Olkhonsky District
The district that includes Olkhon, Lake Baikal's largest island, where Shamanka Rock, steppe and lakeshore scenery are the highlights of a Baikal trip.
Olkhonsky District lies in the east of Irkutsk Oblast on the western shore of Lake Baikal. It includes Olkhon, the largest island in the lake, and areas on the opposite shore such as the Tazheran Steppe. The village of Khuzhir on the island is the main base, with Shamanka Rock (Burkhan Cape) beside it regarded as a sacred site; Cape Khoboy at the northern end offers a panorama over the lake, and the Maloye More (Little Sea) area has wide-open scenery. In summer you can hike and tour the lake, and in February and March, when Baikal is frozen, you can see blue ice and ice caves. The usual route is by road from Irkutsk to the Sakhyurta ferry pier, then by ferry, or over the ice road in winter, to the island.
Destinations
Itineraries
- Lake Baikal Summer Classic Loop – Depart from Irkutsk, head up to Olkhon Island, and finish with the Circum-Baikal Railway to Listvyanka.
- Lake Baikal Winter Blue Ice – Head to Olkhon Island during the frozen period to explore the northern and southern routes, see blue ice and ice caves…
- Trans-Siberian Railway Eastern Section: Vladivostok to Lake Baikal – Travel west along the railway via Khabarovsk and Ulan-Ude to Irkutsk and Olkhon Island.