Tour: Kayaking at Baikal

Day 1

Morning arrival in Irkutsk by flight from Moscow, meeting at the airport by the local guide. Check-in at a *** hotel (double-basis) and departure towards Baikal – to Listvyanka settlement (70 km), with a stop on the way next to the Shaman Rock at the source of the Angara River.

Lunch. Visit the Baikal Limnology Museum to learn about the lake and its endemic flora and fauna, walk to enjoy a marvelous view of the lake from the Chersky Hill.

Return to Irkutsk, time at leaisure. Dinner and overnight in the hotel

Day 2

After breakfast, check-out and leave by a comfortable mini-bus (transfer 5-6 hrs) and ferry boat to the starting point of our kayaking itinerary - the island of Olkhon, the biggest island of Baikal located in the central part of the Lake, Baikal’s historic and sacral center. Stop on the way at a roadside café where you can taste the national dish boozy.

Arrival in the Fold of 7 pine Trees, time for assembling kayaks and safety briefing. Start your kayaking trip past Shebetsky and Yelgay capes with their rocky shores, till the Khanhoy lake.

Assist the instructor in setting a tent camp. Dinner cooked over fire and overnight in tents.

Day 3

After breakfast, continue kayaking - the destination for today is Ulan-Khushin bay. The shores grow lower, and Olkhon steppe gives place to the forest. We paddle further, past the sand dunes and have a stop next to Khuzhir, the central settlement of the island, to visit the Shamanka Rock (Burkhan Rock). Continue the way to Saraysky bay and Ulan-Khushin bay. Lunch as a snack ashore.

Dinner cooked over fire and overnight in tents.

Day 4

After breakfast, we set out for the Khoboy cape and further. Today we will go around the north-east point of the Olkhon island – we will leave the waters of the so-called Small Sea separating the island from the mainland, and enter the Big Baikal – open waters of Baikal lake. We start the trip past the Nyurgansky cape and Sagan-Khushun with its white rocks, after lunch and time at leisure ashore we continue the trip and reach Khoboy cape, the northernmost point of the island. Another 1.5 hrs of paddling – and we are in for a walk in the scenic surroundings of the Shunte bay, dinner and overnight in tents.

Day 5

After breakfast, we start off for exploration of the eastern shore of Olkhon. We paddle unhurriedly following the line of the shore, and stop for lunch in Uzury fold, the only inhabited place on the eastern side of the island. From Khaga-Yaman bay a rocky shore stretches for 5-6 km, without any place for a stop. If we are lucky, we might spot a nerpa, endemic freshwater seal. We will pass the Izhimey cape with the highest point on the island – Zhim hill (820 m above the sea level) and stop for the night stay nearby. Lunch as a snack ashore.

Dinner cooked over fire and overnight in tents. 

Day 6

After breakfast, continue the trip. Today the rocky shores are replaced by flat land and vice versa; the bright sunshine, blue sky and large white seagulls are likely to become our companions for today. We will pass Ulanur bay, rocks of Khara-Khushun cape, Khardy Aman bay and will stop for the night next to Ukhan bay. Lunch as a snack ashore.

Dinner cooked over fire and overnight in tents. 

Day 7

Today is the last day of kayaking. After breakfast, we will paddle along the shore, taking our time to enjoy the beauty of the majectic Baikal lake. We will stop in Tashkiney fold to dismantle the kayaks, have lunch and explore the scanic surroundings by walks on our own.

Dinner cooked over fire and overnight in tents. 

Day 8

Afer breakfast, we pack our luggage and get on a Russian 4x4 vehicle UAZ to explore now the inland nature of Olkhon island. We will stop at a small salty Shara-Nur lake famous for its medicinal muds. Lunch on a picturesque clear patch not far from the lake, time at leisure for bathing and walks. Continue the trip by car till Khuzhir settlement.

Accommodation in a guesthouse (double-basis, WC outside). Time on your own, Russian banya to take off the fatigue of our active trip. Dinner of Baikal cuisine and overnight in the guesthouse.

Day 9

After breakfast, we pack the luggage and leave the hospitable Olkhon – we first go by an off-road car to the narrow Olkhon Gates straight, cross it by a ferry boat and continue by mini-bus to Irkutsk (5-6 hrs). On the way, we will stop at a roadside café where you will be able to choose a snack of your choice for lunch.

Arrival in Irkutsk in late afternoon and check-in a *** hotel (double-basis). City tour of Irkutsk, with visits to its historical center on the Angara river bank, Znamensky cathedral, and local market.

Gala-dinner and Baikal kayaker certificate award. Overnight in the hotel

Day 10

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for departure by morning flight to Moscow (or free time and departure by train)

The Tour Operator reserves the right to introduce alterations to the itinerary due to weather conditions or other factors out of control by the Tour operator.