Some of the most beautiful places on earth with water.
Baikal (Rusia): Considered the largest, deepest and oldest lake in the world and known as the ‘blue eye of Siberia’ or ‘the pearl of Asia’, it is the largest freshwater reservoir on the planet (containing 20% of the world’s unfrozen freshwater), and its waters are among the purest in the world. It is located in a remote part of Siberia, very close to Mongolia, and is fascinating both in summer and winter, when mounds of pure ice cover its waters.
Jökulsárlón (Islandia): Iceland’s largest glacial lake is one of the easiest places in the world to access an iceberg. In fact, it is literally littered with large chunks of ice that are breaking off from a nearby glacier. It is a very young lake, having appeared in the 1930s as a result of the melting of the glaciers. Its bleakly beautiful landscapes have been the setting for films such as Beowulf & Grendel, Tomb Raider, Die Another Day, Batman Begins and Panorama to Kill For.
Wanaka (Nueva Zelanda): Located on the South Island of the New Zealand archipelago, this 45-kilometre-long, 193-square-kilometre lake is a paradise for nature lovers and outdoor sports enthusiasts. Its crystal clear waters are ideal for kayaking or boating. Nearby you can go fishing, canoeing, mountaineering, hiking and parachuting. In winter, it is full of skiers enjoying their favourite sport in the nearby giant mountains. The iconic tree standing alone in the middle of the water is a symbol of this lake.
Titicaca (Perú-Bolivia): Located in the middle of the Andean high plateau, it is the highest navigable lake in the world, at some 3,800 metres above sea level. The ancient Incas attributed a sacred character to it, with legends that placed the origin of this civilisation in its waters. It has several islands, some of them inhabited by indigenous people, where you can spend the night to enjoy its exuberant nature and the preserved Inca architectural remains. The ancient inhabitants of the lake also built artificial islands using totora reeds, a type of native reed, as a raw material. Even today such islands, called uros, are still built for tourists to visit.
Moraine (Canadá): In Banff National Park and at an altitude of some 1,884 metres above sea level is one of the most enchanting mountain lakes in the world. Located in the valley of the Ten Peaks, and therefore surrounded by majestic peaks, it stands out for the turquoise colour of its waters, due to the refraction of light by rock dust from the nearby mountains. Its waters are the result of the melting of a glacier. It can only be visited in summer, as in winter the snow prevents access.