BDI4. Baikal Cruise by m/s Imperia (4 days)

5 DBL deluxe cabins (bath, toilet, TV, video, PC, telephone, air condition, electricity 220V)

18 TWN standard cabins (shower, toilet, TV, video, air condition, electricity 220V)

2 SGL standard cabins (shower, toilet, TV, video, air condition, telephone, electricity 220V)

Itinerary:

Listvianka – Peschanaya Bay- Olkhon Island – Ogoy Island - Listvianka

• Peschanaya Bay - one of the most famous and scenic places of the lake. The Bay was given the name of Siberian Riviera, moreover, it is declared to be under protection as a part of natural treasury. Coming here you feel as if the Creator while working on lake Baikal felt special inspiration exactly here and put all his love into the made by him cliffs, smooth slopes of the hills and perfectly shaped semi-oval of bay beach. Wind and water constantly blow out and wash out sandy soil from under the roots of famous “walking” trees, which grow on the sandy slope in the northern part of the bay.

• Olkhon Island - the geographical, historical and sacred center of the Baikal Lake. It is the treasury of ancient legends and historical traditions. With its position in the central part of Baikal, near the maximum depth point (1637m), Olkhon has got the whole variety of natural Baikal landscapes. Olkhon has steppe landscapes with long and well warmed-up bays, rare for these areas sandy patches with dunes and hills, mixed deciduous forest with relic fir-groves, amazing marble cliffs covered with red lichen. For those who love wild nature and photographers it’s a real fount of immensely various landscapes and majestic sceneries.

• Ogoy Island located in the heart of the Small Sea (part of the Baikal Lake located between the Olkhon Island and Western shore of the Baikal). The contour of the Ogoy Island resembles crescent-shaped contour of the Olkhon Island. In 2005 the Buddhist "Stupa of enlightenment and conquering demons" was built there.

• Shaman Rock – one of the nine Asian places of worship, located not far from Khuzhir settlement, has become a kind of visiting card of the lake, one the most famous key images of Baikal: there is no film or photo album about the lake, which can do without the picture of this place. The cave in the cliff of this cape is called Shamanka and it’s one of the most worshipped sacred places, where they made sacrifices and swore oaths since the time immemorial. Sacred Shaman Rock with the cave going through it and with access to it only for a shaman has been prohibited area for a long time, so nobody could go through the cave and even approach it.

• 21/06 - 24/06/2012
• 16/08 - 19/08/2012
• 13/09 - 16/09/2012

Note: a cruise may be cancelled if the number of passengers is less than 35.

Costs for individual tourists – 2012:

 Included:

• full board
• excursions, recreational payments
• visit to shaman
• everyday entertaining programme onboard
• service of English-speaking guide/ interpreter
• banya

 Not included:

• visit to the museum of Local Lore
• bar service

Accommodation, transfers and other services in Irkutsk and Listvyanka are available for extra fee. Please inquire.