Siberian Traveller Plans Unique Endurance Trip Round Lake Baikal

Traveller Valery Bely from Tomsk (an administrative centre in western Siberia) is planning to walk round Lake Baikal in 60 days. The lake is the deepest freshwater one of its kind in the world at 1620 metres deep. It is located in Siberia and is surrounded by mountains. The traveller is planning to begin his solo expedition on February 15th and is dedicating it to Tomsk, which is preparing to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

The Tomsk city administration has reported that Bely will begin and finish his 1,800 kilometre journey in the town of Severobaikalsk. No Russian has ever walked around the entire perimeter of Baikal in winter.

The Tomsk "adventurer" will keep the Irkutsk and Tomsk search and rescue services informed about his progress round the icy banks of the lake.

Bely himself has said that one of the aims of his expedition will be to study the limits of the human body over a long period of isolation with heavy physical loads in extreme conditions.

The temperatures in the Lake Baikal region can reach minus forty degrees in February, while winds can reach hurricane force.