Sayano-Shushensky Reserve

The Sayano-Shushensky Reserve is a monumentally scaled protected area located in the remote Western Sayan Mountains of southern Siberia, a landscape heavily dominated by dense, ancient cedar forests and exceedingly steep mountain slopes. This rugged biosphere reserve was established primarily with the goal of preserving the untouched high-alpine taiga and its endemic flora and fauna from encroaching human influences. The territory directly borders the massive Sayano-Shushenskoye Reservoir, the creation of which has noticeably altered the localized microclimate over the past few decades. The reserve has achieved global importance as one of the most vital, and simultaneously the northernmost, strongholds for the critically endangered snow leopard. Because human presence is strictly restricted to an absolute minimum, the reserve acts as an uncompromised safe haven for Siberian ibex, brown bears, and numerous rare birds of prey.

Nearby cities

Novosibirsk

Novosibirsk is the third largest city in Russia and the administrative center of Siberia.

Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg is located on the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains and marks the geographical border between Europe and Asia.

Kazan

Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan and is known for the harmonious coexistence of Christian and Muslim cultures.

Chelyabinsk

Chelyabinsk is a major industrial center located in the Ural Mountains.

Omsk

Omsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia, located at the confluence of the Irtysh and Om rivers.

Ufa

Ufa is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan and is located at the confluence of the Belaya and Ufa rivers.

Krasnoyarsk

Krasnoyarsk is located on the banks of the Yenisei River and is one of the oldest cities in Siberia.

Perm

Perm is located on the banks of the Kama River in the European part of Russia, near the Ural Mountains.

Tyumen

Tyumen was the first Russian city in Siberia and today serves as a major hub for the country's oil and gas industry.

Tolyatti

Tolyatti is the center of the Russian automotive industry and home to the manufacturer AvtoVAZ (Lada).

Izhevsk

Izhevsk is the capital of the Udmurt Republic and is known worldwide as the armory of Russia.

Barnaul

Barnaul is the administrative center of Altai Krai in southern West Siberia.

Irkutsk

Irkutsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia, located near Lake Baikal.

Vladivostok

Vladivostok is the most important Russian port on the Pacific Ocean and the terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Tomsk

Tomsk is one of the oldest cities in Siberia and a major scientific center.

History & landmarks

Yelabuga

A historic town on the Kama River, the birthplace of painter Shishkin and the final home of poet Tsvetayeva.