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Saturday, July 26, 2025

Yarab Tso, Panamik, Ladakh

Yarab Tso, Panamik, Ladakh

Yarab Tso is a high-altitude fresh water lake in Nubra Valley located near Panamik village in Nubra District in the Union Territory of Ladakh, India. This lake is situated on the eastern bank of Nubra River.

The Lake

It is a fresh water lake situated at an altitude of about 15,000 feet above sea level in the Nubra Valley. The lake consists of crystal-clear water and is surrounded by mountain peaks. This lake is considered a sacred lake by the locals, and many believe that the lake has spiritual powers. The lake can be reached after a hike of about 20 minutes from the Panamik village. The best time to visit this lake is from July to September.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://explore-natural-beauty-of-india.blogspot.com/2025/07/yarab-tso-panamik-connectivity.html

Location

Kyagar Tso, Leh – Connectivity

Kyagar Tso, Leh – Connectivity

The lake is located at about 29 Kms from Tso Moriri, 59 Kms from Tso Kar, 81 Kms from Pang-Debering Intersection Point, 86 Kms from Chumur, 192 Kms from Leh, 194 Kms from Leh Airport, 299 Kms from Pangong Tso, and 376 Kms from Manali. The lake is situated at about 81 Kms to the south east of Pang-Debering Intersection Point on the Leh to Manali route. One can also reach Kyagar Tso directly from the Pangong Tso one the way to Tso Moriri via the remote Changtang region. This is considered to be one of the most beautiful drives in the entire Ladakh region. Foreigners are not allowed to go beyond the Man - Merak villages on Pangong Tso as permits are not issued for them.

There are no petrol pumps in the area. Carrying enough fuel is therefore necessary. Leh is the nearest town situated close to this lake. Leh is located at about 215 Kms from Kargil, 419 Kms from Kashmir, 426 Kms from Manali and 661 Kms from Jammu. Leh Airport has flights to and from Delhi, Jammu, Srinagar, and Chandigarh. Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo & Vistara operate Delhi to Leh daily with multiple flights at peak times. There are no railway stations at Leh currently. Leh is connected to the rest of India by two high-altitude roads, both of which are subject to landslides and impassable in winter due to snows.

The National Highway 1 from Srinagar via Kargil is generally open longer. National Highway 1 typically remains open for traffic from April / May to October / November. The most dramatic part of this journey is the ascent up the 3,505-metre-high (11,499 ft) Zoji-la, a tortuous pass in the Great Himalayan Wall. The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) operates regular deluxe and ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route, with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey.

The Leh-Manali Highway (National Highway 3) can be troublesome due to very high passes and plateaus. This highway has served as the second land approach to Ladakh. It is open from June to late October, this high road traverses the upland desert plateaux of Rupsho, whose altitude ranges from 3,660 m (12,010 ft) to 4,570 m (14,990 ft). There are a number of high passes en route among which the highest one, known as Tanglang La, is sometimes incorrectly claimed to be the world's second-highest motorable pass at an altitude of 5,325 metres (17,470 ft).

Kyagar Tso, Leh, Ladakh

Kyagar Tso, Leh, Ladakh

Kyagar Tso is a high-altitude lake located in the Changthang Plateau (northern plains) in the Rupshu Valley in Leh District of the Union Territory of Ladakh, India. It is a small brackish lake surrounded by mountains. The lake is situated on the Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri route.

The Lake

It is a very small saline water lake situated at an elevation of 4.705 m (15.44 ft) above the sea level. It lies in the Changthang Plateau (northern plains) in the Rupshu Valley. The lake is about 4.5 Kms in length and 3.25 Kms in breadth. The lake covers an area of about 15.5 sq kms. The lake can be spotted by its turquoise colour from the distance itself. Few high-altitude birds can be seen in this region.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://explore-natural-beauty-of-india.blogspot.com/2025/07/kyagar-tso-leh-connectivity.html

Location

Tso Moriri, Leh – Connectivity

Tso Moriri, Leh – Connectivity

The lake is located at about 57 Kms from Chumur, 88 Kms from Tso Kar, 110 Kms from Pang-Debering Intersection Point, 220 Kms from Leh, 222 Kms from Leh Airport, 328 Kms from Pangong Tso, and 405 Kms from Manali. The lake is situated at about 110 Kms to the south east of Pang-Debering Intersection Point on the Leh to Manali route. One can also reach Tso Moriri directly from the Pangong Tso via the remote Changtang region. This is considered to be one of the most beautiful drives in the entire Ladakh region. Foreigners are not allowed to go beyond the Man - Merak villages on Pangong Tso as permits are not issued for them.

Tso Moriri, Leh – The Lake

Tso Moriri, Leh – The Lake

Tso Moriri is situated at an altitude of about 4,522 m (14,836 ft) in the Changthang Plateau in Rupshu Valley. It is the largest of the high-altitude lakes entirely within India and entirely within Ladakh in this Trans-Himalayan biogeographic region. It is about 16 miles (26 km) north to south in length and two to three miles (3 to 5 km) wide. The lake has no outlet at present and the water is brackish though not very perceptible to taste. The lake is fed by springs and snowmelt from the adjacent mountains. Most water enters the lake in two major stream systems, one entering the lake from the north, the other from the southwest. Both stream systems include extensive marshes where they enter the lake.

It formerly had an outlet to the south, but this has become blocked, and the lake has become an endorheic lake. The lake is oligotrophic in nature, and its waters are alkaline. The lake, with water spread area of 120 km2 (46 sq.mi) is enclosed by peaks exceeding 6,000 meters on both the east and west sides including Mentok Kangri and Lungser Kangri. The lake has a maximum depth of 40 m (130 ft). On the south, a nearly flat valley connects with but does not drain into or out of the Pare Chu river which is part of Sutlej river basin. Lingdi Nadi, major tributary of Tso Moriri, drains western catchment area of the lake and joins the lake on its south side.

This valley contains the Nuro Sumdo wetlands (with a catchment area of 20 km2 or 7.7 sq mi), a boggy area that mostly drains into the Pare Chu. Geologically the lake is in Ordovician rock. The lake and surrounding area are protected as the Tso Moriri Wetland Conservation Reserve. There is a small lake called Lake of Joy situated to the north east of Tso Moriri. Changpa, the nomadic migratory shepherds (pastoral community) of yak, sheep, goat, and horses of Tibetan origin and who are engaged in trade and work on caravans in Ladakh region, are the main inhabitants of the area.

Changpa (Champa) herders use the land of this valley as grazing ground and for cultivation. The accessibility to the lake is largely limited to summer season, though Korzok on the northwest shore and the military facilities on the eastern shores have year-round habitation. The Korzok Monastery, on the western bank of the lake is 400 years old and attracts tourists and Buddhist pilgrims. The barley fields at Korzok have been described as the highest cultivated land in the world. Tourism during May – September attracts large number of foreign and local tourists even though tented accommodation is the facility available, apart from a small PWD guest house close to the lake.

Flora & Fauna:

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://explore-natural-beauty-of-india.blogspot.com/2025/07/tso-moriri-leh-flora-fauna.html

Tso Moriri, Leh – Flora & Fauna

Tso Moriri, Leh – Flora & Fauna

Flora:

The deeper parts of the lake have no vegetation, but the shallow areas have pondweeds (Potamogeton spp). Marshes have several species of sedges and reeds, particularly Carex, Caragana and Astragalus spp., which are all representative of the surrounding arid steppe vegetation. Other vegetation found here are Primula, Pedicularis, Juncus thomsonii, and Leontopodium spp. Phytoplankton species of Oocystis with density was 900 cells/L to a depth of 25 m (82 ft). Specimens of the diatom Cyclotella also recorded.

Fauna:

The lake and the surrounding region is home to more than 14 species of water birds. Some of the prominent birds found here are black necked crane, bar headed goose, brown headed gull, great crested grebe, brahminy duck, ferruginous pochard, and black necked grebe. The site is said to represent the only breeding ground outside of China for one of the most endangered cranes, the Black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis), and the only breeding ground for Bar-headed geese in India. The lake plays a fundamental role as breeding grounds and key staging posts on migration routes for several water birds belonging to six families.

The mammals found around the surrounding region of the lake are snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, Tibetan gazelle, Eurasian lynx, great Tibetan sheep, Bharal (Himalayan blue sheep), Tibetan Ass (Kiang), woolly hare, large eared pika, plateau pika, Tibetan sand fox, Royle's mountain vole and Himalayan marmot. An endemic reptile species called Ladak ground skink can also be seen in this region.

Tso Moriri, Leh, Ladakh

Tso Moriri, Leh, Ladakh

Tso Moriri is a high-altitude lake located in the Changthang Plateau (northern plains) in the Rupshu Valley in Leh District of the Union Territory of Ladakh, India. The name Tso Moriri means Mountain Lake. It is one of the three important high-altitude lakes in the Ladakh region. It is the largest of the high-altitude lakes entirely within India and entirely within Ladakh in this Trans-Himalayan biogeographic region. The site is said to represent the only breeding ground outside of China for one of the most endangered cranes, the Black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis), and the only breeding ground for Bar-headed geese in India. The lake was notified in November 2002 under the List of Ramsar Wetland sites under the Ramsar Convention.