Baikal summer adventure, ship «“BIRYUSA” hovercraft» – River cruises 2024
Vodohod: Baikal summer adventure, ship «“BIRYUSA” hovercraft» River Cruises in Russia - «Vodohod»
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Welcome to Russia, welcome to the capital of Buryatia! Ulan-Ude is located on a picturesque plateau surrounded by wooded hills. In 1666, Russian Cossacks took a fancy to this place and built a fortified settlement here. Nowadays, Ulan-Ude is a large regional, cultural and economic center with well-developed infrastructure, very interesting museums and colorful sights. Today you will also meet the locals of Tarbagatai, one of the largest Old Believers' settlements in Transbaikalia. It will be a real journey down the history lane.

You will also meet the locals of Tarbagatai, one of the largest Old Believers' settlements in Transbaikalia. It will be a real journey down the history lane.

You will meet the locals of Tarbagatai, one of the largest Old Believers' settlements in Transbaikalia.

In the 17th century, Russian Orthodoxy after the Reformation split into the official and Old Believer branches. Old Believers did not want to accept the new rules, they were persecuted and exiled away from the capital cities. This is why so many adherents of the old faith have survived in Siberia and still live by the laws and traditions of their ancestors. The culture of the Old Believers of Transbaikalia is recognised by UNESCO as part of the World Cultural Heritage.

Ivolginsky datsan is the most famous datsan in Buryatia and an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists not only in Russia, but all over the world. Ivolginsky datsan is the residence of the head of Buddhists of Russia. It is the largest Buddhist monastic complex and the spiritual capital of the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia. The Ivolginsky datsan monastery complex now consists of ten buildings, including temples, a library, and Russia's only Buddhist university, where they study philosophy and traditional Tibetan medicine. After the tour we will have lunch in the restaurant and transfer to Baikal - to the park-hotel "Baikal Riviera", located in a picturesque pine forest on the shore of Lake Baikal.

One of the most mysterious and popular places on Lake Baikal is the Cape Burkhan (also known as the Shaman Rock). The name "Burkhan" appeared at the end of the 17th century after Tibetan Buddhism came to the Baikal region. The Buryat Buddhists began to call the main deity of Lake Baikal by the word "Burkhan". The cape is made of crystalline limestone with veins of quartz, and the adjacent shore is made of granite rock.

Ust-Barguzin village

Today we will have a hovercraft tour to Ust-Barguzin, the small and picturesque village on the shore of Lake Baikal, located where the Barguzin river flows into the lake. We will spend the evening in a cozy camp on the shore of Lake Baikal as a guest of a family that lives here. In the camp we will enjoy songs accompanied by guitar, dinner of Baikal cuisine, and a bath tub on the shore of the lake.

A small archipelago with rocky shores, with an area of 9.8 km2, is located in the middle part of Lake Baikal

Today you’ll get acquainted with the Baikal seals - the local endemic, which are not found anywhere else in the world. The four small islands of the archipelago are beloved by Baikal seals, waterfowl mammals, which live only on Baikal. They rest on rocks and cliffs, basking in the sun or playing in the coastal waters. We will watch them from a distance of 15-20 m from behind a special shelter - it's an unforgettable experience.