Pangong Lake – A Paradise For Migratory Birds

Pangong Tso Lake - A Paradise For Migratory Birds

Pangong Tso (Pangong Lake, Chinese: 班公湖, 班公错, 班公措; Hindi: पांगोंग त्सो；Korean:반공호; Japanese: パンゴン湖), the largest brackish lake in Asia, is situated at a height of about 4,250 m (13,900 ft) in the Himalayas. The lake was once divided between Ladakh and Tibet as early as 1684 under the Treaty of Tingmosgang. As of today it is shared by India and China. The eastern part of the lake, in Rutog County of Ngari Prefecture in Western Tibet, is the world’s highest freshwater lake, and its western part is a saltwater lake straddling the China-India border.

The crystal clear sapphire-blue water of the Pangong lake against the bleak brown, towering mountains is dazzling

The Pangong Lake is noted for its crystal clear blue-blackish water which keeps playing tricks on your eyes changing colors in seven distinct shades of blue, green, purple and violet depending on the angle of your view. Its white shores are actually strips of deposited sand. The iridescent, hypnotizing blue of the lake against the bleak brown, towering mountains is dazzling, as is the sheer solitude here.

Brown-headed gulls at the Pangong Lake of Ngari Prefecture in western Tibet

Bar-headed geese fly over the Pangong Tso of the Rutong County in Western Tibet’s Ngari Prefecture

A beautiful donkey (Tibetan Wild Ass, known locally as kiang) on the banks of Pangong Tso

Pangong lake is an ideal site for bird lovers as well. The lake acts as an important breeding ground for a variety of birds including a number of migratory birds. During summer, Brown-headed gulls, cygnets, Brahmini ducks, bar-headed geese and black-necked Siberian cranes are commonly seen here. The region around the lake supports a number of species of wildlife including the kiang (Tibetan wild ass) and the Marmot.

Best time to visit pangong Lake is between June and August

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Pangong Tso is between June and August when the average temperature in these months is about 12 degrees celcius (67F).

Getting to Pangong Tso

From Leh, India

Chang La pass, en route to Pangong lake from Ladakh, India

Pangong Tso is about five hours drive from Leh, capital city of Ladakh, a province of state of Jammu & Kashmir in India, most of it through rough and spectacular valleys. The road passes through some of the most beautiful places in Ladakh – the Changla Pass (The worlds 3rd highest motorable road) and the Shey and Thiksey Village among others. A special permit is required to visit the lake. Spangmik is the farthest point you can go on the shores of the lake.

From Ali, Tibet

Pangong Lake is about 3-4 hours drive from Ali, the capital of Ngari Prefecture in Tibet

Pangong Tso can also be reached in a three-four hours drive (140 km) from Ali (aka Shiquanhe in Chinese, 狮泉河镇, Senge Khabab (Town of the Lion) in Tibetan), the capital of the Ngari Prefecture in Western Tibet. The Road (China National Highway 219, 新藏公路 in Chinese) is bumpy, winding and treacherous. Taxi hire is recommended. The transportation cost is around RMB800-1000. The road passes the new Chinese town of Rutok Xian (Ritu Xian, 日土县), a modern army post and about 8 km south of Pangong Lake.