Pangong Tso

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Pangong Tso

Location	Rutog County, Tibet, India
Coordinates	33°43′04.59″N, 78°53′48.48″ECoordinates: 33°43′04.59″N, 78°53′48.48″E
Lake type	salt lake
Basin countries	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 Tibet. Two thirds of the length of this lake lies in Tibet. 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 small hostel as well as campsites and houses with primitive guestrooms in the village a few miles towards the border with Tibet. Most of its inhabitants herd sheep and goats and have relatively 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.

The lake during summers	Road to Pangong Tso	Road to Pangong Tso
Approach road to pangong lake.JPG Pangong Tso - From A Distance

[edit] Flora and fauna

The brackish water of the lake is devoid of any micro-vegetation. Guides report that there is no acquatic life in the lake, no fish or crustaceans. On the other hand, visitors see numerous ducks and gulls over and on the lake surface. There are some species of scrub and perennial herbs that grow in the marshes around the lake. The lake acts as an important breeding ground for a variety of birds including a number of migratory birds. The region around the lake supports a number of species of wildlife including the kiang.