Siberia

🚗 Start in Irkutsk, finish in Listvyanka. Approximate distance for the day: 85–95 km including a detour to the Taltsy Museum and local driving. Pure driving time is about 1.5–2 hours. This is the ideal first day after your flight: you pick up the car in the city or at the airport, get used to the traffic, and ease onto the Baikal Highway without rushing. On the way, it makes sense to make 2 main stops: the Taltsy architectural and ethnographic museum with a large parking area, and the Baikal Museum in Listvyanka, where it is convenient to get acquainted with the lake’s nature before the longer drives. In Listvyanka itself, you can add a short walk to the embankment and the viewpoint at the source of the Angara. It is better to stay overnight in Listvyanka so that the next morning you do not have to push through the suburbs of Irkutsk again. Road details: the road is paved and easy, but on weekends the Baikal Highway can be busy; parking at popular spots fills up by midday, so it is more convenient to leave Irkutsk before 10:00. The day is realistic for an average driver because the transfer is short, the route is straightforward, and the main impressions come not from the wheel but from a calm introduction to Baikal.

🚗 Start in Listvyanka, finish in Khuzhir on Olkhon Island. Approximate distance: about 300–320 km depending on the stopping points. Pure time on the road is about 5.5–6.5 hours plus ferry waiting time. Main stops along the way: a café and gas station around Irkutsk/Bayanday, a scenic pause in the steppe part of the Olkhon district, the MRS — Olkhon ferry crossing. This is the main driving day of the route, but it remains realistically manageable for tourists: the highway is generally straightforward, and an early departure allows you to comfortably cover the long stretch and arrive in Khuzhir before dark. After the crossing, it is important to remember that roads on Olkhon are uneven in places, with sections of gravel and dust, so it is better not to plan complicated side trips on the same day. Staying overnight in Khuzhir is optimal: this is where the hotels, cafés, and an evening walk to Shamanka are concentrated. Road details: in summer there may be a queue for the ferry, and the schedule changes by season; officially, the MRS-Olkhon crossing operates during navigation until freeze-up, so the departure times and traffic regime should be checked the day before. It is better to refuel on the mainland, because on the island the choice and opening hours of facilities are limited. The day is realistic for an average driver because it is one busy transfer without extreme off-road, but with an early start and a necessary time buffer for the ferry.

🚗 Start and finish in Khuzhir. Approximate distance: 70–120 km depending on how far you want to explore and on road conditions. Pure driving time is 2.5–4 hours. Main stops: Shamanka Rock and Saraysky Beach near the village, Kharantsy or the viewpoints of the Small Sea, and farther south — calm steppe panoramas and sandy stretches near the shore. On a five-day itinerary, it is better not to chase the farthest north of the island in a regular rental sedan if the weather is bad or the surface is damaged: it is much more pleasant to make a beautiful and safe loop around the nearest scenic spots, leaving time for walks. At popular points, park only where there are already established permitted pull-ins and where vegetation is not being damaged. It is best to stay overnight in Khuzhir again — this simplifies logistics and saves you from unnecessary packing. Road details: on the island, surface quality is unstable; after rain, ruts and sand may become more difficult, and you should not drive fast even on an empty road, especially in the evening. This day is realistic for an average driver because it is not a marathon, but a scenic overview drive with short radial outings and plenty of time for stops and photos.

🚗 Start in Khuzhir, finish in Arshan. Approximate distance: 430–470 km including departure from the island, the crossing, and the route through Irkutsk/bypass sections to the Tunka Valley. Pure driving time is about 7.5–8.5 hours plus ferry waiting time and short breaks. This is the longest day of the route, so it must be planned with discipline: an early departure from Khuzhir, a запас of water and fuel, and 2–3 mandatory rest stops — on the mainland side after the ferry, around Irkutsk or Shelekhov for fuel and lunch, then in Kultuk or on the road toward the Tunka Valley. The final part of the route is especially beautiful: the steppe gives way to the mountains of the Eastern Sayan, and Arshan welcomes you with conifer-scented air and cool temperatures. It is better to stay overnight in the Arshan resort itself, so that in the evening you do not have to drive again and can calmly walk to the mineral springs. Road details: the day is long, so it should not be combined with a large sightseeing program; it is better to reach the ferry as early as possible, and on the mountain road to Arshan, drive carefully at dusk and in bad weather. The day is realistic for an average driver only with an early start and by minimizing extra detours — that is exactly why no remote detour points have been added between Olkhon and Arshan.

🚗 Start in Arshan, finish in Irkutsk. Approximate distance: 230–260 km with local detours. Pure driving time is about 4–4.5 hours. In the morning, it makes sense to leave the car by the village and walk a short section to the trails along the Kyngarga or to the resort area with mineral water, and only then head back to Irkutsk. On the way, you can make 1–2 stops: a scenic pause in the Tunka Valley and lunch around Kultuk or Slyudyanka if you want one more look at southern Baikal. It is better to arrive in Irkutsk not too late so that you have time to return the car and spend your last evening in the city without rushing. Road details: before departure, refuel in the Tunka Valley rather than counting on random gas stations farther along the route; after rains, parking areas near tourist trails may be muddy, so footwear and time for a short walking section should be planned in advance. The day is realistic for an average driver because it is noticeably easier than the previous one: half the day is devoted to the nature of Arshan, and the second half to a smooth return to Irkutsk on an easy-to-follow road.