Russian President Vladimir Putin and some of his top officials took a break from state affairs ahead of his birthday, spending a few days hiking, hillwalking, and even driving off-road in the thick of the Siberian wilderness.

Axar.az reports citing Life that days off are a rare occurrence in Putin’s tight schedule. When he manages to get a few of them away from the Kremlin, he usually spends time in the country’s wilderness, enjoying the calm of nature.

This time, the Russian president chose the Siberian taiga forest to go on a hike ahead of his October 7 birthday.

The adventurous vacations of the Russian leader have always attracted media attention, while the range of his activities – such as underwater fishing and horseback riding, have become prime meme material.