10 PHOTOS that define Siberia the best!
1. Trans-Siberian Railway
The world's longest railway stretches across Siberia from Moscow to the Far East, spanning 9,288.2 km, in total. Construction began in 1891 and, today, the journey still takes almost a week! Naturally, the Trans-Siberian Railway passes through many major cities: Omsk, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok, to name a few.
2. Lake Baikal
Siberia is home to many record-breaking wonders. For example, Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, is located there. It’s a true natural marvel that attracts tourists, both in summer and winter, showcasing dozens of types of ice formations. Additionally, it’s home to many endemic flora and fauna, including the adorable Baikal seal.
3. Taiga
This is not just an endless expanse of coniferous forests, but an entire ecosystem and Russia's largest landscape zone, covering a whopping 15 million square kilometers. It’s often referred to as the “green lungs of the planet”. There, you can find numerous rare plant species, ancient trees and, of course, endangered animals, such as leopards and Amur tigers.
4. Putorana Plateau
This is one of Russia's most remote and hardly accessible places and is located in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. It’s a whole planet of endless valleys and canyons, lakes, stone rivers and waterfalls.
5. Yenisei River
As one of Russia's largest, longest and most powerful rivers, the Yenisei amazes with its strength and beauty. Its full grandeur can be seen, for example, in the city of Krasnoyarsk. Additionally, three hydroelectric power stations stand on the Yenisei – Krasnoyarskaya, Mainskaya and Sayano-Shushenskaya. The latter is the largest in Russia.
6. Northern Lights
Many tourists like to embark on real Northern Lights “hunts”. Meanwhile, Siberians and residents of northern Russia are so accustomed to them that they perceive these colorful flashes in the sky almost like ordinary snowfall or rain! The Northern Lights can be seen from September to March and you can find a list of the best places to witness them here!
7. Frost
Russian frost needs no introduction (although, many foreigners say that frost is better than heat, just dress warmly!). But, some cold spells are simply hard to imagine, let alone endure. For example, Yakutia is home to the coldest places on Earth, such as the village of Oymyakon and the town of Verkhoyansk. Record-low temperatures have been recorded there – below -70°C! Meanwhile, in Yakutia, children calmly go to school even at -40°C!
8. Mineral resources
Yakutia has diamonds, Khanty-Mansiysk has oil and Norilsk has nickel. Siberia is rich! This photo shows a massive diamond quarry in Yakutia.
9. Ski resorts
Siberia is all about sports, especially winter sports! With its many mountains and abundant snow, the ski season lasts from October to April! To celebrate the long season, the popular ski resort town of Sheregesh even hosts costume and bikini ski events in late spring.
10. Bears
Wolves, lynxes, tigers, wild boars, moose, musk oxen, leopards… Siberia is home to a wide variety of rare and dangerous animals, both big and small. But, the most famous local resident is, of course, the Siberian brown bear, one of the largest subspecies of its kind. It primarily feeds on taiga berries and fish and can weigh up to 350 kg!