One other thing: I can't really recommend hotels in most of the cities along the way, but in Ulan Ude I highly recommend the Baikal Plaza, where I've stayed several times. It is in the center, just across from the giant Lenin head, near a nice square and pedestrian zone, and a few minutes walk from Bochka, a decent restaurant with a big outdoor terrace. Ulan Ude is a surprisingly nice city, enjoy!
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