Mystical, pure, cold and deep. This is the Siberian Lake Baikal.
The deepest and clearest lake in the world, with its unique ecosystem and deep-rooted shamanism, has a magical atmosphere that is sure to immerse you.
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History and location
Lake Baikal is located in the Russian Far East, above Mongolia near the region called Buryatia. The lake was formed when two tectonic structures, the Siberian Platform and the Amur-North China Plate, moved away from each other. The area around the lake still suffers from over 2000 earthquakes every year and the lake is expanding by 2 cm every year.
The lake is over 1600m deep, but the most breathtaking fact, however, is that while most lakes are as old as 20,000 years, Lake Baikal is ancient, being over 25 million years old.
🚌 How to get to Lake Baikal
There are 2 most used routes. By land, for example the Trans-Siberian Railway, or by air from Moscow to Irkutsk. The first one, will definitely take longer, but I’m sure it will be an experience for you. You can find reasons why, for example, in this blog post. However, if you just want to visit Lake Baikal, going by air will be a good idea. Financially, it will cost nearly the same.
What to visit on Lake Baikal
The most popular places are definitely the village of Listvyanka and the island of Olchon. The Listvyanka village is located about 70 km north of Irkutsk and can be easily reached by minibus from this bus station.
A place in Marshutka must be booked in advance, either by phone or on the spot. Just show up and the local drivers will approach you directly. The bus will only leave when it is full. On the way it is also possible to visit the Siberian Village Museum, which is about 2/3 of the way.
Listvyanka
It is the starting point for hiking around the Lake Baikal. There you can find many hiking trails, guides and maps or other souvenirs. It’s also possible to taste the popular smoked fish omule and see Siberian freshwater seals.
Museum of Siberian Village
Is an extensive collection of preserved buildings, shelters, as well as musical instruments and other historical objects. It is a very pleasant place full of unique history and during the summer time I definitely recommend a visit.
Another place you shouldn’t miss is the Olchon Island. This 73.5km long island is about 300km from Irkutsk and can be reached by minibus from the same station as Listvyanka.
Olchon Island
The trip to the island is an experience in its own kind. During the short trip to the island you will see how the landscape gradually changes, the trees thinning out until you see wide plains, dry steppes with dried grass and during the winter with bitter frost.
After a few hours the marshrutka arrives at the harbor. There is no bridge to the island, so all cars are transported by ferry. The price of the ferry is included in the price of the marshrutka, but if you’d like to go on your own from there, you can skip the endless line of waiting cars and go straight to the ferry. The ferry ride is free.
During the winter, the marshrutka will only take you to the harbor, and from there you will have to take a hovercraft to the other side, where another minibus will be waiting for you. Don’t forget your ticket.
🏔 What to do on the island of Olkhon
Once you reach the island, be sure to visit the village of Khuzhir. It is about 30km from the ferry, but since there is no asphalt on the island, the trip will take quite a long time. If you take the ferry to the other side on your own, you can try hitchhiking. Be prepared to be asked for money. The village of Khuzhir is a recent addition to the island’s electricity grid, so its infrastructure will be adequate.
The most famous place near the village of Khuzir is definitely the Shaman Rock, or Shamanka as the locals call it.
It is an energetic place where Shamans from all over the world meet regularly. Women are forbidden to enter the Shaman rock because there is a strong energy there that could cause infertility.
There are several beautiful places around Shaman rock where it is possible to bathe. The water is crystal clear but very cold, so you can stay there for about 15 minutes. But nothing stops you from going out to warm up and after a few minutes run into the water again.
If you have enough time and are a bit adventurous, I recommend hiking around the island. It will be a wonderful experience as the scenery around is breathtaking. Take plenty of water with you though, even 7-10 litres. In the summer, when it’s very hot on the island, you’ll drink a lot of water, and even if you’re still surrounded by water, you’ll usually be walking along a ridge of rock drop-offs, which in some places are 150m high, so getting to the water can be both time-consuming and dangerous.
If you don’t have enough time, you can use the services of the locals and get a ride in their minibus. Unfortunately, the local guide will probably not speak English.
❄️ Winter on the Lake Baikal
During the winter time the only way to explore the island or the surroundings of Lake Baikal is to go on a tour. You will be driven to the different places of the island by a small Russian minibus (bukhanka) and the road mostly takes a part on the icy surface of frozen Baikal.
Although many people take this trip, especially to see something different from what Khuzir can offer, I think that if you have only one or two days, you can stay firmly in the village and enjoy walking on the ice on your own. The sceneries will be almost similar everywhere, as Baikal is covered with snow everywhere around the island. If you are looking for clear ice, visit Listvyanka.
Local Shamanism
The locals say that on board the ferry it feels as if one is leaving all the cares of our world on land. Many people visit the island to get in touch with their own spirituality or to seek help or advice from a local shamans.
Learn more 💬
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