Postcard from the Road: A Mystical Shaman Ceremony in the Remote Siberian Wilderness

Postcard from the Road: A Mystical Shaman Ceremony in the Remote Siberian Wilderness
MIR Corporation / August 19, 2019
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Russia

While in Kyzyl, a small Siberian village in remote Tuva, Tatiana took one of our favorite photos from her trip: a photo of a shaman ceremony. The photo was taken about halfway through the trip, when the group met with a shaman for a demonstration of an authentic ceremony. Tuvan shamanism is based on an animistic spiritual belief that used to be an integral part of Tuvan life and, to some extent, still is. Shamans intercede for people with the spirit world, the unseen world that pervades the Tuvan’s environment. Read More

5 Favorite Sites on Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal’s Biggest Island

5 Favorite Sites on Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal’s Biggest Island
Mariana Noble / May 13, 2019
Russia

Lake Baikal in south Siberia stands out from all other lakes on earth: it’s the deepest and the oldest lake in the world. The lake’s biggest island, Olkhon, stands out as well. Shrouded in lore and legend, the island has been spiritually important to the people of the region for hundreds of years and is incredibly beautiful, too. Set in a peculiar rain shadow, it has more sunny days than the Black Sea coast. Here are five of our favorite ways to experience the outstanding natural and cultural beauty of Olkhon Island. Read More

Doug’s Travel Picks: 13 Favorite Things to Do at Siberia’s Lake Baikal

Doug’s Travel Picks: 13 Favorite Things to Do at Siberia’s Lake Baikal
Douglas Grimes / May 31, 2018
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Russia

I first made it to Siberia’s Lake Baikal in the 1980s, when it was even more of a sparsely-populated backwater than it is today. I’ve seen it in all seasons, and I enjoy finding fun and challenging things to do whenever I touch down on either side of the deepest, oldest lake on earth. With a list that includes dog-sledding, ice-fishing, hiking the Great Baikal Trail, and barbecuing on the lake shore, my favorite things can be duplicated by any MIR traveler who wants to experience the best of Siberia. Read More

Happy New Year (of the Dog): How to Celebrate like a Buryat

Happy New Year (of the Dog): How to Celebrate like a Buryat
Mariana Noble / February 9, 2015
Siberia

Around the shores of great Lake Baikal in south central Siberia, the indigenous Buryat people enjoy a New Year’s celebration that lasts an entire month. Called Sagaalgan, “White Month,” the holiday is a hybrid of shamanist and Buddhist traditions, and it begins just before the Lunar New Year. Read More

Frolic on a Frozen Lake Baikal: Dog Sleds, Ice-Fishing, Hovercrafts and More

Frolic on a Frozen Lake Baikal: Dog Sleds, Ice-Fishing, Hovercrafts and More
MIR Corporation / November 12, 2014
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Siberia

When you think of Siberia, you may think of punishment and exile, of barren tundra and vast expanses of nothingness - of a place of no return. But that's comparable to thinking that everybody in Alaska lives in igloos. Read More

UNESCO Spotlight: Siberia’s Legendary Lake Baikal

UNESCO Spotlight: Siberia’s Legendary Lake Baikal
Helen Holter / May 13, 2014
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Siberia

Dubbed "Pearl of Siberia," no wonder Lake Baikal is on so many travelers’ bucket lists of places to go before they die. It's hands-down superlative: the oldest and deepest lake in the world. It's also considered an ancient holy and sacred place. Read More