The Irkutsk region is a blessed land for travel, tourism and recreation. The mere proximity to the natural pearl – Lake Baikal – gives a lot of opportunities to spend entertaining days of rest on its shores. Along with this, local travel companies organize informative excursion routes with visits to local attractions of the region. These are bays, reserves, islands, rivers and much more.
Listvyanka
The resort village is located on the shores of Lake Baikal. It is the most popular holiday destination for residents of Irkutsk and numerous travelers from all regions of Russia, as well as tourists from far abroad. The resort serves guests all year round. In winter, you can walk on the amazingly clear ice of the lake, use rental equipment for winter sports.
Sports fishing competitions are often held here. Children and adults enjoy horseback riding and dog sledding. For young people there is an opportunity to ride ATVs and go skiing. At any time of the year, local travel agencies organize walking tours with visits to local natural and man-made attractions.
There are many cafes, restaurants, shops and souvenir shops in Listvyanka. In the hot summer time, guests are pleased with small-pebble beaches with sandy areas, equipped with modern beach paraphernalia. Over the past decades, a large number of hotels have been built around the village and inside it, from small guest houses to large hotel complexes. By prior reservation, you can rent a room for every taste and budget.
The village is located 70 km. from Irkutsk. You can get there within 1 hour by bus, fixed-route taxi or your own car.
Chersky Stone
Author of the photo: Boris Levakov (supersnimki.ru/ru/user/2740)
This is one of the most beautiful high-altitude observation points of the Irkutsk region. The mountain peak hangs over the village of Listvyanka. The rock was named after the outstanding explorer of Siberia – geographer, geologist and paleontologist, Pole by origin Jan Chersky. At the top is a covered terrace. Metal railings are installed along its perimeter.
All accessible surfaces are covered with numerous commemorative inscriptions left by tourists. According to the established custom, guests tie the railing with colorful ribbons as a sign of coming back here again. Why it is worth visiting the observation deck is to admire the grandiose panorama of the source of the Angara.
Tourists are amazed by the spectacle of the outcome of a huge stream of water 1 km wide. from Lake Baikal. Travelers can get to the terrace in two ways – on foot or by cable car. The length of the cable car is 1.7 km, the journey takes 7 minutes.
Museum Taltsy
The architectural and ethnographic museum occupies an area of 67 hectares. It is located 48 kilometers southeast of Irkutsk. The exposition includes historical buildings of small towns and villages of the Baikal region. Previously, this place was the village of Taltsy, the lower part of which was flooded during the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the Angara.
The current architectural complex was organized on the remaining hill. Many houses and huts before flooding were dismantled and taken out for assembly in Taltsy. On the territory of the exhibition there are more than 40 monuments of architecture of the XVII – XIX centuries. About 8,000 artifacts are exhibited inside them, conveying an idea of the life and way of life of the Siberian peoples of those times. The territory of the complex is divided into four parts – these are the Russian, Buryat, Evenk and Tofalar historical and cultural zones.
Of great interest is the reconstructed southern wooden wall of the Ilimsk prison, the Big Spasskaya Traveling Tower and the Kazan private church, taken out of the flooded Ilimsk. The Volostnoe Selo complex recreates the appearance of the administrative center of the settlement at the end of the 19th century. The easiest way to get there is by regular bus “Irkutsk – Listvyanka”. Travel time takes 1 hour.
Small Sea
The Small Sea is called the middle part of the water area of Lake Baikal, separated by the island of Olkhon. On the maps, the Small Sea is designated as a strait. If it weren't for the narrow mouth, the strait could have been an ordinary bay. It belongs to the Pribaikalsky National Park. The length of the strait is about 70 km, and the width varies from 5 to 16 km. To the north, its depth reaches 210 meters.
Small Sea owns several islands: Izhilkhey, Zamogoy, Oltrek, etc. The Primorsky Range stretches overland from the northwestern side of the sea. In the southwest, the sea is connected to the main waters of Lake Baikal by the Olkhon Gates strait. The coastal zone of the strait is literally strewn with a large number of bays, the water in which warms up above 22 degrees in summer. Local ideal conditions for a beach holiday attract many tourists here.
In addition to summer recreation, the strait is famous for winter fishing for perch and pike. In winter, on the ice of the Small Sea, you can see clusters of cars and fishing tents. You can get to these places from Irkutsk, both by water and by car, having overcome 250 km. way. Along the coast of the strait, a local road 110 km long stretches from Mukhor Bay to the village of Sakhyurta. Here, tourists can find accommodation in numerous recreation centers.
Arshan
The balneological, mountain climatic resort Arshan became famous for its healing mineral warm springs. Their healing properties of their waters are compared with the Caucasian Narzan. At its core, Arshan is a rural-type settlement located in the Tunkinsky district of Buryatia. Arshans Buryats call almost all mineral springs found on the territory of Buryatia. But it was local sources that were noted at the end of the 19th century for their healing qualities. In 1920, the Arshan resort was officially registered here.
Since ancient times, the local population has arranged a place for sacrifices at each source (arshan). Thanksgiving ceremonies were performed here. To drink healing water, relax in the magnificent nature, tourists can go to Arshan from Irkutsk by car, fixed-route taxi or regular bus. A one-way trip will take 3-4 hours. Also from Irkutsk you can take a train to Slyudyanka, and then by bus to Arshan.
Tunkinsky National Park
The reserve was established in 1991. The total area is about 1.2 million hectares, of which about 1 million hectares are occupied by forests. The protected area is known for its unique natural attractions: waterfalls, extinct volcanoes and amazing steppe and mountain landscapes.
The region is rich in numerous historical monuments. Collections of artifacts are presented in the museums of the villages of Khoytogol, Tory and Kyren. Guests of the reserve will be interested to see the Khan's burial near the village of Zun-Murino and the kurgans of Khyr-Gorkhon. There are two large astronomical institutions on the territory of the national park.
These are a solar observatory in the village of Mondy and an observatory located in the Badary tract with one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. Also, organized excursion groups visit such natural monuments as the marble bottom of the Kyngarga River, the Pearl Well, the Khongor-Uula spring, etc. You can get here from Irkutsk in 3-4 hours. Entrance to the territory of the reserve is paid.
Big Goloustnoe
Photo by: Pavel Gorlov (www.drive2.ru/users/pgorlov/)
The village is located in the coastal zone of Lake Baikal. A large number of tourist bases and guest houses have been built here. Of the local attractions, you should pay attention to St. Nicholas Church, where you can see the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas of Myra.
It will be interesting to visit the Dry Lake with an unstable water level, Ushkanskaya Pad with its alpine meadows, taiga and picturesque rocks, the Hunting underground cave with halls up to 75 m high. You can get there by regular bus, which departs twice a day. Travel time will take 2.5 hours.
Tazheran steppe
A unique treeless plain, overgrown with grassy vegetation, occupies the territory between the Olkhon Gates and the bed of the Anga River. The word “tangeran” in the local dialect means “letnik” (a place of summer migration). According to experts, the Tangeran massif has existed for about 400 million years. On one square meter, you can find up to 150 samples of different minerals here. The highest point of the protected area is Mount Tan-Khan, 990 m above sea level.
Every year, in front of the bridge over the Anga River, festive events are held – the Yordyn Games. This is the national Buryat holiday, which has its roots in the depths of centuries. These days, various types of martial arts are held here. Also, tourists can admire the colorful Buryat ritual dance-round dance around Mount Yohor.
You can get to the steppe region by car. The optimal route consists of the following route: Irkutsk – Bayandai village (130 km.), Bayandai – Elantsy village (77 km.). From Elantsy to the bridge over the Anga River, it remains only 7 km to drive.
Olkhon
The largest island of Lake Baikal. The land area of 730 km2 is 74 km long and 15 km wide. Thousands of tourists want to visit the island. In the summer heat, locals and guests of Olkhon flock to Saraisky beach, located on a large sand dune.
In cool weather, travelers can choose an excursion program to their liking. Connoisseurs of local attractions will show the famous Witch's circles – ring formations on the slopes of the mountains, will lead to Cape Burkhan (Shamanka rock). Under the rock they will show a cave where sacrifices were made to the spirit of the island.
It will also be interesting to visit Cape Khoboy and Cape Shunte, visit the Buryat village and Shara-Nur Lake and many other places on this island. You can get to Olkhon from Irkutsk by passenger boat. They also get to the island on steamboats following from Severobaikalsk, Ust-Barguzin and Monakhovo.
Ogoy Island
Photo by: Artyom Golubchikov (www.drive2.ru/users/artemcus/)
Located in the strait of the Small Sea stretched out in length for 3 km. For the Buryats, this is sacred land. In 2005, at the highest point of the island (512 meters above sea level), the Buddhist Stupa of Enlightenment was erected. This religious building is a three-stage building topped with a dome with a spire. It was built in accordance with all Buddhist canons under the guidance of a lama from Bhutan.
Inside the Stupa of Enlightenment and Demon Conquest, there are many religious relics, a statue of the Female Form – the Mother of all Buddhas. Also there is water from all seas and oceans, land from all continents, sacred manuscripts and much more. Around the shrine, believers observe mysterious rituals, which, in their opinion, lead to the fulfillment of their most cherished desires.
Crowds of tourists come here not only to see the Stupa, but also to touch it in the hope of fulfilling their dreams. The rite of circumambulation around the shrine itself is interesting. According to devout Buddhist monks, in order for a wish to be fulfilled and for Enlightenment of the mind to come, you need to go barefoot around the Stupa 108 times. Although, according to some reports, it is enough to do this 9 times. Most tourists willingly fulfill these requirements.
In addition to the summer waterway, when the island is reached by various ships from the pier of the village of Khuzhir, tourists in winter can go there on foot or by car along the ice crossing.
Sandy Bay
This is a deeply protruding part of the Baikal water area into the coastal land at the foot of the Primorsky Range. Peschanaya Bay is bounded on both sides by capes Malyi and Bolshaya Kolokolnye. The width of the bay is one kilometer. In the summer, amazingly clean sandy beaches attract a large number of tourists here.
The beach infrastructure, or rather its complete absence, is of little concern to vacationers who are accustomed to the local Spartan atmosphere. Many who arrived here rejoice at the opportunity to take a break from the bored “benefits” of civilization in the bosom of the wild. Truly heavenly places more than compensate for the lack of beach comfort with the generous sun, amazingly clean velvet sand and crystal water of the lake, surrounded by Siberian pines and larches.
You can get to Peschanaya Bay by shuttle boat, which runs 2-3 times a week. The route starts from the pier “Rocket” in the Solnechny microdistrict of the city of Irkutsk. In addition, excursion routes on a boat from Listvyanka to Peschanaya Bay are regularly carried out.
Urik village
Founded in 1673, the village of Urik is included in the list of historical settlements in Russia. The ancient settlement is located on the right bank of the Kuda River at the confluence of the Urik River. The village is known for the fact that the Decembrists Volkonsky, the brothers Muravyov, Panov, Lunin and others were in exile here. Volkonsky's wife organized a school for peasant children here.
In the village it will be interesting to see the Church of the Savior, which was built over 8 years from 1771 to 1779. The temple consists of a lower warm part and a cold upper church. A light octagonal drum rises above the lower building. On the fenced temple area is the grave of the Decembrist N.M. Muravyov. You can get to Urik by bus through the villages of Malaya Topka and Stolbova.
Barguzinsky pour
One of the most beautiful places on Baikal. Its area is about 700 km2. The bay is located on the eastern side of the lake, parallel to which runs the highway to Ust-Barguzin. The distance from here to Irkutsk is about 650 km. In summer, the beaches on the southern and eastern shores of the bay (the villages of Maksimikha and Ust-Barguzin) are filled with vacationers. In winter, picturesque panoramas of Baikal hummocks open up here, and coastal rocky grottoes acquire the features of fabulous ice palaces.
To the north, the bay is bounded by the Svyatoy Nos peninsula – a great place for summer hiking and horseback riding. In the village of Maksimikha, tourists can visit the private ethnographic museum Svetlaya Polyana. There are collected buildings stylized as Russian towers of the 17th century. Curious travelers will get acquainted with the objects of the ancient life of the Baikal Cossacks, see a collection of local minerals, and can also try to mold a pot on a potter's wheel.
Khujir
Located 36 km. from the ferry in the center of the island. Khuzhir in translation from Buryat means “salt marsh”. About a thousand people live in a small village – they are mostly Buryats and Russians. Despite the modest scale of the settlement, there are quite a few hotels here. There are cafes, small restaurants, shops and souvenir shops in Khuzhir. Here, tourists freely use mobile communications and the Internet.
You should be aware that not everywhere you can pay with a bank card, so you should stock up on cash. Near the village on the western coast of the island is Burkhan Cape or Shamanka Rock. The passage to the cape is blocked by 13 wooden pillars – Segre. These are ceremonial structures decorated with multi-colored ribbons.
The number 13 corresponds to the number of children of tengi – the first ancestors of all Buryat peoples. Colored ribbons are hadaks, each color of which has its own sacred meaning. You can enter the island by your own vehicle through the ferry crossing. A visit to the national park by car is paid. Permission can be issued in Khuzhir.
Circum-Baikal Railway
The Circum-Baikal Railway is a separate section of the East Siberian Railway. Currently, the Circum-Baikal Railway is called a dead-end railway line st. Baikal – Slyudyanka. The Baikal station is located 72 kilometers from the Irkutsk-Passenger station. And Slyudyanka is located at 161 kilometers. The railway passing along the shore of Lake Baikal is a unique monument of engineering art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Guided tours are constantly held on the railway line. Trips are organized on a retro train. Passengers of an unusual composition get the opportunity to feel the emotions of people from the beginning of the 20th century, traveling for the first time in a carriage of that time. To enjoy the views of Lake Baikal as much as possible, you need to take seats at the windows on the left along the train coming from Listvyanka, and if the train is moving from Slyudyanka, then you should choose seats on the right.