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Nature · Lake Baikal

Baikal: a world within a lake

Olkhon’s cliffs, open water and a living history measured in millions of years.

Cape Sagan-Khushun, Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal
Cape Sagan-Khushun, Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal. Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0 · 2015-09-08. Archive illustration; not a photograph of a recent event.

UNESCO describes Baikal as the world’s oldest and deepest lake. Its long isolation has supported remarkable freshwater biodiversity.

Cape Sagan-Khushun on Olkhon Island appears in the photograph. Visiting this landscape also means caring for its shores and water: the ecosystem is part of what makes the view extraordinary.

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A russia.direct editorial selection based on open sources. Checked 24 September 2026. Practical suggestions are a decision guide, not a promise of outcomes.

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