Meet your guide at the hotel in Irkutsk to start your journey.

Irkutsk was founded in 1661 when the Russian military Cossack troops established a fortress on the right bank of the Angara River. From the late 17^th century, it was a political, economical and cultural centre of Siberia. The city's Russian classical architecture dates from the period of the 1880s when the city boomed after gold was discovered in the area. Most of the brick mansions and grand public buildings varying in architectural styles were constructed in the late 19^th -early 20^th century. The beautiful Russian Orthodox churches and a Polish Cathedral (the only Siberian Gothic-style building) are located in downtown. You will see many small one- and two-storeyed wooden houses or cabins that are decorated with "wooden laces" (hand-made carvings) as well as modern constructions of the 20^thcentury. During this city tour of Irkutsk, our guide will tell you about the city’s evolution and will show the most interesting sights and peculiar features of one of the most beautiful cities in Russia.

After lunch (own expense) you will go by car to Listvyanka settlement. The highway from Irkutsk to Lake Baikal goes through picturesque taiga-forest up and down the high hills. After a 1 hour drive, you come to a viewpoint facing the Shaman Rock, at the source of the Angara River. Observe the best view of Lake Baikal here from the top of the mountain and ride a cableway for the best views. Don't forget to take a ribbon to tie at the top.

The small but tourist-wise village of Listvyanka is located on the western shore of Lake Baikal, 70 km from Irkutsk. This old-style Siberian village is famous for its trade history. From the 18^th century, its ferry took merchants across the lake to Mongolia and China and the Far East. The Museum of Lake Baikal (Limnological Museum) provides information about the origin and wildlife of the lake. A video film gives you the opportunity to see the deepest point of the lake’s bottom (1,637 m) from the submarine boat.

Lake Baikal is frozen over from late January to early May, the thickness of the ice near Listvyanka can be 70-80 cm. The part of the lake near the source of Angara River is the only natural water place in Siberia, which never freezes over.

In the village, a variety of hot- or cold-smoked and salted omul and grayling fish is on sale. A great snack on the shore is omul, a delicacy of Lake Baikal, which has been just smoked for you. Several private cafes and restaurants offer traditional Siberian or European meals for you. You can taste pelmeny (stuffed dumplings), pirozhki (with cabbage, or meat, or berries), and caviar sandwiches to feel the spirit of Siberia.

On your way from Irkutsk to Listvyanka a car can take you to the Museum of Wooden Architecture (47 km from Irkutsk and 23 km from Listvyanka). The open-air museum has a large collection of original wooden houses equipped with the old-style furniture and domestic utensils. They were brought from several local villages. The museum shows the style of life in the 16^th to 19th-century Russian villages and Buryat and Evenk tents. You can observe the interiors of a Russian fort and the 15th-century watchtower, a Siberian izba (house) and a chapel, a Shaman yurt and other interesting sights.

At the end of the tour you will get back to your hotel in Irkutsk.