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

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...

You can book the winter tour to Baikal 2015 already! Baikal ice is so transparent and smooth as it seems we are walking right on the water!  The temperatures are getting colder and we can smell the cold fresh breath of winter! And this means that dog-sledding, skiing, skating, walking on ice, snowmobiling, hovers, ice-fishing and beautiful sparkling snow and transparent ice are coming! Winter tours to Baikal are available here. Have a great winter season!!!

A new tour  "Summer Baikal mix"  is available this summer! This hiking-diving-ATV-boat ride-sightseeing Baikal tour gives a perfect opportunity to explore Baikal in different ways. Two days hiking along the sacred Baikal lake, one day exploring taiga shores by quad (ATV), speed boat ride, one day diving in Baikal waters experiencing dry suit diving, one sightseeing Irkutsk day will make your visit to Baikal enjoyable, exciting and relaxing at the same time! We will make our best to bring you the best service and organization, so you won't have to worry about anything, just relax and enjoy!

Winter is over, Baikal is still, calm, blue as the sky above it, the air is clear and transparent just like its waters. One may sit for hours on the shore, admiring snowcapped mountains on the back, the vastness of the Sea and looking at the stones through clear still water. The stones are so beautiful as it seemes like they were brought here by someone to be washed by precious waters of the Great lake. The near-by slopes are coloured with bushes of bright pink Rhododendron flowers and on the dry grass one may find adorable Podsnezhnik (under-snow) flowers with soft fur on its trunks. Spring is time for new beginnings, the nature around is awake and inspires to breath the full lungs and live life to the fullest. Go hiking along the shore of Baikal, camping in its forests, quad-riding discovering Baikal wilderness and diving admiring its waters!

Blue fresh snow. Blue sky. Shadows on snow - like blue lightning. Blue distance, blue ice floe. Blue footprints in the snow. Blue forest far away. Blue puddles and blue icicles. Blue brook running in blue Baikal. And on the horizon - blue stripe of blue mountains. The whole world is blue! In the morning it is frosty and fresh, and in the afternoon steaming from the warm breath of spring ... and drops of icicles melting ... turned out a marvelous day for a trip to Lake Baikal.

Day 2. This day happened without me this time, accompanied by Vika. Today as per itinerary - Listvyanka – Bolshie Koty by dog-sledges and snowmobiles. The luggage was succesfully transfered by a mini-van to Bolshie Koty.  The trip begins in Listvyanka village and goes for about 20 km to Chernaya (Black) valley. The route starts along a river valley and goes through the forest, climbs the Black pass which seemed quite difficult for both dogs and the participants, then comes quite steep down to the Black valley, the dogs are happy to run fast at this part of the route and thus quite soon the group reached the Prospector's Retreat lodge where everyone could enjoy lunch. Further the route for dog-sledding goes over the ice of Baikal Lake to Bolshie Koty village which is about 4 km away.  A walk around the village, sightseeing, walk over the ice of frozen Baikal. In the evening  Russian steam sauna – Banya. Dinner and overnight at the wooden houses. For me this day was spe...

Taltsy museum of wooden architecture This March I was honored and pleased to organize and quide a group of close friends from Germany and Australia, very positive, extraordinary, creative and kindest people. The weather during the trip was bright and sunny, as we say: "For good people - good weather". We had cold and warm days, some were wearing up to 15 pieces of clothes not to get frozen, had frosty strong wind blowing in our faces and gentle warm sun which nobody believes we have in Siberia. Thank you, Baikal, and thank God, and thank all the people who made tris trip possible and unforgettable for all of us. Some pho tos from the trip and activities together with places which we visited. On Day 1  we visited the most picturesque sights of Listvyanka and its surroundings. We went to the  open air Taltsy museum of wooden architecture which is located at the picturesque shore of Angara river, had lunch in Traktir with tasting the local cousine and Medovukha drink mad...