Ice trek across Baikal

1 Day

Arrival in Irkutsk. Meeting and assistance for further transfer to your host family.  Check in and time at leisure (*).  After you have had a rest we’ll welcome you to a brief city tour in the historical part of Irkutsk (**). Lunch in a café, dinner on your own.  (L)

* With early arrival in case there are no free rooms you might have to wait for check-in hours 12:00

** You'll visit the place where Irkutsk was founded 350 years ago at the confluence of two Siberian rivers: Irkut and Angara. The place is framed by three churches, two of which are Russian Orthodox with golden domes and the third one is Roman Catholic

In the morning right after the breakfast we’ll drive by car to the biggest island on Baikal Lake – Olkhon (*). The total distance is about 350 km and it takes 5 hours to get there. En route we’ll make a stop for lunch in one of the local road cafes where one can try meat dumplings cooked on steam that is the main dish of native cuisine.

To get to Olkhon Island from the mainland one needs to drive a short section right across the frozen Olkhon’s Gate strait.
As we get to the main settlement of Olkhon Island – Khuzhir village, we’ll leave our bags in a guest house and walk a short distance to one of the main sights of lake Baikal – the famous Burkhan cape (**).
Dinner and Russian steam sauna will complete this day. Overnight in the guesthouse.  (BLD)

* Olkhon island is the biggest island on lake Baikal. It is about 80 km long and 20 km wide.

** Native people, who are mostly shamanists, believed that this cape with a cave in it is home to the main Spirit named Burkhan.

After breakfast we’ll set off by car to the northern extremity of Olkhon Island – the famous Khoboy cape (*). As we move along the western coast of Olkhon island we’ll make several stops to take pictures of fascinating ice caves (**).
Driving on the ice of Baikal Lake is a challenging experience.  Some times even 4 WD trucks can’t make their way through vast areas of ice hummocks and cracks, so one has to look for a safe passage driving through labyrinth of ice.  
As we turn around Khoboy cape and drive south along the Eastern shore of Olkhon past we’ll get to a tiny village located in a picturesque bay. Accommodation in a family.  
In the afternoon we’ll spend a couple of hours fitting personal gear for the ice trek across the frozen lake. Most of our load will be transported on special sleds. The training includes basic technique and safety measures of walking on ice, setting up a camp and preparing food on a gas stove. Dinner and overnight in a family.  (BLD)

* In local dialect Khoboy means “fang”. This rocky cliff resembles a high pillar in the middle of a boundless ice desert of frozen Baikal Lake. This place is famous for the most rough ice conditions. Usually next to the Hoboy Cape you can observe huge blocks of blue hummock ice some of which can be several meters high.         

** Extremely low temperatures in November-December and high storms create icicles of amazing forms and shapes. They hang down from the ceilings of ice-caves and cover the walls of some grottos.

Today early in the morning we start the most challenging and exiting part of the whole trip.
Every participant will be provided with trekking poles and sleds for personal and camping equipment. This way of transporting stuff is much easier than carrying it in a backpack.
The total distance of the ice trek to the opposite shore of lake Baikal at this place of the lake is about 60 km and it is to be covered within 2 days (*).
Meals will be cooked on gas and petrol burners. 
We’ll stop in the middle of the lake about 1 hour before it gets dark, set up a tent camp and prepare dinner. (BLD)

* This is the widest section of the Great lake. Sometimes you can hardly see both shores and this gives you an impression of traveling in the middle of an Arctic desert! 

After breakfast we’ll break up camp and head forward in the direction of Ust-Barguzun bay on the opposite Eastern shore` (*).  The most challenging and difficult part of the trip will be going through vast fields of ice hummocks and across the cracks.
In late afternoon we are due to reach Ust-Barguzin village. Accommodation at the local rescue team camp base. Dinner and overnight in a warm house.  (BLD)

* The surface of Baikal is different at every section. Close to Olkhon island it may be pure black ice. But as we move east we’ll encounter more and more snow.  

After breakfast transfer by car to the capital of local region – Ulan-Ude city. The drive takes about half a day.  Upon arrival to the city accommodation at a hotel where you can take a shower and have some rest.
Lunch in one of the local restaurants followed by a brief city tour. Dinner on your own.

After breakfast you’ll be offered a car tour to an open air ethnographical museum located in Berezovka village.  From there we’ll drive to a large Buddhist temple (*) located not far away from Ulan-Ude city.

At the end of the day we’ll catch an evening train to Irkutsk city (2 Class ticket, 4 persons in a carriage compartment).

Overnight: Train.

* Buddhism is the main religion and Buryat Republic. There are numerous Buddhist temples in the area.

Early in the morning arrive to Irkutsk city.