Baikal Lake

General Information about Baikal Lake

Listed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO Lake Baikal, can be found near the province of Irkutsk Oblast within the Russian region of Siberia. Lake Baikal is famous as being the world's largest freshwater lake with an extraordinary depth of 5,370 feet and is 636 kilometres in length. Often referred to as The Pearl of Siberia, Lake Baikal is usually frozen from January through until May each year.

Surrounded by the Baikal Mountains, Lake Baikal is recorded as being 25 million years of age making it one of the world's oldest lakes. There are twenty-two islands in totals at Lake Baikal with Olkhon being the largest. When you are visiting Lake Baikal besides being overwhelmed by the lakes size you will also see a multitude of wildlife as well as thousands of plants that you will not see anywhere else.

If you are planning a trip to Lake Baikal then the most popular destination is the settlement of Listbyanka. The best way of travelling to Lake Baikal is via rail with Trans-Siberian Railway and Baikal-Amur Mainline offering regular services.