Where the Heavens Meet the Earth: Most Breathtaking Sights of Russia

Sometimes people travel to see new countries and experience other people’s traditions, while other times all they want is to see the beauty of nature in all its forms. Of course, Russia offers it all - from tropical beaches and snow-covered mountains to blossoming gardens and ancient ruins.

Sputnik has collected the most astounding views of Russia's nature with photos depicting various regions, each with its own allure. From the northern islands and vast tundra to the mountains of the Caucasus and the great rivers crossing the country - there are many sights that will make your heart race as you witness their splendour.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Timin

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Russian expedition yacht the Pyotr Pervy off the island of Kizhi.

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© Sputnik / Pavel Lvov

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Siberian huskies in the Northern Lights tourist park in the Murmansk region.

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© Sputnik / Aleksey Danichev

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View from a dune in Kurshskaya Kosa National Park in the Kaliningrad region, Russia.

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© Sputnik / Sergey Malgavko

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The medieval fortress-city of Chufut-Kale in the Crimean Mountains near Bakhchysarai, Russia.

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© Sputnik / Konstantin Mihalchevskiy

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A beautiful sunset captured near the settlement of Mosroke in Crimea, Russia.

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© Sputnik / Vitaliy Timkiv

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A picturesque view of the city of Gelendzhik, with a memorial cross erected in the Markotkhskiy Khrebet mountain range.

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© Sputnik / Artur Lebedev

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A blooming tree in the mountains near Sochi, Russia.

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CC BY-SA 4.0 / Synaps-s / Bolshoy Thach (cropped image)

The mountain of Bolshoy Tkhach in Adygea Republic, Russia.

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© Sputnik / Irina Ovchinnikova

Towers in the Erzi Nature Reserve in Ingushetia, Russia.

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CC BY-SA 4.0 / Alexey Khlystov / Mountain Range Chests (cropped image)

The Sunduki mountain range in Khakassia, Russia

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© Sputnik / Kirill Braga

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A sole tree near a spring cascade in Kalmykia with eight scared Buddhist stupas around it.

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© Depositphotos.com / Sietevidas

Blossoming lotus in the Volga River Delta.

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© Depositphotos.com / Shellexx

Mount Big Bogdo in the Astrakhan region, Russia - a sacred place for local Buddhists.

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© Depositphotos.com / Eugene_R.

A view of Kushtau Hill, located in the Ishimbaysky district near the city of Sterlitamak in Bashkortostan, Russia.

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© Photo : Pixabay / Zuleyz

Stolby Nature Reserve located near Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

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© Sputnik / Vladimir Smirnov

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Sunset on the island of Olkhon in Lake Baikal, Russia.

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© Depositphotos.com / Anton_Petrus

Ukok Plateau in the Altai Mountains, Russia.

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© Sputnik / Vera Kostamo

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An ancient Eskimo structure known as Whale Alley on Yttygran Island in Chukotka, Russia.

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© Sputnik / Sergey Rusanov

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A sleigh race with deer during a holiday for reindeer herders in the village of Ratta, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia.

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© Sputnik / Ewgeniy Neskoromniy

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Kambalny stratovolcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia.