The Great Baikal Trail Project

This ambitious conservation project involves building a hiking trail around Lake Baikal, the world's oldest, largest and deepest lake. It lies on the southern edge of Siberia, among snowy mountain ranges, endless taiga forests and grassy steppes. Most of Baikal is undeveloped, quite diverse in nature and landscapes, with few roads on its shores, and only a handful of towns & villages. What it does have is plenty of wildlife, with many unique species unique to Baikal: bears, elk, sable, moose, foxes, and the famous Baikal seal – nerpa, the only freshwater seal in the world.

Two national parks and three wilderness reserves surround Baikal, each with its own set of trails, campsites and visitor centers. Until recently, very little connected these protected areas. But in 2003 we began building the “Great Baikal Trail,” bringing our dream of a circum-Baikal trail closer to reality. When completed, the Trail will be more than 1,300 miles long (more than 2000 km), and will offer hikers and tourists of all ages many more opportunities to see and enjoy the Lake.  The Trail will also help to develop eco-tourism in this region by supporting local businesses and giving locals incentives to preserve and protect the fragile beauty of Baikal.

Role of Volunteer

The only way we can build and maintain the Great Baikal Trail is by having volunteers come and spend their vacations working in our summer camps, for as long as the next ten years – at least. This kind of project is a wonderful, long-term meeting place for schoolchildren, college students, and anyone who is young at heart!  Over the past four summers, hundreds of volunteers contributed thousands of hours to building over 475 kilometers of safe, well-marked, and well-maintained trails. GBT participants came from 20 different countries and from most regions of Russia. In 2007, 22 new projects are planned, with openings for volunteers from all over the world.  Participating in a GBT camp is a unique chance to see protected nature reserves around Baikal, learn about Siberian culture and traditions, study or improve your Russian, make new friends and, of course, to spend a healthy two weeks building trails in one of the most beautiful places on Earth!

Cost

The contribution fee varies from 7200 to 8500 Rubles depending on the particular project (approximately 215 to 250 EURO). It covers: issuance of an invitation for a visa (from our partner organization “Baikal Trails”), reception at the airport or the train station in Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude, help arranging accommodations, registration with Russian authorities, meals on the project, services of a translator, administrative expenses, entertainment costs, tools, and a tent.

Travel

Lake Baikal is relatively remote. Flights to Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude (via Moscow or the Russian far east) are recommended for volunteers from abroad. Participants from Europe may choose to take the famous Trans-Siberian train from Moscow, which takes approximately 3 days of travel to reach the heart of Siberia. Entry from China via train is also a possibility for those coming from a southern or eastern direction.  Once you are at the airport or the train station in Irkutsk or Ulan-Ude, GBT staff will arrange pick-ups.