Khuzhir, the main settlement of Olkhon, will welcome you to the island and serve as your base camp while you delve into its picturesque interior. Here you can arrange for tours or transport to any part of the island, from the nearby Shamanka Rock to distant Cape Khoboy. But the settlement itself has some curiosities to offer you as well.

The lively fish market will remind you of Khuzhir’s roots as a fishing village. Incredible secrets from the past of Olkhon await you in the town’s museum, with collections dating back to the Stone Age painstakingly assembled by a dedicated local schoolteacher and his pupils.

The small and austere Church of the Reigning Mother of God guards a unique icon featuring Olkhon Island. The church hill will provide you with an excellent vantage point from which to look over the settlement and its scenic environs.

Shamans frequent their holy island’s capital, which makes it a fine place to seek them out for their insights or advice. With their guidance, you may attempt some simple rituals, such as the burkhan welcome ceremony or tying khadag scarves to one of the thirteen serge pillars just outside the town.