Lake Baikal

Baikal is incredibly beautiful in winter: the boundless icefields, bizarre ice patterns with crystals and air bubbles trapped inside the frozen lake, the rarest Baikal roses, grottoes, ice caves, rocks, and islands gleaming in the late afternoon sunlight -- the intricate landscape is the Siberia's crowning glory of beauty and splendor.

During our workshop, we'll visit new places every day: we'll photograph picturesque bays, mountain ranges, and intricate ice patterns on the lake.

On one of those days, we'll have a picnic on the ice, taste flavourful fish soup from the famous Baikal omul, Russian "ukha."

On this week-long photo tour, you'll experience the vastness and beauty of Siberia, peculiar Russian cuisine, stay in an intimately cozy hotel and have workshops in art and landscape photography.

Day 1. (February 15)

We'll meet in the morning at the airport in Irkutsk. Then take a tour bus, which will be waiting for us by the time you arrive, to Olkhon Island. The transfer takes approximately five hours. You'll be staying in a nice comfortable hotel with all the necessary amenities. On the same day, we'll venture out to our first shooting assignment at sunset.

Days 2-6. (February 16-20)

These days, we'll study the surrounding of Olkhon Island, explore the Small and the Big Seas. We'll photograph different capes, grottoes, and ice caves at both sunrises and sunsets.

In autumn and until mid-winter, when Lake Baikal is stormy, and temperatures drop below 0°C (32°F), frozen ice waves form unusual shapes (icy sputters) that sparkle in the rays of the low sun.

We'll shoot ice caves, drive to the cape Hoboi with its splendid views to the Barguzinsky mountain range and the northern part of the lake.

We'll photograph incredibly beautiful rocks in ice crystals, long cracks in the ice, and stones covered in silvery snow fur.
In the afternoons, we'll have free time as well as photo workshops, where we'll discuss the footage of the day.

Day 7. (February 21)

After the morning shooting and breakfast, we'll return to Irkutsk, where our photo tour ends. We'll be at the airport at approximately 18:00.