Leslie_S

I'm starting to think about a trip to Mongolia for 2014 and wondering if going into Russia to see Lake Baikal would be a good idea. Since our time away is limited (to around 2 weeks total including travel time) it would mean we'd see less of Mongolia so I'd only do it if Lake Baikal is really worth it. Also it would be a not-cheap side trip on top of an already not-cheap trip...so there's that.

I don't know that we'd ever take another trip to that part of the world so it's definitely a now-or-never kind of thing.

I've searched online for info from people's trips and haven't found a whole lot to help me decide. Has anyone here been to Lake Baikal and would you give me your opinion on spending a few days there?

Thanks -

Leslie

thursdaysd

If you think this would be your only opportunity, I would go for it, but make sure you see Irkutsk as well as Lake Baikal. It would be an opportunity to ride the Trans-Mongolian train, too. For my now somewhat dated trip see http://wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004/index.html - Sunny Siberia.

Leslie_S

Great writing. I can't say it inspired a huge need to travel in your footsteps! Haha, I am soft and only like to read about true adventures not live them. But it was very interesting - homestays and traveling by train, etc. Yes, I would go to Irkutsk. I would try to limit the amount of time we're in Ulanbattar - it sounds like you would agree with that.

This is very preliminary planning but it's sort of gotten under my skin and that usually means I'll end up there. I had read a few trip reports by chance recently and a day later someone I met told me her favorite trip was to Mongolia so I took that as a sign from the travel gods that I should look further into it

thursdaysd

Hi Leslie - I remember "meeting" you on my Morocco TR. Looks like you've been busy traveling since then! If you go, make sure you ride the "tourist train" on the old route, I saw recently that the train has been cleaned up since I was there. And I would certainly recommend hotels, not homestays - did you read my homestay rant on the Russia piece?

I wasn't that inspired by Ulaan Baator, but it was 2004. I've read some recent reports that suggest it's improved, but I would definitely recommend getting out into the country.

Leslie_S

Haha, I did read about your homestays in Russia - further proof of your bravery as a traveler! I also read on tripadvisor about some other people's experiences doing homestays in Mongolia that sounded NOT GOOD. As I said, I'm a softy and the nicest hotel (or ger) that my money can afford is my preferred modus operandi.

I'm looking at a company, Nomadic Expeditions, to use and if one of their scheduled expeditions will suit I would do that I think and therefore rely on their choices of accommodations. From what I gather so far in my limited research, they can customize elements and/or do a private trip just for us so there's the ability to make sure we see everything we feel is a must. Tourist train advice duly noted.

UB sounds like someplace I don't need to spend much time from recent trip reports (I can only imagine in 2004) and I would definitely want to be out in the country as much as possible.

I'm happy to have been traveling a lot since Morocco but that's by my definition - I think you have set the bar very high for frequent traveling!

Underhill

I can't help you with Lake Baikal (although I remember reading about it in my Russian Geography class a long time ago), but a good friend of ours spent 2 weeks in Mongolia and just loved it--even Ulan Bator. She especially enjoyed a trip out into the country and visiting some nomadic people who lived in gers (not yurts!).

Leslie_S

Underhill - I too have a friend that loved Mongolia- she says it was one of her favorite trips and she's been all over the world. So I'm sold on that destination but just trying to decide if the Siberian detour will work for me. I have heard others saying they enjoyed UB so I'll try to be open-minded about it but still will try to make that mostly just an entry and exit point!