Let's take on nature!
This immense territory reveals its charms to anyone who wants to cross the Urals. It takes seven days by train to cross this country, 500 kilometres is a walk in the park and some northern regions are cut off from the world for several months a year. But it's well worth it. Skiing and trekking in the mountains and on the volcanoes, troika (sled) riding in the snowy woods, riding a horse, riding a snowmobile, putting on ice skates for a ride on the frozen Lake Baikal, boarding a helicopter over the volcanoes or even just meditating in front of such beauty: there are a few possibilities to enjoy a territory that is not available to the first person.
Hunting, on the trail of the trappers
Hunting is not a hobby in Siberia, it is an almost sacred art. The hunter who kills a wolf not only has the right to keep the hide, but also receives a bounty for having well protected the livestock in the vicinity. The conditions for coming to hunt in Russia are quite simplified: it is enough to hold a hunting permit from one's country - which allows one to obtain a provisional Russian permit - and to join a hunting society (i.e. pay one's membership fee) on the spot, allowing access to the territories it covers.
Germans, who love big game, are happy to come and hunt bears around Kostroma. The bear is not protected in Russia; only a few species are: beavers, otters, wild mink. If one day you are tempted by the great adventure in the Dersou Ouzala version, join the Siberian trappers in the forests where they spend the whole season hunting and making a living from their hunt. The helicopter that drops them off at the beginning of winter comes back to pick them up in the spring. Notice to the amateurs!
Fishing, the great occupation of the Siberians
Along with hunting, fishing is the great occupation of Siberians. Land of excess, Siberia offers the possibility to fish salmonids of more than 40 kg! Lakes, rivers... the territory is really ideal for fishing. Which is a very serious matter, because if in the West this activity is often considered as a sport, it is sometimes in Russia, and in Siberia a fortiori, the only way to improve the ordinary.
If you are an enthusiast, a trip entirely devoted to fishing is even possible. In this case, it is better to go through a specialized agency on site to prepare your stay (season, equipment ...). If you walk in Siberia in winter, do not be surprised to meet strange individuals carrying in their back a kind of giant corkscrew. This object is simply used to pierce a hole in the ice in order to pass a line. Usually the fisherman also carries a folding stool... and a vial of vodka. A unique experience.The Russian bath (banya), an unavoidable tradition
The sauna and Russian bath (banya) are very popular in Russia and especially in Siberia where, during the harsh winters, it is customary to warm up by flogging oneself with birch branches (known as venik). However, you don't have to bend to the custom of rubbing or rolling in the snow. You can simply pour cold water (courage!) on your body after a steam bath. The baths are preferably on Saturdays. Afterwards, the ritual consists of drinking herbal tea or kvas, a sweet and sour fermented drink made from rye bread, sugar and yeast, or a snack of beer and dried fish. Cheers!
