For those of you who prefer your aquatic travel adventures without the oceanic dangers of hurricanes or rogue waves, there are a host of enticing lakes around the world begging for your attention. We’re talking really deep lakes here, many of which would make a great vacation spot for the adventure traveler. At Jetsetter, we put our noses to the grindstone and came up with the three deepest lakes in the world.

Lake Baikal (5,369 feet) – this Siberian jewel contains approximately 20% of the world’s surface fresh water supply and is, by volume, the largest lake in the world. Baikal is deep, clear, and 25 million years old, making it also the oldest lake in the world. Sporting an average summer temperature high of only 60 degrees, remember to take your warm clothes.

Lake Tanganyika (4,823 feet) – if it’s a warmer lake climate you seek, this central African body of water sprawls across parts of four countries: Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, and Burundi. Lake Tanganyika is home to a massive fishing industry and the man-eating crocodile, Gustave.

Caspian Sea (3,363 feet) – as an enclosed body water, and despite it’s name, the Caspian Sea is the third largest lake in the world. Bordered by Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea also lays claim to the largest enclosed body of water in the world by surface area. These days, the Volga river is dumping massive amounts of chemical and biological pollutants into the Caspian, creating havoc with the local ecosystem, so you might want to postpone your fishing trip for a while.

There you go. Deep lake connoisseurs everywhere grab your travel gear and polish up your passport.

The Jetsetter Team

Flickr / giladr

Tags: lakes, travel