Lake Baikal

Overview

Lake Baikal is 25 million years old, the oldest lake on earth, and at 1,642 metres its deepest, holding about 20 percent of the world's surface fresh water. More than 1,700 species of plants and animals live in and around it, 80 percent of them endemic, including the Baikal seal. In summer there is swimming and sailing; in winter the surface freezes into breathtaking blue ice, and walking on the ice or crossing by hovercraft are unique winter experiences.

History

Lake Baikal lies in a rift valley where the earth's crust is slowly pulling apart, which is why it is so deep and so old. It has been sacred to the Buryat people and to Siberian shamanic traditions for centuries, and is celebrated in Russian culture as the sacred sea. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, and campaigns against industrial pollution, including a controversial paper mill, have continued since the Soviet era.

Highlights

• •The extraordinary blue ice of winter
• •Spotting Baikal seals
• •The fish market at Listvyanka

Practical tips

• •The winter ice season runs from January to March
• •Dress for extreme cold in winter

Practical information

Best time

February to March for the ice; July to August for summer

Tickets

Varies by activity

Opening hours

Open all day

Local food

Baikal whitefish, Russian dumplings and borscht

Getting around

Irkutsk is the gateway; the lake is reached by the circular railway or by bus

Visa

A visa is required; some border crossings accept an e-visa, subject to the latest official Russian announcements.

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