Baikal Nature Reserve, Nature reserve near Lake Baikal, Russia
Baikal Nature Reserve is a protected area on the southeast shore of Lake Baikal in Russia, covering taiga forests, highland meadows, and tundra zones. The landscape rises from low shorelines to mountain ridges in the Khamar-Daban range, where pine mixes with deciduous trees and open high-altitude plateaus begin.
The Soviet Union created this protected zone in 1969 to preserve landscapes around the Khamar-Daban mountains and Lake Baikal from industrial impact. Later the Russian government expanded its outer boundaries and introduced programs to monitor forest and wildlife systematically.
The name refers to the dark green taiga and pine stands that once stood nearly untouched and now represent the Siberian wilderness to many who visit. Guests walk narrow trails through moss carpets and hear wind through tall trees, while rangers explain how these zones feed water cycles and shelter wildlife across the seasons.
Three marked routes lead through sections and require a permit obtained in advance from the reserve administration office. Guests should bring weatherproof clothing and sturdy footwear, as temperature and ground conditions change sharply depending on altitude.
Rangers report that some bears remain active in higher altitudes throughout summer, foraging for berries that grow on steep slopes. In glacier valleys fog banks form during spring and drift slowly through the terrain, sometimes changing visibility within minutes.
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