Ecotour # 1

with the “Great Baikal Trail”

This particular tour will introduce you to the wonderful world of Lake Baikal, to its abundant flora and fauna, and to the many protected areas around Baikal, such as Pribaikalskii and Zabaikalskii National Parks, the Baikal Nature Preserve and the Kabanskii Wildlife Refuge. You will visit the towering Svyatoi Nos (Holy Nose), the largest peninsula in the middle of Lake Baikal.  And nearby, you will also have the fortunate chance of seeing the Baikal seal – our unique nerpa.  Along the way, you will come across numerous nesting areas for various bird species; or you will go hiking on trails taking you to more remote places.  At all points you will be able to absorb much of the local Baikal peoples’ history and culture.

The tour lasts for 18 days.

The tour starts and finishes in Moscow.

The group size for the tour will run from 5-20 people.

Day 1. Our guests will arrive in Moscow - the capital of Russia - and GBT staff will meet everyone at the airport, and accommodate them at a city hotel. Our guests are then invited to take a guided sightseeing tour of Moscow, which will include visits to famous central streets and squares, such as Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral (which is a unique landmark of the Russian architecture and history), and other sights.   

At the end of the day, all guests will sleep in fine hotel rooms in downtown Moscow.

Day 2. Our tour of Moscow will continue with the visits to the famous Gorkii Park and to the Novedevichii Monastery, followed by a late-evening departure for Irkutsk by plane. 

Day 3. Our guests arrive in Irktusk, and once again, our GBT staff will meet everyone at the airport, and accommodate them at a city hotel.

Irkutsk is one of the oldest Siberian cities; it is more than 360 years old. The city is located on the Angara River, the only river which flows out of Lake Baikal.  Oddly enough, the city is named after the Irkut River, which meets the Angara within the city limits. Irkutsk is at a crossing point for all the trading routes in this part of Asia. There are many churches here, as well as museums and galleries. Guests will be brought to visit the Museum of Decembrists, the Museum of Nature and other places of interest. 

Our guests are also welcome to visit our headquarters at the Great Baikal Trail Association. This is the group which led the drive to start building the first system of trails in all of Russia. These trails are crucial for the development and promotion of ecotourism in the region. Besides this, the GBTA aims to protect the environment by promoting environmental education for a healthy life.  Our ultimate goal at the GBTA is to bring up a new generation of socially responsible citizens.

Day 4. Our guests are offered a morning bus tour to Listvyanka (a 1-hour drive, or 70 km away).  This village is home to the Lake Baikal Museum, which our guests will visit at length. The museum holds rich collections of Lake Baikal’s natural history, with great examples of its abundant flora and fauna. Among the exhibits are virtually all the species of wildlife at Baikal, along with samples of the lake sediments and minerals.  There are many and various objects which have been found during field research campaigns. The museum tour is accompanied by a documentary film “The Well of the Earth”, which contains unique shots made at the deepest point of the Lake (1637 meters). In the museum’s aquarium visitors will be able to see specimens of the Lake Baikal aquatic life, including the nerpa (the Baikal seal), and fish such as the transparent golomyanka and the omul.

This is followed by a visit to the museum of architecture and ethnography, known as “Taltsy” by the locals. This museum holds a unique collection of historical objects that have belonged to East Siberian cultures over the centuries. There are also many fine outdoor examples of Siberian architecture, with 36 wooden buildings preserved and re-located to this site. The exhibit includes many native dwellings, public houses, and other facilities, all of which demonstrate the daily life and culture of the various Trans-Baikal peoples. The museum has pottery exhibits, a birch bark workroom/studio, and a stable. Besides, exhibitions of handicrafts are regularly held, and folklore groups often give concerts at the museum. This museum is one of the main cultural centers for all Siberia. Every year it hosts various traditional celebrations.

The same day guests take a bus to Bolshoye Goloustnoye (a town 3-hours, or 120 km away, located right on Lake Baikal). This village was founded in 1637, and was the only winter transit camp for travelers who were heading for the eastern coast of the Lake. This winter town was therefore one of the centers of Great Tea Road, which brought goods (and people) from China to Europe. This establishment became part of the Pribaikalskii National Park in 1986. The Park was created to protect the cultural and archeological landmarks along with the natural environment here, as well provide opportunities for recreation. Pribaiklaskii National Park is part of the World Heritage Site, as designated by UNESCO for Lake Baikal.

Guests are invited to take a banya (a Russian sauna), which is optional.

Home stays are provided in Bolshoye Goloustnoye.

Day 5. The day starts with an historical tour of Bolshoye Goloustnoye, a short tour we could call “Buryats and Russians: their Life History”. The tour shows that, irrespective of ethnic differences, Buryat-Russian communities are very friendly with each other, and understanding and tolerant. Buryats, Russians and Evenks have long been neighbors and have always helped each other survive the severe winters of Siberia, often exchanging hunting and handicraft knowledge and skills.

The next site to visit will be St. Nicholas Church, which is the only one located on the shores of Lake Baikal. Local people often spent their entire lives on the lake, and were dependent on Baikal for most everything. Fishermen’s families prayed for their fathers, sons and brothers who went fishing in the sea (locals call Lake Baikal a sea). There is a legend that explains the wonderful appearance of the icon of Nicholas (which is fishermen’s and travelers’ sacred patron), right in the river delta where the Buryat shamans prayed to their own gods. At the end of the 17^th century monks erected a cross to mark the place where this happened. In the 19^th century a chapel was built to replace the cross. Then the chapel was relocated on one of the islands of the Goloustnoye delta in 1954. On their own initiative the local people have been restoring the building, the only church that has remained in the region through the years. Optionally, our guests can climb the Sacred Mountain, which is a traditional place for Buryat shamans to observe their rituals. In the evening guests are invited to a Russian choral concert.  Guests once again are invited to take a banya (Russian sauna).

Home stays are provided.

Day 6. Morning: Guests have free time in Bolshoye Goloustnoye to walk along the shores of Baikal.  After lunch our guests take a bus to Irkutsk, have free time and walk around the city.  The same evening our guests go by night train to Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Buryat Republic (this ia 9-hour trip, covering 470 km).  Ulan is an important industrial and trade center for the region. The city was officially founded in 1666. The city is full of well-built, very interesting houses, parks, squares and fountains. As the capital of Buryatia, it is a transit city for lots of tourists who come to the Republic. The majority of visitors come to Ulan-Ude to see Lake Baikal, the pearl of Siberia. Besides Lake Baikal, in Buryatia there are many other historical and cultural sights which are worth seeing. And Ulan-Ude, as a city of Orthodox and Buddhist traditions, as well as home to Buryats’ and Old Believers’ culture and history, has always been the center of attention for both Russian and foreign tourists.

Day 7. In the early morning, our guests arrive in Ulan-Ude. Before lunch we will take a bus trip to the Ivolginskii Datsan (Buddhist temple, about a 40 minute drive away).  This is the center of Buddhist culture, which attracts many pilgrims and tourists from all over the world.  The Ivolginskii Datsan is a local cultural landmark that was built in 1947, and since 1996 it has been under protection of the Buryat government. There are five stoops – or “suburgans” on the Datsan territory. Every stoop has its own design and style. There is a well-arranged schedule of services at the Ivolginskii Datsan that include big Khurals and other daily rites or services. Besides traditional ceremonies and rituals, the monks of the Ivolginskii Datsan also practice Tibetan medicine.  For lunch our guests are provided with Buryat meals, i.e. posas (steamed meat dumplings), salamat (fried sour cream), bukhler (Buryat soup with mutton) and other fine dishes. After lunch, our guests will go to visit the Center for Tibetan Medicine. The rich collections of the Buryat History museum will also introduce visitors to the historic past of Buryatia, and disclose the beauty of Buddhist Art while throwing some light on a few secrets of Tibetan medicine.   At the end of the day guests are invited onto an exciting trip to an open-air Ethnographic Museum of Baikal peoples. After this excursion, they have free time in Ulan-Ude’s downtown area.

Guests will stay in a hotel for the night.

Day 8. Our guests leave for the Zabaikalskii National Park (whose headquarters are in the town of Ust-Barguzin, a 5-hour bus drive, or 260 km away). Ust-Barguzin is located in the delta of the famous Barguzin River. The town was founded 300 years ago, and it has for a long time been a place for fishermen, hunters and gold miners. Some came to stay for a little time, others their entire lives. The town currently hosts the Zabaikalskii National Park’s which was opened in 1986 on the eastern coast of Lake Baikal. The main task of the Park rangers is to protect the Baikal nerpas’ and their resting areas at Ushkanii Islands. It also protects numerous aquatic birds and their habitat at Arangatui Lake. In the park there are a few geo-thermal springs as well. The most important spring is located in Chivyrkui Bay and is called Zmeevyi (Snake) Spring. The water temperature at the spring varies between 40º and 60ºÑ (100 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit), depending on the season. Visitors will have a chance to get a glimpse of the park’s rangers at work. Our guests will also visit an environmental museum called “Svetlaya Polyana” (Bright Field) Center.  In the evening visitors may go to a Russian sauna (banya).

Home stays are provided.

Day 9. Our trip continues as our guests go by bus up through the Barguzin Valley. The Valley’s picturesque landscapes, milder climate and fertile soils have always attracted people. The name of the valley and the Barguzin River originates from the Bargut tribe who used to inhabit the valley. In the valley there are numerous religious and other sacred sites. These are all attributed to different tribes and peoples. Buddhist temples and orthodox churches were spread all over the area. The Barguzin Valley is also associated with the history of gold mining in the Trans-Baikal region. The gold was produced in the taiga forest and sent to the Russian capital, as well as to Israel. The valley is located in between mountains, from which the Barguzin River itself originates. There is a hymn about Lake Baikal, in which they sing about a famous Baikal wind, called the Barguzin wind. This wind blows along the river towards Lake Baikal. In the middle of the mountainous taiga forest there are vast steppes covered with a variety of plants. Besides this, the landscapes of the area include meadows, wetlands and sand dunes. A few mineral water springs are found in the region, and their curative properties are well widely known to locals.  In the evening our guest return to Ust-Barguzin, where home stays are provided.

Day 10. Our guests are offered a car trip to the Chivyrkuiskii region (a 2-hour drive). At the end of the road, our visitors embark on a boat to take a trip out onto the beautiful the Chivyrkuiskii Bay. In the afternoon, they go back onshore, and track the Monakhovo-Zmeeyvaya trail — which is currently being restored by volunteers for the “Great Baikal Trail”. Visitors are also invited to see geo-thermal springs and/or go fishing (optional) and/or have Russian sauna (optional).

Guests spend a night at a “floating” hotel (the Ecotour hotel, which is on a boat in the Bay).

Day 11. Our guests continue their boat trip out to see the Ushkanii Islands, a unique natural landmark, which consist of four separate islands. Many researchers have been interested in these islands and have made numerous attempts to investigate their origin.  But their formation still remains a mystery. The islands are famous for their endemic plants; but mostly it is the nerpas who draw the most attention, since it is their favourite resting place on the lake. The nerpa is the only separte species of seal who lives only in fresh water. How seals first appeared in Lake Baikal is still a question unanswered by researchers for us lay people. Once again, our guests have a choice of going fishing and/or having a Russian sauna at days end.

In the evening guests return to the “floating” hotel “Ecotour”.

Day 12. Our guests take another boat trip around the entire Chivyrkuiskii Bay. They will see picturesque islands and cozy harbors at various corners of the Bay. Guests also can trek on trails and go fishing along the shores of the bay.  In the evening visitors return to Ust-Barguzin by boat and car.  Guests may also have a Russian sauna (banya). Home stays are provided.

Day 13. Visitors leave Ust-Barguzin for the town of Tarbagatai (leading ultimately to Ulan-Ude, a 6½-hour drive, covering 350 km). Here our guests are invited to get acquainted with the Old Believers’ culture and history. Old Believers, or “family believers”, are an ethnic group of Russians who moved to Siberia predominantly from European Russia, so as to flee from government persecution in the 18^th century. The Old Believers have preserved their traditions and rituals, and their folklore is a unique compilation of Old Russian culture, with a sprinkling of some Buryat and Evenk cultural peculiarities. Guests will be able to see Old Believers’ art, as well as how they lead their daily lives.  There will also be the opportunity to try out their traditional meals, take part in their rituals, and visit a museum near an Old Believers’ church. In the evening visitors will return to Ulan-Ude, where they will stay at a hotel.

Day 14. Our tourists depart Ulan-Ude for Shigaevo (a 2-hour bus drive, over 150 km). They will have a chance to visit the Kabanskii Wildlife Refuge, which was founded in 1974 to preserve the wetlands that are crucial for the Lake Baikal ecosystem. The Refuge is managed by the Baikal Nature Preserve. Our guests are invited to take a motor boat trip along the River Selenga (which is Lake Baikal’s largest tributary).  This cruise will end in an estuary which is famous for holding the largest concentration of aquatic birds in this part of the world. There are numerous nesting grounds in the Kabanskii Wildlife Refuge. In fact, more than 100 bird species choose the Selenga estuary for nesting, with thousands of ducks, sea-gulls and other birds. From the mouth of the Selenga, we will  take a boat trip up numerous river channels, to see more bird nesting areas and get a glimpse of a fragile estuary’s ecosystem. In the evening our guests depart for Tankhoi (the headquarters of Baikal Nature Preserve)----a 3-hour bus ride away).

Guests are accommodated at the Preserve’s Visitor Center.

Day 15. Our guests are now offered a tour of the Baikal Nature Preserve’s major attractions. The Preserve was founded in 1969 to protect the natural setting around the Khamar-Daban mountain range and the southern coast of Lake Baikal. Our guests are invited to join excursions to the Museum of Nature, as well as to a Buryat traditional dwelling (yurta), and to an Evenk traditional home (chum). They also have free time in Tankhoi, to walk on the beach, and spend time at the Visitor Center (where one can watch a video about Lake Baikal’s protected areas).  In the evening, once again  our guests may take a Russian sauna.

Guests are accommodated at the Preserve’s Visitor Center.

Day 16. Our guests are offered an excursion along the eco-trail known (somewhat facetiously) as “the Khamar-Daban Jungles”. The hiking tour starts at the central building of the national park and goes along Cedar Avenue, and into the River Osinovka flood plains.  The short walk will disclose many picturesque landscapes along the river banks. There is a 6-km road from the Tankhoi railway station to the first winter log cabin. The hiking road is easy to travel because it is a trail which has recently been restored and maintained by volunteers for the “Great Baikal Trail”. There were once river barriers and inaccessible places along the way, but these are now equipped with bridges and other crossing points. Along the trail there are information boards which contain key facts on nearby places of interest.  This hike will not be difficult. In the evening guests are welcomed to take a Russian sauna.

Guests are accommodated at the Preserve’s Visitor Center.

Day 17. Guests depart Tankhoi for Irkutsk (a 3-hour bus drive, 200 km). Visitors have free time in Irkutsk, and do souvenir shopping. In the evening they are invited to a farewell dinner.

Guests stay at a hotel.

Day 18. Visitors fly back to Moscow for return trip home.

contact us

2003-2009 Copyrights © Non-profit organization "Great Baikal Trail"

All rights reserved