Lakes of Uttarakhand: Sacred Tarns and Sky-High Treks

Some lakes you drive to, park beside and row across before lunch. Others take three days of climbing, a forest permit and a cold start at 4 a.m. Uttarakhand has both, often in the same week. This guide to the lakes of Uttarakhand gathers 28 of them in one place: the sacred tarns of Garhwal, the glacier-fed lakes above Gangotri and Badrinath, and the easy-going lake district around Nainital in Kumaon.

For each lake we list roughly how high it sits, whether you can drive to it or have to walk, where people usually start, and when it's normally reachable. Where a TrailX route actually reaches the shore, we link it, so you can open the map, check the elevation profile and see how the climb is spread out before you commit. Every lake we could place reliably is on the interactive map above.

How to read this guide

A few ground rules before the tables.

• Altitudes are approximate. We checked each one against Wikipedia, Indian government tourism and district pages, and the Uttarakhand ENVIS inventory of high-altitude wetlands. Published figures for Himalayan lakes disagree more than you'd expect. Where good sources disagree we show the range (Dodital, for example, is listed anywhere from 3,077 m to 3,657 m). Where we found no reliable figure, we show a dash rather than guess.
• Access types. Drive-up means a road reaches the shore or gets you within about a kilometre. Trek means you walk; "(permit)" means a forest, national park or sanctuary permit is normally needed. Restricted lakes sit in border or inner-line areas with extra paperwork.
• Seasons are typical, not promises. High lakes are usually snowbound from late autumn to late spring, and the monsoon (roughly July and August) brings landslides and closed trails.
• TrailX routes are matched by GPS. We compared every Uttarakhand track on TrailX with the lake shorelines in OpenStreetMap. A route is listed only if its recorded track comes within 500 m of the shore. A dash means we don't have a route that reaches that lake yet.

Chamoli: Roopkund, Hemkund and the Nanda Devi lakes

Chamoli holds the most famous high lakes in the state, from Roopkund under Trishul to the pilgrim lake at Hemkund and the triangular Satopanth Tal above Badrinath. Most are trek-only. Start with our Uttarakhand hiking trails page if you're planning a walk here.

Roopkund (≈5,020–5,029 m) is the "Skeleton Lake": a shallow glacial tarn, about three metres deep, between Trishul and Nanda Ghunti, with hundreds of human skeletons at its edge. Ancient DNA studies published in 2019 showed the remains come from different groups who died centuries apart. Roads reach Lohajung and Wan, and the trek climbs through the Bedni Bugyal meadows. The Roop Kund trek on TrailX reaches the lake: 40.7 km with 4,524 m of ascent, rated Extreme. Its track also passes Brahmatal and Bhekal Tal on the way. The Nanda Devi Raj Jat, a pilgrimage held about once every twelve years, passes Roopkund too.

Hemkund (≈4,329–4,572 m) is one of the great pilgrim lakes of India. Sikhs revere it as the place described in writings linked to Guru Gobind Singh, and the gurdwara on its shore sits below seven peaks, each with a Nishan Sahib flag. Long before that, people in the Bhyundar valley knew it as Lokpal, and a Lakshman temple stands beside it. The route is a 13 km path from Govindghat to Ghangaria, then 6 km and about 1,100 m of climbing on a stone-paved trail. The lake is snowbound and closed from October to April. Our "Hemkunt Saab trek section 1" track stops near Ghangaria, several kilometres below the lake, so we haven't linked it here.

Satopanth Tal (≈4,600 m) is a triangular glacial lake about 22 km beyond Badrinath, near the base of the Satopanth Glacier. Its three corners are named after Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The approach crosses boulder fields and glacial scree, so it's a proper high-altitude trek, not a walk from Mana.

Kagbhusandi Tal is a remote lake in the Bhyundar valley area. We couldn't find a reliable published altitude, so we've left it blank. The Kakbushandi Taal Trek reaches its shore: 49.5 km with 3,129 m of ascent, rated Extreme. Its track tops out above 4,300 m, which tells you what kind of trip this is.

Brahmatal (≈3,235 m) and Bhekal Tal (≈3,053 m) are the forest-and-meadow lakes above Lohajung. They're best known as a winter and spring snow trek, with views of Trishul and Nanda Ghunti. Bedni Kund is the small lake in Bedni Bugyal, the meadow at about 3,354 m on the Roopkund route; the altitude we give is the meadow's. In 2018 the Uttarakhand High Court brought in protections for these high meadows (bugyals), so check the current camping rules before you plan nights up there.

Tali Tal is a small lake on the Kuari Pass side of the Lord Curzon Trail. Two recordings of the Kuari pass trail reach it: Kuari pass trail (18.3 km, 1,938 m of ascent, Hard) and a second Kuari pass trail recording (18.4 km, 1,989 m, Hard).

Rudraprayag: Kedarnath, Madhmaheshwar and Deoria Tal

Rudraprayag mixes the busiest pilgrim valley in the state with one of its gentlest lake walks. Vasuki Tal and Nandikund are serious high-altitude trips; Deoria Tal is an easy half-day.

Deoria Tal (≈2,438 m) is the classic short lake walk in Garhwal: about 3 km up from Sari on the Ukhimath–Chopta road, with Chaukhamba reflected in the water on a still morning. It's considered sacred, and the name is traced to the gods (devas) who bathed here. Camping at the lake is no longer allowed, so plan it as a day walk or stay in the village. It's also the usual start of the Deoriatal–Chandrashila trek.

Vasuki Tal (≈4,135 m) lies about 8 km above Kedarnath, a long, steep day from the temple town with views to Chaukhamba. Go early and turn around if cloud comes in; the altitude gain from Kedarnath is significant.

Nandikund (≈4,800 m) is a glacial lake reached from Madhmaheshwar, one of the Panch Kedar temples. Local tradition says Shiva's bull Nandi meditated here. It's remote, with no facilities, and it's for experienced, self-supported teams.

Chorabari Tal (Gandhi Sarovar) was a moraine-dammed lake at about 3,900 m, 2 km above Kedarnath. In June 2013 the moraine gave way and the flood devastated the valley below. The lake didn't re-form, so what you'll see today is the glacier basin, not a lake. We include it because many maps and guidebooks still show it.

Uttarkashi and Tehri: Gangotri, Yamuna valley and Sahastra Tal

West of the Bhagirathi, the lakes run from Kedartal above Gangotri to the Har Ki Dun side of the Tons valley. For walks in the area, see our Uttarakhand destination page.

Kedartal (≈4,750 m) is the big one. Fed by snow from Thalay Sagar, Meru and Bhrigupanth, it's the source of the Kedar Ganga. From Gangotri it's about 17 km: a steep, rocky 8 km up the Kedar Ganga gorge to Bhojkharak, 4 km to Kedarkharak, then 5 km to the lake. Falling rocks and the fast altitude gain make it a hard trip, and it's inside Gangotri National Park, so you'll need a park permit. We don't have a route to the lake yet, but the Gangotri - Tapovan - Nadanvan - Kalindi khal track (64.5 km, 3,088 m of ascent, Extreme) shows the neighbouring Gangotri glacier country.

Dodital (≈3,077–3,657 m) is a freshwater lake, the source of the Assi Ganga and home to trout. It's named after the sage Dodi. The Uttarkashi district site describes a 19 km jeep ride from Uttarkashi to Sangamchatti, then a mostly gentle 24 km walk, usually broken at Agoda or Bebra.

Sahastra Tal (≈4,570 m) is a group of high lakes on the Tehri–Uttarkashi watershed. It's a beautiful trek, and an exposed one. In June 2024, nine members of a 22-person trekking group died after bad weather caught them on the way back from the lakes. Go with an experienced local team, carry a forecast and set a firm turnaround time.

Ruinsara Tal (≈3,604 m) sits in the Govind Wildlife Sanctuary on the Har Ki Dun side, on the trail beyond Osla. Juda ka Talab is the small forest lake on the popular Kedarkantha winter trek from Sankri. If you're in Sankri, the Bali Pass Trek (32.3 km, 2,040 m of ascent, Extreme) heads over to the Yamunotri side.

Barnala Tal lies near the Dayara Bugyal meadows. Our Dayara Bugyal Trek from Raithal (22.9 km, 1,405 m, Extreme) passes about a kilometre away but doesn't reach the shore, so we haven't counted it as a match. Nachiketa Tal is reached on foot from Chaurangi Khal in Uttarkashi district.

The lake is the reward, not the summit. Plan to arrive by late morning, take your time at the shore, and leave enough daylight for the walk out. Weather at 4,000 m changes faster than it does in town.

Kumaon: the Nainital lake district and Parvati Kund

Kumaon's lakes are the easy ones: road access, boats, cafés on the shore. Nainital district is often called India's lake district. The exception is Parvati Kund, far up on the Tibetan border. Our Uttarakhand scenic drives are a good way to link the lakes by road.

Nainital (≈1,938 m) is a natural lake of tectonic origin, once almost circular and now crescent-shaped after centuries of landslides. Naina Peak rises above it, and the Nainital Yacht Club still sails on the lake.

Bhimtal (≈1,370–1,375 m) is the largest lake in Kumaon, held back by a masonry dam built in 1883, with a small island and an aquarium in the middle. Three long TrailX road routes pass its shore: the Trans-Uttarakhand Temple Trail (857.3 km, 17,265 m of ascent, Moderate), the Adi Kailash om parvat full route (661.4 km, 10,888 m, Hard) and the Trans Uttarakhand - Shiva Trail (1,759.9 km, 26,580 m, Hard).

Sattal (≈1,370 m) is a cluster of seven interconnected lakes; OpenStreetMap names Garud Tal, Ram Tal, Sita Tal and Nal Damyanti Tal among them. It's known for birdwatching and kayaking. Naukuchiatal (≈1,220 m), the "lake of nine corners", is the deepest of the Nainital lakes at about 40 m. Khurpatal, on the Kaladhungi–Nainital road, is known for its emerald water. Nainital district also lists Malwatal, Harishtal and Lokhamtal among its larger lakes, though we couldn't place them reliably enough to map.

Shyamla Tal in Champawat district is known for the Swami Vivekananda Ashram on its bank, about 56 km from Champawat town.

Parvati Kund (Parvati Tal, ≈4,507–4,572 m) lies at Jolingkong, below Adi Kailash (Chhota Kailash), near the Tibet border. The Pithoragarh district site describes the reflection of the peak in the small lake and a temple beside it. The road now runs most of the way, so it's technically drive-up, but you need an Inner Line Permit and should acclimatise in Gunji first. Our Tawaghat to Jolingkong Lake off-road route (97.7 km, 4,360 m of ascent, Hard) ends about 840 m from the shoreline, just outside our 500 m rule, so we haven't counted it as a match. It's still a useful way to plan the drive.

Big reservoirs: Tehri and Asan

Two man-made lakes are worth knowing about, even if they aren't mountain tarns.

Tehri Lake is the reservoir behind the Tehri Dam on the Bhagirathi, which at 260.5 m is the tallest dam in India. Its level changes with the seasons, so we haven't given an altitude. The Trans Uttarakhand - Shiva Trail runs along its shore. Asan Barrage, northwest of Dehradun, became Uttarakhand's first Ramsar wetland in 2020 and is a winter stop for migratory birds. For more drives in the Doon valley and beyond, browse our Uttarakhand off-road routes.

Permits and access

Permit rules change more often than anything else in this guide, so we'll keep this general.

• National parks and sanctuaries. Kedartal (Gangotri National Park), Ruinsara Tal (Govind Wildlife Sanctuary) and the lakes around the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve normally need park or forest permits, and some routes cap numbers or need a registered guide.
• Forest permits for treks. Popular treks such as Roopkund, Brahmatal and Satopanth usually need a forest department permit, often arranged by your trek operator. Ask about camping rules on high meadows.
• Inner Line areas. Parvati Kund at Jolingkong is close to the Tibet border and needs an Inner Line Permit. Carry ID and copies of your permit for checkpoints.
• Pilgrim routes. Hemkund and Kedarnath follow the yatra calendar. Check current registration and opening dates before you travel.
• Check before you go. Rules, fees and where to apply change. Confirm with the district administration, the forest department or the official Uttarakhand Tourism site shortly before your trip.

Staying safe at high lakes

Most of these lakes are higher than the passes people worry about. Our guide to crossing Himalayan mountain passes covers the essentials in detail; here's the short version for lake treks.

1. Acclimatise. Above about 3,500 m, gain height slowly and sleep lower than your highest point when you can. Headache, nausea or unusual tiredness are signs to stop going up.
2. Read the climb, not just the distance. A 6 km day with 1,100 m of ascent, like the last stretch to Hemkund, is harder than it sounds. Check the elevation profile before you go.
3. Start early, turn around on time. Cloud and snow can arrive by early afternoon at 4,000 m. The Sahastra Tal accident in 2024 is a reminder of how fast that can go wrong.
4. Respect cold water. Glacial lakes are near freezing even in summer. Don't swim, and keep away from steep snow or ice banks at the edge.
5. Avoid the monsoon on high routes. July and August bring landslides, swollen streams and closed roads across the state.
6. Take the map offline. Signal disappears quickly above the roadhead. Download the GPX for your route and save offline maps in the TrailX app before you leave town.

For general preparation, see our safety guidelines and gear checklist. If you want to sketch your own lake walk, the Route Composer lets you plot a hiking route and check its elevation profile.

Sources

We checked each lake against published sources, and we've marked the ones where we couldn't find a reliable altitude.

• Wikipedia articles for individual lakes, especially Roopkund, Gurdwara Hemkund Sahib, Kedartal, Deoria Tal and Nainital Lake.
• Government sources: Incredible India (Vasuki Tal, Nandikund, Hemkund), Uttarakhand Tourism, and the district sites of Nainital, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh and Champawat.
• The Uttarakhand ENVIS Centre's inventory of wetlands above 2,500 m, for Brahmatal, Bhekal Tal, Ruinsara Tal, Dodital and Parvati Kund.
• OpenStreetMap for lake shorelines and coordinates.
• TrailX GPS tracks, compared point by point against each lake's shoreline.

Where to next?

• Mountain passes in India: a guide to the Himalayan passes
• Uttarakhand hiking trails
• Explore Uttarakhand on TrailX
• Uttarakhand scenic drives
• Crossing Himalayan mountain passes: do's and don'ts
• Get the TrailX app for offline maps