What is most unusual in Siberia and in Yakutia Republic in particular? Maybe it is the frost below minus 50 degrees Celsius, permafrost, diamonds, or cruel northern mosquitoes the size of a fist?

You will be surprised, but there is something even more unusual – the desert! Yes, the real desert in the taiga.

very unusual landscapes

Tags: landscapes · Sakha Republic · Siberia

The South Kamchatka Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the south of Kamchatka. These lands in the far south of the peninsula are the pristine piece of nature without the presence of human beings.

Kuril Lake is located on this territory. It is the largest breeding ground of sockeye in Eurasia. The abundance of fish attracts hundreds of bears. Kuril Lake location on Google Maps. Photos by Igor Shpilenok

bears, bears everywhere!

Tags: Kamchatka krai

Baskunchak is a salt lake located in Astrakhan region, about 270 km north of the Caspian Sea, and 53 km to the east of the Volga River.

The lake is a kind of hollow on top of the salt mountain. Numerous springs flow into the lake on the north-west coast bringing in the lake more than 2.5 thousand tons of salts per day. Baskunchak Lake location on Google Maps. Photos by Denis Frantsouzov

unusual colors of salt lake

Tags: Astrakhan oblast · landscapes

Lena Pillars is a geological formation and nature park of the same name located on the banks of the Lena River in Yakutia, about 104 km from the town of Pokrovsky. It is a complex of vertically elongated rocks up to 100 meters height piled along the banks of the Lena River.

The total area of the park is 485 thousand hectares, the main goal – the development of ecological tourism. Lena Pillars are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Lena Pillars location on Google Maps. Photos by Sergey Dolya

look at the bizarre rocks

Tags: Sakha Republic

These days are particularly hot in Russia. The temperature in many cities has risen above plus 30 degrees Celsius. It’s a good time to enjoy picturesque scenery of cold Russian winter like the following photos taken in Ugra at the temperature of minus 20 degrees C.

Ugra is the territory in the Northern Urals, between the Pechora River and the Ural mountains. These wooden cabins-yurts belong to the indigenous people of this land – Khanty. Photos by Sergey Anashkevitch

enjoy the snowy winter

Tags: Ural

Nature in Russia does not skimp on miracles. It would seem that during the second day of a calendar summer residents of Kemerovo, a city with a population of over 500,000 people located in Siberia, should bask in the sun but instead the nature has awarded them with unexpected snowfall.

More pictures and video of summer snowfall

Tags: Kemerovo city

Ingushetia is located on the northern slopes of the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. The length of the republic territory from north to south is 144 km, from west to east – 72 km.

Northern part of the republic has steppe relief, in the south – the terrain is mountainous, consisting of ridges separated by valleys and gorges. The highest point is Mount Shan (4500 meters).

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Tags: Ingushetia Republic · landscapes

The Republic of Karelia is located in the north-western part of Russia, bordering Finland. The region is of great interest in the first place from a tourist point of view. Active, cultural and green forms of tourism are the most popular.

Karelia attracts tourists for its environmentally friendly nature, low population density and relatively low prices. A large part of the region is above the Arctic Circle and at night in the sky you can see fascinating pictures of Aurora Borealis like the following ones taken near the village of Rabocheostrovsk (Google Maps location of the place). Photos by Denis Frantsouzov

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Tags: Karelia Republic

These photos were taken near Mutnovsky volcano, Kamchatka krai, in 2012. Last winter was not snowy, and the summer was hot. Therefore huge snow piles that never melt reduced in size greatly. As a result, a passage in the snow was opened leading to the cave underneath.

At the entrance to the cave the ceiling is not thick and sunlight breaking through it gives unique beautiful views. As you go further away from the entrance, the arch of the cave becomes thicker, and less sunlight comes through it, but you can still see various bizarre images, both in form and color.

Photo © Denis Budkov

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Tags: Kamchatka krai

Baikal is a lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake in the world, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water (23615.39 cubic km which is about 19% of the world’s fresh water reserves in lakes). Local residents usually call it the Baikal Sea.

Lake Baikal is located in the center of the Asian continent on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. The lake stretches from north-east to south-west by 620 km in the form of a giant crescent. Baikal width ranges from 24 to 79 km.

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Tags: Buryat Republic · Irkutsk oblast