Lake Baikal Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
freshwater rift lake in southern Siberia, Russia
About Lake Baikal
The lake is located inEastern Siberia, betweenIrkutsk Oblastto the northwest andBuryatiato the southeast. It is the planet's deepest (1637m) and oldest lake, as well as its largest body of freshwater by volume, containing over one fifth of the world's supply. The origins of the name are unknown, but several hypotheses are these:deep water(Yakut),rich lake(Turkic),rich fire(Mongolian),northern sea(Chinese). Russians sometimes call the lakeBaikal seabecause of its size. The lake's geological formation started around 20-25 million years ago in the Mesozoic era. Its rift is continuing to widen 2 cm a year. The first mention of its name appeared in Chinese writings in 110 BC as "Beihai" (Northern Sea). Several cultures have flourished on its shores, and in the 18th century Buryat nationality ca
Lake Baikal Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: