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

The wonderful trip to Baikal which I guided, which was very bright and seemed like a short life where everyone became a family still arises in my heart and reminds of warm people with great friendship and makes me proud of beautiful nature of our place. This is the picture of our team. The first extraordinary thing we did was buying the whole bucket of wild blackberries which some locals were selling on the side of the road. I guess it was the thirst for wilderness and natural food))) Then when we we arrived to Olkhon island onb the first day - we decided to take a bike-walk instead of a regular walk to the shore and Shamanka cape. For those who doesn't know, Shamanka or Burkhan cape is the face of Olkhon, the most popular image of Olkhon, etc.  The reason of why it was not typical is because most of the people was about 50, mostly office workers ,but once arriving to Baikal everyone felt so inspired and tired of office chairs that agreed that it was a great idea! Renting ...

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...

Once staying home for quite a while and then going away from the city I found a great burst of enjoyment in everything that happens beyond the usual routine life. Even the smallest things like funny shaped old toilets along the road on our way to Baikal and the simple food in the road cafe which tasted deliciously ever! So there we started to the Maloye more on Saturday morning eager to catch still frozen Baikal lake. It was me who passionately wanted to touch its ice shield most of all.  For those who don’t know, Baikal Lake freezes over in mid January and remains frozen until mid May usually. Usually, not always. The lake is especially beautiful in winter time! 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...

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Dear visitor! Welcome to my blog! Baikal lake is located in the heart of Siberia, Russia. Many parts of it are still untouched by civilization and have preserved it's original beauty and majesty. Here we'll try to show just scanty part of its beauty. It's attracting, healing and inspiring! Once you come here you'll feel it yourself, and since then it will never let you go...