Russia is a very underestimated tourist destination! This country has so much to offer when it comes to culture, history, and of course, nature. Today we handpicked the top natural sights of Russia, this highly diverse country. You should definitely include them on your bucket list of rare wonders!
Lena Pillars, Yakutia
Lena Pillars is a place that everyone should visit. They stretch for 40 kilometers along the Lena River. Closely located Sinsky pillars and rocks on the Butoma River can impress you too. But the Lena Pillars deserve your attention because of their unearthly beauty that will surprise even experienced travelers.
Why is it worth seeing the Lena pillars? Because it’s a fascinating place. Imagine a single rock with a height of more than 100 meters bizarrely located along the Lena Riverbank. For the first time, people who see this miracle will think that they have come to the stone forest. Also, nearby two museums deserve your visit, the Mammoth Museum and the «Kingdom of Permafrost.»
Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka
The valley of Geysers is located on the territory of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. This valley is hidden by nature itself in an inaccessible gorge, which was found only in 1941. On the part of 4 square kilometers, there are natural objects of outstanding beauty. There are about 200 thermal springs and 90 geysers that throw up a massive amount of boiling water.
This valley shows its visitors the extraordinary nature of Russia. Here is a third of the entire flora and fauna of the peninsula, 300 species of plants, 82 species of birds, 27 species of mammals, and rare butterflies species.
But the main object of the whole complex is the “Valley of Death.” This is a natural killer. Its weapon is the poisonous fumes that destroy many inhabitants of the valley every year. Due to evaporation, dead bodies are preserved for a very long time. You can only see it from a platform located at a safe distance.
Marble Canyon Ruskeala, Karelia
In the beginning, it has to be said that this is not a 100% natural object. In the 18th century, by the decree of the Russian Empress Catherine II, marble mining was started in this place. The marble was needed for St. Petersburg, which was under construction at that time. In the period from the 19th to the 21st century, about 200 thousand tons of marble were extracted in the quarry. In the 40s of the last century, the quarry was flooded, and it became a truly beautiful place.
There is a canyon on the Tokhmayoki River; some of its rapids flow into Lake Ladoga. The largest rapids form the Ruskeala cascade waterfalls, which are definitely worth a visit on the way to the canyon.
The tourist site was opened in 2005; the park was renovated and immediately became one of the main attractions of the Republic of Karelia in 2008.
Shantar Islands, Khabarovsk Territory
The Shantar Islands is a national park located off the coast of the Khabarovsk Territory. The main reason for visiting this place for most tourists is whales. There are a lot of whales in the waters of the Shantar Islands. And to see them, you do not need to rent a boat for a walk. You can see whales directly from the shore because they swim up to it at a fairly close distance.
In addition to whales, tourists are attracted to these places for seal rookeries on the island of Maly Shantai, thousands of birds that arrive during the nesting period on the island of Utichiy, salmon spawning, as well as the Commander islands.
The Commander Islands will show the traveler its great natural beauty. Also, you can see a huge number of marine animals living in these places. This is the reason why it is the largest marine reserve in Russia.
Charsky sands, Trans-Baikal Territory
Charsky sands, in addition to its beauty, can also boast of its status. It is the smallest and northernmost desert in the world. Its size is only five by 10 kilometers. Charsky sands is a true natural monument.
We included this place in this top because here you can see the most unusual natural combination possible. It is here that the sands are adjacent to the taiga, swamps, and snowy mountain peaks. Because of this combination, it can be called «the wrong desert.»
Externally, the Chara sands are very similar to the Central Asian deserts. The same pattern on the sand, the same dunes, and sandstorms. But this is where the similarities end. Around this place, you can find pine, larch, and cedar trees.
Russia is full of natural resources, and even ten reviews are not enough to tell about all of them. Even after reading a book about the natural resources of Russia, you will not be able to fully get acquainted with all its bizarre places.
Read more TRAVEL articles HERE
