Day 1. Irkutsk: "Immersion into Siberia"
Where to stay
Sightseeing tour
You will learn about the Irkutsk Babr (a heraldic beaver-like creature) and the history of the Great Tea Road, receive a merchant's map of the Great Tea Road, and admire the wooden architecture of the Irkutsk Sloboda. Visit a bakery: watch how sourdough bread is made and, of course, taste it.
Irkutsk Sloboda, 130th Quarter
The 130th Quarter, also known as Irkutsk Sloboda, is a public space featuring wooden architecture. The charming little houses occupy a small area bounded by Sedova, Timiryazeva, 3rd of July, and Kozhova streets. On the map, it resembles a triangle. Tourists visit this place to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Irkutsk's historic streets. There are seven architectural monuments located along the perimeter. All other buildings were created based on preserved sketches of traditional wooden architecture.
Address: 3rd of July St., Irkutsk
"Taltsy" Open-Air Architectural and Ethnographic Museum
The "Taltsy" Architectural and Ethnographic Museum is a unique collection of historical, architectural, and ethnographic monuments from the 17th to 20th centuries. This open-air museum complex attracts visitors with the opportunity to directly familiarize themselves with the material and spiritual culture of the peoples of the Baikal region. The museum retrospectively recreates four historical and cultural zones: Russian, Buryat, Evenki, and Tofalar. "Taltsy" also houses 250 objects of wooden architecture. Here you can take photos in merchant costumes or participate in workshops: painting Matryoshka dolls, glassblowing, clay modeling, valenki (felt boots) making, wood carving, and more.
Address: 1, 47th km of the Baikal Highway
Opening hours: Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am-6:00 pm;
Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm;
Saturday–Sunday, closed
Website: talci-irkutsk.ru
"Russkaya Troyka" Complex
A premium bathhouse club that will provide an exceptional experience. There are 4 bathhouses in total: Eastern, New Russian, Hi-tech, and a VIP complex. Each has a unique interior and ambiance. The bath club also offers Russian and European cuisine.
Address: 293, Baikalskaya St., Irkutsk
Opening hours: 24/7
Website: troyka-center.su
Day 2. Baikal
Listvyanka settlement
"Chersky Stone" Viewpoint
Chersky Stone is a mountain peak on the shore of Lake Baikal near the settlement of Listvyanka. It offers a magnificent view of Lake Baikal, the source of the Angara River, Shaman Stone, and the Khamar-Daban ridge. The viewpoint is surrounded by larch taiga. At the very top of Chersky Stone, an open terrace with a roof and railings has been built. All its smooth surfaces are covered with tourists' "autographs", and the railings are densely covered with tied colorful ribbons. This tradition stems from the ritual of tying Buddhist ceremonial ribbons "zaala" with prayers and wishes, which Buryats leave on sacred trees. It is believed that when the wind rustles the ribbon, prayers and requests reach the heavens more easily.
Address: Coordinates: 51.877528, 104.837397
Opening hours: 24/7
Baikal Museum of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
The scientific focus of the museum is the study of the evolutionary features of the Lake Baikal ecosystem. And its exhibition and educational activities, conducted with the help of innovative educational technologies, contribute to the formation of an ecological worldview among the population of the Baikal region. Here, you can visit aquariums with Baikal seals, also known as nerpas. You will also experience a virtual dive to the bottom of Lake Baikal in a bathyscaphe room.
Address: 1 Akademicheskaya St., Listvyanka urban-type settlement
Opening hours: Daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Website: bm.isc.irk.ru
Fish Market
One of the most crowded and popular places in the urban-type settlement of Listvyanka. Here you can buy fruits and vegetables, herbal teas, pine nuts, and, of course, fish from the pristine Lake Baikal prepared in various ways: omul, grayling, whitefish, golomyanka, sturgeon, and Baikal perch. The market also features ethnic souvenirs, including traditional Mongolian clothing, ritual masks, shamanic tambourines, and amulets.
Address: 111/1 Gorkogo St., Listvyanka urban-type settlement
Opening hours: Daily from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
Embark on a journey across Lake Baikal to the settlement of Bolshoye Goloustnoye. In summer, the route goes by motorboat across the crystal-clear waters of the lake, and in winter – by Khivus hovercraft over the famous Baikal ice. Stops are provided along the way in the most picturesque places where you can take impressive photos: in summer – against the backdrop of the endless water surface, in winter – among the transparent ice with its amazing patterns and bubbles.
Lunch “Frozen Taste of History” — Lunch on the Great Tea Road
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Great Tea Road with a unique gastronomic lunch inspired by the traditions of merchants who transported tea across Siberia. In winter, you are in for an unusual "Frozen Taste of History" lunch right on the Baikal ice: frozen tea and shchi (cabbage soup), the famous "Kiss of Baikal" with ice shot glasses, and an unforgettable atmosphere of the winter lake. In summer, the program continues with a picturesque picnic on the shores of Lake Baikal in the national park, featuring aromatic tea from a samovar with Siberian herbs and dishes based on ancient merchant recipes. The experience will be complemented by a photo session in peaked caps and frock coats, allowing you to feel like a traveler from the era of the Great Tea Road.
Where to stay
Performance by a Buryat ensemble on the shores of Lake Baikal
Dances in traditional costumes, throat singing, brewing Buryat salted milk tea, and a bonfire.
Day 3. Lake Baikal – Olkhon
Journey across Lake Baikal
Embark on a two-hour journey across Lake Baikal to one of the most picturesque bays of the lake – Peschanaya Bay. In summer, the route goes by motorboat with a stop at Baklaniy Kamen, offering magnificent views of the turquoise water and famous beaches with white and golden sand. In winter, you will take a ride on a Khivus hovercraft over the transparent Baikal ice, with stops for photo sessions in the most beautiful places.
Peschanaya Bay
In Peschanaya Bay, each season reveals its unique beauty. In summer, you can enjoy relaxing on the sandy shore and the crystal-clear waters of Lake Baikal. In winter – skate on the natural ice, see the famous Baikal bubbles, unusual stilt trees, and climb to the viewpoints offering impressive panoramas of the Khamar-Daban mountain range.
Lunch "Merchant's Ration"
Enjoy the "Merchant's Ration" lunch, inspired by the traditions of the Great Tea Road. In winter, you are in for an unusual meal right on the Baikal ice, where, surrounded by endless icy expanses, you will be served appetizers, salad, a hot dish, aromatic tea, and a lingonberry pie. In summer, the program continues with a picnic on the lake shore or lunch in a cozy gazebo with a panoramic view of Lake Baikal. This is a great opportunity not only to try dishes reminiscent of Siberian merchants' journeys but also to enjoy the unique atmosphere of one of the most beautiful places in Russia.
Cape Shunte-Levy
One of the most sacred and energetically powerful points on Olkhon Island. "Shunte" translates from Buryat as "larch". And although the surface of the cape is rocky and treeless, its slopes are covered with rare but resilient larch trees that gave this place its name. It is believed that this place was endowed with special power by the spirits of Baikal to help in continuing the family line. The rock is perceived as the Great Mother frozen in stone, granting life. Childless couples, desperate for offspring, have been coming here with prayers and offerings since ancient times.
Address: Coordinates: 53.391851, 107.792163
Day 4. Olkhon – Irkutsk
Shamanka Rock on Cape Burkhan
Mysterious, sacred, legendary – all this describes an amazing place on the western coast of Olkhon. The enigmatic Cape Burkhan has long become the visiting card of Lake Baikal, which is why all travelers who come to the huge lake strive to get here. Shamanka Rock attracts the attention of archaeologists, artists, photographers, and tourists who love to visit picturesque, uncrowded places. The sacred cape is revered by pilgrims, as it is named after the main deity of Lake Baikal and, according to legend, is his dwelling. In the past, Buryat shamans performed sacrifices here.
Address: Coordinates: 53.204189, 107.338578
Where to eat — dinner
Conclude your journey with pleasant shopping at souvenir and jewelry stores. Choose memorable gifts and items made by local artisans: traditional souvenirs, jewelry with national motifs, pieces made from natural materials, and unique objects that will preserve your memories of the region’s culture and beauty.
