[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":129},["ShallowReactive",2],{"journey:baikal-between-ice-and-open-water":3,"journeys:related:baikal-between-ice-and-open-water:3":100},{"slug":4,"status":5,"title":6,"subtitle":7,"excerpt":7,"seasons":8,"cover":10,"about":14,"params":17,"days":45,"stays":90,"seo":98},"baikal-between-ice-and-open-water","published","Baikal Between Ice and Open Water","A spring holiday journey with seals, Olkhon and kayaking",[9],"spring",{"src":11,"mobile":12,"alt":13},"\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fbaikal-between-ice-and-open-water\u002Fcover.jpg","\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fbaikal-between-ice-and-open-water\u002Fcover-mobile.jpg","Baikal seal on drifting spring ice below snow-capped mountains",{"paragraphs":15},[16],"BBT designed this late-April journey for the brief transition between Baikal’s melting ice and open water. Travelling from Irkutsk to Olkhon by hovercraft, the group looks for seals resting on remaining ice, then explores the island’s northern landscapes and possible deer habitat. The final active day brings the guests down to water level for kayaking among drifting ice where conditions allow. Rest after the flight and a Siberian banya balance the changing spring environment.",[18,21,24,27,30,33,36,39,42],{"label":19,"value":20},"Season","Late April–early May · holiday period",{"label":22,"value":23},"Duration","5 days \u002F 4 nights",{"label":25,"value":26},"Format","Private travel · Group size to confirm",{"label":28,"value":29},"Route","Irkutsk → Maloye More → Olkhon → Tazherany → Irkutsk",{"label":31,"value":32},"Airports","Irkutsk \u002F Irkutsk",{"label":34,"value":35},"Rhythm","Easy arrival; wildlife days and banya recovery",{"label":37,"value":38},"Physical activity","Moderate · Hovercraft, outdoor stops and conditional kayaking",{"label":40,"value":41},"Best suited to","Groups interested in the change of seasons and wildlife without long hikes",{"label":43,"value":44},"Est. price per person","$12,400",[46,55,64,73,82],{"title":47,"text":48,"experience":49,"arrangements":50,"images":51},"Time to Arrive","The journey begins without scheduled excursions, leaving space to recover after the flight.","Private airport meeting and transfer to History Hotel in Irkutsk; the rest of the day is free.","Family Connect two-room suite, 64 m².",[52],{"src":53,"alt":54},"\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fbaikal-between-ice-and-open-water\u002Fday-1\u002F1.jpg","Traveller with a cup of tea in a hotel room overlooking Irkutsk",{"title":56,"text":57,"experience":58,"arrangements":59,"images":60},"Seals on the Remaining Ice","The journey crosses the Maloye More Strait when Baikal is moving from winter ice toward open water.","Private road transfer to the shore, then hovercraft towards Olkhon; observation stops chosen where seals may be using the ice.","Team sets the route from real-time visibility, ice conditions and evidence of animals; evening arrival at Port Olkhon.",[61],{"src":62,"alt":63},"\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fbaikal-between-ice-and-open-water\u002Fday-2\u002F1.jpg","Two Baikal seals on an ice floe, with a boat on the open lake behind them",{"title":65,"text":66,"experience":67,"arrangements":68,"images":69},"Northern Olkhon and Shoreline Banya","A modest northern outing leaves time for expert-guided wildlife searching and recovery by the shore.","Local team looks for red deer in suitable northern Olkhon habitats; relaxed afternoon of Russian banya and hot tub.","Timing depends on weather and natural animal behaviour; steaming intensity adapted to guests.",[70],{"src":71,"alt":72},"\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fbaikal-between-ice-and-open-water\u002Fday-3\u002F1.jpg","Travellers with binoculars watching red deer in a pine forest",{"title":74,"text":75,"experience":76,"arrangements":77,"images":78},"Kayaking Among Spring Ice","The transition to open water becomes tangible at kayak level, after the return from Olkhon to Tazherany.","Return to the mainland and guided kayaking between ice floes at a site chosen for safe wind, water and ice conditions.","Private onward transfer to Irkutsk; final overnight at History Hotel. Kayaking operates only when local safety conditions allow.",[79],{"src":80,"alt":81},"\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fbaikal-between-ice-and-open-water\u002Fday-4\u002F1.jpg","Two kayakers paddling among ice floes in a rocky bay",{"title":83,"text":84,"experience":85,"images":86},"Departure","A private transfer is coordinated around the departing flight.","Breakfast and transfer to Irkutsk Airport.",[87],{"src":88,"alt":89},"\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fbaikal-between-ice-and-open-water\u002Fday-5\u002F1.jpg","Driver loading suitcases into a black minivan outside a hotel",[91,95],{"name":92,"description":93,"nights":94},"History Hotel","A two-room base for the first and final nights, with the arrival day reserved for rest.",2,{"name":96,"description":97,"nights":94},"Port Olkhon","Two island nights for spring wildlife searching and the Siberian banya programme.",{"description":99},"BBT designed this late-April journey for the brief transition between Baikal’s melting ice and open water.",[101,111,120],{"slug":102,"status":5,"title":103,"excerpt":104,"seasons":105,"cover":107,"maxGuests":-1,"dates":-1},"ice-fishing-across-northern-baikal","Ice Fishing Across Northern Baikal","A winter expedition from southern ice to northern thermal waters",[106,9],"winter",{"src":108,"mobile":109,"alt":110},"\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fice-fishing-across-northern-baikal\u002Fcover.jpg","\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fice-fishing-across-northern-baikal\u002Fcover-mobile.jpg","Three anglers ice fishing on Lake Baikal below snow-covered mountains",{"slug":112,"status":5,"title":113,"excerpt":114,"seasons":115,"cover":116,"maxGuests":-1,"dates":-1},"baikal-seal-pups-on-spring-ice","Baikal Seal Pups on Spring Ice","A spring wildlife journey across Lake Baikal to Olkhon",[9],{"src":117,"mobile":118,"alt":119},"\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fbaikal-seal-pups-on-spring-ice\u002Fcover.jpg","\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fbaikal-seal-pups-on-spring-ice\u002Fcover-mobile.jpg","White Baikal seal pup lying in the snow on the lake ice",{"slug":121,"status":5,"title":122,"excerpt":123,"seasons":124,"cover":125,"maxGuests":-1,"dates":-1},"primorye-waiting-for-the-amur-leopard","Primorye: Waiting for the Amur Leopard","A winter stay inside the forests of the Russian Far East",[106,9],{"src":126,"mobile":127,"alt":128},"\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fprimorye-waiting-for-the-amur-leopard\u002Fcover.jpg","\u002Fimages\u002Fjourneys\u002Fprimorye-waiting-for-the-amur-leopard\u002Fcover-mobile.jpg","Amur leopard standing on a snowy rock in a winter forest",1793255422162]