Fall in love with ice Baikal photo tour
A trip to the largest frozen lake in the world at the beginning of spring: different shades of transparent ice (locally called hololyadki), amazingly clear icicles in beautiful fairy-tale grottos, unforgettable Baikal sunsets and sunrises, hospitality of Buryat people will forever remain in your memory.
Route: Baikal, Olkhon
Travel time: By request in February and March
Duration: 6 days
Tour programme
Day 1. Hello BaikalMeeting at Irkutsk airport.
We take a breakfast in a cafe, then we have a look at the quay of Angara - the Baikal's escaped daughter, take a little walk in the center of Irkutsk.
Transfer by minibus to a guest house on the Olkhon Island (approx. 300 km, 5-6 hours with stops).
There will be photo stops along the way to take pictures of landscapes in the Buryat steppe.
For lunch we'll stop at a cozy cafe, where you can have a delicious meal of local delicacies.
On the shore of the Kurkutskii bay of the Small Sea we will change the bus to the legendary UAZ 4WD minibus, and then cross the Olkhonskiye Vorota Strait.
Check-in at a hotel in the village of Khuzhir, the capital of Olkhon, inTwin standard rooms.
Walking tour to the sacred place for Buryats - "Burkhan" cape, to the mysterious Shamanka cliff: seeing off the Baikal sun, making an offering near "Serge" - the horse stall.
Dinner at the hotel.
Meals: dinner
Day 2. North of Olkhon
Meeting the sun at Burkhan cape. Early in the morning there is a great chance to take beautiful pictures of sunlit peaks of Primorsky ridge, Shamanka cliff
Breakfast.
Driving by car on ice to the northern extremity of the island to "Khoboy" cape (it means "Fang" in Buryat), it is the northernmost extremity of Olkhon.
Along the way we will see icy marble rocks with ice splashes and a realm of sparkling ice in grottos.
The most observant ones will see a silhouette of a horse's head on the white marble cape "Sagaan Khushun" (it means "Cape White" in Buryat).
Lunch cooked on the ice, with soup from fresh Baikal fish.
Having caught the profile of a stone woman through the lens, having heard the Buryat legend about greed and envy we can consider our mission on Olkhon almost accomplished.
After driving on the ice in "Uzury" bay we are going to take a picture of queer vast fields of ice piles - hummocks, we are going to see the blue shore of the far Buryatia and the highest peak of Olkhon - "Izhemey" shaman mountain.
The pictures, taken on the high shore of Baikal with the "Guardian of Baikal" - the sculpture, made by the world famous Buryat sculptor DashiNamdakov - are unusual and fantastic.
The Buryats made offerings and asked the spirits for the birth of their desired child here since ancient times.
Meeting the sunset at Khoboy cape will undoubtedly add happy memories to your soul.
Late return to Khuzhir.
Dinner.
Processing of photos.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3. Small sea, Ogoy island
You should wake up early (at night) to see another sunrise at the world-known location - the Dragon's Claw rock, located on the southern tip of the largest island of the Small Sea - the island "Ogoy".
Walk carefully up the rocky path to the island where you will see the Buddhist Suburgan, the Stupa of Enlightenment, which grants tranquility and fulfill the wishes.
Return to the hotel.
Breakfast.
Rest. Processing of photos.
Lunch.
Exit for the sunset photo session on a small island "Izhelkhey" (Jelenka).
Late return to Khuzhir.
Dinner.
Processing of photos.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4. Southern panoramas of Olkhon
Breakfast.
On the way south we will see the remains of ancient Kurykan wall, against the background of the Small Sea.
On the ice of Olkhon lake "Nuur" we will admire billions of methane bubbles, frozen in the thickness of frozen water until spring.
Along the country road we will cautiously climb the rocky castle "Khuul", from its top you can see the circular panorama of the southern Olkhon.
Lunch - picnic in the nature.
Watch another Baikal sunset near the caves of Shibet cape.
Transfer back to Khuzhir.
Dinner
Processing of photos.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5. Goodbye, Olkhon
Breakfast. Transfer to Irkutsk.
Along the way we stop at some beautiful places.
Coming to Aya bay, one of the most mystical places on Baikal, where are 5 caves, which are more than 20 million years old, we will have a look at one of them with petroglyphs, carved on the rocks
Arrival to the capital of Siberia, the glorious city of Irkutsk, accommodation in hotel "Irkutsk", standard Twin rooms
Final dinner in the restaurant.
Exchange of accumulated positive impressions and emotions.
Meal: breakfast, lunch, dinner
6 Day. Time to go home
Breakfast.
Check-out from the hotel.
Transfer to the airport, railway station on your own.
Ice Lake Baikal will be yours forever!
Meal: breakfast
Cost of the tour per person, in ₽:
| In a group of | 6 | 4 |
| The cost of the tour for one |
|
Any changes of the tour and hotel accommodation conditions are possible on your demand (organization of excursions to Listvyanka and Circle Baikal Railway, in Buryatia: Barguzinskaya valley, Atsagat, Kyakhta, Tarbagatai, Tunkinskaya valley).
Price includes:
- Transfers, transport services according to the programme;
- Accommodation: in a guest house on Olkhon, in standard twin rooms - 4 nights, in the hotel "Irkutsk" in Irkutsk in standard twin rooms - 1 night.
- Excursions according to the program of the tour;
- Meals according to the program of the tour;
- Photographer support throughout the tour: master classes in landscape photography.
The following is not included in the price: medical insurance, meals not included in the programme, additional services and excursions, rental of photographic equipment, tripods, portrait photography, rental of dresses, costumes, props, tents, rental drone.
Note, photo tour is required !!!
Clothing - warm and not blowing, with a hood, shoes - high, comfortable and on sturdy soles (+ cats and ice walking sticks), hat - not blowing, gloves - light fleece not blowing (for photography) + warm gloves or mittens (better made from wind and moisture-proof material).
Sunglasses - preferably a pair.
Sunscreen and lipstick to prevent frostbite, personal first-aid kit, personal hygiene products.
A thermos flask is desirable.
Personal medication.
Wide-angle lenses for caves and grottoes.
There are no restrictions on focal length for landscape photography: you should use wide-angle to telephoto lenses
Note: In case of impossibility to use UAZ minibus for driving on ice because of the weather conditions, the price of the tour will be increased by using hovercraft "Hivus"
Phone for booking (WhatsApp): +7 9834 208 609
