts from the central Irkutsk train station at 07.45.  Board on train and ride to Sludyanka (arrival at 10.10) and at 10.45 start to Circum-Baikal ra...

Glorious sea - Sacred Baikal When we welcome foreigners to Baikal lake, we try not just show them the most beautiful places, try the most exciting activities, taste the local food specialties, but also try to make them feel welcomed by our Siberian hospitality. We tell them about our culture, traditions and beliefs. Learning about the local traditions help them to understand the way of our life. On the last day of our tours we usually invite for festive dinner, where we exchange the impressions about the trip, share the experience and knowledge and present souvenirs. We also sing together - sing our Russian songs, simple folklore but so meaningful! We love to share. This is a little peace of our singing in the video. We sing our native anthem to Baikal - Glorious sea, sacred Baikal! Славное море — священный Байкал Славное море — священный  Байкал , Славный корабль —  омулёвая  бочка. Эй,  баргузин , пошевеливай вал, Молодцу плыть недалечко. Д...

We had a wondeful weekend skiing in Khamar-Daban mountains. That's the place where you get the feeling of real winter, with snow-covered trees around, frozen river and frost on your face. The feeling of freedom and hapiness comes from the surrounding nature. Once more I thank the Universe for being born here, this place has so much to offer, to teach, to discover and to learn. A "Winter fairytale" is a name of the tour which we offer to anyone who would like to experience and enjoy real winter!  During this journey you'll    plunge into fabulous atmosphere of wintry fairy-tale of southern Baikal shore,  you'll fall in love with ancient mountain ridge – Khamar-Daban,   ski (or trek) the distance of about 50 km (during 3 days), spend a night in a wooden cabin in the forest, will feel the atmosphere of real winter in all its beauty with snow-capped mountains and cedar-trees deep in the carpet of snow.  You will climb one of the highest mounts of thi...

Listvyanka is getting more and more attractive to tourists. But not everyone knows that just a few kilometers behind it there is taiga forest with a narrow trail which will lead you to Baikal through its valleys, beaches, up and down-hills. It is marvellous there. It is a sip of fresh air, cold and humid, escented with smells of wild flowers blossoming and the smell of wet fir-needles after the rain. It is a sip of freedom which fills your heart while watching the endless waters sparkle under sunshine. It is a sip of magic watching the fog rise up along the rocks from the water. You simply dissolve in the silence around, but sometimes awaken by the boats floating in Baikal waters. I love this place and i thank God for giving us a chance to run away from the city and deep into the woods for just a few hours to be close to nature.