Deep in the heart of eastern Russia’s mountainous region of Siberia, north of the Mongolian border, is Lake Baikal, the deepest – and probably oldest – lake in the world.
Despite being some 395 miles long, 49 miles wide, and 1,186m deep, the lake freezes over from January to May and it can be explored by vehicle and on foot.
This photo was taken looking out of one of the ice caves on the shores of Olkhon Island, which itself is 45 miles long, and the third-largest lake-bound island in the world. Most tours start in the village of Listvyanka, on the western shore and the lake is circled by Russia’s first network of environmental trails, the Great Baikal Trail.
