Lake Baikal: The Pearl among The Mountains. Baikal Range. Siberia. 9, 15 or 18 days.

Region: Russia, Southern Siberia, Baikal Range and Barguzinskiy Range, Lake Baikal
Activity: trekking, 11 nights in tents, 3 nights at hotel (variant 2- 5 nights in tents, 3 nights at hotel), optional flyfishing, cultural/ethnographic
Trip Category: special, on demand
Difficulty: easy (8 days variant 2) to medium (14 days variant 1), no need of special skill (kids from 14 years old are allowed).
Dates: June-September

     For the Russian people Lake Baikal is not just a lake, but natural treasure. Located in Siberia not far from the Mongolian border and surrounded by mountains, forests and wild rivers, Baikal is an immense and breathtaking area of natural beauty. Baikal holds twenty percent of the earth's fresh water and harbors more endemic species of plants and animals than any other lake in the world. Fed by 336 rivers and streams including the Angara, Barguzin, Selenga, Turka and Snezhnaya, the lake holds fifty species of fish including bullhead, sturgeon and omul. Baikal is world's deepest lake: the maximal depth is 1,620 m. Baikal's volume, at 23,600 cu. km, is greater than any other fresh water lake. If you could drain Lake Baikal, it would take the Great Lakes of the U.S.: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario to refill the empty basin!
     A glimpse into the lake's clear water is enough to convince anyone that nature not only exists in Siberia, it flourishes. The lake's surrounding wild mountains and rivers make the Lake Baikal region an ideal area for engaging in an array of outdoor activities including hiking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, backcountry and alpine skiing, birdswatching and nature photography. There are also many regional cultural attractions. Today, as in the past, Baikal remains a crossroads of cultures where native Sayats still graze reindeers and Buryat people maintain many of their old traditions.

     In 1996, Lake Baikal was included in UNESCO World Heritage List.

     The Baikal Range that fits Lake Baikal from the North-West, is the realm of mountains and taiga. The central part of the range is an unexpected hard-to-get-to land full of contrast and surprises, visited only by hunters, tourists and research expeditions. The highest point of the Baikal Range is the Cherskiy mountain (2588 m), the first ascent of which was made only in 1975. The start point of the route is the city of Severobaikalsk, which is accessible via Transsiberian Railroad and BAM ("Baikalo-Amurskaya Magistral", Baikal-Amur Railroad).

     The unique feature of the area is amazing amount of hot springs (probably it is the tracks of volcanic activity) and a number of small but beautiful lakes. This springs is widely used for medical purposes by local population. Hiking in our trip begins exactly from visiting the group of springs on the Cape Kotelnikovskiy, after few hours sailing on Lake Baikal from Severobaikalsk.

Note: For those who have not much time or prefer simpler hiking, we offer shorter trek- 9-days long, via Peshehodniy pass.

Itinerary (variant 1 - 15 days, medium grade trekking):

Day 1	Arrival to Irkutsk. Transfer to hotel (***DBL BB). Optional excursion to Lake Baikal museum.
Day 2	Transfer to airport. Domestic flight Irkutsk-Nizhneangarsk (about 2 hrs, above Lake Baikal). Short transfer (30 min) to Severobaikalsk town. Sailing to Cape Kotelnikovskiy (3-4 hrs, you can fishing in Lake Baikal while sailing!). Optional hot spa. Camping.
Day 3	Hiking in Kurkula river gorge up to the junction with Zimoveyniy Stream. Overnight in tents.
Day 4	Hiking Kurkula gorge up to it's right source. Overnight in tents.
Day 5	Hiking up to Gitara (Guitar) lake. Note: amazing fishing there! Overnight in tents on the lake's shore.
Day 6	Radial trip to the Tazik (Small Basin) lake. Return to the camp on Guitar Lake. Overnight in tents. Note: you can hike up to Cherskiy Peak with the glacier on the foothill!).
Day 7	Descent to Kurkula river gorge (see Day 4). Half-day of rest. Overnight in tents.
Day 8	Hiking up to Galkinas Pass. Overnight in tents.
Day 9	Crossing the Galkina Pass (2A CC, 1999 m). Overnight in tents.
Day 10	Hiking down the Goremika river gorge. Stlanik bushes. Overnight in tents.
Day 11	Hiking down the Goremika river gorge. Overnight in tents.
Day 12	Hiking down the Goremika river gorge. Overnight in tents.
Day 13	Hiking down to Baikalskoe village. Transfer to Severobaikalsk. Overnight in hotel or guesthouse.
Day 14	Sailing by hydrofoil (about 10 hrs, stop on Olkhon Island) from Severobaikalsk to Irkutsk- this jorney covers the entire Lake Baikal from the North to the South! Transfer to the hotel (***DBL BB).
Day 15	Transfer hotel-airport. Departure from Irkutsk.