Lake Baikal tours
A 30-million-year-old lake
Lake Baikal is an astounding 30 million years old, which makes it the world's oldest lake. It was created by a rift valley, formed when part of the Earth's crust pulled apart. It is also the deepest lake in the world, averaging a depth of 2,442 feet (744 metres). The massive size of the lake is difficult to comprehend; around 20% of the world's surface freshwater can be found here. According to ancient Chinese texts, people of the time believed it to be a part of the North Sea. This is not that surprising, as the lake is an incredible 395 miles (636 kilometres) long and 49 miles (79 kilometres) wide.