Leh Ladakh J&K Pangong Tsokar Tsomoriri Lake

Leh Ladakh J&K Pangong Tsokar Tsomoriri Lake

Location
Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India; Rutog County, Tibet, People's Republic of China
Coordinates
Lake type
salt lake
Basin countries
China, India
Max. length
134 km (83.3 mi)
Max. width
5 km (3 mi)
Surface elevation
4,250 m (13,900 ft)
Frozen
in winter
Pangong Tso (or Pangong Lake; Tso: Ladakhi for lake) is a lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4,250 m (13,900 ft). It is 134 km (83.3 mi) long and extends from India to China. Two thirds of the length of this lake lies in China. The lake is 5 km (3 mi) wide at its broadest point. In winter, the lake surface freezes completely despite being salt water.
Pangong Tso can be reached in a five-hour drive from Leh, most of it on a rough and dramatic mountain road. The road traverses the third-highest pass in the world, the Changla pass, where army sentries and a small teahouse greet visitors. The spectacular lakeside is open during the tourist season, from May to September. A special permit is required to visit the lake. While Indian nationals can obtain individual permits, others must have group permits (with a minimum of four persons) accompanied by an accredited guide; the tourist office in Leh issues the permits for a small fee. For security reasons, India does not permit boating. There is a 7 room J&K Tourism Guest House which also houses a campsite, at Spangmik, the only village on the banks of lake. Most of its inhabitants herd sheep and goats and have quite recently given up nomadic ways. A significant temple stands below the peaks overlooking the village and the lake.
The lake is in the process of being identified under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. This will be the first trans-boundary wetland in South Asia under the convention.

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