The tour program has an adventure focus with elements of extreme conditions and is feasible only if there is a team spirit, when the overall success of the passage of the planned route depends on the active position of each participant. At the wish of participants the tour may have greater or lesser duration, for those wishing overnights on ice in a tent will be held.
The Ushkany Islands are located in the middle part of Lake Baikal; they consist of Large Ushkany Island and 3 Small Islands. The famous seal rookery is on these islands. The rocks on the islands are from multi-colored marble, the shores have a bizarre shape. Even the trees are unusual: larches, for example, have a characteristic bottle-thickening at the base, birches – black bark, heads of trees have flag-like forms.
In winter, the rocky shores are covered with sophisticated ice uprushes.
Chivyrkuisky Bay is the second largest on the lake; its shores are indented by unusually picturesque coves in which there are hot springs and caves-grottoes. There are seven islands in the Gulf, quite different from each other. Sandy beaches, mountains and pine forests, and wetlands – a variety of landscapes for every taste can be seen on the shores. This is one of the fish places on Lake Baikal.
Meeting at the airport or at the train station. Transfer to Listvyanka.
Departure by “Hivus” to the first destination of the route – Zarechnoye estate. On the way, examining and photographing the shores of Lake Baikal.
Stop in Peschanaya Bay and climb on the observation platform, which offers excellent views of Lake Baikal and picturesque cliffs Small and Big Belltowers. Examining of the legendary stilted trees, grottoes and Gannet (Baklanyi) Island. Lunch with dry rations. Continuation of the way to Buguldeika village.
Arriving at Buguldeika, accommodation at the tourist center “Zarechnoye estate” in double rooms. If the weather is good – a walk on a horse-drawn sledge into Baikalian taiga. Dinner. Rest.
Breakfast, transfer to Krestovsky Cape. On the way, stop in Aya Bay, examination of petroglyphs and a picturesque bay. Next move to Olkhonskiye Vorota Strait, through which we get to the Small Sea (space separating Olkhon from Lake Baikal). The road to Khuzhir lies along Olkhon: for viewing of places of interest we will be making short stops. Accommodation on Khuzhir in “The Bencharovs’ homestead”. Lunch. Rest. Dinner. For those interested – the Russian Bathhouse.
Breakfast, landing on the boat for a trip on an excursion over Olkhon.
The trip to the north tip of Olkhon – rocky Cape Khoboy (distance 40 km).
Visit “Baikalian pole” – the deepest place of the lake. Lunch at the meteorologists in Uzury village. Passage on Lake Baikal along the east shore of Olkhon to the ferry terminal MRS (80 km) with stops to examine uprushes on the rocks, ice grottoes at Sagan Khushun Cape and rock Shamanka.
Return to Khuzhir. Dinner. Rest.
Breakfast, gathering.
At 9.00 am – boarding on the boat.
Going by boat to Ushkany Island – a popular rookery of the Baikal seal. Getting acquainted with the hunter Yuri Budeyev.
A trip around the islands by boat. Lunch on the ice. Examining of uprushed ice on the white marble rocks of the islands.
In the evening – dinner, Russian bath with brooms and bathing in the ice hole (by request). Overnight at the cordon of hunters on the Big Ushkany Island.
After breakfast, boat trip to Chivyrkuisky Bay, we can organize fishing, visiting the Bay Snake, bathing in hot springs, lunch on the ice for the fans. Chivyrkuisky Bay is the second-largest on the lake, its shores are indented by unusually picturesque coves: there are hot springs, and caves, and grottoes. There are seven islands, quite different from each other in the gulf. There are sandy beaches, mountains, pine forests, swamps – a variety of landscapes for every taste on the shores. This is one of the main fish places on Lake Baikal.
Return to Ushkany Island for dinner and overnight.
Breakfast. Depart for return journey. The next point of our journey – the recreation center , which is located on the Gulf Kurkut in 500 meters from the shore of the Small Sea. The base is surrounded by sparse larch forest. Lunch in the way with dry rations. Check in to the recreation center, accommodation, rest on the base. Dinner. For those wishing to – bathhouse or sauna.
Breakfast.Departure to Listvyanka. Lunch on the road, stops for rest and photographing in the liked places. Arrival to Listvyanka in 20 hours.
