8-Day Tour of Lake Baikal Blue Ice Photography

8-Day Tour of Lake Baikal Blue Ice Photography

D1 Capital Airport-Irkutsk

Reference flight：HU7967 1815-2105

After picking up at Irkutsk International Airport, check in to the hotel for rest

Food: None

Accommodation: Star-rated hotel in the city

D2 Irkutsk-Olkhon Island

After breakfast, go to Olkhon Island (about 5 hours by car). Along the way, we can enjoy the endless snowfields, rime, and wooden houses covered with snow. After arriving at Olkhon Island and resting in the hotel, we will go to the lakeside to visit shaman pillars, shaman stones, and other attractions under the guidance of the tour guide.

Among the 22 islands in Lake Baikal, Olkhon Island is the largest, about 71 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide. It is located in the north of the middle of the lake, near the deepest part of the lake. If Lake Baikal is the pearl of Siberia, Olkhon Island is the heart of this pearl. Olkhon Island covers an area of about 700 square kilometers. It has always been regarded as the center of shamanism in northern Russia, and the Russians call it the "mysterious island." The largest town on the island is Khuzhir, where the residents are mainly Buryats, and the town has accommodation facilities.

The suitable climate, beautiful scenery, a large number of natural and archaeological monuments, different types of biota, fresh air and pristine environment, coupled with the well-preserved ethnic traditions and unique ethnic characteristics, make Olkhon Island attract a large number of tourists. After arriving at the hotel to rest, you can go to Shaman Rock to shoot the sunset of Lake Baikal.

Photography theme：A glimpse of Siberian scenery

The distant Siberia, at this time, is like a huge scroll, spreading out before your eyes. The birch forest that blends into the ice and snow, the scattered cabins, the primitive villages surrounded by wooden fences, the pedestrians who are wrapped tightly and hurriedly, and the Shaman Rock Shaman Pillars that carry people's good wishes... This is the mysterious Siberia.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: cabin on Olkhon Island

D3 A stunning blue ice day trip on the northern route of Olkhon Island

You can get up early in the morning to shoot the sunrise by yourself. After breakfast, go to Cape Hebo, the northernmost tip of Olkhon Island at 9 o'clock. All the way north, the Russian iron van gallops on the vast blue ice, looking up at the stunning cliffs, ice trees and waves, Cape Hebo, and swimming in the frozen Lake Baikal;

This day we can enjoy and shoot the beautiful blue ice of Olkhon Island, icicles, caves, and ice blocks. Only we can experience the beauty here...

Return to the base, dinner.

Shooting theme：Deep blue temptation from Siberia - Blue ice of Lake Baikal

The pure air is refracted into a blue sky under the sun, and the extremely transparent ice layer accumulates into a dreamy blue ice, showing the miracle of nature. Lake Baikal is frozen for more than five months in winter, making the frozen lake surface appear a tranquil blue, set off by the snow-capped mountains and pine forests on the lakeside, and dotted with unique creatures.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: cabin on Olkhon Island

D4 Shaman Culture Day Tour on the Southern Route of Olkhon Island

You can get up early in the morning to shoot the sunrise by yourself. The pure blue ice/bubble ice of Lake Baikal and the shaman culture will amaze you throughout the winter.

Depart at 9 o'clock after breakfast for the southern route tour of Olkhon Island. On the way, you can overlook the blue ice on the entire "small sea" by passing the highest point of Khuzhir Town. Shoot the main attractions of the southern route, the "Sky Mirror" of Lake Baikal, stalagmites, ice caves, and bubble ice. Arrange to shoot the brilliant starry sky of Olkhon Island in the evening.

Photography theme：Winter wonders - ice caves, ice cracks

There are thousands of ice caves of various sizes in Lake Baikal, and the landscape in each ice cave is different; ice cracks spread wildly on the lake, giving you unlimited imagination and shooting angles!

Photography theme：Starry sky of Olkhon Island

If Lake Baikal is the pearl of Siberia, Olkhon Island is the heart of this pearl, and it will show you the most primitive ecological side. After nightfall, enjoy the romantic and vast starry sky... What you capture with your camera must be a fantasy world!

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: cabin on Olkhon Island

D5 Olkhon Island-Irkutsk

After breakfast, pack up and rest, and arrive in the city 5 hours later. Along the way, you can enjoy the snow scenery outside the window and recall the wonderful trip to Olkhon Island. After arriving in the city, visit and take photos of the Kazan Cathedral. The fairytale town is charming. You can also visit Kirov Square and enjoy the Siberian rime in winter and the Russian beauties in mink coats and long boots on the street. In the evening, you can choose to experience the Russian sauna (at your own expense) to get rid of the fatigue of the day.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: Irkutsk four-star hotel

D6Irkutsk-Listvyanka town

After breakfast, go to Listvyanka town, where we can get close to Lake Baikal in winter or visit the small market. On the way, we passed the Tarits Wooden Museum (tour for about two hours), which concentrated on the living conditions of the Russian people in the 19th century and embodied the wisdom of the Russian people. After shooting and playing here, go to the town for lunch, and then go to Chersky Mountain, take the cable car, and sit on the observation deck to overlook the entire southern end of Lake Baikal. Climb up the observation deck of Chersky Mountain, the best angle to shoot Lake Baikal, the most beautiful angle, no one.

Take the cable car up and down the mountain, the unobstructed scenery is beautiful, in winter it is a natural ski resort, in summer it is a lush jungle grassland, and in autumn it is a gorgeous autumn scenery with layers of forests. Strolling along the path in the mountains, I found the feeling of "intoxication with oxygen" in the pine trees, birch trees and tall and short shrubs all over the mountain.

Photography theme：Wisdom of the Russian people + panoramic view of Lake Baikal from above

Arrive at the Tarits Museum to shoot the ancient wooden house that embodies the wisdom of the Russian people + climb to the highest point of Listvyanka town, "Chelsky Mountain", to see the beautiful winter scenery of Lake Baikal covered in silver. 360-degree photography of Lake Baikal is completed here!

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: Local specialty hotel in Listvyanka

D7 Listvyanka-Irkutsk

Go to the Baikal Lake Museum to get a deeper understanding of Lake Baikal, learn about its history, and get to know various small creatures in Lake Baikal. You can go to the local fish market to taste the local specialty Omri smoked fish, or participate in various local entertainment activities. The sunset of Lake Baikal is different every day. Take photos until the evening and return to Irkutsk.

Photography theme：Pure and beautiful lakeside town

The people, mountains, and lakes in the town are pure, natural and beautiful; the moving Angola River, the love story of the past, and the legend of the sacred stone belong only to you who are engraved on the lakeside.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: Irkutsk four-star hotel

D8 Irkutsk city tour - airport transfer

Reference flight：HU7968 2305-0205

Today's main focus is on photographing the city's cultural landscape. After breakfast at the hotel, visit the city's ancient monuments with a history of more than 300 years, the famous Polish Cathedral, the Unknown Fire, the Savior Cathedral, the State Government Square, the Angora River and other cultural landscapes. Here you can overlook the panoramic view of the city and appreciate the unique culture of East and West Siberia. After lunch, go to 130 Style Street and Kalmas Street to experience the Russian style and buy small gifts or souvenirs!

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: None