17,000 kilometers by car: how we drove from Moscow to Lake Baikal and back
While I was telling you about the beauty of the Russian North, my husband and I were anything but staying put. This autumn we set off on the longest road trip of our lives — almost six weeks on the road. We drove from Moscow all the way to the capital of Buryatia, the historic city of Ulan-Ude. Our route passed through 13 regions of Russia and 29 towns and cities.
We left in mid-September, when Moscow was still enjoying warm, almost summery sunshine and the trees were just beginning to turn yellow. Along the way we encountered torrential rains, black ice, and heavy snowfalls — and returned to Moscow in the second half of October, right in the middle of golden autumn. As my husband put it: “It feels like we were traveling for an entire year!” 🙂
Why did we go so far? Primarily to gather material for the second volume of “The Terems of Russia.” I photographed dozens of stunning wooden houses that you’ll see in my new book. The upcoming edition will include around 100 chapters (!!) — significantly more than the first volume.
Of course, the journey wasn’t limited to searching for terems alone. Here are the top 10 impressions from our Trans-Siberian adventure:
⚜️ The road from Irkutsk to Ulan-Ude, running right along Lake Baikal — incredibly beautiful and extremely dangerous. We drove through a snowstorm and saw two overturned trucks within one hour.
⚜️ The Tobolsk Kremlin at sunrise, wrapped in pink-lilac mist. We even managed to fly a drone and capture the scene from above.
⚜️ The Museum of Funeral Culture at the Novosibirsk crematorium — there is nothing like it anywhere else in Russia.
⚜️ The Ural “Mars” — this is where Star Wars should have been filmed.
⚜️ The historic center of Biysk, the starting point of the legendary Chuysky Trakt, with more than 200 architectural landmarks.
⚜️ A wooden estate in a small Khakassian village, reached after five hours of off-road driving — but the surrounding landscapes were absolutely worth it.
⚜️ The island-town of Sviyazhsk, founded by Ivan the Terrible. I envy those who arrive by helicopter — the aerial view is unbeatable.
⚜️ Pre-revolutionary viaducts in Krasnoufimsk, discovered by chance and deeply impressive.
⚜️ Old Believer villages of Buryatia, among the most beautiful in Russia.
⚜️ Khabarovsk in golden autumn (you may wonder how we got there if we only drove to Baikal — I’ll explain that in one of the next posts).
So yes, you’ve probably guessed it already — a series of at least a hundred travel stories is coming your way. I’m starting to process the photos — stay tuned!
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
While I was telling you about the beauty of the Russian North, my husband and I were anything but staying put. This autumn we set off on the longest road trip of our lives — almost six weeks on the road. We drove from Moscow all the way to the capital of Buryatia, the historic city of Ulan-Ude. Our route passed through 13 regions of Russia and 29 towns and cities.
We left in mid-September, when Moscow was still enjoying warm, almost summery sunshine and the trees were just beginning to turn yellow. Along the way we encountered torrential rains, black ice, and heavy snowfalls — and returned to Moscow in the second half of October, right in the middle of golden autumn. As my husband put it: “It feels like we were traveling for an entire year!” 🙂
Why did we go so far? Primarily to gather material for the second volume of “The Terems of Russia.” I photographed dozens of stunning wooden houses that you’ll see in my new book. The upcoming edition will include around 100 chapters (!!) — significantly more than the first volume.
Of course, the journey wasn’t limited to searching for terems alone. Here are the top 10 impressions from our Trans-Siberian adventure:
⚜️ The road from Irkutsk to Ulan-Ude, running right along Lake Baikal — incredibly beautiful and extremely dangerous. We drove through a snowstorm and saw two overturned trucks within one hour.
⚜️ The Tobolsk Kremlin at sunrise, wrapped in pink-lilac mist. We even managed to fly a drone and capture the scene from above.
⚜️ The Museum of Funeral Culture at the Novosibirsk crematorium — there is nothing like it anywhere else in Russia.
⚜️ The Ural “Mars” — this is where Star Wars should have been filmed.
⚜️ The historic center of Biysk, the starting point of the legendary Chuysky Trakt, with more than 200 architectural landmarks.
⚜️ A wooden estate in a small Khakassian village, reached after five hours of off-road driving — but the surrounding landscapes were absolutely worth it.
⚜️ The island-town of Sviyazhsk, founded by Ivan the Terrible. I envy those who arrive by helicopter — the aerial view is unbeatable.
⚜️ Pre-revolutionary viaducts in Krasnoufimsk, discovered by chance and deeply impressive.
⚜️ Old Believer villages of Buryatia, among the most beautiful in Russia.
⚜️ Khabarovsk in golden autumn (you may wonder how we got there if we only drove to Baikal — I’ll explain that in one of the next posts).
So yes, you’ve probably guessed it already — a series of at least a hundred travel stories is coming your way. I’m starting to process the photos — stay tuned!
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
❤6🏆3👍1
Cosmic Tunnel in Alexander Garden
A new New Year attraction has appeared in St. Petersburg — a glowing, multicolored tunnel with a cosmic atmosphere. The installation is located in Alexander Garden, just a short walk from the Bronze Horseman monument.
📍 Coordinates: Yandex Maps
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
A new New Year attraction has appeared in St. Petersburg — a glowing, multicolored tunnel with a cosmic atmosphere. The installation is located in Alexander Garden, just a short walk from the Bronze Horseman monument.
📍 Coordinates: Yandex Maps
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
❤5👍3
Paanajärvi Nature Reserve is a destination well worth visiting in winter.
The national park is located in the northwest of the Republic of Karelia, in the Loukhsky District. Its boundaries largely coincide with the drainage basin of the park’s main river, the Olanga, as well as with the waters of its crown jewel — Lake Paanajärvi. On the western side, the park directly borders the state boundary between Russia and Finland.
The main value of Paanajärvi lies in its pristine, almost untouched nature, rich flora and fauna, and striking northern landscapes. Until the 1940s, a significant part of the park’s territory belonged to Finland, which has also left its mark on the area’s history and character.
From Saint Petersburg, the park can be reached by car via the Saint Petersburg–Murmansk highway to the settlement of Loukhi, or by train to the Loukhi station. From there, the route continues westward by road for about 110 kilometers to the settlement of Pyäozersky.
Photo: lidia_kbob
📍Coordinates: Yandex.Maps
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
The national park is located in the northwest of the Republic of Karelia, in the Loukhsky District. Its boundaries largely coincide with the drainage basin of the park’s main river, the Olanga, as well as with the waters of its crown jewel — Lake Paanajärvi. On the western side, the park directly borders the state boundary between Russia and Finland.
The main value of Paanajärvi lies in its pristine, almost untouched nature, rich flora and fauna, and striking northern landscapes. Until the 1940s, a significant part of the park’s territory belonged to Finland, which has also left its mark on the area’s history and character.
From Saint Petersburg, the park can be reached by car via the Saint Petersburg–Murmansk highway to the settlement of Loukhi, or by train to the Loukhi station. From there, the route continues westward by road for about 110 kilometers to the settlement of Pyäozersky.
Photo: lidia_kbob
📍Coordinates: Yandex.Maps
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
🤩5❤1
— Let’s take a walk around Saratov and admire its distinctive, one-of-a-kind Art Nouveau architecture! ✨
📸 Photo: @spiritoflabelle
📍 Coordinates: Yandex.Maps
#SaratovRegion
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
📸 Photo: @spiritoflabelle
📍 Coordinates: Yandex.Maps
#SaratovRegion
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
😍4
Christmas Manifesto: Living History 🎄⚔️
A winter military-historical reenactment will transport audiences to the events of the Patriotic War of 1812. A full-scale battle will unfold before spectators, culminating in the ceremonial reading of Emperor Alexander I’s Christmas Manifesto.
Afterward: live interaction with reenactors, photo opportunities, and a walk through the historical park.
🕐 12:00–13:00
🗓 January 7
📍 Coordinates: Yandex.Maps
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
A winter military-historical reenactment will transport audiences to the events of the Patriotic War of 1812. A full-scale battle will unfold before spectators, culminating in the ceremonial reading of Emperor Alexander I’s Christmas Manifesto.
Afterward: live interaction with reenactors, photo opportunities, and a walk through the historical park.
🕐 12:00–13:00
🗓 January 7
📍 Coordinates: Yandex.Maps
🏙️ Beyond Moscow 🏔️
❤7