Incredible Lake Baikal in Eastern Russia

Siberian Russia's Deep Lake Has Lots to Offer Nature Lovers

Nov 1, 2008

One of the least noticed natural wonderlands in the tourist world today is Lake Baikal and the surrounding region on the border between Mongolia and Siberian Russia.

The region around Lake Baikal - the Buryat Autonomous Republic on the lake's east coast and Irkutstk on the west coast of the lake - is a splendid natural setting. Several nature reserves and mountain chains in the area provide opportunities for outdoor adventures ranging from short afternoon hikes to two-week treks. Kayaking and whitewater rafting are popular. And mountains in the region provide a variety of difficulty levels for climbers.

Flora and Fauna

The area is a natural treasure. Lake Baikal is home to about 1200 different species of animals, and 1000 species of plants. Most are endemic, many are unique. And the surrounding forests are home to 2500 animal species.

The culture of the region is also an attraction in itself. The Buryat people resemble Mongolians. There are about 400,000 of them in and around the city of Ulan Ude, making them Siberia's largest minority. The Buryats adopted Tibetan Buddhism in the 1700's after centuries of Buddhist missionary work among them. There is a school for Tibetan Buddhist medical training near Ulan Ude.

A Rich Natural Treasure

Lake Baikal itself is a natural treasure for Russia. It is difficult to explain the lake's significance. It is the deepest lake on earth and holds over 20% of the world's fresh water. To give you some idea of its volume, it holds more water than all five of North America's Great Lakes. It is estimated that if Lake Baikal were emptied, it would take every river on Earth flowing into it for a year to refill the lake.

Lake Baikal is also self-purifying. While pollution from industry has become a problem in recent decades, the lake is still amazingly pure. The clarity of the water allows up to 50 meters of visibility. Depending on the whether in any given year, the lake has between 330 and 500 tributaries; most are small streams and creeks.

The lake is blessed with about 50 varieties of edible fish, including salmon, pike, sturgeon, burbot, groundling, oilfish, and bullhead. The region is also home to the Siberian Brown Bear (the world's largest flesh-eating mammal), as well as deer and elk, moose, and the nerpa - the world's only freshwater seal.

Lake Baikal is also home to a variety of interesting fish that, while they can't be eaten, are fun to study. The golomyanka is one example; it is one of the few species of fish in the world which gives birth to live young. Scientifically speaking, the gogomyanka is "viviparous." A couple of dozen species of viviparous fish are unique to Lake Baikal.

One of the reasons for Baikal's abundance of life is that the lake's bottom is fed by warm water springs of oxygenated water. The combination of heat and oxygen is life sustaining…

Surrounding Area

The area around Lake Baikal provides a wealth of possible activities. Among them, Trekking in the Zabaikalsky National Park probably rivals the experience of trekking in Nepal or Tibet. The mountains around Lake Baikal are home to 39 different species of mammals and 220 species of birds. Two week cruises on Lake Baikal also exist.

Many of Lake Baikal's 30 islands provide excellent bird watching sites. The biggest, Olkhon Island, is over 130 square kilometers and is reputed to be the birthplace of Mongolian ruler Genghis Khan.

Horseback riding is also possible in the area around Baikal. And the region offers a number of hot springs to bathe in with water temperatures ranging up to just over 100 F degree.

Accommodations

Accommodations around Lake Baikal are not hard to find. Most towns have at least one hotel. And there is a strong network of bed & Breakfast establishments which locals view as providing employment for mothers with small children. Hospitality is warm; price ranges from 15 and 25 dollars.

The copyright of the article Incredible Lake Baikal in Eastern Russia in Russia/Central Asia Travel is owned by Greg Cruey. Permission to republish Incredible Lake Baikal in Eastern Russia in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.