Things to do in Irkutsk. Attractions in Irkutsk. Lake Baikal City Guide. Places and events in Irkutsk. Baikal routes
Every year Lake Baikal attracts more and more travelers from all over the world. Listvyanka is the most popular place on Baikal lake, because the village is the easiest possibility to reach Lake Baikal. It is approximately 70 km away from Irkutsk and directly situated at the delta of the Angara River at Lake Baikal. The lovely village has approximately 1500 inhabitants and stretches over 5 km in an arc along the coast of the lake and its tourist infrastructure is developing faster than anywhere else in Siberia due to tourists coming from all over the world to see Lake Baikal.
The ever-growing trail network links Listvyanka with Bolshiye Koty, another of the stunning fishing villages along the shore. The 24km of the trail along the shore can be finished within 5-8 hours. The longest section of the trail runs from Listvyanka via Bolshiye Koty to Bolshoye Goloustnoye. The hike usually takes 2-3 days and is characterized by swift transitions between steep coastal bluffs, sandy beach and deep forest. There are guesthouses or homestays available at little villages in the evenings, and you can even get back to Irkutsk by boat or bus from trail’s end in Bolshoye Goloustnoye.
Located in the centre of the lake and about 250 km north-east from Irkutsk, Olkhon is a symbol of Baikal and it’s the biggest island. 72 km long and 20 km wide, with the population about 1,500 people, it is also a part of Pribaikalsky National Park. With its endless beaches, bays, forests and mini-lakes, it’s definitely most beautiful part of Lake Baikal. Olkhon is reachable overland or by the “sea”. Board a passenger hydrofoil from Irkutsk or Listvyanka which will take you on a 4-5-hour cruise along the western shore of Baikal. It operates just several days a week, so check the schedule before planning the trip to Olkhon.
Spasskaya Church is the oldest brick-and-stone edifice in East Siberia. It was built in 1706 to replace the outworn wooden church. This is the only building of the original Irkutsk fort, which survived up to our days. The church was sanctified on August 1, 1710. The Holy Banner with icon of Christ was brought into the new church from the old wooden one. The legend went that it was the very original Holy Banner, which the first Russians were carrying when they reached the mouth of Irkut for the very first time. Spasskaya church was related to numerous aspects of urban life of Irkutsk.
An extraordinarily scenic stretch of rail beginning in Port Baikal, where you can get by a ferry from Listvyanka village. The Circum-Baikal Railway is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque sections of the Trans-Siberian Railway. An extraordinary achievement in engineering, known as the ‘gold belt’ of Siberia, it was one of the grand projects of Tsarist times. Built between 1896 and 1900 and designed by architects and engineers summoned from all over Europe, the rail was laid along the edge of the coast through the dramatic slopes of the Primorsky Range.
Hot springs and mineral water origins are dotted all around the Baikal region. One of the more accessible places to enjoy their steamy delights is the village of Arshan, a two-hour scenic drive from the western coast of Lake Baikal and about 200 km south from Slyudyanka, it’s located in the foothills of the thickly forested Sayan Mountains on the bank of Kyngyrga river. Water temperatures range from 11 to 45°C, with each pool said to possess different healing properties. Take a short drive to the nearby village of Zhemchug to plunge in the hot springs right under the sky.
Located 80-km from Listvyanka, within the Pribaikalsky National Park, Peschanaya Bay (Sandy Bay), also known as “Siberian Riviera”, is a famous place in Baikal among locals and travellers. The Bay is guarded by two rocks-giants located on both sides of it, Big and Small Belfries, they protect Peshanaya Bay by their steep rocky slopes from strong winds.
A small island with an eight-metre-hight Buddhist stupa of Enlightenment was raised at the highest point. A Buddhist stupa and an object of worship that means “support for gifts”. There are only two stupas in Russia – on Lake Baikal and in Kalmykia Republic. It is believed that if you go around the stupa three times expressing your respect to it and make a wish, it will come true. There is only one condition: the thoughts of the person who makes a wish should be pure.
The appealing capital of Buryatia, ‘UU’ is 456km east of Irkutsk by rail and makes a sensible staging post for visiting Mongolia or eastern Lake Baikal. The city prospered as a major stop on the tea-caravan route from China, Ulan means ‘Red’ in Buryat, yet Ulan-Ude is pleasantly green, cradled attractively in rolling hills. The main attractions in Ulan-Ude are the two museums (of history and of nature), villages of old-believers and the Ivolginsky Buddhist Datsan.
