Olkhon Island
 
   
How to get to Olkhon Island from Irkutsk:
By bus: from the Bus station at 8am and 10am every day.  It takes about 3-4 hours to get to the last village on the mainland called MRS, where the bus is to be loaded on a ferry to cross the water connection between the mainland and the Island. If  the bus arrived in lucky hour,  you are immediately onboard, if not  the next ferry is in 1 hour. When on the Island you may be demanded to pay fee at a small wooden cabin (this is only to be charged from the tourists staying in tents on the shore. You don't have to, if  you are going to stay at a touristic base). From that stop another hour will be spent getting to the main village on the Island - Khuzir. Here you are. 
This is an ideal scheme. At the worst  the whole trip may take up to 8 hours. Return bus leaves around midday or 2pm and you get back to Irkutsk bus-station around 9-10pm.
In winter the passage between mainland and the Island works as an ice road starting from the moment when safe thick ice is formed. Understandably no fixed time-table at that time. Inquiries made at Nikita's Homestead. 
 
By private minivan : call +7-(3952)-720007 and reserve a seat for a minivan going to Olkhon Island.Make reservation at least one day in advance.
Please ask Helen to book seats for your trip to Olkhon Island +7-964-8063338 or helen_pot@mail.ru.
 
What to do while on Olkhon Island:  
- one-day trip to Khoboy Cape to watch nerpa seals is a must
- rent a bike and go across the Island to the eastern side of it
- visit a shaman  
- visit Nikita's Homestead for good meals, shop of local souveniers and reliable advice on anything
- meditate
- swim and sunbath
- eat omul fish
Read more on the interesting places on the Island here  http://www.baikalinfo.com/html/english_landbaikalolchonpoi.xml.php


Olkhon Island as I saw it in 2007.
I myself have been to the Island three two years ago and found it a stunningly beautiful place which I highly recommend as one of the best places on the lake Baikal.
My personal impressions of the infrastracture and the way the locals look after the place were complex. Hence the selection of pictures below (taken by my daughter). But despite a slightly bitter taste in the mouth after the trip, I am in love with fantastic landscapes and lake views, purity of air and waters...
 
 

  

                                           

                                                     Famous Shaman Rock 

                              Same Rock as we saw it
 

                                                      Tranquil  view with a boat

                     ...to the left from the boat
 

                                              Bliss on the beach

                         ....300m away from the bliss

 
Special offers: Russian banya ashore!  
 
Famous 24-hour Russian sauna on a beach near Shaman Rock is a great solution for big swimmers who have nothing to do but only watch from the shore  the inviting but too cold Baikal waters. Great sensations are provided to you, definitely you should go for it! Very basic construction provides hot steam inside to be followed by a jump into Baikal refreshing waters! Even kids do this :) 
 
 

soft tints

          "Peace to the World!"
   
                             almost a Turkish coast
 Russian Ivan was here...
   
                    Baikal is ocean-like at times

FALLEN asleep....

 
Olkhon special offers: Russian banya ashore!  
 
Famous 24-hour Russian sauna on a beach near Shaman Rock is a great solution for big swimmers who are scared by inviting but too cold Baikal waters. Great sensations are provided to you, definitely you should go for it! Very basic construction provides hot steam inside foir a warm-up to be followed by a jump into refreshing Baikal. Even kids do this :) 
   
            bird's watch
on a ferry: a petrol tank with  "Flammable" sign on it and a smoking guy deep in thoughts nearby
 
   Olkhon spirits  are powerful. Tell them your wishes...!
          extremely basic interior of the sauna-on-shore
      
after hot steam of banya- into the chilly waters of the Lake
                
Helen's Homestay: Russia, 664059, Irkutsk, Yubileyny, 111 flat 70, Elena Gorshkova, helen_pot@mail.ru , enshora@gmail.com
 
 
 
 
 

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