Ulan Ude

Lake Baikal

— the deepest and oldest lake in the world and, by volume of water, also the planet's largest freshwater body of water. It contains 20% of the world's liquid fresh water and is just over one mile deep. A daily bus service runs from the train station, leaving about 7:30AM, returning about 3:00PM, cost 300RUB each way.

Ivolginsky Datsan Buddhist Monastery

(http://www.baikal.eastsib...) — 23 km from the city. Buses leave the central bus station 10AM, 12 noon and 5:40PM for the forty minute journey taking the later bus will mean having to spend the night in at the monastery guesthouse or returning by taxi. Alternatively take a minibus to the last stop and transfer to shared taxis that run the route all day: Just say "Datsan, datsan," when getting on the bus. Expect to pay around 30R each way.

The next noteworthy stops on the Trans-Siberian Railway are Irkutsk to the west and Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky to the east. There is also a branch line from Ulan-Ude to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Ulaan-Baatar, Mongolia

Take TransMongolian from Ulan-Ude towards capital of Mongolia. 3 options - a train, an airplane and a bus. Trains are popular, it takes about 24+ hours long border stops, kupe carriages are only available, so it makes more expensive; buses are cheaper ~1000+ roubles and it's about 10-12 hours depends on traffic; airlines is EZNIS.

S7 Airlines (http://www.s7.ru), 63 Ploshad Sovetov.

Buryat-Avia Airline Ticket Agency, 20 Erbanova St. Tel:+7 3012 221-122, 221-133 Tickets sold for all major domestic and international airlines.