Have you ever walked on a crystal-clear lake—so transparent you can see bubbles, cracks, and frozen time itself trapped beneath your feet? Welcome to Lake Baikal in winter—the world’s deepest lake, transformed into a surreal kingdom of ice: jagged shards, glowing textures, and mirror-like surfaces stretching endlessly to the horizon.
In February, I travelled to Siberia for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Night temperatures sank below –40°C, and during the day it barely warmed up to –35°C. There was no wind, but the sunlight bouncing off the ice was so intense that sunglasses were essential—not for style, but for survival.
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Shaman Rock Reflected On The Frozen Surface Of Lake Baikal
These 15 photos capture only a glimpse of what I witnessed: electric-blue ice grottos, sunrise reflections, frozen shipwrecks locked in time, and Soviet-era UAZ vans cruising casually across the lake as if it were a road.
And if you think some of these shots are too surreal to be real—they’re not. The ice truly is that clear. And that's beautiful.
Lake Baikal in winter isn’t just cold. It’s quiet, brutal, and completely hypnotising—a place where time slows down, your eyelashes freeze, and every step feels like a dream on glass.
Colourful Shaman Poles On Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal’s Spiritual Heart
Nature’s Fractals – The Cracked Geometry Of Baikal Ice
Frozen Sculpture – The Icy Turquoise Of Lake Baikal
Icy Origami – The Sculpted Silence Of Baikal
A Frozen Cave Of Spikes And Silence On Baikal’s Shore
Large Ice Plates On Lake Baikal Under A Soft Siberian Sky
Twilight Over Shaman Rock – Lake Baikal In Rose-Tinted Silence
Where Earth Stands Still – Frozen Cliffs Of Baikal
Proof That You Can Walk On Water – If It’s –35°c
The Ice Kingdom Awakens Under The Siberian Sun
Portrait Of An Ice Cube – Made By Lake Baikal
Uaz Vans Crossing The Frozen Expanse Of Lake Baikal
No, He’s Not Dead – Just Lying On The Ice For The Perfect Shot
Cruise Cancelled Due To Slightly Inclement Weather
lake baikal is also home to the only fresh water seal species!, lake baikal seal!
True! And yet, despite being the only freshwater seal on Earth, the nerpa still gets less Instagram love than random cats. Tragic, right? :) nerpa-689d...b0fa6c.jpg
lake baikal is also home to the only fresh water seal species!, lake baikal seal!
True! And yet, despite being the only freshwater seal on Earth, the nerpa still gets less Instagram love than random cats. Tragic, right? :) nerpa-689d...b0fa6c.jpg
