On the Heels of the Melting Ice of the Baikal Expedition Cruise

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#BDI08 (2020) On the heels of the melting ice of the Baikal Expedition Cruise

Type: Discovery Duration: 11 days Season: May – June 2020 Group Size: 1-12 PAX Transportation: cruise motor ship “Tatiyana” Cost: from $638 per person twin share

The annual (since 2004) expedition starts in a unique period of the liberation of the lake from the winter ice cover, when the southern and middle hollows of the lake are free of ice while the northern one is covered with heavy and broken pack-ice. The purpose of the expedition is to see and capture Baikal during its unique period. During the expedition it is possible to observe seals on floating ice floes and also bears coming ashore near the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula and the northern cost of the Lake Baikal. Note: In this year a new format of participation is offered. Everyone can choose a convenient option for participation - buy a tour for all 11 days or join the group for only 3 days (to visit the north of the Baikal) or go half way.

“Tatiyana” is a modern, comfortable double-decked motor ship. Refit in 2000, renovate in 2008. Up to 12 guests can be accommodated in comfortable cabins without private WC. There is a cafe, a mini-sauna.

Fact sheet:

Length overall 25 m Speed 15-18 km/h Beam overall 4 m Number of decks 2 Passenger 12 Number of cabins 3 - QDR capacity compartments Personnel 4 Restaurant 12 seats

Itinerary:

Irkutsk – Listvyanka Settlement – Peschanaya Bay – Sakhyurta (MRS) Settlement – Maloye More (the Small Sea) – Baikal-Lena Nature Reserve– Chivyrkuisky Gulf- Ushkan Islands – Islands of Maloe More (the Small Sea) – Olkhon Island – Peschanaya Bay – Listvyanka Settlement – Irkutsk.

Day 1 Picking up the members of expedition at the airport or railway station of Irkutsk. Transfer to the pier. 10:00 Embarkation on the ship. Departure. Water transition through the Angara River to the Lake Baikal. About 20:00 arrival in the Peschanaya Bay. The bay is famous for its stilted trees, magnificent sea views from the cliffs surrounding the bay and a great sandy beach. Overnight aboard at the Sennaya Bay. (LD) (Water transition - 160 km, duration – 10 hours)

Day 2 Start of voyage at about 06:00 from the Sennaya Bay along the western shore to the North to the Olkhon Island, the largest island on Baikal and one of the sacred places of the Buryat people and shamanistic religion. Travel time is 8-10 hours. The Lake Baikal is a blue heart of Siberia and the Olkhon Island is a heart of the Baikal. The island is a geographi-cal, historical and sacral center of the lake and the center of ancient legends and historical tales. Passage the strait the Malye Olkhonskye Vorota (Small Olkhon’s Gate) that is the narrow strait between the Olkhon Island and mainland. Overnight aboard at one of the Olkhon Island bays. (BLD) (Water transition - 120 km, duration – 8 hours)

Day 3 End of Option 1, start of Option 2 and Option 3.

For Option 1: 12:00-14:00 Disembarkation at the wooden pier of Sakhyurta (MRS) Settlement at the Maloye More (the Small Sea). Free time at settlement. 14:00-15:00 Transfer to Irkutsk (280 km, 4-5 hours).

For Option 2 and Option 3: In the morning picking up the members of expedition at the airport or railway station of Irkutsk. 10:00-14:00 Transfer to Sakhyurta (MRS) Settlement at the Maloye More (the Small Sea). Embarkation. Water walk through the Maloye More - picturesque passage between the Olkhon Island and mainland. Overnight aboard at the Zunduk Cape. (BLD)

Day 4 Long passage through the open Lake Baikal along its west coast to the Pokoyniky Cape. If the weather is favourable we make a stop at the mysterious Ryty Cape. Arrival at the Pokoyniky Cape where archeologists found settlements of ancient people. There is the central cordon of the Baikal-Lena Nature Reserve at the cape. Overnight a board at the Zavorotny Cape. (BLD)

Day 5 Long passage to the Chivyrkuyskiy Gulf. Overnight aboard at the the Chivyrkuyskiy Gulf. (BLD)

Day 6 Passage through the Chivyrkuisky Gulf. Visiting the Zmeinaya Bay during the day. This bay is famous for its healing sulphurous baths with water temperature from +41 to +45°C. Visiting islands of the Chivyrkuisky Gulf. Sightseeing of great cormorant nesting place from the water. Visiting the Krohalinaya Bay. Overnight aboard the ship in one of the bays of the Chivyrkuisky Gulf. (BLD) (Water transition - 110-120 km, duration – 8-10 hours).

Day 7 Passage to the Ushkan Islands. Tour around the islands. The rocky shores of the islands are rookery of the unique Baikal mammal - Baikal seal or nerpa. The largest Baikal rookery of nerpa is located on the western side of the Tonkiy Island. According to scientists, the number of nerpas at the rookery ranges from 2,000 animals and it hasn’t changed since 1934. Nerpa is cautious. If one speaks loudly and makes noise approaching nerpas, they dive from stones. Usually there aren’t nerpas at the rookery right after storm or in case of waves on the water. As an option you can visit the island at an additional cost. Overnight aboard at the Bolshoy Ushkaniy Island. (BLD) (Water transition – 120 km, duration – 8-10 hours)

Day 8 Passage to Maloye More. Visit to the islands of the Maloye More. Stop at Olkhon island. Visit to Burkhan cape where Shaman-cliff is situated. Shaman cliff is one of nine shaman sacred places of Asia. If the weather allows a visit to Ogoy island, on top of which 2004 the Buddhist stupa was constructed. From the Ogoy Island you can enjoy a splendid view to the Olkhon Island and the Maloye More. Ovenight aboard at one of the southern tip of the Olkhon Island bays. (BLD)

Day 9 End of Option 2, start of Option 4.

For Option 2: 12:00 Disembarkation at the wooden pier.

For Option 4: 13:00 Embarkation. Passage towards the Peschanaya Bay. The stop at the white-marble rocks of Saagan-Zaba (only in the absence of waves) and survey of rock ancient paintings of primitive people. Passage through the Small Olkhon Gate - narrow passage between island Olkhon and mainland. Visiting the Peschanaya Bay which is famous for its stilted trees and wonderful view to the lake. Optionally Russian banya on the bank of the Baikal in the evening (to pay on spot). Overnight aboard at the Peschanaya Bay. (BLD) (Water transition - 120 km, duration – 8-10 hours)

Day 10 Passage to the Circum-Baikal Railway. Walking tour to the abandoned tunnels and galleries. Overnight aboard at the Shumikha River mouth. (BLD) (Water transition - 100 km, duration – 6 hours)

Day 11 Passage to Listvyanka village. Disembarkation to coast. Transfer to Irkutsk. (B)

Legend: B – breakfast, L – lunch, D – dinner.

Highlights: Circum Baikal Railway - the unique monument of engineering architecture of the beginning of the 20th century. It’s at the same time the shortest and the most complicated (in terms of construction) part of Trans-Siberian Railway. Relatively short piece of railways (84 km) from Port Baikal to Kultuk has 39 tunnels, lots of viaducts, bridges and stone galleries. This short piece of railways was called a “golden buckle on the steel belt of Russia”. A “buckle” – because Circum Baikal Railways joined broken by the lake Trans-Siberian railway, and “golden” – because the construction of it took up much more money than any other railway in Russian Empire in those days. Peschanaya Bay - one of the most famous and scenic places of the lake. The Bay was given the name of Siberian Riviera, moreover, it is declared to be under protection as a part of natural treasury. Coming here you feel as if the Creator while working on lake Baikal felt special inspiration exactly here and put all his love into the made by him cliffs, smooth slopes of the hills and perfectly shaped semi-oval of bay beach. Wind and water constantly blow out and wash out sandy soil from under the roots of famous “walking” trees, which grow on the sandy slope in the northern part of the bay. Olkhon Island - the geographical, historical and sacred center of the Baikal Lake. It is the treasury of ancient legends and historical traditions. With its position in the central part of Baikal, near the maximum depth point (1637m), Olkhon has got the whole variety of natural Baikal landscapes. Olkhon has steppe landscapes with long and well warmed-up bays, rare for these areas sandy patches with dunes and hills, mixed deciduous forest with relic fir-

groves, amazing marble cliffs covered with red lichen. For those who love wild nature and photographers it’s a real fount of immensely various landscapes and majestic sceneries. Shaman Rock – one of the nine Asian places of worship, located not far from Khuzhir settlement, has become a kind of visiting card of the lake, one the most famous key images of Baikal: there is no film or photo album about the lake, which can do without the picture of this place. The cave in the cliff of this cape is called Shamanka and it’s one of the most worshipped sacred places, where they made sacrifices and swore oaths since the time immemorial. Sacred Shaman Rock with the cave going through it and with access to it only for a shaman has been prohibited area for a long time, so nobody could go through the cave and even approach it. Ushkanyi Islands - are famous as a protected area with breeding-grounds of seals. The Ushkanyi Islands with their natural and climatic conditions; this is an exceptional wonder for Baikal. One could say that here is uniqueness within the unique. Chivyrkuysky Bay - is a picturesque bay in the Eastern part of the Baikal Lake. The bay is shallow, gets warmed thoroughly and possesses huge hydro biological resources. The territory belongs to the the Zabaikalsky National Park. Zmeinaya bay – is famous for its healing radon baths with water temperature from +41°C to +45°C.

Cruise dates - 2020:

25.05 - 04.06.

Prices in Australian Dollars for 2020

Itinerary Dates Duration Price per person

TWN TWN for SGL

Full tour:

Irkutsk – Listvyanka Settlement 25.05-04.06 11 days / 10 $2855 $5285 – Peschanaya Bay – Sakhyurta nights (MRS) Settlement – Maloye More (the Small Sea) – Baikal- Lena Nature Reserve– Chivyrkuisky Gulf- Ushkan Islands – Islands of Maloe More (the Small Sea) – Olkhon Island – Peschanaya Bay – Listvyanka Settlement – Irkutsk (auto)

Option 1:

Irkutsk – Listvyanka Settlement 25.05-27.05 3 days / 2 $638 $935 – Peschanaya Bay – Sakhyurta nights (MRS) Settlement – Maloye More (the Small Sea) – Irkutsk (auto)

Option 2:

Irkutsk (auto) –Sakhyurta 27.05-02.06 7 days / 6 $2545 $4599 (MRS) Settlement – Maloye nights More (the Small Sea) – Baikal- Lena Nature Reserve– Chivyrkuisky Gulf- Ushkan Islands – Islands of Maloe More (the Small Sea)– Irkutsk (auto)

Option 3:

Irkutsk (auto) –Sakhyurta 27.05-04.06 9 days / 8 $2720 $4889 (MRS) Settlement – Maloye nights More (the Small Sea) – Baikal- Lena Nature Reserve– Chivyrkuisky Gulf- Ushkan Islands – Islands of Maloe More (the Small Sea) – Olkhon Island – Peschanaya Bay – Listvyanka Settlement – Irkutsk (auto)

Option 4:

Irkutsk (auto) –Sakhyurta 02.06-04.06 3 days / 2 $638 $931 (MRS) Settlement – Maloye nights More (the Small Sea) – Peschanaya Bay – Listvyanka Settlement – Irkutsk (auto)

The price includes: 

.excursions  .accommodation aboard the motor ship  .meals (FB)  .fees for visits to national parks  .English-speaking guide services  .on-board sauna use  .fishing equipment  .use of a motor boat in good weather  .information material

The time of embarkation and disembarkation can be changed, please specify at cruise booking. Accommodation, transfers and other services in Listvyanka are available for extra fee. Please inquire.

CONDITIONS OF PAYMENT

 50% non-refundable payment upon booking  50% payment - 120 days before departure

CANCELLATION FEES

Prior to 91 days plus from start date: Loss of deposit 90 days or less and no show: No refund After departure from Australia/Other countries: No refund

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Issue Date: 2nd December 2019

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