►Tours ► Lake Baikal Tours ► Escape to Baikal tour

Three days is of course not enough time to see all that Lake Baikal has to offer, but in this short time you will get a sense of the beauty and magic of the place, and afterwards will most likely want to come back again and again. On this trip, in addition to the lake itself, you will also visit the main sights of Irkutsk – one of the oldest cities in Siberia, which has retained many of its historical buildings.

You will visit the western part of the lake and the settlement of Listvyanka. This part of the lake is the closest to Irkutsk and has a developed infrastructure. Listvyanka is located on the lake at the source of the River Angara. 

You will have an excursion along the Circum-Baikal railway - one of the most beautiful railways in the world.

In three days you will therefore visit Irkutsk – the “Paris of Siberia”, experience the unique beauty of Lake Baikal and have the opportunity to walk along forest paths around the lake.

Irkutsk → Listvyanka → Circum - Baikal railway  →  Irkutsk

1 DAY / IRKUTSK - LISTVYANKA

 Arrival in Irkutsk. A guide with a sign saying will wait for you in the arrival section of Irkutsk Airport or the Railway Station, depending on your transportation.

 Breakfast at a cafe.

 City tour of Irkutsk - the highlights of the tour includes:

• Icebreaker Angara Museum – one of the oldest surviving icebreakers in the world. It was made in Britain and commissioned in 1900. Over the next century it served a mix of transport, labour, scientific and military needs.
• Angara Embankment – one of the favourite places for residents of Irkutsk to relax and walk. There are also several historical monuments located here, including a memorial complex dedicated to the achievements of local people during the Second World War, the Moskovskie Gates triumphal arch, a monument to Emperor Alexander III, and a monument to Yakov Pokhabov – one of the founders of Irkutsk.
• 130th Quarter - a favourite places for tourists as here many historical buildings have survived and many others have been restored giving the resemblance of a 19th century Irkutsk street. Several of the buildings of this quarter are protected as monuments of federal significance.
• Exaltation of the Cross Church - this is perhaps the most beautiful church in Irkutsk and dates from 1760. It is the only church in Siberia to retain its full 18th century interior.

 Duration: 3 hours |  Transportation: by a private car

 Transfer to Listvyanka.

 Distance: 70km

On the way you will stop at the Taltsy Museum of Wooden Architecture.

 Duration: 1h

 Excursion around Listvyanka - the main highlights of the excursion include:

• Viewing platform over the source of the River Angara – the River Angara is 1779km long and the only river to flow from the Baikal. In the local Buryat language, its name means ‘cleft’ or ‘mouth’ and was so named for its wideness which allows a lot of water to flow from the lake. In winter the source of the Angara hardly ever freezes. Situated here is the Shaman-Rock - the summit of a large rock which was flooded with the creation of the Irkutsk hydro-electric station and which has historically been an important site for performing shamanistic rituals. 
• Lake Baikal Museum – the only museum in the world dedicated solely to the lake, its flora and fauna and the process of water flowing in and out of the lake. Here you can see the various life forms found in Lake Baikal in an exposition which takes the form of a large aquarium which is the height of a person. The five aquariums have a total volume of 45 cubic metres and hold examples of the fish found in Baikal as well as the celebrated seal of Baikal which is known as a nerpa. The museum also offers a unique opportunity to virtually descend the lake to its very bottom.
• The ascent of the Chersky Rock (755m) – the summit of one of the coastal hills in Listvyanka. Here there is a viewing platform from where you can enjoy spectacular panoramas of practically the whole of the southern part of Baikal. On the horizon you will see the white summit of the Khamar-Daban mountain range, below you is the source of the River Angara with the Shaman-Rock, behind you is Port Baikal and to your right, you will see the Angara right up to the Irkutskskoe Reservoir.
• St Nicholas’ Church – in the beginning of the 18th century the Russian merchant Ksenofont Serebryakov found himself in a violent storm on Lake Baikal. During the storm, he prayed to St Nicholas to save him, as St Nicholas has long been seen as the protector of sailors. Serebryakov survived and in 1846 erected a church on the shores of Lake Baikal dedicated to St Nicholas. The church holds icons from the 17th century.

 Duration: 3 hours |  Transportation: walking excursion

  Night in Listvyanka.

2 DAY / CIRCUM - BAIKAL RAILWAY

 Excursion on the Circum-Baikal Railway - this is a small section of the Trans=Sib 85km in length which runs along the shore of Lake Baikal. It was completed in 1905 and connected Central Russia and the Russian Far East by one railway line. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful railroads in the world - and for the whole trip, you will enjoy the most beautiful views of the lake, cliffs and rocks and architecturally wonderful bridges, viaducts, and tunnels. During the trip, you will make several stops near the most impressive engineering structures.

 Duration: 7-8 hours 

 Night in Irkutsk.

3 DAY / DEPARTURE IRKUTSK

 Transfer to the airport or railway station.

 Distance: 70km

• The tour is available in English, German and French other languages upon request.
• During the high season (from May to September) and on public holidays we recommend you book in advance as Listvyanka a popular tourist destinations.
• All excursions/guided tours included in the itinerary are private which means private guides and private transport along the programme - unless otherwise stated.
• The tour is suitable for travellers with children.
• Best time to travel on this route: from the end of  May to mid-September and from the end of February to end of March.
• The prices given below are for guidance only. The actual final cost of the tour will depend on availability. Hotel prices and train tickets may increase or decrease in cost depending on how much in advance you book them. 

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