Small Sea is the part of Lake Baikal between its western coast and the Olkhon island. Its length - 76 km and maximum width - 17 km. Small Sea is very popular among tourists because of the warm water in summer and opportunities to get here by car. In summer the water in the Small Sea is warming up to +19-21^oC. Tourists are attracted by numerous bays and islands, are good places for fishing.

Route description

Listvyanka - Irkutsk (70 km). This part of the route passes along the highway, called Baikal tract. The road goes away from the coast of the Irkutsk Sea. The water surface becomes visible only in rare places where the path approaches the bays. Most of the way passes through the mountains among the dense mixed forests of pine, birch, aspen, and undergrowth of bushes. See map...

Irkutsk - Ust-Ordynsky - Bayanday (128 km). From Irkutsk we move on Kachug tract - the highway connecting Irkutsk and Kachug settlement. Most of this part lies in the territory of Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous District. The steppe landscape dominates here, and the road passes through the plain, without sharp ups and downs. Before entering to Ust-Ordynsky settlement (administrative center of Ust-Orda) a statue of a horseman is istalled. The statue is considered the unofficial symbol of Ust-Orda. See map...

Bayanday - Yelantsy (75 km). After the Bayanday settlement we turn from Kachug tract to the right. The road starts to climb up to the spurs of the Primorsky Ridge. It passes through mixed forest, which is especially beautiful in autumn. These places are famous for an abundance of berries and game. The road begin to descend before Yelantsy (the administrative center of Olkhon district). See map...

Yelantsy - Sakhjurta (45 km). From Yelantsy to Sahyurty road passes through the Tazheranskaya steppe. Tazheranskaya steppe is a unique natural geological complex. Its length is 35-40 km and its width is 10-15 km. The steppe is widely known because of the abundance of minerals found here. An interesting feature of the steppe is presence of numerous mineral lakes located in the longitudinal chain of valley. Water in the lakes is salt (sulfite). Salty mud with a noticeable odor of hydrogen sulphide is located on the shores of lakes. Landscape are very similar to the steppes of Mongolia. See map...

Stay on the Small Sea. A few shallow bays (Mukhur, Kurkut, Bazarskaya Guba, Tutaysky Bay) are located in the southern part of the Small Sea. The water in these bay warms up well. There are some recreation centers at Sakhjurta and on the shores of these bays. We spend the night at one of its. On request it is possible to overnight on the shores of Lake Baikal in the tent. See map...

Price

The price is contractual and includes:

• rent of car and driver and guide service;
• overnight at the recreation center;
• meals during the tour;
• fare of car to the territory of Baikal National Park (the fare is charged by the Park's administration during the summer at Yelantsy).

We provide excursions for groups up to 4 persons.