The Pearl of Siberia

Nestled in the deep south of Siberia, far away from more "conventional" tourist destinations, Lake Baikal amazes visitors with over 12,000 square miles of natural charm and unique landscapes.

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Ricardo Marquina Montañana

Nestled in the deep south of Siberia, far away from more "conventional" tourist destinations, Lake Baikal amazes visitors with over 12,000 square miles of natural charm and unique landscapes.

Ricardo Marquina Montañana

One of the biggest and most ancient lakes of world is situated nearly in the center of Asia in a huge stone bowl set 445 m above sea level. Everyone who has been to its shores is impressed and charmed by the grandeur, size, and unusual might of this Siberian miracle of nature.

The name of Baikal might derive from the Kirghizian word <i>Bai-Kul'</i> meaning "rich lake", the Yakutian word <i>Baig’al</i> meaning “deep water”, the Mongolian word <i>Baigaal-Dalai</i> meaning "tnature sea" or the Chinese word <i>Bei-Hai</i> meaning "northern sea".

Ricardo Marquina Montañana

The name of Baikal might derive from the Kirghizian word Bai-Kul' meaning "rich lake", the Yakutian word Baig’al meaning “deep water”, the Mongolian word Baigaal-Dalai meaning "tnature sea" or the Chinese word Bei-Hai meaning "northern sea".

Ricardo Marquina Montañana

The regional average temperatures vary from a minimum of −19 °C (−2 °F) in winter to maximum of 14 °C (57 °F) in summer.

Ricardo Marquina Montañana

It earned a spot on UNESCO's World Heritage Site list in 1996 and has become the target of numerous scientific expeditions.

Ricardo Marquina Montañana

Baikal has become famous for holding one-fifth of the world's freshwater reserves and for being the world's deepest lake, at 5,315 feet. Its cold water is so clear that it is possible to see to a depth of 40 meters (131 feet), and so clean that it can be drunk like distilled water.

Ricardo Marquina Montañana

The lake surface is 30,000 square kilometres, big enough to cover all of Belgium or Denmark. The 1,800 kilometer (1,118 miles) tourist trail running along its coastline is called the Big Baikal Trail.

Ricardo Marquina Montañana

Everyone who has been to its shores is impressed and charmed by the grandeur, size, and unusual might of this Siberian miracle of nature.

Ricardo Marquina Montañana

Baikal is home to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, two thirds of which can be found nowhere else in the world. It is also home to Buryat tribes who reside on the eastern side of Lake Baikal, rearing goats, camels, cattle and sheep.