I finished my summer trip notes on Lake Baikal, so now it’s time for Moscow. I quickly jotted down a few travel tips for the Baikal area. If you plan to go sometime, remember to check this again.

Seasons

Travel season: Summer ≈ Winter > Autumn >> Spring.

Summer and winter at Lake Baikal both have their own charm. In summer the lake is lively and rippling, and Olkhon Island is also a season of blooming flowers. If you want a great summer escape, Lake Baikal can be a top choice.

In winter, Lake Baikal has magical blue ice. Walking and driving on the ice at minus 30°C is a rare experience, but the daytime is short and the long nights require preparation.

In autumn you may see the Siberian forests along the route fully painted, but on Olkhon Island the trees may already be bare and shedding, and the water temperature is already too low for getting in.

In spring, Siberian snow and ice gradually retreat, and the scenery is in that in-between stage; roads on the island can be especially muddy, and almost no travelers choose to visit at this time.

Baikal Route

Overall, plan around 5-8 days for a Baikal trip.
Based on a full itinerary (bold means must go):

D1 from your departure city to Irkutsk, rest in Irkutsk that day or head straight to Olkhon Island; D2 North Route of Olkhon Island;

D3 South Route of Olkhon Island;

D4 Sea route on Olkhon Island, or just take it easy on the island;

D5 Return from Olkhon Island to Irkutsk, half-day tour in the city. Irkutsk still has a lot of interesting churches. A summer stroll along the Angara River is a beautiful experience;

D6 Leave Irkutsk railway station and ride the Baikal circular train; D7 Go from Irkutsk to Listvyanka. Listvyanka is a small town on the Baikal shore with a few museums and buildings worth seeing;

D8 Return to Irkutsk from Listvyanka and head home.

Prices for the north, south, and coastal tour groups are similar, around 1200-1400 rubles. You can have your accommodation host help you book.

If you have extra time, in winter you can ride an off-road vehicle across frozen Lake Baikal, going straight from Olkhon Island to Ulan-Ude on the east bank, and in summer you can take the train instead.

Transportation

Getting to Irkutsk

Irkutsk is the first must-stop city for most travelers heading to Lake Baikal. Travelers from China can get there by plane or train. By plane:

  • From Beijing, you can fly direct on Siberia Airlines S7 (daily) or Hainan Airlines (every Saturday). Siberia Airlines has a friendlier schedule, arriving in Irkutsk around 9:00 a.m., just in time to catch the minibus to Olkhon.
  • From Guangzhou, Siberia Airlines has direct flights on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
  • From cities like Shanghai and Chongqing, there are group-charter flights in summer operated by Lucky Air, Tianjin Airlines, etc. In winter, you’ll need to transfer in Beijing. From other domestic cities, domestic routes are generally connected via Beijing to S7.

By train:

After people watched Lost in Russia (囧妈), many are familiar with this train. The K3 international train from Beijing—its number itself shows how long this route has existed (K1/K2 are Beijing-Changsha routes)—takes about three days and two nights to reach Irkutsk directly.

But in recent summers, K3 tickets have already been getting harder to buy. After Lost in Russia, getting one is probably nearly as hard as getting Jay Chou concert tickets.

If you love train travel, another option is to take K23 to Ulaanbaatar first, then transfer to Mongolian Railways or Russian Railways to Irkutsk. This option takes longer but is cheaper.
International train tickets cannot be purchased directly through 12306. You have to buy them in person or have a friend do it at the international ticket offices in Beijing and Shanghai. Beijing’s ticket office is on the 1st floor of the International Hotel, and Shanghai’s is on the 15th floor of Changan Tower.

To Olkhon Island

From Irkutsk, the best option is to take a minibus for 5 to 6 hours. Bus tickets can be booked at the hotel or hostel front desk. As my front desk would say, “Don’t worry, we can always find you a car.” The fare is a fixed 1000 rubles.

Or you can find a bus to Olkhon Island at Irkutsk bus station on your own; the price is similar.

To Listvyanka

From Irkutsk, take a 1-hour bus to Listvyanka. Fare is 120 rubles. If you don’t want to stay overnight in Listvyanka, you can even make it a same-day round trip.

Accommodation

Irkutsk:

Irkutsk has plenty of accommodation options, from budget to premium. Besides chain hotels like Courtyard, most are local upscale properties. If your budget is low, there are also great hostels. In general, RMB400-500 per night can already secure a good stay.

Olkhon Island:

On Olkhon, summer has more accommodation options, while winter has fewer. They are mostly concentrated in Khuzhir village (just search Khuzhir on booking). Most are wooden structures with simple interiors. Jokingly, you’d often feel like choosing another place might have been better—but that’s in good fun. Overall, most options meet expectations. Khuzhir village usually runs around RMB300-600 per night.

For a nicer stay, Baikal View Hotel or Lake View Hotel—which was still under construction last year—is recommended. Prices are RMB1000+ per night.
There are also scattered guesthouses by the lakeside or near the woods away from the village center, with prices as low as RMB100 per night, but the downside is it usually takes at least 2 km to walk back to the village center, and at night without streetlights you’ll need a bit of nerve.

Food

Food in Irkutsk is really cheap.

In the supermarkets in Irkutsk, even half a roast chicken is under RMB20. Because this is close to the Baikal region, there are many pickled (oil-brined) fish products in supermarkets. If you’re staying on Baikal for more than three days, it’s worth shopping for lots of groceries and bringing them to Olkhon.

Good restaurants in Irkutsk are concentrated on Karl Marx Street and 130th Street. As long as you follow the map, you won’t really go wrong.

On Olkhon Island in winter, restaurants are fewer, but you can still manage comfortably. In summer, supermarkets and restaurants are more, and it’s lively. A meal on the island is usually around RMB30-40 per person, mainly borscht, grilled fish, and Russian pasta-based main dishes. Supermarkets are more expensive than Irkutsk, which is understandable. The island even has a Sichuan restaurant.

If you’re traveling with older family members, bringing some Chinese-style pickles or other small side dishes may make each meal easier for them.

If you’re good with your hands, you can buy fresh chicken legs and vegetables at the local supermarket and grill them in your accommodation courtyard. Most places can provide grilling tools. Otherwise, just need the mindset of Sir Silvantayson: “Dinner is a bowl of rice with Tabasco hot sauce, half a sausage, half a liter of vodka, and dessert is the moon.”

Gears

Clothing: In summer, sunscreen matters; in winter, warmth matters. Summer brings big day-night temperature swings, so you only need short sleeves and shorts during the day, but sun protection is essential. If you stay out at night, bring heavier clothing.

Photography: Since Baikal area is truly so beautiful, a DSLRs and a tripod are still worth bringing even if heavy. Since no one came to stop me for three days while I flew a drone on Olkhon Island, I’d guess drones are likely fine. The aerial perspective from a drone can bring a lot of different experiences. Another recommendation: if possible, bring a DJI Osmo gimbal for a slider-like shooting feel.

Wallet: Using a UnionPay bank card in Irkutsk is not a big issue. On Olkhon Island, cash is still the norm, so pay close attention to having small bills, since 5000-ruble notes are larger denominations.