The Siberia Region of Russia - A Description

Siberia… What are your very first thoughts when you hear this word? When we ask people, usually we hear“Its cold!”, “Gulag”, “Frozen, endless, desolated area," and "only crazy Russians can live over there." We named our company “RaftSiberia” because we know that it is one of the most beautiful places on earth and a paradise for outdoor travelers since it is one of few pristine regions in our small planet.

So, what is Siberia? Is it big? Yes, it is a little bit larger then United States. It stretches from the borderline of Europe in the Ural mountains to the very East of Russia at the Pacific Ocean and from the Arctic Ocean to the borders with China and Mongolia. The population of this enormous area is about ten times less than that of the United States. People live mostly along the Trans-Siberian Railroad, along the few highways, and around mining centers. People here are very ethnically diverse, but they have common traits: they are always ready to help, share their last piece of bread, and of course their vodka.

Siberia has many big cities with history, intense cultural life, and theaters. The cities of Tomsk, Irkutsk, and Novosibirsk (more than million people) are famous for their colleges and research institutions. All of these cities including Krasnoyarsk and Khabarovsk are large industrial centers. Vladivostok is a large port and a base of the Russian Pacific fleet. Kemerovo, Yakutsk, Norilsk, Surgut, and Omsk are world famous centers of mining and oil production. Siberia is an economic giant since it includes 70 to 80 percent of all natural resources in Russia. Siberia is also one of the main producers of grain in Russia.

Is Siberia cold? No doubts – yes …. In winter. Winter here is cold, long and snowy. And only strong people can live and work here. But in summer… Would you call Oregon or England cold? Summer is very warm at low altitudes. As a rule you will experience temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 F to 77F). July and August are the best times to travel in the region.

Siberian nature and relief are very diverse due to large plains and high mountains. There is enough room for everything. Large areas of tundra occupy northern Siberia. To the South of the tundra regions are areas of dense forest here called “taiga" which contain about half of the world's boreal forest. Mountains dominate huge areas of Eastern and Southern Siberia.

The Altai and Sayan Mountains are the most popular destinations for outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. These mountain regions are an amazing place for climbers, hikers, horse riders, and of course rafters and kayakers. These mountains have great rivers of all types and many of them wait for the first explorers.

There are unlimited opportunities for travel in Siberia. To the North is the Putorana Plateau which is the country of waterfalls. The Lake Baikal region is famous for the largest freshwater lake and amazing scenery. Eastern Siberia is where you may run rivers five hundred miles long just in two weeks. The Kamchatka peninsula is famous for Geyser Valley and its many volcanoes.

We say that Siberia is still Terra Incognito. Explore it!