Olkhon Island

Olkhon is the largest and only populated island in Baikal's magnificent lake. The name of the Olkhon island comes from the Buryat language, which means "dry." The island is surrounded by one-fifth of the world's pure water, which seems paradoxical. However, there are no rivers or even a small creek in this area.

According to the most recent census, Khuzhir is the island's largest community, with roughly 1,350 residents. It is jokingly referred to as the "capital" by those who live there.

Steppe, sandy beaches with dunes and pine trees along the coast, as well as deep woods with larch and spruce in the interior, offer an unsurpassed diversity of scenery. There are also marshes and marble rocks covered in dense red moss. Lake Baikal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well.

Location: Lake Baikal

Area: 730 km²

Max length: 114.3 km