Chapter 6 - Lake Baïkal and Olkhon Island

In 2018, we embarked on an ambitious journey to go from Europe to Asia mostly by land. It was a fantastic trip, and I shared the highlights of this trip on a now-defunct blog. I'm republishing these travel stories here, for myself, to share with family and friends, and hopefully to inspire some strangers.

This article was originally written and published on September 6, 2018

Read Chapter 5 - Siberia: Krasnoyarsk and Stolby Nature Reserve

Arriving on Oklhon island

We've finally made it to Lake Baikal! Our journey began with a train ride to Irkutsk, a major city near the lake. We planned to spend four days exploring Olkhon Island, a 70km-long island on Lake Baikal. This ancient and incredibly deep (1,652 meters) lake spans over 600 km and holds more than 25% of the world's surface freshwater. Its age and isolation have allowed numerous species to evolve and adapt to its unique environment, including the world's only freshwater seal. For more information, check out the Lake Baikal Wikipedia page.

Upon arriving in Irkutsk, we boarded a local bus to take us to the main bus station. From there, we would catch another bus to travel the 270 km to Khuzhir, the village on Olkhon Island where we would be staying. After mistakenly taking the wrong bus and struggling to communicate with locals who didn't speak English, we decided to walk several kilometers to the central bus station, weighed down by our belongings. We managed to secure two tickets on the last shuttle to Khuzhir, costing us 1,000 RUB each, plus an additional 200 RUB for our luggage.

We joined nine other passengers in the shuttle, a small van, for the six-hour journey across the steppes and mountains. The local drivers, who would likely face legal trouble in Europe for their reckless driving, skillfully navigated pothole-ridden roads at breakneck speeds while simultaneously taking phone calls. Surprisingly, the van was equipped with Wi-Fi! Our journey took us through flat, rolling grasslands dotted with villages and into hilly terrain. After several tense and uncomfortable hours, we caught our first glimpse of the lake. Even though we only saw the section between Olkhon Island and the mainland, it was so vast that it resembled a sea. We took a 15-minute car ferry from the mainland to the island and traversed the final 20 km of dirt road to reach Khuzhir.

The Wild Wild East: Khuzhir

I really liked Khuzhir. It's unlike any place I've ever visited, giving off a wild west vibe. The town is filled with large dirt roads, quaint wooden houses, and a serene atmosphere. The only sounds come from the occasional stray dogs that resemble wolves and the local vans, which are perfectly suited to navigate the countless potholes. Upon arrival at our homestay, we were warmly greeted by Olga, the owner. She showed us the facilities and our room, which was undoubtedly the best we've had so far - spacious, clean, and featuring windows (a luxury), working electricity, and beautiful wooden construction. We were also blessed with fantastic weather during our first few days: warm, sunny, and accompanied by a gentle breeze.

Our plans in Khuzhir were somewhat limited due to our lack of cash. If you're planning a visit, be sure to bring plenty of money, as there are no ATMs on the island! There are some ways to get cash, like cashback at the pharmacy (limited to RUB 5,000) or trying the post office (which didn't work for us), but these options are far from convenient and are closed on weekends. You can use a card at a few restaurants, cafes, and most supermarkets, but all activities and excursions require cash payments.

We spent our time exploring Khuzhir and its surroundings, taking a dip in the icy waters of Lake Baikal, and hiking to the north of the island without spending any money. The only paid activity we participated in was a two-hour kayak trip to Shaman Rock and back, which cost RUB 1,200 per person. We booked the excursion at the tourist information office for a 3:30 pm departure and received vague directions to find the kayak location: "After the dark brown buildings, continue on the beach." We expected to find something official-looking, like a pier or kayak base, considering how popular kayaking must be during high season. However, we could not find anything. After walking past the large brown building and seeing no sign of a kayak base, we were about to give up when we decided to venture just a bit further.

Kayaking on the lake

Surprisingly, what we thought was a group of campers turned out to be the kayak base! A guy from Irkutsk and his friends camped on the beach and brought a few kayaks and canoes with them on their truck. They were the only available kayak excursion providers in Khuzhir. At first, we doubted the experience due to the informal setup, but we ended up having a fantastic time. We set off in a three-person canoe with a guide and his friend in a single-person kayak. Although we initially thought two hours would be too short, after paddling nonstop, we were both exhausted and grateful for our guide's assistance. We followed the coast north towards Shaman Rock, visited a local cave, stopped at Shaman Rock itself, and then returned. It was a short but satisfying excursion.

If we had more cash, we would have visited Khoboy Cape, the northernmost point of Olkhon Island. The full-day trip includes stops at an abandoned city, and from the cape, you should truly appreciate the vastness of Lake Baikal.

Nonetheless, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Khuzhir. We had a cozy room, the area was peaceful, and we weren't in any hurry. We slept in, picnicked in nature, and simply enjoyed our surroundings. Using the cash we obtained from the pharmacy, we booked our shuttle back to Irkutsk, arriving at 8 pm after six grueling hours in the van. We stayed at a hostel near the station, and the next morning, we took the 8:30 am train from Irkutsk to Ulan-Ude. Our Russian adventure is nearly over, as tomorrow we'll be taking a bus to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia!

Cheers, Jules