Heliskiing
at Lake Baikal
We open the winter heliski season in Russia’s snowiest region – and one of its most beautiful.
Season: November–January
Nearest airport: Irkutsk
Skiing area: helicopter drops up to 2,300 m, alpine terrain and trees
Accommodation: Tankhoy or Novosnezhnaya, three options to choose from
Vertical per run: 600–1,000 metres
Group: 4 or 5 guests per guide, depending on the helicopter
Trips: 3–5 ski days, one hour of helicopter time per day
Runs per day: 5–15
Helicopters: Airbus EC130 T2 and AS350 B3
Why Baikal
We’ve been flying at Baikal since 2018, two months every season – this is our ninth. In our experience it’s the best skiing we know, for both snow and terrain.
Frequent snowfalls
Early winter in the Khamar-Daban range is reliably snowy, with heavy, regular snowfalls.
Alpine bowls and trees
Wide alpine cirques, steep couloirs and superb tree skiing. Runs drop 600–1,000 metres.
We fly in poor visibility too
Right next to the lodges there’s a zone of widely spaced trees. It lets us fly and ski on days when visibility is poor and the alpine terrain is closed.
Certified mountain guides
All our ski guides are certified by the Russian Mountain Guides Association. We hold to the highest standards – safety comes first.
Airbus EC130 T2 and AS350 B3
The best helicopters for flying in high mountains, used by heliski operators worldwide. Our pilots have years of mountain flying behind them, much of it with heliski groups.
Everything run by our own team
We take service seriously and staff every lodge ourselves – serving team, housekeeping, all our own people. We bring in chefs who cook with local ingredients: meals, mountain picnics and après-ski.
Video from the trip
Heliskiing at Lake Baikal, 2020.
Locations and logistics
Irkutsk to Tankhoy: 3.5 hours by road. Irkutsk to Novosnezhnaya: 3 hours.
Three ways to stay
The skiing and the terrain are the same whichever one you choose. The only difference is where you sleep.
Trips and prices
Prices are per person. Standard means the lodge at Tankhoy or at Novosnezhnaya; VIP means the VIP chalet.
Prices are set in Russian roubles. Dollar figures are approximate, converted at ₽87 to the US dollar.
4 helicopter hours
Included in the price
- 3–5 days of heliskiing, depending on the trip
- 3–5 hours of helicopter time
- A mountain guide for each group of four or five
- Accommodation at the lodge or in the chalet
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day
- A picnic in the mountains on flying days
- Banya every day
- Avalanche safety gear: ABS airbag pack, transceiver, shovel, probe
- Airport–lodge–airport transfers
Not included
- Airfare
- Insurance
- Ski and snowboard equipment
- Drinks
- Membership fee — ₽5,000 a year: the annual association fee that gives access to all our heliski trips in the current calendar year.
Who heliskiing is for,
and whether beginners can join
Every season we take guests who are going heliskiing for the first time. A little off-piste experience in soft snow is enough.
Heliskiing has a reputation for being extreme and very demanding. In practice it’s far easier than freeriding and off-piste skiing at a resort. We’re always flying into untracked snow, which is much more forgiving of mistakes. Tracked-out resort slopes ask far more of your fitness and your technique.
We put groups together by ability, so beginners and experienced riders never end up in the same one. The guide picks runs to suit the group: whatever the weather and whoever is in it, there’s always something that works for everyone.
Reserve your dates
Where you stay
A closer look at each of our three lodges on the southern shore of Baikal.
Tankhoy
- Three chalets, each with five twin rooms and five bathrooms
- Couples can share a room
- Restaurant with panoramic views of the lake and Khamar-Daban, with its own chef
- Banya (Russian steam bath) and a heated soaking tub
- Helipad on the grounds
- 3.5 hours by road from Irkutsk
The southern shore of Baikal, where the village of Tankhoy sits, is considered one of the most beautiful parts of the lake. The lodge stands right on the shore, 50 metres from the water, on the edge of the Baikal Nature Reserve. Every room faces the lake.
Novosnezhnaya
- A guest house built of Baikal cedar
- A proper banya and home cooking from local ingredients
- House-made infused spirits
- Helipad 80 metres away
- 3 hours by road from Irkutsk
Our main lodge is a real Siberian homestead. Everything here is the way people have always lived on Baikal: timber, a stove, the banya after skiing, and one table where the whole group gathers.
VIP chalet, Novosnezhnaya
- 300 m² in Provençal style
- Four bedrooms, sleeping up to eight, twin share
- An open-plan living and dining room, plus a lounge with a fireplace
- Private chef and private banya
- Helipad on the grounds
VIP is about the accommodation only. The skiing, the guide and the helicopter time are the same for everyone, and the group is the same size whichever you choose.
The chalet is yours alone – no other guests, nobody to disturb you. Made for a group travelling together that wants the week to themselves.
Season 2026/27 dates
Trips run in November and December, and over the Russian New Year holidays in January 2027. We’ll send the exact list of open dates on request.
How to get to Irkutsk
For international guests there are two convenient routings. Neither hub has a direct flight to Irkutsk, so you connect through Moscow or Novosibirsk.
DXB
Fly to Dubai from your home airport, then:
Dubai–Moscow–Irkutsk (IKT)
Dubai–Novosibirsk (OVB)–Irkutsk (IKT)
IST
Fly to Istanbul from your home airport, then:
Istanbul–Moscow–Irkutsk (IKT)
Istanbul–Novosibirsk (OVB)–Irkutsk (IKT)
If the weather in the mountains keeps us on the ground
Snowfall at Baikal doesn’t necessarily mean a cancelled day. We often fly in poor visibility, even while it’s snowing.
If the pilot decides we can fly, there’s a superb zone of well-spaced trees next to the lodges that skis beautifully. You can see it all in the video below.
Skiing, terrain and helicopters
Khamar-Daban is the mountain range at the south-western end of Baikal, and its northern slopes are the wettest in the region. In early winter the lake hasn’t frozen over yet and is still giving off heat – and that’s what brings the snow. Temperatures hold between −5 and −15 °C (23 to 5 °F).
Alpine bowls, couloirs, trees
Wide alpine cirques, steep couloirs and the conifer forest locals call the Siberian jungle. An average run drops 600–1,000 metres.
Airbus EC130 T2 and AS350 B3
The EC130 T2 is our main ship. Both types lead their class in payload, range and cruising speed, and are proven in demanding weather and mountain conditions. Our pilots have extensive mountain experience.
Other things to do
Mount Sobolinaya
Two chairlifts and three surface lifts, 500 metres of vertical, and a view over Baikal. Forty minutes by road from the lodges. The pistes are well groomed and there are no lift queues. A good way to add days to the trip, especially if you’re bringing family.
The shore and the mountain valleys
Riding utility snowmobiles along the shore of Baikal and out on the trails – a big area with plenty of routes. Mountain sleds are also available to rent for riding in the valleys.
The Mamay valley
A snowmobile drop at the bottom of the climb, and you skin up from there.
Tours and walks
Guided tours of the Baikal Nature Reserve, dog sledding, walking and cross-country ski outings, and airboat trips on the rivers.
How a trip works
Five ski days run Sunday to Friday. Four ski days run Saturday to Wednesday, or Wednesday to Sunday.
Arrival in Irkutsk and the transfer, with lunch on the way. Welcome reception, introductions to the guides, the safety briefing, dinner.
Breakfast, then into the mountains for a full day on the snow. A picnic up in the mountains. Back to the lodge, banya, dinner.
Breakfast, skiing until 1 pm, then lunch. Transfer to Irkutsk and the flight home.
Irkutsk (IKT) is the arrival airport. For international guests the usual routings go through Dubai or Istanbul, connecting via Moscow or Novosibirsk. We help choose flights once your dates are set.
Baikal in pictures
Shot on our own trips over past seasons.
Book your trip
Send us your details and we’ll come back with the open dates, who else is in the group, and answers to your questions. No obligation.
Or write to us directly:
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WhatsApp ·
+7 910 428-31-47