Season - from 5 February to 31 March (may change due to ice conditions). 

Dates Ice Diving Expedition 2022:
07.02 - 13.02.2022
16.02 - 22.02.2022
07.03 - 13.03.2022

7 days / 208 250 rub.

Book for other dates tanya@baikaldiving.ru

Diving and journey!

Baikal ice safari is impossible to compare with diving programs offered in our country. What is usually offered? Accommodation of different comfort level and diving not far from accommodation, where you can walk or drive snowmobile. On Baikal ice safari the journey starts when you leave an airplane in Irkutsk airport. Beautiful road through pribaikalian forests, steppes and mountains takes nearly the whole day. This is not just a transfer "Irkutsk – Olkhon". This is fascinating and informative tour to steppes and foothills of Baikal. On the way there are siberian villages, hairy caws that find their food under the snow, stops near “burkhan” – local spiritual offering points, Buryat "poznye" (authentic cafes of local cuisine), and of course on the mountains tops from there you can see breath taking panoramas of Baikal and a Small Sea straight.

Huge cracks - a great thing for diving. Baikal abyss is under you and above there are effect ice formations, that, be careful!, may start living their own life: to move, breath, crackle.

Nobody who took part in ice safari left disappointed. The combination of journey and diving on majestic sea-lake is a good way to get various impressions and huge charge of courage.

Day 1.  
Meeting in Irkutsk (8.30-9.00). Group transfer "Irkutsk - Olkhon". The road will take 6-8 hours. In the first part of the journey, we will see endless desert fields with shaggy cows, horses, sheeps and yaks. We will rise through the pass with snow-covered fir trees. We will make a stop in the Tazheranskaya steppe to see open spaces, panoramas, Baikal from the tops. In the middle of the day we will have lunch in an atmospheric Buryat national cafe - Poznoy. You will taste some of the main local specialties - poses and boohler. That's it, civilization is over. We change the bus for ice transport, take out the warmest clothes - the harsh and windy Baikal awaits us. The first acquaintance with Baikal - a stop "on the seven winds", at the Olkhonskiye Vorota. Here the winds accelerate to 130 km / h! and, almost always, black, transparent ice. The next stop is ice grottoes, splashes, tunnels and an obligatory ritual for the god of Baikal - Burkhan. Continuing along the ice road, we will stop at the islands of the Small Sea, go to the Buddhist stupa and, by 16 o'clock, arrive in the village of Khuzhir, which will become our base for a week.
Accommodation at the hotel and unpacking of equipment. Meeting with a dive instructor, a big briefing on the peculiarities of Olkhon diving, checking certificates, filling out forms and discussing the Ice Expedition program. If there is time, in the evening we will go to spend the sunset on the sacred Shamanka rock.
Dinner. Free time.

Day 2 - Day 6. 
07.30 - 08.00 Equipment packing.
08.00 - 08.30 Breakfast 
08.30 - Loading equipment into cars, going to the ice. Off-road ice across the Small Sea area. We do not know how far and how long we will have to drive. Our goal is to find an interesting dive site: clear ice, a crack freshly broken at night, a combination of bottom and ice movement or, promising underwater, hummocking area. This is not daily diving on Olkhon.  This is the Ice Diving Expedition. Search for fresh ice formations. Dives every day in a new, unknown place. We will not only move ourselves, but also carry a "dive camp" with us: warm houses, a tent and everything that is needed to prepare the hole and organize diving. According to many years of experience, the nearest possible dive points are 25-30 km., to distant ones - 40-50 km. The standard off-road travel speed is 20-40 km / h. So, the road to the dive site will take from 1 to 2 hours. 
So that the path is not so long and tiring, on the way we will stop at the places we like for walks and photographs. Every day our road will pass along a new route. We will definitely visit such iconic places as: Elenka, Three Brothers, Khoboy. And also places where there are no crowds of tourists. Where is the silence and solitude.
~ 10.00 ~ 11.00 - arrival at the dive site.
~ 10.00 ~12.00 Preparing an ice camp, sawing a hole. While our staff is busy preparing, you can use your free time for walking on the ice and ashore, ice skating or just relaxing on a sun lounger.
~ 11.00 ~ 12.00 Briefing. Preparing for the dive
~ 12.00 - 15.00 Diving. Dives are done in groups of 2-3 people. 3 groups per hole.
15.00 - 16.00 End of dives. Lunch on ice.
15.30 - 17.30 Depending on the weather and the wishes of the Expedition participants - we ride in search of grottoes, splashes, cracks (where we have not yet been), steam in a bath on ice (followed by jumping into a hole), walk in the woods, stay at sunset or return to the hotel
17.30 - 18.30 Unpacking and drying equipment. Free time.
18.30 We call this time "Burkhan-time". Burkhan is the god of Baikal and this is the time for watching Baikal films, telling about interesting Baikal expeditions, tasting Baikal fish and other pleasant pastime.
19.00 Dinner. 

Day 7. 
07.30 - 08.00 Packing things. Preparing for check-out.
08.00 - 08.30 Breakfast. 
08.30 - Loading bags into cars. Check-out. We do not dive on this day. Today we will go to those places that we did not have time to see on diving days. Panoramic views of Lake Baikal from the mountain peaks, a visit to the Brown Bears Coast, a trip to East Olkhon or the Marble Quarry - everything will depend on the weather and the wishes of the participants.
~16.30 ~ 19.00. Arrival to Irkutsk. End of the program

more about Ice Diving Expedition

Water temperature +0.5 +1°С 
Visibility- 5 - 25 m
Currents - unlikely, if present, they are extremely weak, practically invisible.
Air temperature: -35°С / -15°С  (February), -20°С / +10°С (March). Very strong wind is possible (50-130 km / h). We spend all day on the ice, in the open air.

Diving rules:
1. Ice Diver + Dry Suit Diver certification required.
2. Diving is possible only in a group of 2-3 people. Solo ice diving is prohibited.
3. Groups of divers dive into the hole one by one. During the dive of the 1st group - the second group holds the rope on the surface. After the dive, the groups change roles.
4. Ice diving is possible only with the use of a safety line (rope). The safety rope is fixed to the diver's equipment. Diving without a rope or using an individual reel is FORBIDDEN.
5. It is necessary to have 2 regulators.

Recommended equipment - dry suit, dry gloves, 2 regulators (for extremly cold water, mark 0-4°C), 3 layers undergarment: thermal underwear, special diving underwear maximum den (Arctic 4 Element, Body Tec2 Waterproof or similar) + undersuit max den (BZ400 Santi, Wezzle Extreme or similar), 2 pairs of wool socks. 

Difficulty level: middle +

The goal of the Ice Diving Expedition is to dive near freshly formed cracks, as well as in places far from standard tourist routes. In addition, wildlife observation, walks, photography. To be close to nature without harming the flora and fauna.

Our team will do everything to make your ice experience and diving experience as comfortable and safe as possible. To make the expedition successful and comfortable for everyone, we ask you to carefully read the rules of participation in the expedition.

1. Safety on ice. Our routes pass at a considerable distance from settlements. Baikal ice conditions and weather conditions can change suddenly and rapidly. Decisions about diving, time and place of departure from the ice / ice to be accepted in real time. It is important to attend all briefings throughout the day and not stray too far from the main group.

2. Clothes. It can be VERY cold! Minus 35 + strong wind. All day on ice, outdoors. Warm houses used in the program are only for preparing equipment. Sitting in a house, having dinner, sleeping, etc. is impossible. It is necessary to have down jackets, hats, mittens, trousers - as warm and windproof as possible. Shoes are ideal from a fishing store. Inside - felt (like a felt boot), on top - wind protection and waterproof material, the sole are waterproof. + woolen socks. Gortex and other technology bots - NOT SUITABLE (based on experience).

3. Medicine. There is a small first-aid post in Khuzhir (on Olkhon). The nearest hospital is in Irkutsk (300 km). Pharmacy in the village of Khuzhir - a minimum set of basic medicines. Personal first aid kit - you need to bring everything with you. Personal care must be taken while on ice. It is recommended to have shoe spikes.

4. Diving

- Recommended level: 100+ dives. Great practice in using a dry suit. In the case of free flow, you should be able to quickly and calmly switch to a spare regulator at a considerable distance from the hole, and also be ready to shut off valves.

- Perfect buoyancy skills. Most dives will take place without the usual landmarks, bottom or topography. Most dives are no more than 2 meters deep. BUT! The depth below us is from several tens to hundreds of meters. Buoyancy control only using a suit or mouth inflating BCD. The dive takes place in the ice crystallization zone, the expansion joint inflation button freezes.

- Dive time. We do not limit the dive time and recommend planning dives for 50 - 70 minutes. From experience, this is the optimal time to explore all the fantastic beauty for which we are doing this expedition.

- Before diving. Due to the harsh weather conditions, all equipment is prepared in a warm house or car. All members of the group prepare for the dive at the same time and independently.

- Exit from the water. The holes are not equipped with ladders. The skill of removing equipment in the water is a plus.

- Surface support. The rope handler is not your partner. Any problem on the surface or underwater must be solved by you personally or with the help of your underwater buddy.

All activities of the Ice Diving Expedition are planned for self-sufficient and experienced participants.