The 10 Best Sightseeing Tours in Irkutsk, Siberian District

January 17, 2022 Janette Largent

Founded in the mid-17th century as a winter quarters for traders and tax collectors, Irkutsk came to prominence in the 1800s. Participants in the Decembrist revolt against Tsar Nicholas I were exiled to Siberia in droves, turning Irkutsk into their cultural center. Today, it’s one of Siberia’s biggest and most important cities, with over half a million people, many universities, many historic churches and museums, and beautiful Lake Baikal, just about an hour away by train.
Restaurants in Irkutsk

1. Learn Russian while Traveling on the Trans-Siberian Train

Moscow, Russia Immersion in Russia
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

Come to Russia for a "once in a lifetime" experience! During this immersive trip you will learn the melodic and mysterious Russian language while traveling through the immensity of the Russian territory with the mythical Trans-Siberian railway. Traveling by train will offer you incomparable views of the Siberian landscapes. This 14 days trip includes daily Russian language classes with a native certified Russian teacher. You will have dozens of opportunities to apply your new language skills by interacting with the local people, sharing with them unforgettable moments and learning more about the famous Russian soul. Three main stops are planned during this journey so that you can discover more in-depth some of the most fascinating places or Western Russia and Siberia: departing from Moscow the train will stop in Kazan, Yekaterinburg and the Baikal Lake, before a final stop in Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean. A journey of more than 9000 kms across 7 time zones!

Inclusions: 4 train tickets (2nd class), Accommodation in hotels (standard double room) and with host families, 30 hours of Russian language lessons, Excursions with an English-speaking local guide, Meals mentioned in the programme, Significant time spent with a Russian teacher throughout the journey (in addition to lessons), Visa support (voucher and registration fee in Russia)

Exclusions: Gratuities, Flights (flight to Moscow, flight back from Vladivostok), Meals not mentioned in the programme, Personal insurance, Personal expenses

Reviewed By AlexandreR1191

Great trip, fun group, nice guide and very tasty russian food ! also as a quad enthusiast the optional but affordable quad ride was great fun. Thank you again to the team of the Izba for their warm welcome and hospitality ! I'll try to come back for the Winter program. See you !

2. Winter private tour to lake Baikal - Blue ice, Olkhon island, Listvyanka,Irkutsk

Baikal Sun Tours
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

Your private tour to lake Baikal! All the most interesting and exciting in one tour! You will visit Olkhon island, Listvyanka village and the heart of Siberia - Irkutsk city. A professional guide will make this tour not only interesting, but also informative, recommend the best restaurants and shops, help you to order dinner, accompany you shopping (our company provides its personal discounts to many local stores). Your tour includes transfer by comfortable cars, jeeps and minivans for groups from 1 to 6 people and minibuses for groups from 7 to 18 people. All our cars are equipped with air conditioning system. We offer you accommodation in one of the best hotels of Olkhon and Irkutsk! Standard rooms with twin beds and private bathroom. Upon your request, we can change the standard accommodation for a room with one double bed or a room for 3 people. We invite you to visit Lake Baikal with us!

Inclusions: Lunch, Lunch, Lunch, Breakfast, Breakfast, Lunch, Breakfast, Breakfast, Lunch, Daily bottled water, Air-conditioned vehicle, Private transportation, All Fees and Taxes, Local insurance, Accomodation in hotels (5 nights), Professional Licensed Guide

Exclusions: Air tickets, Dinners, Personal expences

Reviewed By Put-in-tours

We were a team of 2 Frenchmen and 1 Russian planning on short notice a 24h trip to Lake Baikal. Baikal Sun Tours offered very quickly a perfect and intensive program to make the best our of our short stay. They demonstrated very easy and careful communication from the start until the end of our trip. They organised our transfer from Irkutsk to the island, our hotel which was nice, an ice fishing session, an amazing banya and the north line excursion. We had a great experience and lots of fun with each activities. We highly recommend Baikal Sun Tours for their truly high level of service and great excursions!

3. The first date with Baikal in Listvyanka

Elena Kosygina
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

Listvyanka is the best place to visit Lake Baikal especially if you are restricted in time.The minibus / private car will pick you up from the hotel and you will start your way to Listvyanka, which is 70 km away from Irkutsk. After a while there will be a stop and you will visit Talzy. It is an open-air museum of wooden architecture. The next stop will be at the rock of Shaman, the place which is full of legends and mysteries. Soon after this stop we will visit Baikal museum which discloses the secrets of water purity, flora and fauna of the lake. Then we go to the fish market where you can try Baikal omul. After all these cable way will bring you Chersky’s stone – the picturesque place at the top of 748m above sea level.

Inclusions: Private transportation, a bottle of Baikal water, Taltzy museum tickets

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4. Summer Olkhon Island Tour (2 days)

Baikal Vision
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

Olkhon is the largest island in Baikal Region. Many myths, mysteries are associated with this island. A population of the Island is about 2000 people. Majority of the population is the Buryats. The Buryats since ancient times were shamanists, and Olkhon is considered as the father of all shamans and the main sanctuary and a religious center. Olkhon has a supernatural power that’s why a lot of shamans from the whole world come here to pray or do rituals. During this tour, you will get acquainted with the history of Buryat people, taste local cuisine, visit holy places. You will have an opportunity to explore the Island, certainly to swim enough in the lake and sunbathe on Baikal beach, and to see the most famous place - Cape Khoboy. Local say that Olkhon is a heart of Baikal and we hope that is will remain in your heart.

Inclusions: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast, Private transportation, Air-conditioned vehicle, All Fees and Taxes

Exclusions: If you need: 1st day lunch, 2nd day diner

Reviewed By T6786WY_

Nice ???? trip , talented guide, beautiful nature and good people ???? thanks baikal vision for good organization of the tour

5. Winter Olkhon Island Tour (2 days)

Baikal Vision
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5.0 based on 14 reviews

Olkhon is the largest Island in Baikal. Many myths, mysteries are associated with this Island. The population of Olkhon is about 1000 people. Majority of the population is the Buryats. The Buryats since ancient times were shamanists, and Olkhon island is considered as a father of all shamans and the main sanctuary and a religious center. Olkhon has a supernatural power that’s why a lot of shamans from the whole world come here to pray or do rituals. During this tour you will get acquainted with the history of Buryat people, taste local cuisine, visit holy places, and see Baikal ice. You will have an opportunity to explore the Island and it's caves and grottoes on ice. Also you will visit then most famous place in Olkhon - Cape Khoboy. Local people say that Olkhon is a heart of Baikal. And We hope that Olkhon will remain in your hearts.

Inclusions: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Air-conditioned vehicle, All Fees and Taxes, Private transportation, Accommodation (shared facilities)

Exclusions: Tips and private expenses

Reviewed By mfborges

Back in October '19 I had the pleasure of going on a 1 day tour to Olkhon Island, departing from Irkutsk, together with 3 other female friends of mine, during our Trans-Siberian journey. Andrew was our tour guide and I must say that everything was absolutely incredible. I definitely recommend Baikal Vision to everyone who's considering a trip to this area of the globe and I must thank Andrew once again for making it a wonderful experience for all of us.

6. Winter Listvyanka Tour (1 day)

Baikal Vision
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

For 8 hours of sightseeing tour in Listvyanka you will get acquainted with the following sights: 1) The Baikal highway 2) Taltsy - Architectural and Ethnographic Museum 3) Shaman Stone 4) Baikal Limnological Museum 5) Mountain "Stone of Cherskiy" 6) Fish and Souvenir Market 7) Beginning of the Great Baikal Trail

Inclusions: Tickets for Taltsy Museum and Baikal Museum, Private transportation

Exclusions: Tickets for Mountain lift to Chersky Stone, Tips and personal expenses, Lunch, Snowmobiles and Dog sledding

Reviewed By T6786WY_

Nice ???? trip , talented guide, beautiful nature and good people ???? thanks baikal vision for good organization of the tour

7. Arshan Tour (1 day)

Baikal Vision
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

For 12 hours of excursion to Arshan you will visit two regions of Russia, see the Southern part of Baikal, find out what the Republic of Buryatia is and why it is famous, look at Baikal from a bird's eye view. In this tour you will get acquainted with the following sights: 1) Stella on the border between the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia and Buddhist stupas on the road to Arshan 2) Tunkinsky Waterfall. This waterfall can not be reached by car, so we will have a mini-trekking (5 km). 3) The souvenir market. The market is on the way to the waterfall and is very famous, since almost all things here are made in Mongolia. 4) Buruat lunch 5) Buddhist Datsan. This datsan was built in 1917 at the foot of the Sayany Mountains. 6) Dead volcanoes. You will walk on the crater of one of the volcanoes. 7) Hot springs of the "Pearl" resort. You will have a chance to swim in the hot springs. You need to bring a bathing suit, a towel and slippers, or you can rent it on the spot.

Inclusions: Local Buryat cuisine (if you are vegetarian, warn us), Private transportation, All Fees and Taxes

Exclusions: Ticket to swim in hot springs (about 300 RUB per person)

Reviewed By T6786WY_

Nice ???? trip , talented guide, beautiful nature and good people ???? thanks baikal vision for good organization of the tour

8. Private Irkutsk Sightseeing Tour with Transport

U Visit Russia

During the tour (by car/bus) the guide will show you the city's historical center. You will get acquainted with the history of Irkutsk and will see the city's main streets, churches, famous buildings and monuments. Irkutsk was founded in 1661 on the place of the junction of the Angara and the Irkut Rivers. The Irkut River gave the name to the city. At first, it was just a little wooden town, but it developed very fast, and 25 years later Irkutsk was given the status of the city. Today Irkutsk is one of the largest economic, industrial and cultural centres of Eastern Siberia. The citizens of the city believe that Irkutsk means for Siberia as much as Paris for France and London for England.

Inclusions: Roundtrip transportation to and from your central hotel (Comfortable car/minivan with A/C), Professional English-speaking guide assistance. Other languages upon request, City overview tour

Exclusions: Food / Drinks, Personal expenses, Gratuities, Entrance fees

Reviewed By john m

We booked for the Swan Lake ballet on 25 December 2019, with travel date on 24 May 2020, through U Visit Russia. . Due to the Covit19 pandemic we were unable to visit Russia nor attend the ballet. Two tickets were purchased for US$465.50. U Visit Russia was advised of not being able to attend and agreed to pay a full refund but there would be a delay due to the number of cancellations. After some time no refund was forthcoming and U Visit Russia was again contacted by email and we were advised that due to the volume of cancellations the refund would be credited to our credit card within 9 weeks. Nothing and again they were contacted by email but no response was ever received. No refund was ever received. Nothing!! The lesson is to beware of ever dealing with this company.

9. By great baikal trail...

Baikal Sky travels

Hiking by great baikal trail is kind of immersion to a baikal nature and wilderness. Trecking is one of the best ways to feel a soul of a place. That we are going to do.

Inclusions: Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dinner, Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Breakfast, Lunch, Lunch, Breakfast

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10. Spend a Day Exploring Irkutsk and Lake Baikal on Private Tour

U Visit Russia

One day Irkutsk city tour and excursion to Lake Baikal includes the most interesting sites and provides a good piece of information about local history, culture, traditions and nature. Apart from Irkutsk city tour you will visit famous Listvyanka village - a popular place for Baikal explorers, will be able to get the best view of Baikal Lake from the observation point, as well as explore the collection of the local Museums. • Guaranteed skip-the-line entrance

Inclusions: Professional English-speaking guide assistance. Other languages upon request, Driver’s services as per the program (Comfortable car/minivan with A/C), Irkutsk city tour, Listvyanka village tour with Shaman Rock observation platform, Cableway ticket in Listvyanka , Entrance fee to Limnological Museum in Listvyanka OR Museum of Wooden Architecture (Taltsi), All taxes, fees and handling charges, Guaranteed skip-the-line entrance

Exclusions: Food / Drinks, Personal expenses, Gratuities

Reviewed By john m

We booked for the Swan Lake ballet on 25 December 2019, with travel date on 24 May 2020, through U Visit Russia. . Due to the Covit19 pandemic we were unable to visit Russia nor attend the ballet. Two tickets were purchased for US$465.50. U Visit Russia was advised of not being able to attend and agreed to pay a full refund but there would be a delay due to the number of cancellations. After some time no refund was forthcoming and U Visit Russia was again contacted by email and we were advised that due to the volume of cancellations the refund would be credited to our credit card within 9 weeks. Nothing and again they were contacted by email but no response was ever received. No refund was ever received. Nothing!! The lesson is to beware of ever dealing with this company.

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