Lake Baikal, commonly known as ‘The Galapagos of Russia’ or the ‘Pearl of Siberia’, is the deepest freshwater lake in the world and also has the most volume, with 20 per cent of the world’s unfrozen surface water within. It is more than 600 km long and over 80 km wide.
Due to its isolated geographical and climatic position combined with its age and isolation it has an amazingly rich and unusual variety of flora and fauna. Baikal is one of the most bio-diverse lakes on Earth, with 1,340 species of animal and 570 species of plant – 80 per cent is endemic, found nowhere else on earth!
The Baikal Seal, also called Nerpa is found throughout the lake. It is the only true freshwater species in the world.
Lake Baikal is also believed to be the oldest lake in the world (at approximately 25 million years), created by a huge ancient rift. In summer its beauty and attraction is hard to resist. The whole lake is surrounded by mountains, snowcapped mountains, boreal forests, tundra, lakes, islands and steppes. The Baikal region has some 1,200 historical, archaeological and cultural monuments.
More than 330 rivers flow into the lake and it is so vast and deep that is is said that a combination of all the rivers in the world would take a year to fill it up. The water is so clear you can see through the transparency up to a depth of 40 metres!
An absolute paradise to go hiking and exploring in the forests, along the shores or to seek out beautiful hidden waterfalls. The area surrounding is now a national park.You could quite possibly catch sight of some of the rich wildlife, including bear, elk and lynx for example.
In winter the area transforms to a cold winter kind of paradise. Temperatures then go down to -19C and the lake freezes over. The Trans-Siberia railway runs around the edges of the lake but way back that was not always so. As the huge engineering and building task to construct around took place it went across the lake itself, by ferrying the railcars across and even over the ice in winter at one point. In winter now you can take a tour by sleigh.
Rich in life, rich in colour, rich in its beauty and isolation. A place on earth that surely only enrich your experience and gain your wonder and appreciation. Earth at its biggest and finest.
