Baikal

 Lake Baikal is a gem of Eastern Siberia. Nearly a quarter of the global fresh water stock is concentrated in it, and the water is most transparent and clean. A white disk of 30 centimetres in diameter can be seen through the Baikal’s water even at a depth of 40 meters! The lake is almost 500 metres above see level. It is 636 kilometres long and has a width of from 20 up to 80 kilometres. It is home to a unique ecosystem, which supports a huge number of wildlife species found nowhere else in the world. The most notable is Nerpa, the fresh-water seal.

ONE DAY EXCURSION: CITY TOUR OF IRKUTSK AND TRIP TO LAKE BAIKAL

Description: In the morning you will take a local train from Irkutsk to Lake Baikal. It takes about 2.5 hours to arrive at "Black Valley" station. Walking down (1 hour) the deep valley to the shore of Lake Baikal. Time for leisure at the beach. You will have an opportunity to visit several tunnels nearby and have a lunch at the Lake area. Trip along the Old Railroad to the Port Baikal by the unique local train which has only two passenger carriages and two cargo wagons. The train goes very slowly, about 25-30 km/hour and makes long stops. It runs along the Baikal shore, 5-20 meters from the lake, through the tunnels, bridges and railway stations. Arrival to the Port Baikal. Overnight at homestay. Next morning you will have full day excursion in Listvyanka, visit the Museum of Lake Baikal, a Russian wooden Orthodox Church. Evening transfer to Irkutsk.

The famous Old Round Baikal Railroad going along the south-western shore of Lake Baikal is one of the most complicated railways in the world. The total length of its 39 tunnels is 7 km. The whole road is 86 km long.