Siberia has
something for every nature-seeking outdoors enthusiast, year round. With
icy-cold winters, and hot summers, travellers can choose to visit at a time of
year that suits their interest; hiking and mountaineering in the summer, and
winter sports during cold season.
Siberia is vast
and is spread over 10 million square kilometres. The west is covered by swampy
plain, forests dominate the centre, and the east has mountain peaks over 3,000 metres in height.
Here’s a look at some of the most breath-taking places to
explore across Siberia while not breaking your travel budget. Siberia is an
excellent travel destination for climbers, campers, and animal lovers; here are
some highlights for hearty travellers.
Getting Around
There are many options for finding comfortable and
reliable transportation across Siberia, including Trans-Siberian Railway, in
addition to a wide selection of available tours.
The Trans-Siberian Railway boasts the longest train
journey in the world, crossing 7 time zones and around 9,100 km. The journey
takes about 6 days to complete, is as iconic as it is memorable, and sure to be a satisfying way to travel.
Novosibirsk
Zoo
If you’d like a
break away from the city, the Novosibirsk Zoo is a great place to escape and
hang out with the area’s diverse animal population.
With over 4,000
animals spanning 399 different species, you’re going to find some great moments
to capture on film (or memory card!).
The Novosibirsk
Zoo is incredibly family and kid-friendly —with polar bears, monkeys, and a
whole bunch of arctic “cute and cuddlies” —even Ligers! A “liger” is half lion,
half tiger, all cuteness.
The zoo is also
active in preserving endangered species and growing their population, so it’s
not uncommon to see baby animal cubs
learning to walk, and goofing around.
Stolby National Park
Now that you’ve
visited the zoo and are reacclimatized for nature, it’s time to explore Stolby
National Park, one of the most popular tried and tested Trans-Siberian rail tours stops.
The park is named
after its “Stolbys”, which in English mean pillars. They are unusual syenite
rocks which appear to take the shape of animals and birds. They’re absolutely
perfect for climbing.
Stolby National Park
covers 42,700 hectares spanning over 34 kilometres between Mana and Bazaikha
rivers, about 3km from Krasnoyarsk.
Stolby is also
designated as being a UNESCO World Cultural and Heritage site.
Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is
the oldest freshwater lake on Earth, and is 20 to 25 million years old. It's
also one of the largest and deepest, holding an astounding one-fifth of the
world's freshwater.
Lake Baikal is
about a mile deep and contains more flora and fauna than any other lake in the
world, which earns it the title of the “Pearl of Siberia”. It really is a
special place, and is also home to the only fresh water seals in
existence.
Its unique
surroundings are a visceral combination of hills, mountains, meadows and
forests. Lake Baikal is the stuff of dreams and fairy tales.
Of all of the
many places to discover around Lake Baikal, we suggest exploring Cape Hoboy,
and Shamanka Rock.
Cape Hoboy
Cape Hoboy is
located on the Northern-most tip of the Island of Olkhon, also situated on Lake
Baikal.
Located far off
the beaten path, roads may be difficult to manoeuvre. It may be preferable to
enter on foot, by bicycle, or on horseback. The cape is gorgeous, and surely as
peaceful as it is secluded.
Shamanka Rock
Not located too
far from Khuzir Village, Shamanka Rock also rests on the shores of Lake Baikal.
This tranquil place is sure to leave an impression, with a rich cultural
heritage and a nearby Buryat Ceremonial site.
Unique Activities
Among the tourist attractions which are
popular with visitors to Siberia, there are also lesser known activities
travellers can experience while experiencing their most popular Trans-Siberian
adventures! These activities include white water rafting, cross country skiing,
alpine sports, dogsledding, reindeer herding, hiking, biking, and even mushroom
picking –and these are only a handful of the kind of fun and unusual activities
you might consider while on your journey.
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