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Lake Baïkal - Russia

There is probably no more beautiful place in all Russia than Lake Baikal, the “Pearl of Siberia”.

This 636 km long slash in the taiga, is bigger than Belgium and it is also the world’s deepest lake: 1637m (or over a mile).

It contains nearly one-fifth of the world’s fresh water – more water than North America’s five Great Lakes combined.

Swimmers brave enough to face Baikal’s icy water (never more than about 15°C or 59°F) risk vertigo, as it’s possible to see down as far as 40m.

It is the Galapagos Islands of Siberia, where animal and plant life have evolved in complete isolation from the rest of the planet.

Of over 2000 recorded plant and animal species, 70 to 80% are found nowhere else. Like the ‘nerpa’ freshwater seal, is separated by over 3000 km from its nearest relative, the Arctic ringed seal, and nobody has the faintest idea how it got here. In 1996, UNESCO declared the lake and its surrounding basin to be a Natural World Heritage Site.
Where Angara River (the daughter) meets Lake Baïkal (the father).
Where Angara River (the daughter) meets Lake Baïkal (the father).		 Local fish market selling ‘Omul’ the Baikal’s endemic delicacy
Local fish market selling ‘Omul’ the Baikal’s endemic delicacy		 Baikal, a lake bigger than Belgium
Baikal, a lake bigger than Belgium		 Lake Baikal, most spectacular beauty in winter
Lake Baikal, most spectacular beauty in winter
Lake Baikal, the world's biggest skating ring
Lake Baikal, the world's biggest skating ring		 Portrait of our local guide
Portrait of our local guide		 Fun on the Lake Baikal
Fun on the Lake Baikal		 Museum of Wooden Architecture - Around Irkutsk
Museum of Wooden Architecture - Around Irkutsk
Museum of Wooden Architecture - Around Irkutsk
Museum of Wooden Architecture - Around Irkutsk		 Museum of Wooden Architecture - Around Irkutsk
Museum of Wooden Architecture - Around Irkutsk		 Buryat decoration
Buryat decoration		 wishing trees - supposedly a shamanist hangover
wishing trees - supposedly a shamanist hangover
Lake Baikal - Private
Lake Baikal - Private

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