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Published: June 26th 2012
That's the deepest part of Lake Baikal located in the middle of Siberia where I spent the last couple of weeks after St. Petersburg and Moscow. The average depth is over 2000' easily making it the world's deepest and most voluminous lake. The pictures do not it justice as it the lake is gigantic. Now in Krasnoyarsk well west of Lake Baikal but still in Siberia.
$1US ≈ 33p. (Russian rubles)
Arshan
I did not love Arshan, partly because of the heat and partly because the town was not at all set up for individual travelers. It also did not help that I headed straight there at 11:00 am after arriving in Irkutsk on the red-eye from Moscow at 8:30 am. There is purportedly good hiking and a climbers’ center but I could not find it and no one had heard of it.
Accommodation and food There seemed to be exactly one hotel in town which had still not opened for the season. A minivan driver tried to help me by talking me to his friend’s motel but the price inexplicably jumped from 600р. to 1000р. after I agreed to take the decent room and got
my bags which was actually a blessing in disguise as I'd agreed to stay 3 nights. Across the street were rooms for rent and I was beat so I took one for 350р. with an outside shower (solar heated with amazing pressure) and outhouse. Incredibly clean ground water came right out of a taр. It was very rustic but comfortable and super quiet. There are many restaurants but there must be one printing shop that does all the menus because they are all identical serving: 1) pozi – a large Mongolian/Chinese type dumpling with meat and lots of squirting juices; 2) borsht; 3) plov – a rice pilaf knock off consisting of rice, meat, and usually carrots; 4) goulash; and 5) buzi – see #1. The grocery stores, really just mini markets, devoted one third of their shelf space to hard liquor, primarily vodka, with most of the remainder being sodas and junk food. As far as coffee, there was one restaurant that had something other than Nescafe but they could not brew a proper espresso. It was 70р. for a diminutive, translucent cuр. I had planned to stay 3 or 4 days but couldn’t wait to leave after the
Circumbaikal Railway
Train is called Matanya.second night.
Transport There are frequent marshrutkiy from the Irkutsk train station costing 350р. plus 88р. for large bags (25%!o(MISSING)f the ticket price but only the minibuses to and from Arshan charged for baggage so far in Russia). The trip is 4 hours and there is a 15 minute stop halfway in Kultuk at a decent stolovaya to grab a quick nosh. I left Arshan for Slyudyanka at 10:30 am for 170р. plus 50р. for my bag which I’m sure went straight into the driver’s pocket whereas leaving Irkustk I was given proper receipts for transport of both me and my bag. We arrived in Slyudyanka ~10 minutes early at 12:20 pm which gave me just enough time to walk to the nearby train station to inquire about the Circumbaikal Railway to Port Baikal. As I was crossing over the platforms there was a diesel electric locomotive pulling one platzkart carriage and one freight car looking ready to depart. I was certain this was my desired train but the woman from the minibus who was helping me insisted we go to the station first. Of course the train immediately pulled away and I then found out it was
Tunnel 18 on the Circumbaikal Railway
First was washed out so they built the second tunnel with the water diversion ~100 years ago. indeed the Circumbaikal and it would not be leaving again for 2 days (departures 12:30 pm Fri, Sun, and 2 other days that I don’t remember). I had no desire to stay in Slyudyanka for 2 nights and was resigned to taking the next train back to Irkutsk but the women at the train station were incredibly helpful. They called an off duty security guard who took me to Kultuk for 300р. which was the last Circumbaikal station with road access. Turned out he was ex-Russian special forces and we had a little spat about the price. With his background and my limited Russian I couldn’t argue too much but we amicably reached a middle ground on the fare. Fortunately the train was a little late leaving Kultuk. I boarded and paid the carriage attendant the 57р. fare to Port Baikal. The route used to be part of the Trans-Siberian but the tracks north of Port Baikal to Irkutsk were flooded after the damming of the Angara River and now the slow train is the only access to Port Baikal and several small villages some of which are being turned into attractive tourist camps. There were many stops along the
way where we could get out to stretch and take pictures and the train reached Port Baikal right on time at 6:30 pm. I asked the engineer about the ferry to Listvyanka across the river (from where there is frequent transport to Irkutsk) and he said there was a boat at 7:00 pm so I ended up following a Russian couple past the tracks because they were also going to Listvyanka. There didn’t seem to be a ferry dock in the general direction we were headed and I soon saw a hydrofoil whizzing by but I’m almost certain it was headed to Irkutsk. A heavily laden pickup truck serving as a taxi then passed by and one of the Russians briefly spoke with the driver. He returned a few minutes later, took his previously unseen, diminutive zodiac out of the boat shed, and ferried us all together across the river for 150р. per person stopping at Shaman Rock where we all pitched 10р. into the lake for good luck. Somehow the whole day worked out pretty, pretty good making up for Arshan’s unqualified lameness.
Listvyanka
Accommodation and food Our drop off point in Listvyanka was far from
the center but I was not ready to head that way as I had not eaten anything since breakfast in Arshan 10 hours earlier. There was a café where I feasted on 3 pozi and a bowl of borscht for 170р. After dinner, around 7:30 pm at this point, I tried unsuccessfully to hitch the 3 or 4 kilometers into town to find a place to stay. After 15 fruitless minutes I settled on the passing marshrut to the central information office for 20р. The helpful English speaking staff at the office arranged for someone from Dauria Hostel to pick me uр. A bed in the cramped 4 person dorm was 550р. but I had the room to myself for 2 nights. There is WiFi, a filling breakfast (but unfortunately no brewed coffee) for 150р. and dinner for 250р. After recounting in halting Russian my tale of how I came to arrive in Listvyanka, the compassionate hosts gave me a couple of homemade pirogi which I ate for breakfast the next day along with some tea on the house. The second night some of the other guests fed me a dinner of tvorg (compressed fresh cheese curds kind of like
Port Baikal
Our transport across the mouth of the Angara River to Listvyanka. cottage cheese but more sour) and shasklik (pork shish-ka-bob but any kind of meat will do). Excellent coffee, desserts, and light meals can be found close to the hostel at ultra popular Podlemore on the main drag. In the center are a couple of proper restaurants but also the outdoor market serving plov, soups, and shashlik. There is also a bit of a beach scene where food and drinks can be purchased.
Transport Slow, regular ferries take passengers across to Port Baikal and hydrofoils operate up to Irkutsk several times a day. Cheaper buses and marshrutkiy to Irkutsk leave more frequently for ~100р. taking a little more than an hour. The hydrofoil from Irkutsk to Olkhon Island stops in Port Baikal but it is expensive at 3000р. making a trip back to Irkutsk for a marshrut to Olkhon much more economical.
Baikal Museum I did not go into the well reviewed museum, a 45-60 minute walk from the center, but passed by for a hike to the top of the winter ski lift. In summer it serves to haul tourists to the top where there are nice views of the lake and Port Baikal. It is about a
30-40 minute hike to the top from the museum without deviations off the main route. Just keep asking for the ‘kanatka (chair lift)’ and someone will point you in the right direction.
Irkutsk
Accommodation and food Irktusk is a functional, capital town but it is not really necessary to stay there. If you do need to stay in Irkutsk I definitely recommend Baikal Explorer Hostel run by the gregarious Elena. There is one double room or a bed in the 6 person dorm costs 500р. booked on hostelbookers.com which also contains very good directions on how to find the apartment in the byzantine complex. A light breakfast, WiFi, and, crucially, laundry are included in the price. Elena can also arrange stays at ecolodges along the Circumbaikal Railway and in Listvyanka. Near Elena’s is buzzing Domino Café open 24 hours serving pizza and cheap, standard Russian fare. During the week a set lunch goes for 135р., a half liter of cold Tri Medvyedya (Three Bears) draught beer is 50р., and artery clogging zapikanka with a serious dollop of sour cream is 55р. There was a minimart up Karl Marx Street and a supermarket in the shopping mall where
prepared food and desserts could be purchased.
Transport Arriving at the Irkutsk airport, take marshrut 20 to the center or train station for 12р. plus 12р. for large bags. Near the train station are the marshrutkiy to Arshan leaving about 5 times per day. At that staging area is a nice café where good coffee was 20р., blini with sour cream were 23р., and a cabbage pirog was 12р. Just enough to fill me up and keep me semi-awake for the ride to Arshan. Leaving Irkutsk, Elena reserved a seat for me for the 10:00 am marshrut to Khuzhir on Olkhon Island for 600р. The trip is 5½ hours including a very brief lunch stop around 1:00 pm. There is also an 8:00 am departure.
Olkhon Island
Accommodation and food Nikita’s Homestay included full board and banya for 900-1100р. per person in a double room and I shared the room with a fellow passenger on the marshrut. There are dorms but they were full when I was there. It seem like a lot but the going rate in Khuzhir for just a room with outside toilet and shower is 400p. The food is good and there
Smoking Omul in Listvyanka
Baikal fish kind of like a small salmon. is always fresh fish straight from the lake with lunch and dinner. Black, green, and herbal teas are available all day. WiFi is extra and costs 150р. for 24 consecutive hours which is quite useless while sleeping and I heard from other guests it was very slow. There are a couple of internet cafes in the center charging 2р. per minute with decent speed especially considering Olkhon’s remoteness. Several restaurants in town serve shashlik, pozi, and other familiar Siberian dishes and there are minimarts as well as a “gastronom.”
Transport Getting off Olkhon was not as easy as getting there. When I was in Irkutsk I bought a ticket on the hydrofoil heading to Severobaikalsk for 3500р. What I did not consider was how I was going to get back to the ferry dock without paying full marshrut fare back to Irkutsk and which may not have taken me to the hydrofoil dock at Zagli. I initially inquired at one of the tourist offices where I was first quoted a 1500р. for a taxi, really just the woman’s son and his beat up Lada. That was far too expensive and the price immediately dropped to 1000р. which was of
course still too much. I then asked at Nikita’s and they quoted me an even more outrageous price of 1800р. in a taxi but said I could ride in an Irkutsk bound marshrut paying the full 600р. fare and getting dropped off “close to” Zagli, “close to” being the operative phrase. I found another tour agent named Svetlana in the center of Khuzhir who sold me a ticket to Zagli in an Irkutsk marshrut for 150р. We left her office at 1:00 pm Friday (northbound boats only operate Tuesday and Friday, returning southbound the next day) to catch the 2:20 pm hydrofoil heading to the north end of the lake. The driver stopped at the side of the road about 40 minutes later. I assumed this was the stop “close to” Zagli but all I could see about 1 km away was a barge rear ended against Baikal’s shoreline. The driver pointed to it saying, “Zagli” but he didn’t seem overly convincing. I was quite skeptical so he called Svetlana and it turned out that the barge was indeed the Zagli dock for the hydrofoil. Interesting, although I did remember seeing a similar “port” in Listvyanka a few days earlier.
I grabbed my bags and walked along a lakeside camp to the barge in 10 minutes. When I got there I asked a patiently waiting Russian if this was Zagli and he confirmed the port and our destination of Severobaikalsk much to my immense relief. It was a crisp, beautiful, cold day on the lake and Comet-15 covered the 300 kilometers non-stop in 6 hours finally arriving in Severobaikalsk 20 minutes late at 9:00 pm.
Most people leave Olkhon for Irkutsk by marshrut departing around 8:00 am, lunchtime, and 4-5:00 pm. Book the night before through your lodging.
Excursions There are several available from Nikita’s or any tour agent in town. Popular trips include Cape Khoboy at the very northern tip of the island, 2 hour sunset boat rides, and boat rides during the day. Mountain bikes can be rented but are most expensive at Nikita’s (500р./day).
Severobaikalsk
Interesting little town that was established only in 1975 to serve the construction crews of the BAM - the Baikal Amur Mainline which is another Trans-Siberian Railway that runs parallel and several hundred kilometers north of the original, classic line but through much tougher terrain. The
line was finished in 1991 just before the collapse of the Soviet Union and many of the BAM towns never did develop as planned. Severobaikalsk has managed to trudge on but I'm sure if you asked anyone over 30 years of age they really long for the halcyon days of Leonid Brezhnev.
Accommodation and food The few tourists who make it to Severobaikalsk usually stay with Yevgeniy at Baikal Trail Hostel by default as there is not much of a choice. Actually, Yevgeniy lives with his family in another part of town so I had the whole apartment (not just the dorm room) to myself for 2 nights for 550p./night. The first night there were also 2 English motorbike riders who are taking their bikes east along the BAM "road" to Vladivostok then somehow getting them to Alaska from where they'll ride to Tierra del Fuego. Check out toughmiles.com. Yevgeniy is an active outdoorsman and we had planned to go for a hike last Sunday around Baikalskoe village south of town and an infrequent marshrut ride away. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to meet him at the bus stop or he was going to collect me and
we'd walk there together but that was moot since it was raining hard the morning of the proposed hike and he canceled which suited me fine. For grub, I ate at one of the stolovayas near the central market and used the kitchen in the apartment a couple of times. Several VIST supermarkets in town.
Transport Not much of a need for any once you arrive in town. Train station is right in the center about a 5 minute walk from the hostel but the ferry dock is a ways out, about 25 mosquito plagued minutes on foot. There are 1 or 2 trains a day headed west from Severobaikalsk towards Krasnoyarsk and I took one yesterday for 26½ hours in platzkart. There were long stops in Lena ('Лена') and Vikhorevka ('Вихоревка'), the latter station having a decent cafeteria where my chicken and rice dinner was 82p. Otherwise, bring plenty to eat and drink as there is not much else to do on the train.
Excursions Baikalskoe would have been nice or Goudzhekit but local transport (all leaving from the train station) is not all that frequent. Can visit the small but interesting BAM Museum during the week
from 10-6. It was closed when I was there but I got a special invitation before the military visit probably because of the curiosity factor as to why an American would be visiting Severobaikalsk. Lots of BAM construction photos and memorabilia. And I didn't have to pay the 50p. entrance fee. Cha-ching!
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John Loomis
non-member comment
Who knew there was so much going on in Siberia?
I thought it was all just woods, hunting lodges and prison camps. You have changed my perception. Thanks!