| Federal District: | Siberian |
| Founded: | 1661 |
| Population: | 623 424 (2016 Census) |
| Area: | 277 km2 |
| Federal City Day: | 1st Saturday of June |
| Federal District: | Siberian |
| Founded: | 1661 |
| Population: | 623 424 (2016 Census) |
| Area: | 277 km2 |
| Federal City Day: | 1st Saturday of June |
Irkutsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia and is located on the Angara River. It is the starting point for many who adventure to the Lake Baikal area because it is a main transit point on the Trans-Siberian/Trans-Mongolian train route. Lake Baikal is situated just an hour away from Irkutsk by train. Founded by Russians in 1652 as a major fort beyond the Ural Mountains, it was populated by exiled political prisoners sent by the tsars and communists. Due to the number of exiled intellectuals the city’s culture developed richly. Irkutsk is definitely a place where the old meets the new as 19th century wooden houses are next to multi-storey buildings. Today, the city is a university students’ town due to the large number of universities there.
There are direct flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg but most people arrive in Irkutsk by the Trans-Siberian railway, before they visit Lake Baikal – a definite must if you have travelled all this distance.
There are several beautiful churches and museums on the history of the area, but the more notable destinations are described below.
Apart from ornate and rich iconostasis, the cathedral is famous for its graveyard containing the graves of the Decembrists Mukhanov, Beschasnov, Trubetskaya and the Russian Columbus Shelekhov.
The museum is housed in a mansion belonging to one of the leaders of Decembrist revolutionaries - these were Russian aristocracy who were banished to Siberia after their ill-fated attempt in December 1825 to overthrow the Russian Tsar in favor of a Constitutional regime. The museum is truly evocative of 19th century Russia.
This architectural and ethnographic museum opened its doors to the public in 1980. On the territory of 67 hectares there are over 40 architectural monuments (fortress wall, churches, barns, water mills, parish school, peasant houses) and over 8,000 exhibits that tell about life in the Siberian villages XVII-XIX centuries. The museum often hosts folk festivals, and is also often used by filmmakers because of its authentic look.
This tour will take you along the full route of the Trans-Siberian railway to 3 of Russia's most interesting cities - Moscow with stunning Red Square, the Kremlin and Cathedrals, Irkutsk located in the heart of Siberia and home to the great Lake Baikal and Vladivostok - the King of the East with its harbor of the Golden Horn and Amursky Bay on the Pacific Ocean.
This trip lasts for 2 weeks and passes through 6 fascinating cities. Starting in Vladivostok with its harbour of the Golden Horn and passing through the Buddhist city of Ulan-Ude, then to Irkutsk - home of magnificent Lake Baikal and onto Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg - very dynamic Siberian cities, and finally ending in golden-domed Moscow.
On this great Eurasian journey from West to East you will cover the entire route of the Trans-Siberian Railway, visiting four major cities along the way: Russia's capital Moscow, Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains, Irkutsk including incredible Lake Baikal, and finally Vladivostok on the Pacific Ocean, at the very edge of Russia.
This is our shortest version of our Trans Siberian railroad tours but it covers some of the most interesting cities. The trip begins in Moscow, the capital of Russia, then continues on to Yekaterinburg, located in the Ural Mountains and at the edge of Siberia. The tour ends on the shores of Lake Baikal.
This is our shortest tour of Irkutsk and Lake Baikal. You will start with an Irkutsk city tour and then travel to Listvyanka Village to explore the lake. On the way to Baikal you will make a stop at the Taltsy Ethnographical museum to learn about the life of the people who populated this area.
We invite you on an exciting trip to Lake Baikal - the youngest ocean in the world. Leave all of your stress back in the city while exploring the incredible Baikal nature and enjoying magnificent views.
This tour covers the highlights of the Trans-Siberian Railway - including all 5 major cities along its route. You will admire cultural masterpieces in Beijing, learn about nomadic life in Mongolia, see amazing Lake Baikal in Irkutsk, learn about the fate of the Last Tsar in Yekaterinburg, and visit Russia's energetic capital Moscow.
This tour is a great choice for seeing the highlights of Russia, Mongolia and China. From Golden-Domed Moscow you will continue on to Irkutsk and visit beautiful Lake Baikal. Mongolia will greet you with its endless steppes and the Gobi Desert. Finally, you will reach China and visit the magnificent Great Wall, Ming Tombs and Forbidden city.
The tour is a great opportunity to visit three countries on one trip. You will be delighted with the capital of Russia, see the border of Europe and Asia in Yekaterinburg, admire beautiful nature in Krasnoyarsk, see the world's largest lake Baikal, steppes of Mongolia and China's cultural heritage.
This exciting Trans-Siberian tour takes you to three countries - Russia, Mongolia and China. From Moscow you will proceed to the Siberian cities of Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Irkutsk, close to Lake Baikal. Then you will cross Mongolia with its endless steppes and the Goby Desert, and finally arrive in China with the Great Wall and more.
Join us on Facebook
We invite you to become a fan of our company on Facebook and read Russian news and travel stories. To become a fan, click here.
Join our own Russian Travel, Culture and Literature Club on Facebook. The club was created to be a place for everyone with an interest in Russia to get to know each other and share experiences, stories, pictures and advice. To join our club, please follow this link.
