Russia Lake Baikal travel guide

The lake is so large that it would fit about part of Mediterranean sea. Its water temperature of the upper layers in the summer is only 8-10 degrees. The age of Baila lake is about 25 million years. Here the water is so clear that in some places you can see the bottom of lake at a depth of 38 meters. Lake Baikal water contains almost no minerals. On the coast grow trees of more than 700-year-old. 10% of all fresh water reserves on the Earth are concentrated in Russia Lake Baikal. 336 rivers flow into Lake Baikal, and only one river flows out to Angara, the largest river in Siberia, length 1779 kilometer.

The time difference in Irkutsk and Moscow is 5 hours. The distance to Moscow is 6 hours by plane (more than 4200 kilometers).

Irkutsk

Irkutsk is located in Eastern Siberia. The city’s population is about 650 thousand people (2024). The city is very old, it was built in 1661. Irkutsk is a major transport hub connecting the eastern and central parts of Russia. The Trans-Siberian route passes through the city.

For tourists, Irkutsk is interesting Quarter-130. Here in the city center there is an open-air wooden museum. 65 wooden houses of the 18th-19th centuries for various purposes are presented. There are many cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops with authentic souvenirs from Russian Siberia.

Irkutsk is ideal for staying for 2 nights before a grand tour to Lake Baikal.

Listvyanka Village

The village of Listvyanka is located on the shore of Lake Baikal, 70 km from Irkutsk. Listvyanka is a kind of transit stop for a further tour of Baikal.

Listvyanka has magnificent nature. From here begins a 20-kilometer trail for a walk along the rocky shore of Lake Baikal. Here at an altitude of 728 meters there is a wonderful observation deck, which you can climb on foot or by funicular. From here you can clearly see the Shaman Stone in the center of the confluence of the Angara River into Lake Baikal. This place never freezes, because the Angara has the widest mouth in the world.

In Listvyanka in the summer you can go kayaking, in the winter on dog sleds.

Olkhon Island

Olkhon is the largest and central island on Lake Baikal, separated from the coastline by the Maloe More Strait.

In winter, people get here only by ice. The capital of Olkhon is the village of Khuzhir, where only 1.5 thousand people live, working in tourism. Khuzhir is an authentic place. Here you feel calm, complete solitude with nature. It feels like you are on the edge of the earth. Only you and the beauty of nature around.

Tourists are offered to visit the Buryat ethno-village and taste national dishes. In the western part of the island, Cape Buran and Shamanka Rock are of interest. Shamanka Rock is a sacred place, the spirit of the 100-year-old past hovers here, about which legends are composed and stories are told.

Olkhon has many different natural wonders – capes, grottoes, mountain peaks, bays, coves, secluded beaches, small lakes and, of course, various rocks. The most popular winter activity is a ride on the Khivus, a hovercraft that takes you to hidden, rare and beautiful places on the lake.

The most favorable months for tours to Baikal are January-February, the temperature is -10-15 degrees (during a snowstorm, a lower temperature is possible) or July-August when is temperature +20-25. In September-October is +10 and this is the time for the best fishing.

Winter Lake Baikal top travel season

January, 20-25- March, 10, 2027