Baikal（Russian: Байка́л bigh-KAHL) Is a site located in RussiaEastern SiberiaOf a lake. It is the largest and deepest freshwater lake in the world, and is listed asUNESCO World HeritageList.
The crescent moon is its shape, and "a tear in Siberia" is its praise. Lake Baikal is the oldest freshwater lake in the world, with a history of about 25 million years. It is also the deepest lake in the world, with a maximum depth of about 1642 meters. Its area is almost equal to the area of the entire country of Holland or Belgium.
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The lake is locatedEastern Siberia，Irkutsk OblastSoutheast andBuryatiaTo the northwest. Lake Baikal is the deepest (1637 meters) and oldest lake on the earth, as well as its largest body of fresh water, containing one-fifth of the world's supply. The origin of this name is unknown. It is said that the name comes from "Beiyinga Gala" (Mongolian meaning inextinguishable flame); Russian: О́зеро Байка́л). In the Han Dynasty, it was called Beihai. In the Five Hus and Sixteen Kingdoms, it was called "Yusini Dashui" in the Northern Dynasty. It was called Xiaohai in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. In the early 18th century, it was called "Baihaier Lake" in the "Exotic Records". It is called "Baihar Lake", Mongolian called "Dalai Nuoer", which means "a lake like the sea", and it was also called "Holy Sea" by Tsarist Russian explorers in the 1720s. Russians sometimes call Baikal SeaThe reason is that the area of the lake is very large.
history
ChinaThe historical records of Lake Baikal have been recorded very early. It is recorded in the Han Dynasty literature. Lake Baikal is called the "North Sea", and the most familiar allusion is "Suwu Shepherd". Later in the Tang Dynasty, Lake Baikal was under the jurisdiction of the Tang Dynasty, and it was called "Xiaohai". The name of Lake Baikal in the Yuan Dynasty was "Juhai", and the name of Lake Baikal in the Qing Dynasty was "Bahar Lake", which is closer to transliteration. . During the Yongzheng period, after the Qing government signed the "Blensky Treaty" and the "Kaktu Treaty" with Russia, Lake Baikal was completely isolated from China.
The geological structure of the lake began in the Mesozoic era about 200,000 to 250,000 years ago, and even today its cracks continue to expand by 2 cm every year. The first mention of the lake's name appeared in 110 BC and was recorded as "Beihai" in Chinese books. Since then, many cultures have been changing the shores of the lake, when the Buryat nation came into being in the eighteenth century. Russia first mentioned the source of Baikal in 1640 for further centuries of exploration and description of Russian Cossacks and churches, until the first scientific expedition in 1723 reached 13 months of expedition, and in 1905Circum-Baikal RailwayOpening time. Established in 1916Barguzin Nature Reserve. 1990 was the first surfer from Russia to cross the widest place on the same lake in Austria and Czechoslovakia. In 1991, it reached the deepest place at the bottom of the lake. Lake Baikal was part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. In 2003, the "Sevan" ship began its cruise.
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Some areas of Lake Baikal are composed of surrounding mountains, valleys and lakes. There are the Baikal Mountains in the west and the Transbaikal Mountains in the east. The Angara River is the only river that flows out of Lake Baikal. These areas cover tourist attractions with rivers and valleys as the main body.
A total of about 336 rivers around the sea have been injected continuously from ancient times to the present, but there is still one outstanding river, namely the Angara River (Angara River), which flows from Lake Baikal to the Yenisei River. Convergence (Енисе́й /Yenisei River). There are a total of 27 islands, large and small, in Lake Baikal. The largest and most well-known island must be Olkhon Island (Ольхо́н /Olkhon Island).
Water and mountains
In the spring, the ice and snow melt and everything recovers. At this time, the visibility of Lake Baikal is the best. The lake is blue and the clear current reaches the bottom. The entire Lake Baikal is like a blue transparent gem. The vegetation and creatures under 40 meters can be covered. See clearly. As the season changes, the color of the lake will also change. Cyan is the color of the lake in summer, and the visibility of the lake is between 8-10 meters.
Ice World
From February to March each year, most of the Baikal lake is covered by ice and snow. At this time, the water road from Listvyanka to Olkhon Island is opened, and you can drive directly on the ice to the islands in the middle of the lake. . On Olkhon Island in this season, there are also spectacles such as large blue ice and rare bubble ice. The entire Lake Baikal and its surrounding areas are covered in silver, which is extremely enchanting.
Flora and fauna
Lake Baikal is rich in biodiversity, with 1,085 species of plants and 1,550 species of animals as habitats, 80% of which are endemic species, and there are many endemic species of freshwater only in the world. It is called "The Galapagos of Russia" Islands"; among them, Baikal seals and Baikal sturgeons are the only freshwater seals and sturgeons in the world, and Baikal seals inhabit almost all of Lake Baikal. In addition, the shores of the lake are also home to many plants and animals, such as fir trees, Siberian pine, squirrels, red deer, sables and so on.
climate
Lake Baikal is located in the interior of Eurasia and belongs to the continental climate of the Köppen climate classification. The lake freezes from January to May, and the thickness of the ice is about 70 to 115 cm. In winter, you can drive on the lake to Olkhon by car island. On the eastern side of Lake Baikal, the lowest temperature in winter can reach −19 °C (-2 °F), and the highest temperature in summer can reach 14 °C (57 °F).
However, the area near the lake has the characteristics of oceanic climate. Summer is cooler than the surrounding areas, and the humidity is higher in winter. The water of Lake Baikal is relatively cold, and the temperature of the lake in summer does not exceed 8 to 9°C. In spring Baikal can see creatures and stones at a depth of 40 meters; in summer, the lake is turquoise and the visibility is between 8 and 10 meters; in winter Baikal freezes, and the ice on the lake can be as thick as 1 meter. Much
Related movies and books
- "Baikal, the legend of the great lake" (Байкал. Легенды великого озера):This is a documentary filmed in 2004. It introduces Lake Baikal and its surrounding areas in more detail, such as the crystal caves along the coast, the ice shells on the water surface in winter, the rocks under the lake, the steep mountains, the small sea bays, and the surrounding areas. The natural landscape of Irkhon Island, etc., there are brown bears that feed on insects, the elk herd on the edge of the lagoon, the poisonous copperhead snake, and the only seal in the world that survives in freshwater, the Baikal seal, etc. . The scenes of some wild animals in the documentary were shot in the national parks of the Baikal region, from which you can enjoy the most fascinating scenery of Lake Baikal.
- "Endless Lake Baikal" (Байкал без границ):This is a documentary filmed in 2014 under the initiative of the United Nations. It introduces in detail which rivers passed through which countries and lands finally entered Lake Baikal. In order to call people’s attention to, and cherish and protect water resources, The total length of the film is 40 minutes. Filming locations include plant reserves and national parks, as well as the major cities around Lake Baikal, Ulan-Ude (Улан-Удэ / Ulan-Ude) and Irkutsk. The picturesque Baikal basin spans more than 10,000 kilometers in the film, covering the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The blue lake water and the blue ice after the lake surface is frozen can all be seen.
arrival
Lake Baikal covers an area of more than 30,000 square kilometers, with a large area and sparsely populated area. The preferred modes of transportation are trains and planes. Under normal circumstances, buses are rarely chosen (it will be affected by weather and time-consuming).
Aviation 
recentAirportIs inIrkutsk, This can be fromMoscowArrive at Domodedovo Airport or Sheremetyevo 1 Airport. From April 11, 2011, "Yakutia Airlines" was responsible forMunichThe flight arrives on Wednesday and Saturday. Other international flights can choose to includeSeoul、Ulaanbaatar、Beijing. FromBangkokCharter flights are operated very frequently. Domestic flights can be taken fromKhabarovsk、Vladivostok、Krasnoyarsk、Novosibirsk、Magadan、Yakutsk、Yekaterinburg、St. Petersburg、Sochi。
Railroad 
Baya RailwaywithSiberian RailwayBoth can reach Lake Baikal, and take the Baikal Railway toSeverobaikalsk(Северобайка ́льск / Severobaykalsk), visit the shore of Lake Baikal. The surrounding lakeshore on the way closest to Irkutsk is beautiful and it is worthwhile to explore the beautiful lakeshore scenery during the day.
If you want to travel from China to Lake Baikal, the most famous train number is fromBeijinground tripMoscowThe international trains K3 and K19 depart from Beijing every Wednesday or Saturday for transitMongolia, Arriving on Friday or TuesdayUlan-Udeas well asIrkutsk. If you want to experience this international train for yourself and don't want to spend a week in the train, you can get off at the area near Lake Baikal, and after visiting Lake Baikal, head to Moscow. However, one thing to note is that if the train needs to transit through Mongolia, you must go to the Mongolian embassy to apply for a transit visa after obtaining a Russian visa.
Bus 
Buses depart from Irkutsk Station throughout the day. Ride for about an hour and a half, there are a few stops along the way, and finally stand on the shore of the lakeListvyankaSmall town.
Fees/licenses
The destination of Lake Baikal is completely open, no tickets will be charged, and travelers can approach and play at will.
Travel around
Railroad
Baykal port is the best you can go to by train. From the southern corner of Slyudyankayu Lake, it takes about 4 to 6 hours, because the train is very slow; however, you have more time to look around, because the railway will pass by the lake. The cost is 46 rubles. The process is so slow, because the Baykal Railway was built about 100 years ago in disrepair. The train runs between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude every day, and the journey time is about six to nine hours. If you want to explore Lake Baikal and its surrounding areas, such as the east and west banks, you can consider choosing a night train to travel between the two cities.
Circum-Baikal Train
The Circum-Baikal Train(Кругобайка́лка Circum-Baikal Railway) departs from Irkutsk Railway Station at about 8 in the morning, and will circumnavigate Lake Baikal, stop a few stops in the middle of the itinerary and leave time for sightseeing, and return to Irk at around 22:00 Csk. In winter, the running time of the small train around the lake will be adjusted. It will generally depart on weekends and the frequency will be reduced. It is recommended to log in to the official website in advance to check.
- Ticket price: first-class adult 4500 rubles, child 3000 rubles; second-class adult 4000 rubles, child 2800 rubles; summer round lake train tickets will be divided into first-class and second-class seats, other seasons only have first-class tickets .
- Meal price: 350 rubles for breakfast, 750 rubles for lunch, 600 rubles for dinner, and 1,700 rubles for three meals.
car 
In winter, there is an icy road from Listvyanka to Buskoti.
Bus 
Compared with railway transportation, there are more passenger cars to and from the Baikal region. It can be reached by bus at the long-distance bus station in IrkutskListvyanka, About an hour’s drive; arriving from IrkutskOlkhonThere are only one bus on the island a day, and the detailed departure time needs to be known in advance, and the journey takes about six hours.
Passenger ship 
From Listvyanka, you can go to the Baykal port which is located on the opposite side of the Angara River. The boat costs 34 rubles and enters the Baykal Lakes and Marshes Museum directly below from this place. It takes about 5 minutes to get there. However, it is recommended to take another route, from the port of Baykal to Listvyanka.
From Listvyanka, you can take a boat to Buskoti, next to the Baykal National Park. The other way costs 180 rubles, but you cannot buy a ferry ticket in advance (perhaps only limited to Irkutsk). The first boat departs from Listvyanka at 10 in the morning, and the last one at 16:00 in the afternoon. From there, you can take a boat or walk through the Baykal Tourist Trail at 18:00. It is about 18 kilometers, and most of the roads go around the lake shore. From Buskoty you can go to Irkutsk through the same boat. The cost is 360 rubles (summer 2008).
go sightseeing
- 1 Olkhon（Ольхон）。IntroductionThe largest island on the lake.
In the Irkutsk region (west of the lake)
- 2 Vidim Nature Reserve（Витимский природный заповедник）。
- 3 Baikal-Lena Nature Reserve（Байкало-Ленский природный заповедник）。
In Buryatia (to the east of the lake)
- 4 Baikal Nature Reserve（Байкальский заповедник）。
- 5 Barguzin Nature Reserve（Баргузинский заповедник）。
- 6 Jerga Nature Reserve（Джергинский природный заповедник）。
Activity
You can participate in the six-day Baikal-20XX cross-country race in the July part of each year. It takes two days to turn around about 465 kilometers and start at 10.06 kilometers in the village of BugulijeikaOlkhon, The journey south ends at Jeranche. In 2011 the competition started on July 16. Register the cycle team until May 31.See official website。
Travel route
- Floriha Adventure Coastal Route, as the futureGreat Baikal Traila part of.
West Bank 7-day tour
Both routes start and end with Irkutsk.
- Day 1: Visit the city of Irkutsk (Иркутск / Irkutsk).
- Day 2: In summer, you can take the Circum-Baikal Train, and in the eveningYlistvyanka(Листвя́нка / Listvyanka) accommodation; in winter, you can travel from Irkutsk to Listvyanka (Листвя́нка / Listvyanka) to visit the Baikal Museum (Байкальский Музей) and wooden houses.
- Day 3: In summer, you can visit the Baikal Museum and wooden houses in Listvyanka; in winter, you can experience snowmobiles or dog sledding.
- Day 4: Back to Irkutsk, from Irkutsk to Olkhon Island (Ольхо́н / Olkhon Island).
- Day 5: Visit the northern line of Olkhon Island.
- Day 6: Visit the southern route of Olkhon Island.
- Day 7: Return to Irkutsk.
West Coast East Coast 10-Day Tour
- Day 1 to Day 7: Same as "7-Day Tour of the West Bank of Lake Baikal".
- Day 8: From Irkutsk to Ulan-Ude (Улан-Удэ / Ulan-Ude), then visit Ulan-Ude city.
- Day 9: Take a bus from Ulan-Ude to the east bank of Lake Baikal for sightseeing.
- Day 10: Return to Irkutsk.
Shopping 
Souvenirs are sold near Baikal whitefish sellers (see below) and tend to be cheaper than in other cities in Russia. When there are several small boat piers as the mainstay, tourists can choose not to fish to get cheaper prices. Prices are negotiable, trying to find who wants to ride, and a large group of other tourists are getting cheaper prices. Sometimes you can find a child to act as a middleman and use bad English to bargain.
Most of the souvenirs from Lake Baikal are made of wood (such as shamanic wood carvings, etc.), and characteristic refrigerator stickers are also a good choice. Omri fish from Lake Baikal can also be bought in vacuum packaging.
Dining 
Several fish sellers sell the best smoked Baikal whitefish by the lake, and there are good fish restaurants by the lake, as well as several bars and small groceries. Everything in Listvyanka is within walking distance, including a small post office.
drink
The amount of drinking and almost distilled water of Lake Baikal as mineral salt is infinitely small.
Accommodation 
You can resideIrkutskwithUlan-Ude, As a day trip to the lake and round trip.
Lakeside town:
- Irkutsk OblastofListvyanka, With many hotels, is the most popular destination.
- BuryatiaofSeverobaikalskThere are many hotels north of the city.
- Slyudyanka, The southernmost village.
Islands:
Rest base
The'rest base' on Lake Baikal is a Russian-style rural wooden house that provides tours and equipment for local attractions. This base is often located in the village or nearby.
East bank
- YurtYuying Haruk Village (Энхалук), 170 kilometers from Ulan-Ude.
- Barguzin Bay (Баргузинский залив) And the sacred nose corner (Мыс Святой Нос）
- Chiver Kuysky Bay (Чивыркуйский залив）
- Max Miha Village (Максимиха）
- Suhaya Village (деревня Сухая）
West Bank
- Severobaikalsk
- Pihai (Малое море）
- MRS (МРС）
- Krestovsky Point (Мыс Крестовский）
- Buguljica (Бугульдейка）
- Grosse Golaustenoye (Большое Голоустное）
- Busquety (Большое Коты）
Safety
On the whole, the folk customs of Lake Baikal and its surrounding areas are simple, and there will be no safety hazards of dumplings. It is still recommended not to go to uninhabited areas at night alone. When taking public transportation, take care of your personal belongings; after negotiating the price with the driver, you can take a taxi. Under normal circumstances, a taxi in Irkutsk is the highest price of 2000 rubles.
Next stop
IrkutskIs the largest city nearby, butBaya RailwaywithSiberian RailwayCan move you from one side of the country to another.