Siberia

Vast Siberia, centered on Lake Baikal, the world's deepest lake, with Olkhon Island, Ulan-Ude, Novosibirsk and the Altai Mountains.

This region is based on the Siberian Federal District: Omsk, Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo and Irkutsk oblasts; Altai Krai and Krasnoyarsk Krai; and the republics of Altai, Tuva and Khakassia. Since 2018, the Republic of Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai have been administratively part of the Far Eastern Federal District, but for travel purposes they are part of the Lake Baikal area and are therefore included here. It borders the Urals to the west; Amur Oblast, Yakutia and Primorsky Krai to the east belong to the Russian Far East.

Lake Baikal is the deepest freshwater lake in the world, holding the largest volume of fresh water (a World Heritage site). Irkutsk is the gateway, with old streets of houses with carved wooden window frames; from here you can visit Listvyanka on the lakeshore and the Circum-Baikal Railway. Olkhon, the lake's largest island, has Shaman Rock and the village of Khuzhir, and in winter you can see transparent blue ice and ice caves. On the Buryat side of the eastern shore, Ulan-Ude has a giant Lenin head and the Ivolginsky Datsan (the center of Buddhism in Russia), and the Barguzin Valley and Svyatoy Nos Peninsula to the north are wilder still. Novosibirsk is Siberia's largest city and a railway hub; in the Altai Republic, the Katun Valley, the Chuysky Highway and the Belukha area offer spectacular scenery, and Krasnoyarsk has the Stolby Nature Reserve.

The classic itinerary is Irkutsk–Olkhon Island–Listvyanka in 5–7 days, or you can break up a Trans-Siberian journey into stages. Irkutsk, Novosibirsk and Ulan-Ude have flights. For winter ice activities, use a reputable guide and pay attention to ice conditions. Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad do not work; verify visa rules and your government's travel advice before departure.

Destinations

• Irkutsk & Lake Baikal
• Barguzin Valley & Svyatoy Nos
• Novosibirsk
• Olkhon Island
• Ulan-Ude
• Krasnoyarsk

Itineraries

• Trans-Siberian Railway: Moscow to Beijing – Cross Russia by train in stages, traveling through Lake Baikal and the Mongolian steppes to Beijing.
• Trans-Siberian Railway Eastern Section: Vladivostok to Lake Baikal – Travel west along the railway via Khabarovsk and Ulan-Ude to Irkutsk and Olkhon Island.
• Lake Baikal Summer Classic Loop – Depart from Irkutsk, head up to Olkhon Island, and finish with the Circum-Baikal Railway to Listvyanka.
• Lake Baikal Winter Blue Ice – Head to Olkhon Island during the frozen period to explore the northern and southern routes, see blue ice and ice caves…
• Lake Baikal Eastern Shore & Barguzin – Enter and exit via Ulan-Ude, travel through the Barguzin Valley and Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, and explore Chivyrkuisky Bay.
• Novosibirsk to Krasnoyarsk Railway – Connect Siberia's two major cities by rail, visiting Akademgorodok, the Opera House, and the granite peaks of Stolby.