Traveling Irkutsk, Russia – A Few Things To Do

So here I am, again, traveling Irkutsk for the 3rd time and luckily finding some alternative things to do while in this Siberian city. We had just come back from a few days spent traveling Olkhon Island on Lake Baikal which was amazing (if you’re in Irkutsk, go there!). But now I’m back again in Irkutsk, traveling and looking for some things to do that may not be found in your typical travel guide books… So what did I come up with? Well luckily, when you travel with locals in the city, they’ll offer some unique alternatives.

The first place we went was the “Aquarium of Baikal Seal”. Yes it has a very ‘basic’ Russian inspired name but it’s a very small place that puts on an amazing show with freshwater ‘Nerpa’ seals that inhabit Lake Baikal. As much as I’m not a huge fan of zoo type exhibits, I really wanted a chance to view these seals as they are the only freshwater seals in the world. I’ve been to Lake Baikal three times and as of yet, I haven’t had a chance to view these seals. They actually get quite large and are similar to saltwater seals. And going into this, I’d heard of their intelligence previously, similar to that of dolphins, however I had no idea what to expect during this show put on by them which we saw.

The Lake Baikal ‘Nerpa’ Seals

Photo courtesy from the 56thParallel

The aquarium that houses these seals was a bit dingy and unfortunately, we weren’t allowed any cameras for photos or video but there were 3 freshwater seals here from the Lake Baikal and it was amazing the tricks these little guys put on. They had done everything from painting a portrait on canvas all while treading water to playing a saxophone and drums. They are actually very shy and we were told it takes a very long time to train them especially for demonstrations in front of people. If you’re curious to learn more about these Nerpa seals as they are named, follow this link on Lake Baikal Seals – Nerpa.

On another day spent traveling Irkutsk, we were searching for some things to do and my friend suggested to go to the theater. Having known the Russian theater would be a sight to see whether it be a play or anything else, I figured why not. The Russian theater is famous around the world and luckily the tickets weren’t too expensive at all. We ended up going on a cold rainy night which was fine with me. Better to spend time indoors. The show was not something I’d probably ever attend in my home country, but was interesting nonetheless. There wasn’t much dialogue either which was good… my Russian language comprehension was still a bit rusty!

Other things to do while traveling Irkutsk include catching the local markets selling both goods from China as well as from Mongolia. With both countries so close to the city of Irkutsk, you can find plenty of bargains as well as great people watching (one of my favorite things to do while traveling). There are two main markets where goods are sold from both the Russians and Buryats (Siberian natives) as well as the Chinese. I’d also recommend walking the streets of downtown. There are some notable landmarks and statues to see along the way as well as the Angara river that runs through the city and continues all the way to Lake Baikal.

The Downtown market – Ready for some haggling and bargains

For one quick side note, if you find yourself here traveling Irkutsk and are in search of WiFi (a very difficult thing to find in Siberia, even in Irkutsk – a city of 600,000) then head over to Harat’s Pub.

‘Not’ Irish food from Harat’s but good local food I tried. These were slices of ‘cabbage pie’

Maybe the fact that I wrote this post while there is inspiring me to share… There are several of them scattered about throughout the city and they always have great free WiFi. If it weren’t for Harat’s, I’d have trouble putting this post together with no access to good WiFi and would never be able to search and find any of these places while traveling around… It’s an Irish themed pub and has a great choice of drinks and food – That is, if you’re looking for a break from Russian cuisine.

Hopefully you’ll have the chance to visit this Siberian city which most take advantage of while traveling on the Trans-Siberian train. A great stopping point on the way from Moscow to Vladivostok. Aside from the most popular destinations around Irkutsk, notably Lake Baikal and Listvyanka as well as the less visited Arshan, hopefully I’ve shed some light on other things to do in the city. And of course, I always welcome your comments and questions!

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Lake Baikal right outside the city