Lake Baikal is the deepest and oldest freshwater lake on the planet, with an estimated age of 25 million years. It contains about 20% of all the world's liquid freshwater reserves. In winter, the lake is covered with amazing transparent ice with deep cracks, making it a popular destination for photographers and travelers. Baikal's unique ecosystem includes thousands of plant and animal species, many of which are endemic — for example, the famous Baikal seal, the world's only freshwater seal species. Preserving this natural wonder remains one of the region's main environmental priorities.
Travel and Infrastructure
The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway in the world, connecting Russia's capital, Moscow, with the Far Eastern port of Vladivostok. The journey of over 9,289 kilometers crosses eight time zones and takes about seven days of continuous train travel. During this historic trip, passengers can watch incredible landscapes change: from the European part of the country and the Ural Mountains to the endless Siberian taiga forests. The Trans-Siberian is not just a crucial transport artery, but a true symbol of the country's incredible scale.
