Lake Baikal Travel Guide

Lake Baikal, crescent-shaped, has a history of 25 million years and is the deepest, oldest lake in the world. It is also the largest freshwater lake in Eurasia. The deepest point is 1,637 meters deep. It is said that it is still being explored. It is known as the “Blue Eye of Siberia” and “The purest sapphire on earth”. Lake Baikal was called the North Sea in ancient China, and it was once the main activity area of ​​the northern tribes of China. The Qing Dynasty had short-term control over the area, and the most famous “Su Wu Herding Sheep” took place here.

Where is Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is located in southern East Siberia, near Mongolia and China’s Manzhouli. It usually needs to transfer from Irkutsk City. You can take the bus from the bus station in Irkutsk to Lake Baikal. However, because of the language barrier, it is recommended to take a private car directly.

How to get to Lake Baikal

1. Airplane

The nearest airport to Lake Baikal is Irkutsk Airport. There are many direct flights from China, not only Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin have direct flights, but Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenyang, Manzhouli all have direct flights. It takes about 3 hours to fly from Beijing to Irkutsk Airport.

Irkutsk Airport Website (Chinese): https://iktport.ru/zh/

Airport floor plan (Russian): https://iktport.ru/ru/13-passengers/142-skhema-terminalov.html

It is very close and convenient to get from the airport to downtown Irkutsk. It is recommended to take a taxi, it only takes 15-10 minutes, the ruble is so cheap, it saves the trouble of carrying luggage to take the bus. There are No. 4 and No. 20 buses, but Russians do not speak English, and there is no guarantee that you will take the wrong bus stop. The bus stop should be outside the airport, and you need to walk for a few minutes.

It is recommended to take a private car from Irkutsk to Lake Baikal, or you can take the bus to Lake Baikal from the bus station in the city center.

2. Trans-Siberian Railway

The longest railway in the world, the main artery of Russian railway transportation. It connects Moscow and the Russian Far East, and there is a stop in Irkutsk. You can book train tickets on the official website (check me: http://eng.rzd.ru/)

Everyone is very interested in taking the international train from Beijing directly to Moscow. In fact, it is not all on the Trans-Siberian Railway, but a branch line is separated from Chita. It takes about six days to travel from Beijing to Moscow.

3. Self-driving

Self-driving to Lake Baikal is also very tempting. Self-driving can be divided into driving directly to Russia and driving in Russia.

However, no matter which one is most important is the driver’s license problem! In theory, driving in Russia must have an international driver’s license or a Russian driver’s license! Many people have successfully rented a car and driven in Russia with their home country’s driver’s license and a Russian notarization. This is not allowed in theory. If you are caught by the police, you will be fined. However, there are also news reports that Russia has relaxed its self-driving policy. In short, it is a matter of luck.

To drive directly to Russia, you need to apply for an ATA carnet for your vehicle, which is equivalent to treating the vehicle as an export product and carrying it with you! (Yes! In theory, that’s what it means ~), In addition to many vehicle procedures, a considerable amount of deposit needs to be paid for applying for ATA. If it is not convenient to drive your own car, you can rent a car in Harbin or Manzhouli. The procedures are the same, and the car rental company will provide some help~

How to choose accommodation

It is generally recommended to stay in Listvyanka Town or Olkhon Island, the largest island on the lake, when traveling to Lake Baikal.

Listvyanka Town

Listvyanka Town is located at the confluence of the Angara River and Lake Baikal, a town where you can enjoy the scenery of both the Angara River and Lake Baikal. It is also convenient to get to Irkutsk from the town, only 1 hour by bus. You can take a day trip here, but staying overnight is a better experience. The summer scenery is very simple and pastoral, and in winter, you can experience a variety of ice sports on Lake Baikal. There is a Lake Baikal Museum in the town, which displays the changes and ecology of Lake Baikal. It is a good place to learn about the whole picture of Lake Baikal and the Baikal seal~

Olkhon Island

Olkhon Island is the largest island in Lake Baikal, but the island has less than 1,500 residents. You can take a bus that departs daily from the central bus station in Irkutsk City to Olkhon Island. However, the number of buses is limited and the time is early. It also involves language communication problems. The ruble is not worth much, so it is more convenient to take a private car or carpooling~ Olkhon Island is not as close as Listvyanka Town, and the area is large. If you take a day trip, there will be limited projects to play. It is highly recommended to stay on the island in winter. The way to get to the island is very special. You can take a hovercraft and slide on the ice!

Olkhon Island is long and narrow. The east coast is covered with steep mountains, and the highest peak is more than 800 meters above the lake. Although the area of ​​Olkhon Island is only 730km², the terrain is rich in changes, with coniferous forests, dry grasslands and deserts. Khuzhir is the largest village on the island, where most homestays and restaurants are concentrated. No matter whether you are playing the southern route or the northern route on Olkhon Island, you need to start from here. Khuzhir is also considered the center of Northern Shamanism. Many homestays here can overlook the Shaman Rock on the surface of Lake Baikal. Many Shamanists come here to worship every year. It is a small town with a very Russian flavor.

Unique landscape of Lake Baikal

The surface of Lake Baikal is frozen from January to May, and the ice thickness is 70-115 cm. Although we are often scared by the Siberian cold air, the winter of Lake Baikal is not as cold as the Arctic Circle, it is the same as or less cold than Northeast China. The scenery changes greatly in four seasons, and it is worth seeing~

In summer, Lake Baikal is in peak season in August. The glaciers melt into abundant lake water, and all things bathe in the sun, enjoying the lazy and cool summer days.

Autumn Lake Baikal is like an oil painting, with red leaves all over the mountains, a small train shuttling through the red leaves, steaming, meeting the sunset in the sky.

Shaman sacred place of Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is also a sacred place for Northern Shamanism. Shamanism does not only exist in Huanzhu Gege and the Northeast jumping gods. It is still prevalent in the West. Many people who believe in Shamanism will specifically go to Lake Baikal to make pilgrimages to its legends. From its birth to its continuation, Lake Baikal has been telling its uniqueness, richness and mystery.

Shaman Rock

Located north of Khuzhir Village on Olkhon Island, you can directly see the magical Shaman Rock from some homestays in Khuzhir. The story of Shaman Rock is very legendary, and it is also a must-visit place for Shamanistic believers. Legend has it that those who are guilty are taken to Shaman Rock to spend a night, and if they are not swallowed by the waves of Lake Baikal at night, they can wash away their sins. Although we can only see a corner of Shaman Rock exposed on Lake Baikal, in fact, Shaman Rock stretches in the lake bottom. The history of Shaman Rock may be traced back to the formation of the tributaries of the Angara River. In ancient times, people may have witnessed the moment when Shaman Rock experienced geological changes but remained unshaken, so they left behind all sorts of legends.

Khoboy Cape

Located at the northernmost tip of Olkhon Island, legend has it that the gods turned a woman who was jealous of her husband into a stone, and also said that it was the tusk of a dragon that fell when it flew over. Its appearance may be due to the celestial body that fell thousands of years ago, used for rock reflection to produce echoes, which makes it even more mysterious. In winter, you can take pictures of very crystal clear icicles and huge ice caves here.

Lake Baikal limited features

Blue ice & bubbles

The origin of blue ice actually refers to glacial ice, but the ice surface of Lake Baikal can see both blue ice and bubbles. (Although the principles are slightly different)

Lake Baikal is so vast that it does not freeze immediately when winter arrives and the temperature drops. The formation of the ice surface requires several layers. The final formation time is relatively late, and it must be after the beginning of winter, before the ice layer more than one meter is formed. The phenomenon of bubbles and ice cracks are also beautiful. This is all related to the several layers of the ice surface formation. The bubbles are from the methane gas released by plants at the bottom of the lake, and the ice cracks are due to the temperature causing the lake water to compress and expand.

Baikal Seal

There are many species that should live in the ocean in Lake Baikal. Two-thirds of the 1,700 species are endemic to this area. In 1996, Lake Baikal was listed as a World Natural Heritage Site, and the Baikal Seal, the only freshwater seal in the world and the smallest seal in the world, attracted many tourists~ The habitat is the entire Lake Baikal~

Have fun at Baikal

Lake Train

The Lake Train is a very popular experience project in Lake Baikal. It was originally part of the Trans-Siberian Railway, but now it is only used for sightseeing. There are two types of trains: steam trains and electric trains. Steam trains are very retro, and time seems to have returned to the Middle Ages, blending seamlessly with the natural scenery of Lake Baikal; electric trains are not bad either, recreating the scene of “Snowpiercer”, which is very futuristic and cold in technology.

Lake projects

Hovercraft, icebreaker, cruise ship, speedboat, Lake Baikal has all the water projects you can think of and can’t think of. Cruise ships and speedboats don’t need to be said. Whether it’s summer or autumn, boating and enjoying the scenery, the beautiful mountains and rivers, linger.

Hovercraft and icebreakers are very powerful, and they are the characteristics of Lake Baikal that cannot be found elsewhere. Hovercraft slides on the ice surface, and icebreakers sail through the ice and water. Why go to the Arctic Circle, this is the sea, thinking about it makes it even more grand.

Diving & Ice diving

The bottom of Lake Baikal is home to many creatures. A study in 2004 showed that the lake water here is also the clearest water in the world, so Lake Baikal is very suitable for diving. You can also ice dive in winter!!!

Mountain bike

If you want to experience the boldness of the fighting nation, take a ride on a mountain bike in summer or autumn, which is also very Hollywood blockbuster feeling~

Travel Tips

1. Visas are easy to get, don’t worry!

2. Russians don’t speak English. Make sure to do your homework before you go, such as ordering food and station names

3. If you go to Lake Baikal in winter, you must wear sunglasses. Snow blindness is understood~ The white snow reflects the sunlight, which can easily cause eye irritation and dizziness.

4. Your phone and camera can easily run out of power when traveling in winter, so make sure to bring a backup power supply

5. Most stores accept UnionPay cards for consumption and cash withdrawals, so it is best to exchange some money at a Bank of China in China