Ulan Ude

Situated on the eastern side of Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia, Ulan-Ude is a fascinating city of contrasts – at once exotic and mysterious as well as welcoming and cozy. The numerous Buddhist temples in and around the city play host to the largest Buddhist population in all of Russia, and the indigenous people of the area, the Buryats, welcome visitors with fascinating traditions and stories of survival in harsh environmental conditions.