THE ELEMENTS OF BAIKAL BAIKAL IN WINTER The Irkutsk region is one of the most significant and THE ELEMENTS OF BAIKAL interesting in Russia. Its vast territory has plenty of Tourist Information Offi ce Карта озера Байкал Tour route: Irkutsk-Taltsy-Listvyanka-the Circum-Baikal Railroad-Baikalsk- Tour route: Irkutsk-MALOE MORE-CAPE KOTELNIKOVSKY-HAKUSY-MALOE pristine places untouched by humans. The Sayan BOAT CRUISES ON LAKE BAIKAL Sobolinaya Mountain-Tanhoi-Irkutsk. Duration of the tour: 5 days/4 nights. www.irkvisit.info, [email protected] и байкальских территорий MORE-IRKUTSK. Duration of the tour: 9 days/8 nights. Mountains in the south are like the Siberian Alps BAIKAL IN WINTER with the peaks reaching the heights of over 3,000 m 77 B Dekabrskikh Sobytiy str. The Map of Baikal Lake 1. SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF THE HISTORICAL QUARTER OF IRKUTSK. 1. SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF THE HISTORICAL QUARTER OF IRKUTSK. Since its founding in 1661, trade was quickly developing in Irkutsk. Local Irkutsk is an old city with the 359-year history. The city was founded on above sea level. In the north — endless boreal forests DISCOVER BAIKAL and Baikal Region and wide rivers with the Lena flowing from Baikal all The best opportunity to see Lake Baikal is to take a boat cruise. The most merchants brought books, machines, objects of art, and state-of-the-art the crossroad of historic and trade roads. It’s not a coincidence that locals comfortable conditions, the most picturesque places inaccessible from the technologies of the day from the fairs held in the Russian capitals and in affectionately call their city “The Center of the Earth”. The 130th Quarter or the way to the Arctic Ocean being the biggest one. land, the most successful fishing, the most beautiful and lasting tan, and Nizhny Novgorod — one of the biggest trade fairs in old Russia. As the the Irkutsk Village, an area with historic buildings and cultural centers, is the The central part of the region has green steppes where BOAT CRUISES ON LAKE BAIKAL the most exotic photos to commemorate the best vacation — that’s what years went by, Irkutsk was coming closer to major European cities in terms tourist mecca of the region’s capital. It’s a favorite place for both locals and ancient nomads and hunters left their monuments, of grandeur and development. visitors alike. Old wooden buildings with historic value have been restored, the Baikal boat cruise means. Different river and sea boats cruise around graves, and petroglyphic drawings. The river network Baikal with the most numerous vessels being the Yaroslavets-class boats. 2. TALTSY is the architectural and ethnographic open-air museum with while lost buildings are being recreated anew. Besides historic buildings, THE GREAT BAIKAL TRAIL It’s a passenger ship with a capacity of 12 passengers and the speed of up to a unique collection of historical monuments, architectural objects, and the 130th Quarter is home to new and modern hotels, art galleries, and includes the basins of the Lena, the Angara, the Lower 18 km per hour. Their exclusive advantage is in the fact that during storms ethnographic exhibits dating to the 17-19 centuries. The Taltsy museum cultural centers. Strolls in this quarter can be called “the old town walks”. Tunguska, and partially the Podkamennaya Tunguska. they can enter any calm harbor for anchorage and wait until waves slow sits on a picturesque bank of the Angara on the 47th kilometer of the The key element of the atmosphere in the 130th Quarter is the spirit of the A sizable portion of the water area of Lake Baikal — down. There are also ships that are not afraid of serious sea storms that are old days. It has not been artificially invented, as Irkutsk is permeated with it. THE CIRCUM-BAIKAL RAILROAD not rare on Baikal. A boat cruise on a reliable vessel is a fabulous pleasure. Baikal Road. The museum retrospectively reconstructed four historical and the deepest and the clearest lake on Earth is in the 2. MALOE MORE or the Small Sea in Russian lies about 250 km from Irkutsk. Cruises always start at Listvyanka — a village at the source of the Ang- cultural zones of the Baikal peoples: Russians, Buryats, Evenks, and Tofalars. Its length is about 70 km, width — 5-16 km, and depth — up to 210 m in the Irkutsk region. ara river. The map shows available cruise routes and anchorages. The boat 3. LISTVYANKA: On the access road at the source of the Angara — a view northern part. The Primorsky mountain range with peaks reaching 1,746 m THE ROAD OF MEMORY AND GLORY makes stops at the village of Bolshie Koty, the Bolshaya Kadilnaya Valley, point to see the source of the great river (the width of the river at this place This brochure presents tourist routes and guided hugs the north-western coast of the Small Sea. In the south-west, Maloe Cape Krestovsky, Maloe More, Olkhon Island (near Shamanka Rock), Ogoi is about 1,000 m), the legendary Shaman Rock, and Port Baikal on the tours of the most interesting landmarks of the region More is connected with Baikal’s main water body by the strait called the Island, the Ushkany Islands, Chivyrkui Bay, the Hakusy hot springs, Zavorot- opposite river bank. The tour continues with visits to Listvyanka’s major that offer the biggest coverage within the shortest Olkhon Gates. There are 10 islands in this inner Baikal sea with the largest naya harbor, Olkhon Island (northern part — Cape Hoboi), Peschanaya Bay, points of interest: Ordered by: Tourism Agency of the Irkutsk Region and Listvyanka. being Ogoi, Oltrek, Hubyn, Edor, Harantsy, Zamogoi, and Izhilhei. All of time frame. Design and layout by: Time of Travels Publishing Duration of the cruise: 10 days/9 nights. - Cable lift to Chersky Rock to get a bird view of the source of the Angara them are uninhabited. The rocky shores of the islands are home to gulls and and the whole southern part of Baikal. In winter — skiing or snowboarding Black Cormorants. One of the islands, Ogoi, has become a true pilgrimage WE WISH YOU HAPPY MEMORIES down the slope. destination thanks to the Buddhist Stupa of Enlightenment, which was ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY TO LAKE BAIKAL! 3000 copies - Visit to the Baikal Museum, the only museum in Russia fully dedicated erected on the island a few years ago. to Lake Baikal and its unique ecosystem. Visitors will see aquaria with the The Siberian banya (sauna) with an ice hole. Ice rides on the Hivus-class air Baikal fish and Nerpas, walk through the exhibitions about the deep-sea cushion vessels or SUVs. Unique opportunity to take photos of ice grottoes, research conducted by submersible research vessels Pisces and Mir that crystal-clear ice, and vast hummock fields. Visiting the Buddhist Stupa of reached the bottom of the lake, and admire the Kamenushki Arboretum. Enlightenment on Ogoi Island. Lunch on the Baikal ice. - Watching the Baikal Nerpa Show at the Nerpanarium. 3. THE KOTELNIKOVSKIE HOT SPRINGS are the only hot springs on the - Riding quadrunners on the winding Taiga trails. western shore of Baikal. Water temperature in winter and summer reaches +81оС. There are two spacious pools built near the hot springs. Tourists take - Boat ride around Listvyanka Bay. 4 a 250-kilometer-long ice ride to Cape Kotelnikovsky on the Hivus air cushion 4. THE CIRCUM-BAIKAL RAILWAY. This unique historical and engineering vessel making stops on the way to stretch their legs and take photos in the complex built in the late 19th — early 20th centuries is often called the most beautiful places. The traditional Siberian banya is waiting the travelers Golden Buckle of the Steel Belt of Russia. From Listvyanka visitors take a upon their arrival to Cape Kotelnikovsky. Hot air balloon rides are available year-round ferry to Port Baikal across the source of the Angara that never depending on weather. freezes and then hop on a comfortable excursion train. On a 72-kilometer- 4. THE HAKUSY HOT SPRINGS are located in Hakusy Bay on the eastern long train ride, the passengers discover 582 engineering landmarks and 172 shore of Lake Baikal. In winter, these hot springs can be accessed on the air architectural monuments including 38 tunnels, 57 galleries, 326 support cushion vessel. There is a hydrotherapeutic center. Magical baths in the hot pillars, and 469 water discharge structures. The train makes several stops springs and fresh air make it an ideal spa — the Baikal way! to take a walk in the abandoned tunnels or relax on the beach. Duration of the trip is about 10 hours. The passengers arrive to the train station of Return to Irkutsk — by the Hivus vessel to Cape Kotelnikovsky on the Small Slyudyanka. Sea then by a car to Irkutsk. Dinner with Buryat flavors on the way back: tasting traditional Hushurs (meat pies) and Buuz (steamed dumplings). 5. BAIKALSK is famous for its Sobolinaya Mountain Ski Resort — one of the best in Siberia. A chairlift takes alpine skiing enthusiasts 900 meters up 2 to the top of Sobolinaya or Sable Mountain. From the top, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the Hamar Daban mountain range and southern Baikal. 3 On the mountain, there is a ropes course with the total length of 360 m. Its highest element is 15 m above the ground. Open all year round it’s great for family and corporate recreation. 1 6. THE VILLAGE OF TANHOI is the starting point for exploring the Baikalsky Biosphere Reserve in the Republic of Buryatia. The Reserve operates a multi-functional visit center and a small museum of nature.