Pangong Tso High Altitude Lake in Ladakh, India
A Mountain Lake With a Unique Ecosystem in the Indian Himalayas
Jan 21, 2009
Pangong Tso is a brackish lake at 4250 m altitude in Eastern Ladakh, 170 km from Ladakh's capital Leh. The road from Leh to Pangong Tso passes some beautiful Ladakhi mountain scenery as well as the third highest motorable mountain pass in the world, Changla La (5289 m).
After descending from Changla La the road continues through green fields where wild horses graze next to little Himalayan marmots that have come out to sunbathe. As one catches the first glimpse of the bright blue waters on the lake, surrounded by brown snow-capped mountains, it is easy to think of Tibet.
Travel Permits to Pangong Tso
The majority of the lake is in Chinese-controlled territory. Because of Pangong's proximity to India's border with China, tourists are only allowed to visit the lake as far as the village of Spangmik, 7 km into the lakeshore. An Inner Line Permit is needed to visit Pangong Tso and this can be obtained at travel agents in Leh. Foreign tourists should travel in a group of four but travel agents can put groups together. It is best to obtain at least 5-6 copies of the permit as this is checked several times on the route to the lake and every checkpoint will retain one copy.
Travelling from Leh to Pangong Tso
Pangong Tso can be visited on a daytrip from Leh but this means a lot of driving in one day. There is basic accommodation in and on the way to Spangmik mainly in tent camps and in local houses, but most accommodation options come without running water or electricity. In this altitude it gets cold at night so some warm clothes, at least a fleece, are essential. There are guesthouses in the village of Tangtse, about 40 km from the lake, as well as a few restaurants. The main meals on the menu around here are rice, dhal and potatoes, or instant noodles, so bring snacks.
Responsible Tourism in Ladakh
Since the accommodation options around the lake may lack such luxuries as toilets, sometimes the only option is to do as locals do and squat behind a bush. Please be aware that the environment in the Pangong area is fragile and already suffering from rising tourist levels: do not cover the lakeshore with toilet paper and do not leave rubbish behind. According to WWF India, tourism in the area can create problems such as pollution, disturbance of wildlife and changes in local lifestyle leading to loss of cultural heritage – read more about environmental issues in Ladakh here.
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