The deep lake is surrounded by mountain ranges and hills; the western shore is rockier and steeper than the eastern.
Its picturesque surroundings with an exceptional variety of flora and fauna attract tourists from all over the world.
CC BY-SA 2.0 / Aleksandr Zykov / BaikalA house by Lake Baikal.
A house by Lake Baikal.
CC BY 2.0 / Artem Svetlov / Circum-Baikal RailwayA train with tourists enters a tunnel on the Circum-Baikal railway.
A train with tourists enters a tunnel on the Circum-Baikal railway.
© Photo : NASA/JSCView of Lake Baikal from space.
View of Lake Baikal from space.
© Sputnik / Petr Petrovich Malinovskiy / Go to the mediabankThe Baikal seal is the only species of seal in the world that lives in fresh water, endemic to Lake Baikal.
The Baikal seal is the only species of seal in the world that lives in fresh water, endemic to Lake Baikal.
© Sputnik / Vladimir SmirnovNight sky as seen from the bay of Sagan-Zaba on Lake Baikal.
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© Sputnik / Vladimir Smirnov
Night sky as seen from the bay of Sagan-Zaba on Lake Baikal.
© Depositphotos.com / Argo20 Girl with a dog on the shore of Lake Baikal.
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© Depositphotos.com / Argo20
Girl with a dog on the shore of Lake Baikal.
© Sputnik / Ilya PitalevA vessel sails through Lake Baikal near the island of Olkhon.
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© Sputnik / Ilya Pitalev
A vessel sails through Lake Baikal near the island of Olkhon.
© Sputnik / Go to the mediabankVladimir Putin during a dive in the deep-submergence vehicle "Mir-1" at the bottom of Lake Baikal.
Vladimir Putin during a dive in the deep-submergence vehicle "Mir-1" at the bottom of Lake Baikal.
© Sputnik / Ilya Pitalev / Go to the mediabankShaman Valentin Khagdaev in the mountains lining the shore of Lake Baikal.
Shaman Valentin Khagdaev in the mountains lining the shore of Lake Baikal.
CC0 / Pixabay / A fishing boat in the ice of Lake Baikal.
A fishing boat in the ice of Lake Baikal.
© Sputnik / Freidberg / Go to the mediabankThe flowering of Ledum or Daurian rhododendron on Lake Baikal.
The flowering of Ledum or Daurian rhododendron on Lake Baikal.
Barguzin Nature Reserve on Lake Baikal.
CC BY 2.0 / Pawel Maryanov / Picture being taken of Lake Baikal.
Picture being taken of Lake Baikal.
A view from the island of Olkhon to Lake Baikal.
© Sputnik / Go to the mediabankTV presenter Ekaterina Andreeva (left) holding the Olympic torch while diving in Lake Baikal.
TV presenter Ekaterina Andreeva (left) holding the Olympic torch while diving in Lake Baikal.
CC0 / Pixabay / Chinese tourists enjoying the view by Lake Baikal.
Chinese tourists enjoying the view by Lake Baikal.
CC BY 2.0 / Jason Rogers / Main street ХужирThe main street of town Khuzhir, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia.
The main street of town Khuzhir, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia.