Travel Expertly

Expert travel tips for a carefree trip!

Asia

All travel info about Circum-Baikal Railway, including a map

The Circum-Baikal Railway tour is a must if you are in the area. After all, the railroad runs along the shores of the lake, and is a perfect way to see its beauty sitting comfortably in an armchair. I strongly recommend you to take it: it is 89 kilometers of incredible views with stunning landscapes. There are several stops along the route, so you will get out of the train […]

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Asia

The 20+ best things to do in Olkhon Island, Russia

My guide to the best places to visit and things to do in Olkhon Island, Russia Olkhon Island is a gem in Baikal Lake region of Russia’s Siberia. This island, where less than 2,000 people live permanently, has stunning landscapes ranging from dense forests to rocky and steep shores. It is equally spectacular in summer and winter, with winter having its special charm when the thick ice sparkles with different […]

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Asia

What to do in Irkutsk, Russia: 30+ things to do in Irkutsk

A full guide on what to do in Irkutsk, Russia, the gateway to Baikal Lake. In Moldova, the country I am from, it is generally considered that only Moscow and St Petersburg are worth any attention among the Russian cities. Many people here believe that outside these two cities every other place is underdeveloped, with awful roads, no infrastructure and nothing to see. I am happy to say that they […]

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Asia

The best local food around Baikal: buuz, sagudai and others

My guide to the local food around Baikal Lake The history of Russia led to the amalgamation of different cuisines of local peoples of this vast country and the European one. The Soviet times brought new dishes or simplified the refined food of the Russian empire. For example, the famous olivier salad, which nowadays has simple ingredients, contained caviar, crayfish and hazel grouse meat. Quite a simplification, if you ask […]

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