Tso Moriri Lake is surprisingly quite similar to that of Pangong Lake and owing to the stark resemblance, it is also known as a twin to the Pangong Lake. This lake offers an amazing sense of peace and tranquillity to the tourists. Surrounded by the snow-covered mountains, the whole atmosphere of the lake only comes across as somewhat more enchanting. Apart from that, the crisp sky makes it a sight worth enjoying. It has also been declared as a wetland conservation reserve.
Situated at an altitude of about 4,522 m, this is one of the highest altitude lakes that are entirely within the Indian subcontinent and the geographical boundaries of Ladakh. This lake is majorly fed by the springs and the snow which melts from the adjacent mountains. Mostly, the water enters the lake from two major stream systems, originating from the north and southwest directions.
What is really interesting about this destination is that even insightful and meaningful words like vast, visionary, clear, incredible fail to capture the essence of this place. And to know what this tourist destination can offer, one has to travel all the way to this place and experience the magic first hand. It is as if visiting Tso Moriri will be opening up whole new dimensions and perspectives for you. Hence, it is a must-visit if you look forward to exploring nature.
Major Attractions Around Tso Moriri Lake
1. Karzok Gompa
It is fundamentally a Buddhist monastery that belongs to the Drukpa Lineage. This place is specifically located in the Korzok village which is situated on the northwestern bank of Tso Moriri in Leh District, Ladakh. Situated at around 4,560 meters, this place even houses a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha along with other statues. Moreover, this place is also home to about 70 monks.
2. Tso Kiagar Lake
There is no doubt that this lake is a spellbinding place to visit along with your loved ones. The natural scenic vistas of this place are really amazing to explore and discover. However, not many people know about this place and that is perhaps what makes it a must-visit.
3. Khargok Fort
A gem of a place, the Khargok Fort is all about ancient history. What makes this place really worth exploring is its ancient vibe. If you are planning to visit Tso Moriri, then you must definitely give this place a shot.
4. Kyun Tso Lake
It is an awesome travel destination to explore. This lake is situated at an elevation height of around 5,000 meters from the sea level. Watching the deep blue surface of this lake shimmering in the bright sunlight is an experience to remember for a lifetime. The natural scenic vistas of this place are really incredible and worth taking pictures.
5. Matho Monastery
This is basically a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery situated at a distance of around 26 kilometres in the southeast direction of Leh. It is a historical place that you would love to explore the banks of Indus River. One can also find a small museum that is there inside the monastery complex. This monastery is believed to be around 500 years old. It was founded by a scholar named Lama Dugpa Dorje.
6. Sun Temple
The Sun Temple here is actually a very popular religious place to visit for the Hindus in Ladakh. It is believed that this temple was built by King Lalitaditya to honour the Sun God.
How to Reach Tso Moriri Lake
To reach here, you will need to cover a total distance of about 985, 2,394, 2,503, 3,147 km from Indian destinations like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru respectively. Here are the details on how you can reach here. It is also to be noted that you will require an inline permit for domestic travellers and Protected Area Permit for foreign nationals is required.
By Air
The nearest airport is Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport aka Leh Airport situated 200-220 km away. It has good flight connectivity to other Indian cities and states. From the airport, you will need to hire a cab or take a bus to reach here.
- From Chandigarh - Board Air India, Vistara, Go Air flights from Chandigarh Airport. The airfares start from INR 3,000-4,000
- From Amritsar - Board Spicejet, Vistara, Air India flights from Amritsar Airport. The airfares start from INR 4,000-5,000
- From Lucknow - Board Air India, Vistara, Go Air flights from Lucknow Airport. The airfares start from INR 4,000-5,000
By Train
The nearest railway station from Tso Moriri is the Srinagar Railway Station. It is situated at an approximate distance of 650km. After deboarding the train you would need to get a cab or some other means of transportation to reach Leh and from there visit Tso Moriri.
By Road
If planning to reach here by road then make sure that your vehicle has a high ground clearance. There are basically three routes to reach here from Leh. The first route is via Chumathang Valley. The second one goes through More Plains. The third route is via Pangong Tso and Changthang Valley. You can take an SUV or board a bus from Leh to reach here.
- Route 1: Leh – Shey – Karu – Upshi – Kumdok – Kere – Chumathang – Mahe – Sumdo – Namashang La – Karzok (Tso Moriri)
- Route 2: Leh – Shey – Karu – Upshi – Rumtse – Tanglang La – Debring – Tso Kar – Polo Kongka La – Puga – Sumdo – Namashang La – Karzok
- Route 3: Leh – Sakti – Chang La – Tangtse – Spangmik (Pangong Tso) – Man – Merak – Chushul – Tsaga La – Tsaga Village – Loma – Nyoma – Mahe – Sumdo – Karzok (Tso Moriri)
You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here
