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Day 1
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Arrival in Moscow. Transfer to the hotel. Short sightseeing tour
in Moscow.
Dinner at the restaurant. |
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Day 2
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Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit to the Red Square, the Kremlin and 2 museums
(self-paying). Lunch in the city.
Transfer to the Airport, departure to Irkutsk.
Overnight flight to Irkutsk takes 6 hrs |
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Day 3
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Arrival in Irkutsk.
Breakfast. Short bus city excursion around the city.
Transfer (3 hrs, 120 km) to Sludyanka settlement on Baikal
Southern coast. Accommodation at lodge. Lunch.
Excursion to Baikal Museum of Minerals and Stones.
This is a private museum founded by famous local geologist
Valery Zhigalov. The museum was founded after Perestroika times.
Its collection consists of 8960 pieces.
Steam-bath, rest and sleep. |
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Day
4
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Breakfast at the lodge. Walking about Sludyanka.
Lunch.
Ancient railroad excursion along Baikal coast.
This railroad is a part of the Trans-Siberian railway. Its
construction started in 1981. In the beginning the railway went
up to the Angara river-head, and ferry-boats with the help of
ice-breakers took trains to the Baikal Southern-East coast.
The demand of goods to the Russian Far-East (especially before
the Russian-Japan War from 1904-1905) brought about the
construction of the Krugo-Baikalsky (Around Baikal) railroad in
1902. The expenses and intensity of this construction are still
considered unique but the result is the one of most beautiful
railroads in the whole world.
Unfortunately it is now out of use now because of the
construction in 1957 of the Irkutsk Dam which increased the
water level by 7 meters. As a result the part of the railroad
which went near Angara River was found underwater; thus a new
shortcut had to be constructed and the Baikal coast part became
an open air museum. The length of it is 90 km (55 miles). This
excursion duration is about 4 hours.
see photo (Ancient railway, out of operation now)
see photo (Ancient viaduct bridge)
see photo (Railroad man hut)
see photo (Ancient railroad goes along Baikal coast verge)
see photo (Tunnel )
Arrival at Port-Baikal settlement. Accommodation in local lodge.
One hour walk to ancient lighthouse (1 hour), optional.
Steam-bath. |
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Day
5
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Ferry-boat transfer to right bank of Angara River (Angara River
flows out of Baikal Lake; its river-head is the widest in the
world, it is 863 meters wide.
Baikal Lake excursion (1 - 1.5 hrs).
Local souvenirs shopping.
Lunch.
Cutter transfer to Peschanaya (Sand) Bay (about 6 hrs).
see photo (Still evening)
see photo (Still evening)
see photo Peschanaya (Sand) Bay
Night in tents. |
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Day
6
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Excursion to old empty GULAG prison camp used to mine gold in
1940's by prison labour.
see photo (Bell Tower Rock) |
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Day
7
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Cutter transfer to Olkhon Island (about 6 hrs).
Accommodation in local lodge at Huzhir settlement. Lunch.
Free time. Walking around Huzhir and along Baikal Lake coast.
Olkhon Island is the biggest in Baikal. It is located near the
deepest point of 1737 m.
This place is sacred for Buryats (local aboriginal nation) and
is steeped in legend. Many tales tell of a ghost who inhabited
the area. One of the most famous, Khan-Shubuu-noyon, a ghost of
Baikal is incarnated in a white-headed golden eagle (berkut). It
is the reason for Buryats living in Olkhon to honour all OlKhon
berkuts. The strait which separated Olkhon and mainland is named
Maloye More (Small Sea). It is rather shallow water but is warm
in summers, and so full of fish. Most of the population here are
fishermen.
see photo (In Huzhir)
see photo (Neighbourhoods of Huzhir settlement)
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Day
8
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Breakfast.
Museum of local lore excursion.
Burkhan Rock excursion.
Burkhan Rock is a sacred place of the Buryats, the local
aboriginal nation, one of nine main sacred places in Central
Asia.
Lunch.
Bus transfer (1 hr) to Uzury Bay. Local hikes and sightseeing.
Night in tents. |
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Day
9
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Walk excursion to
Hoboy Cape (whole day, about 25 km).
see photo (Hoboy Cap)
see photo (Hoboy Cap)
see photo (Hoboy Cap) |
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Day
10
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Reserve Day. |
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Day
11
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Bus
transfer to Irkutsk (10hrs).
Hotel accommodation.
Arrive in Irkutsk, accommodation at a local hotel.
Dinner at the restaurant is a celebration dinner with all staff. |
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Day
12
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Transfer to airport.
Departure to Moscow.
Transfer to the Moscow hotel.
Farewell dinner at the restaurant. |
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Day
13
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Some
clients leave to Sheremetevo airport for home.
Remaining clients for Excursions in Moscow.
See guide for prices
Dinner in Moscow. Self paid. Restaurant - $50, cafe - $10 |
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Days
14
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Moscow
excursion - as day before.
Dinner in town, self paid. |
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Day
15
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Early
breakfast
Airport Sheremetevo transfer.
Departure to UK or Ireland. |
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