Listvyanka

Listvyanka (Листвянка) is a town with less than 2,000 inhabitants in Irkutsk Oblast on the shore of Lake Baikal. It's a gateway to the lake (e.g. starting point for boat trips) and the surrounding region with many natural attractions and the activities offered by both. Aside of the lake views the very town itself, however, isn't that attractive and gets crowded in season. It does have a few things to see and places to eat and sleep.

Understand
The Listvyanka village, on Lake Baikal where the Angara river begins, was mentioned in a 1726 diary from a Tsarist embassy on their way to China. As with all of Siberia at this time, it was just a tiny settlement. Listvyanka would remain so until the late 19th century when a port was established, followed by a shipyard. The Trans-Siberian in its first iterations passed near the town from 1900 onwards; the section from Irkutsk upriver and across the lake to Mysovsk (nowadays Babushkin) was operated by ships. A few years later this section too was passable by railway, from Irkutsk along the river to Port Baikal on the opposite river bank (this section was dismantled in the 1950s) and along what's now the Circum-Baikal Railway on to Kultuk where it meets with the present-day Transsib.

In Soviet times an institute to study the lake was established (now the Baikal Museum), and at that time the first simple tourist facilities were opened. After the fall of Communism the Siberian village has more and more developed into a true tourist resort, one may even compare it to a small Black Sea resort and during the summer months the town may be outright crowded with hikers and other tourists; mostly domestic but some foreigners too. The port is still very alive but instead of cargo ships there are tour boats and private pleasure crafts. Landscapes are really beautiful, though, with the mountains coming down to the lake both here and at the opposite side of the Angara.

Listvyanka and surroundings has one of the most pleasant climates in Siberia; not so hot in the summer, and milder than Irkutsk and east of the lake in the winter. As such, the weather is still pleasant in September, and the place is less crowded than during the height of the summer meaning it could be a good time to visit. For a winter experience, you can visit in February or March to see the frozen over lake.

Orientation


Listvyanka is mostly along the road coming from Irkutsk along the left bank of Angara to the source of the river. Then it continues along the north shore of Lake Baikal. The first 2.5 km or so is known as Krestovka, with many lodgings and museums. Then comes what can be called downtown with the market and other hotels. The road ends at the solar telescope; from here you can continue along the lake on foot along the Great Baikal Trail (Большая Байкальская тропа).

Practical information
The town is easily explored on your own, but to head out on the lake or into the woods a tour operator or rental agency (for bikes, all-terrain vehicles or snowmobiles) can come in handy. There are many of them along the road. Tour operators are often based in Irkutsk, meaning it's possible to plan your excursions already there.



Hikers heading into the Pribaikalsky National Park need a permit to visit, which can be obtained from:



Get in
Listvyanka is at the end of a road coming from the regional capital Irkutsk, 65 km northwest. In addition to driving yourself, you can take a marshrutka (minibus) from the bus station running every hour or so.

In the summer there are also boats along the river from Irkursk - more expensive than the minibus the but the views are worth it. There are also boats from Olkhon Island, and from Port Baikal (the end of the Circum-Baikal Railway) across the river mouth.



Get around
Listvyanka stretches for about 4 km along the river and lake shore, it's walkable but you can also use the marshrutki from Irkutsk to hop across town. For drivers: there are few parking lots (and parking is payable) at the bottom end of town, where most people head. It's better to park earlier along the road where it's free and much more space.

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Do
In the summer there are many tour operators offering boat tours. Shorter trips like one-hour cruises can be booked on the spot, but longer journeys are better arranged in advance to make sure there's space for you onboard. For a nature excursion, you can take the boat to Bolshie Koty, 20 km north and hike back along the Great Baikal Trail (or vice versa) but you need a permit for the hike.

The lake is cool around the year, but freezes over in early or late January, depending on how cold the winter is. The Baikal ice can have a bluish tone or be transparent, giving it a special look. When the ice is strong enough, there are tours with snowmobiles, terrain vehicles, dog sleds and hovercrafts.

Activities
If you want to dive the world's largest lake, Listvyanka is a good place to start. There's one diving company (Novoya Izmerenie, "New dimension") in town, and another one Baikal Tek based in Irkutsk but operating on Baikal. In the summer there are boat tours with boats with a transparent bottom - the lake water is famous for its clarity so you can see a great deal of underwater life on such trips without diving.





Hiking is also a possibility; northeast along the Great Baikal Trail (permit required, as mentioned before) or if you take the boat across the river mouth to lake Baikal you can hike along the tracks of the Circum-Baikal Railway.

Eat and drink
Fish features prominently on the menus of restaurants and cafes here, especially smoked omul, and the appetizer sagudai which is lightly salted and frozen fish with lemon, onion and spices. As omul fishing has been restricted, you will sometimes get served some other fish even if ordered a dish with omul.



Sleep
For being in the middle of Siberia, Listvyanka is relatively expensive, also when it comes to accommodation. Nevertheless the standards are higher than elsewhere around the lake, for example outdoor toilets are rare. In high season you won't find anything below 1500 ₽/person/night and you need to double that for any amenities. During the winter, prices are lower.





Go next
Nature is a big attraction, so why not head out in the woods surrounding the town, along the Great Baikal Trail or by boat across the river and the nature there. Boat tours can take you north to Bolshiye Koty, to Peschanaya Bay, and all the way to Olkhon island or south along the coast like the Circum-Baikal railway.

You can return to Irkutsk by marshrutka or boat, or cross the river to Port Baikal and board the Circum-Baikal Railway to Slyudyanka. There are no options for getting across the lake to the southern shore, unless a tour company arranges such a trip which they rarely do.

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