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

We invite you to join us on "Crystal Baikal ice" tour from Feb 19 to Feb 25, 2017.  THERE ARE TWO PLACES LEFT!  The cost is 56 000 rub.  Broken ice of Baikal lake in the sunset During this tour you will explore wintry Baikal lake while snowmobiling in the forest, dog-sledding (optional) on the ice, aeroglisseur ride to the biggest island on the lake - Olkhon, admire the ice-grottoes and laced ice on the rocks, try ice-fishing and relax in steam sauna - Banya, as well as to get familiar with local traditions and cuisine. This is where the snow, ice, wind and frost meet. Significant turquoise ice-blocks, fields of ice, fresh breeze from the mountains near-by, crystalling Baikal ice under your feet is so transparent that the brain refuses to understand that there is a support under your feet, and the sky, which is reflected in the ice.  For detailed tour itinerary, please, visit our site.

Looking for a winter tour to Baikal lake? According to our past experience and positive feedback from our guests we are happy to announce you a new tour to Baikal in winter 2017  " Crystal Baikal ice". During this tour you will explore wintry Baikal lake while snowmobiling in the forest and over the ice of Baikal, have a hover (aeroglisseur) ride to the biggest island on the lake - Olkhon, admire ice-grottoes an laces oce on the rocks, visit open-air museum of wooden architecture, try ice-fishing an relax in steam sauna - Banya, as well as get familiar with local traditions, meet a shaman and taste local cousine. See you at Baikal!!!

Each year Lake Baikal is covered by a thick layer of ice. At the beginning of winter (December), storms form types of stalactites and stalagmites on the rivers, some reaching as much as 10 meters. As the temperatures decrease further and the snow comes, these ice formations, "choulga" begin to join together on the lake to create large plates. In certain areas, water is frozen so quickly by the cold that the ice it forms is absolutely smooth and transparent. Once temperatures drop below -20'C, for 3 or 4 days, the sea ice thickens very quickly, from 5 to 7 cm per day. During the first half of the month of January, the sea ice covers the lake. From the North to the South the thickness varies between 70 and 130cms. The ice blocks can obtain a height of 3 meters and in some instances as much as 5 meters. Composed of fresh water, the ice of Lake Baikal is solid: one square meter of ice with a thickness of 50cm can support 15 tonnes. In winter, we can move around on the...

Today I've guided a wonderful couple from Switzerland and we were lucky to visit the house of local birch bark craftsman who lives in Bolshaya rechka village, which is on the way to Baikal. His wooden house stands on the shore of Angara river and has a view to it right from its yard. Clear, frosty air and steaming Siberian Angara river together with calm, quiet and peaceful nature around. His wife and he make cups and other utensils made of birch bark. Since ancient times birch bark (called “beresta” in Russian) was considered to have curative power. If is believed to remove negative energy from the body. Birch bark barrels were used to keep bread and milk products which can breath through birch bark, and not get spoiled for a long time. His masterpieced cups have no seals inside, they are made with one piece of birch, thus the tree has to be cut and then the inside hard part taken out, and then with the help of hot water it is softened and the bottom made of Siberian cedar tre...

To get to the biggest island on Baikal - Olkhon in winter you have to take an ice-road from the mainland. It usually goes from one of the bays of the Small sea of Baikal. Now the thickness of ice on Lake Baikal in a place where usually ice crossing is opened does not exceed 45 cm. For the road to be officially opened and equipped for travelling ice thickness of  not less than 70 cm is needed.  If the temperature stays at the current level (about -20 degrees Celsius) during another 2 weeks, crossing will be opened for cars with a total mass not exceeding 10 tonnes. The ice crossing to Olkhon operates until about mid-April, its length is about 12 km.

This is a special time of the Rhododendron (Bagulnik) blossoming. It starts in May and continues till the end of June. They bear a richest collection of bright colors from purple to lilac, and have a special smell as well. It is one of my favorite times of the year to travel to Baikal lake. It has just recovered from the winter ice, with calm freezing-cold clearest water, new light-green leaves of the larches and fields of Bagulnik brightly blossoming on Baikal shores. This is how spring at Baikal lake looks like. Camping in a tent is especially pleasant among such beauty. You wake up early in the morning, pull a branch of the rhododendon to smell and find a drops of the morning dew washing its leaves. One must catch a moment before the sun dries it away.  Almost everywhere you go at Baikal at this time of the year you'll find the rhododendron. It may be the slope near Listvyanka, the Circum-Baikal railway or any other place. But it is especially beautiful on Olkhon island. ...

Finally the spring has come! This year we had very long winter and 3 or 4 snowfalls in April. The lake broke its ice-shield and clear water if being fed with the sun, with shadows playing on its rocks on the bottom. This time of the year one can observe the calmest water on the Lake and the still snowy mountain peaks reflecting in its mirror. Beautiful time. Inspiring beginning of life all around. The first flowers break through frozen soil even next to my house in the city. Clean, bright and clear colors. To read more...

Dog-sledding at Baikal lake is one of the most exciting activities you can do in winter. Sitting or controlling the sled of 8 or 10 dogs which pull you through the frozen ice and dazzling snow. You don’t breath – you swallow the frozen air and your eyelashes are grown with beautiful frost. Your face might burn because of frost and your hands may be numb of holding the back of sled but you don’t notice it, as emotions overfill you. Is that the moment when you feel nothing but happiness. I have to say that it is a JOY guiding a dog-sledding trip at Baikal. Stunning views, the dogs and passionate tourists make great days of my life. To read more...