DESTINATIONS:

Accommodation

Brief information about Irkutsk hotels.

Irkutsk is the nearest city to Lake Baikal, which makes it one of the tourist centres of Russia. As the tourist flow is rather big in summer time and all hotels are full during the top season one should book accommodation well beforehand.

The hotels located in the downtown:

1) “Angara” Hotel

The "Angara" Hotel is located in the main square. It is 7-storey building with rooms of 2 categories: 3+-stars (5-7 Floors) and 2 – 2+ stars (2-4 Floors). Address: 7, Sukhe-Bator St.; phone: 255 106.

2) “Irkutsk” Hotel (former name: “Irkutsk-Intourist”)

The 9-storey building of 3-stars "Irkutsk" Hotel is located on the eastern bank of the Angara River. It is within easy walking distance of the centre. Address: 44, Gagarin blvd.; phone: 250-168.

3) “Rus” Hotel

2-stars hotel is located in a quiet cosy street within 5-minutes walking distance from the central square of the city. It has 15 twin and 38 single rooms It is the hotel of Regional Administration therefore overbooking is possible. Address: 19, Sverdlov St.; phone: 242 715.

4 ) Hotel “Pribaikalskaya”

6-storey building, 4 km from the Baikal shore, 2 km from the bank of Angara river.

3+ - 4-stars hotels:

There are only two 4-stars hotels in Irkutsk located close to each other and in 20 minutes from downtown by car, not far from the Airport and SibExpoCentre International Fair & Exhibitions Complex (where all large-scale international exhibitions take place).

4) “Sun – Hotel”

“Sun–Hotel” is the best hotel in Irkutsk now. 4-4+ stars. Address: 295B, Baikalskaya St.; phone: 255 910.

5) Hotel “Europa” 3 – 3+ stars hotel,
Adress: 69, Baikalskaya St., phone: 29-15-15.

6) “Baikal Business Centre” Hotel

The 3-storey building of “Baikal Business Centre” Hotel is located in a green and picturesque area, not far from “Sun-Hotel”. It has 25 single rooms, 20 double and 9 twin rooms. There is no elevator in the hotel. Address: 279, Baikalskaya St.; phone: 259 110.

Brief information about Lake Baikal settlements:

1. The small but tourist-wise settlement of Listvyanka is located on the shore of Lake Baikal, 70 km from Irkutsk. This old-style Siberian village situated at the source of Angara River is famous for its trade history. From the 18th century a ferry took merchants across the lake on their way to Mongolia, China and the Far East. The Museum of Lake Baikal (Limnological Museum) provides information about the origin and wild life of the lake. A great snack on the shore is omul, a delicacy of Lake Baikal, which has been just smoked for you.

2. Bolshie Koty is a small village, located at Lake Baikal shore 20 km northeast from a popular tourist destination – Listvyanka. There are only two ways to get to Bolshie Koty - by boat or on foot; therefore it is a quiet and peaceful original Baikal fishermen village with few visitors. Surrounded by hills and picturesque rock cliffs this solitary village has its own life rhythm measured not by hours but seasons making you really relaxed of tight schedule, noise and rush hours.

3. Khuzhir is the only big settlement on Olkhon Island. Olkhon is the largest island of Lake Baikal. It is 77 km long and 15-25 km wide, 302 km by car from Irkutsk. Ferry operates from mid-May till mid-November and from 09:00 am till 8:00 pm. In wintertime (from the end of January till the beginning of April) it is possible to go on ice from main land. Olkhon Island is the most beautiful and mysterious place on the Lake. The climate here is dry in summer and there is not much snow in winter. Olkhon has forest and steppe parts, spectacular cliffs and sandy beaches, small lakes and hills with picturesque view from the top. The Island is also famous as one of the center of Shamanism, primitive form of religion of the native people – Buryats.