Khuzhir is the one real village on Olkhon, the biggest island in Lake Baikal, a long, wind-scoured strip of steppe and pine forest about seventy kilometres long, lying close to the western shore. Baikal is the deepest lake on Earth, over sixteen hundred metres at its greatest depth, and holds about a fifth of the world's unfrozen fresh water. It is also very old, perhaps twenty-five million years, and its waters are astonishingly clear, so that you can see stones many metres down in summer.
The island is the centre of the Buryat shamanic tradition, and the rocky headland just outside Khuzhir, Shaman Rock, is a sacred place with colourful ribbons tied on posts. Sunsets here, with the light turning the water gold and the cliffs red, draw crowds in summer. Seals, the Baikal nerpa, live in the lake, and eagles and gulls ride the wind. The island's roads are mostly sandy and unpaved, and the main way of getting around is by old Soviet vans, which bounce over the ruts in clouds of dust.
Getting here is part of the trip. A ferry runs across the narrow strait, the Olkhon Gate, from the mainland near Sakhyurta, and queues for it can be long in summer, when everyone wants to cross at once. Ferries sometimes stop when ice is forming or breaking, so check the schedule. For riders, the riding on the island is a test, with soft sand, corrugations and washouts, and heavy bikes can be tricky. A trail leads north to Cape Khoboy, the island's northern tip, with big views over open water.
Khuzhir has just over a thousand people, with guesthouses, cafes and small shops, and fish from the lake, especially smoked omul, is the local treat. Fuel is sold in the village, but supplies can be limited, so fill up on the mainland before crossing. Summer is short and bright, with cool nights, and in winter the lake freezes so thickly that cars drive across it. Foreign riders should check current conditions and rules before planning travel.