TWO RELIGIONS OF BAIKAL: SHAMANISM AND BUDDHISM
Authentic trip for those travelers, who want to get acquainted with Asian traditions, with Buryats (local population), who have been shamanists since the old times and started to become Buddhists in the XVIIth century. You will have a chance to meet locals, ride horses and even to live in the gers (nomadic tents). You'll also have a conversation to real shamans and try national food of Buryats.
11 days
April - October
max 7
Duration
Period
Number of people in group
Tour information
Sights and entertainments:
Rock Shaman, Khoboy, the northernmost cape of the island of Olkhon, national Buryat cuisine, communication with the shaman, hot springs
Detailed program
Day 1
Welcome to Siberia for the start of your amazing tour.
Meeting in the airport / railroad station
After short break for coffee - start of the 3-hour city tour.
You will see Irkutsk with its carved wooden houses and cozy lanes in the historical center, admire the beauty of Russian orthodox churches, drive along the central street with the old mansions and visit the 130th quarter, built in Siberian style, with souvenir shops, restaurants and the small local market with herbs and honey.
Lunch with the dishes of traditional Siberian cuisine.
Accommodation in hotel.
Free time in the city
The guide will recommend you places to visit.
Accommodation
Hotel Included
Meals
Lunch
Day 2
This informative tour will provide you the broad picture of Baikal, the world UNESCO heritage, its origin, history, geology, flora and fauna. No boring lectures. Just interaction, fascinating legends, real inhabitants of Baikal in aquariums, boat voyage and Siberian culture and ethnic diversity in the wooden museum.
Visit to Listvyanka village, called the Entrance Gate to Baikal, will fill you with the mood of Russian style of vacation, with the smoked fish and drinks by the shore, market, full of local stones and jewelry, traditional musical instruments, fur and clothes. The spectacular view from Chersky stone for Baikal and Angara river makes you enjoy the peaceful beauty of the lake.
Accommodation
Hotel included
Meals
Breakfast & Lunch
Day 3
Drive to Olkhon, the largest island of Baikal, will be full of new impressions: you'll see incredible rock arrays in Tazherany steppes, the Buryat villages, the fields and vast valleys with cows and horses. This land is considered to be sacred, and the guests call it mysterious and powerful, as it fills you with strong energy. Locals will tell you breathtaking legends about each stone here, and panoramic views of the endless lake, surrounded by high mountains, will make your heart beat faster. The island is separated from the main land by the Small Sea strait, which we'll cross by ferry, and this small 10-15 minutes voyage will bring into the new reality of the island, with the Russian off-road cars, sandy landscapes and Mongolian-like paysages. The photographers will enjoy the perfect pictures of the sunset at Shamanka rock and depict this harmony of the sky, sun, water and mountains.
Accommodation
Hotel included
Meals
Breakfast
Day 4
Today you'll have a trip to the northernmost part of the island with the unforgettable spaces of Baikal.
You will cross the steppes, see picturesque bays of blue transparent water, stop in the Aeolian sands, admire the shores of Baikal from the high mountains, and enjoy delicious picnic, cooked on fire, in the shade of the pine forest. We'll drive through the spots of untouched nature, a great number of rare plants, clean air and wild animal and birds.
Hotel included
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5
Today there will be a relaxing trip back to Irkutsk.
On the way – excursion to Tazherany steppe with the view to the main part of Baikal. You'll visit the picturesque Valley of Stone Giants, full of mysterious legends; salt lakes, the sacred Ekhe-Yord mountain, where all the national festivals are held. You'll also see the famous Marble Quarry, the popular photoshoot location.
Hotel included
Meals
Breakfast
Day 6
We will drive to the village of Arshan, which is different from Olkhon; because of Sayany mountains, called Siberian Alps, and hot springs. Our route will pass along the serpentine road, and in a few hours you will be in the most Southern part of Baikal. On the way we'll eat at the café, walk along Zun-Murino river, which, being located deep in the forest, gives you panoramic view of the valley and rivers. We will stop at the border with the Republic of Bouryatia at the Buddhist memorial. You'll learn all the necessary rituals of greeting the spirits of the other land according to the traditions of Buryats.
On the way we'll stop at the most sacred Bukha-Noyon mountain, where the shaman will make the ceremony of respect to the spirits of the area. It will possible to consult him in the questions of your health and future. The shaman is full of wisdom: He can tell you many things about Buryat culture, shamanism and Buryat peoples.
Upon arrival in Arshan, we will walk to the village, enjoy local cuisine, go along the Kyngarga River.
We recommend to visit the local resort: bath, shower, massage, sauna.
Hotel included
Meals
Breakfast
Day 7
Today, we will go to the most picturesque waterfalls of the village of Arshan. The way takes about 2 kilometers. We will make stops in the most beautiful places and admire the views of Tunka Valley. Looking at the white-colored rocks, drinking water from the healing spring, you will hear beautiful Buryat legends and enjoy the calm walk in the forest.
You'll also go to the Buddhist temple, situated in the Holy Valley, where you can learn a lot about this religion, walk in a calm atmosphere and say your wishes to the spirits of mountains. You can also talk to the astrologer monk and learn the predictions for the coming year.
Overnight in Arshan
Hotel included
Meals
Breakfast
Day 8
Today we will start our way to Ulan Oude, the capital of the Republic of Buryatia.
We will pass Slyudianka, the station of active Transsiberian and at the same time old Circum Baikal railroad, with its famous Marble Building. On the way we'll stop at the Warm Lakes; the favorite swimming place for locals. There is a small farmsted with sheep, horses and donkey. In the lakes there are fish and swans, and the view of the green pyramid shaped mountain, called Monomakh's Cap, is fantastic.
In the evening we will arrive in Ulan Oude.
Hotel included
Meals
Breakfast
Day 9
Today there will be a guided tour of the capital of Buryatia. It's famous for the biggest head of Lenin (the most unusual monument of Soviet times), the Buddhist temple at the highest top of the city with the huge golden statue of Buddha and the bell of wishes.
You'll visit the open air Ethnographic Museum, with the old houses of Russians and Buryats. The museum has preserved an atmosphere of the past centuries, a unique way of life of the ancestors. You can feel like a real Cossack or Evenk (local tribe representative), entering the house with all the tools and house equipment of those times.
The excursion to the most famous Buddhist temple in Russia, Ivolginsky Datsan. This is where there is an imperishable body of the famous monk Itigelov is, and you can have a chance to look at it, as people believe, this will change the life for the better. Ivolginsky temple consists of a large amount of buildings, and while moving along the territory, you can see how Khuvaraks (students) live.
Hotel included
Meals
Breakfast
Day 10
Today you will visit the Buryat region with the famous Atsagat temple. Near Datsan there is the statue "Taban Hushuun Mal - five nomadic jewels", consisting of sculptures of camel, a mighty bull, a steppe horse, a sheep and a thin goat.
The guests are welcomed by the traditional "Ugtamja" ritual with Khadak, the symbol of the Buryat people 's hospitality, and the white meal, the symbol of value and clear thoughts, melodic song and words of welcome.
We'll have a lot of entertainment today: the Galaxy yurt with the different ethnic groups' photo exhibition, Buryat legends about the Universe and the starry sky, the knowledge of tradition and life in the ancient warrior yurt and in the traditional Buryat house of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
You'll take pictures wearing Buryat national costumes.
«ouryate Yohor dance training will be at the end of the tour.
Lunch at Steppe Nomad (traditional Buryat food: buuza (big dumplings), Bukhlyor (lamb noodle soup), sweet Boova, milk tea).
Hotel included
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11
It's time to say good bye.
Full of emotions and Baikal energy you will return back home.
It is possible to take the flight from Ulan – Ude or return back to Irkutsk by car with the guide and the driver.
Price of the tour
Количество человек в группе
Стоимость в рублях, с человека
1
2-5
Более 6
35 000
27 000
24 000
Стоимость в рублях, на человека, при проезде регулярным автотранспор-
том, без гида
том, без гида
20 000
from 2 200 $ per person
Included in cost:
- Services of a guide-translator (11 days)
- motor transport services
- meeting / seeing off to / from the airport
- Accommodation in double rooms in comfortable hotels with amenities in Irkutsk, Arshan, Listvyanka, Olkhon
- services of a shaman in Tunkinsky valley
- Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- excursion in Irkutsk
- tickets to the Taltsy Museum, Baikal Museum, cable car
- excursions in UAZ to Cape Khoboy
- excursion program in Buryatia
- Services of a guide-translator (11 days)
- motor transport services
- meeting / seeing off to / from the airport
- Accommodation in double rooms in comfortable hotels with amenities in Irkutsk, Arshan, Listvyanka, Olkhon
- services of a shaman in Tunkinsky valley
- Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- excursion in Irkutsk
- tickets to the Taltsy Museum, Baikal Museum, cable car
- excursions in UAZ to Cape Khoboy
- excursion program in Buryatia
Additional charge:
- lunch on the way to / from Olkhon
- additional excursions
- lunch on the way to / from Olkhon
- additional excursions
Always happy to help you finding the best tour
Tanya Tomitova
Guide and travel agent at Baikal
© Baikal local. 2022
hello@baikal-local.com
+7(950)101-1065
hello@baikal-local.com
+7(950)101-1065
