Crossing Lake Baikal

The stats on Lake Baikal are mind boggling, it would take all the rivers of the world – Volga, Don, Dneper and Yenisei, Ural and Ob, Ganges and Orinoko, Amazon and Thames, Seine and Oder – nearly one year to fill lake Baikal’s basin! 
Who are you
Adventure Hub 

The Challenge
Crossing Lake Biakal

How long could it take
25 – 35 days

What is the distance
400miles / 645km

How much will it cost
£3,995

Who was the organiser
What will it be like

In February/March Lake Baikal, ‘the worlds oldest and deepest lake’ and ‘the Pearl of Siberia’ completely freezes. We cover the entire 400 miles from Kultuk at the southern tip near Sledjanka to Nizhneangarsk at the northern most point of the lake near Severobaikalsk completely on foot, and unsupported…on the ice!

The stats on Lake Baikal are mind boggling, it would take all the rivers of the world – Volga, Don, Dneper and Yenisei, Ural and Ob, Ganges and Orinoko, Amazon and Thames, Seine and Oder – nearly one year to fill lake Baikal’s basin! And it is also home to Buryat tribes who reside on the eastern side of Lake Baikal, rearing goats, camels, cattle and sheep.

The ice is so thick in winter it’s strong enough to drive a bus on! But despite the ice being so thick, it is completely clear, so clear in fact we will be able to see the fish (and with the lake being 25 million years old who knows what else!) swimming beneath us as we travel!

This expedition is a serious undertaking, not only do we aim to cover c400 miles on foot, we’ll experience the reality of the Siberian winter where temperatures average -25C! (We certainly want it to stay below freezing!). In terms of logistics and experience this is a classic ‘polar style’ journey, as we pull all our supplies behind us in pulks and we need to be ready for and respectful of the changeable climate.
We camp directly on the ice, the thought of which is a little strange at first and the creaking beneath us may take some getting used to at times, but camp life is a time to laugh and joke and there should be time after an 8-10 hour days travel to partake in some ice fishing for breakfast!

There’ll be many times when we have to be careful of the ice and even cross pressure ridge of ice like on a north pole expedition, and the flow water and weather move the ice sometimes!

This is an exciting, emerging expedition, not to be underestimated, it is a huge accomplishment to cover the 400 miles on ice and in Siberian winter conditions, and has only ever been completed 3 times before to our knowledge, we are the only company in the world offering this expedition to clients. Not only that but we can offer this as either a trek or a speed run!
How should you train

You’ll benefit from a lot of hill walking. If you can get hold of your harness early it really helps, you should attach an old tire to it and drag it on long walks, you might look a bit ridiculous but you’ll be glad of it when you’re out on the ice (it’s also a great way to raise cash / awareness for a charity as people will often come up to you and ask what you’re doing). This really works you legs and core which are the main muscle groups you’ll be using. 

In the gym you should try and pack on as much muscle as possible especially legs, core, back and shoulders. The cross trainer is a good machine for working your fitness as it comes close to mimicking your movements on the ice. 

As well as building your strength and fitness you’ll also benefit from putting on a bit of fat, you’ll burn a lot of calories on this expedition so it helps to have some in reserve. For more advise on how to train and prepare for this expedition contact the guys at Adventure Hub. 

Any other useful hints / links

For more details contact Adventure Hub
It helps to read about other people experiences. There are some great books out there, here are a few:
Mad Bad and Dangerious to Know – Ranulph Fiennes
Beyond the Limits – Ranulph Fiennes