Ecotour #2

Our ethnographic tour along the Great Baikal Trail

 

 

This particular ecotour is not difficult, yet it is quite interesting.  It is geared to introduce you to all sides of Lake Baikal — the most unusual of fresh-water lakes.  While on this tour you will have plenty of opportunity to become acquainted with our local culture and history, especially in the towns of Irkutsk, Listvyanka, and Bolshoye Goloustnoye.

 

This tour lasts for 7 days, and starts and finishes in Irkutsk.

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

 

Day 1. 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. 

 

Day 2. 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.

Guests stay at a hotel.

 

Day 3. 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.

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 4. 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 5. From the village of Bolshoye Goloustnoye one can take an environmental hiking tour up to the Sukhoye (Dry) Lake, a special nature area famous for its geology.  This lake is fed by a cold-water spring, and its shoreline is a grassy meadow.  Nearby is a grove of majestic fir trees, mixed with many larch and Siberian cedar.  So there will be many opportunities to enjoy the local flora and fauna.  The noteworthy characteristic of Dry Lake is that its water level is constantly changing.  At times it will be full to the brim, and then at other times it will be almost completely dry.  Hence its unusual name.

The full length of this hike from Bolshoye Goloustnoye to Dry Lake and back is about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles).  With a long stay at the lake, this excursion will take almost 8 hours to complete.  Lunch will be picnic style on the lake shores, and will include fish caught and roasted on a bonfire.  That evening, back in Bolshoye Goloustnoye, we will have a special choral concert for our guests.  Russian banyas will again be optional, and we will overnight with our homestay hosts.

 

Day 6. Return to the city of Irkutsk for the last day of our tour.  There will be free time today to allow you to walk about the city, buy souvenirs, etc.  In the evening there will be a farewell banquet dinner.

Overnight in a local hotel.

 

Day 7. Departure from the city of Irkutsk