TSOMORIRI LAKE
Nestled in the Changthang plateau of Ladakh, TSOMORIRI lake is one of the most enchanting & serene high altitude lake of India. TSOMORIRI LAKE is picturesquely located in the secluded & divinely beautiful Rupshu Valley. The aqua blue lake is about 19 kms long & 7 kms wide at its broadest point. TSOMORIRI being a part of the wetland reserve under the Ramsar site, it is known as Tsomoriri Wetland Conservation Reserve. To ensure its conservation, tourists are not permitted to pitch tents on its banks. Flanked by lofty mountains towering in the backdrop of KORZOK village, TSOMORIRI lake is partly brackish, since a part of it is fed by fresh water from the melting glaciers. Most water enters the lake in two major stream systems, one entering the lake from the north, the other from the southwest. Both stream systems include extensive marshes where they enter the lake. Although PANGONG TSO is bigger in size, TSOMORIRI is considered to be a largest high altitude lake which is entirely in the Indian territory. This place experiences very harsh climatic conditions & the lake remains frozen during winters.
It is very difficult to say which amongst PANGONG & TSOMORIRI is more beautiful. Personally, I have not missed any one of them on my biking tour to Ladakh.
Spend a peaceful evening on the banks of the enchanting Tsomoriri lake & experience the peace & solitude of the place. Watching the aqua blue colors of the lake is blissful to your mind & soul. Although, Pangong Tso becomes a first choice in Lakes for most of the tourist visiting Ladakh, Tsomoriri has offlate started seeing many visitors. Since, it is very near to the Line of Actual Control, one need to get Inner Line Permit to visit Tso Moriri. There are quite a few cemented guest houses / accommodation and a few camp sites in Korzok village. Facilities like electricity, medical aid, hot running water, western toilets etc. are rare to find.
Being a high altitude lake with low oxygen levels, proper acclimatization of your body is a key essential to avoid being hit by Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) during the tour. Hence please plan your visit itinerary in such a way that NUBRA Valley & PANGONG TSO are visited before TSOMORIRI lake.
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
TSOMORIRI is located at a distance of 230 km from LEH at an altitude of 4.522 mtr (14,836 feet) above sea level. From Pangong Lake, Tsomoriri is at a distance of 210 kms (via LOMA bend). It is also at a distance of 110 kms from Debring on the Manali – Leh highway.
WEATHER CONDITIONS
Winters from December to March in Tsomoriri are usually characterized by extreme cold conditions & the mercury dips to sub-zero levels. The lake remains mostly frozen during this period. During summers April onwards, the lake starts melting & gets transformed into beautiful shades of green and blue. Days can be windy & cold while nights nearing 0 deg. C.
RIGHT TIME TO VISIT TSOMORIRI
Generally, the lake begins to melt in April. Hence it is accessible between May to September / October. Homestays, tented accommodations, camp sites in Korzok are thrown open during this period. People travelling by Air may be able to visit even in the early May. Those who travel by Road / Rail would have to wait till the access routes of ZOJILA & BARALA CHA open up by the end of May. It’s a peak tourist season between May to September. The inflow of tourist is relatively less during September & October. Many enthusiasts opt for this season to enjoy the peace & experience the vibrant colors of the lake in the backdrop of the Korzok mountain.
Between November to April, the season recedes as winter sets in, freezing the lake gradually. Except for a few homestays in Korzok & Chumathang, everything becomes closed.
HOW TO REACH TSOMORIRI from LEH / MANALI
TSOMORIRI being 222 kms from Leh, it would be very hectic to make a day trip & return back to Leh. Evenings are very peaceful & beautifu in Tsomoriri. Hence it is recommended to make a two day trip. If you start in the morning, it should take about 6-7 hours depending on the number of halts / breaks which you take. Tourist who are short on time can also cover SHEY, THIKSEY, HEMIS, STAKNA Monasteries on the route OR on the way back. You can return the next day to Leh OR proceed to exit directly on the Manali side at Moore Planes a little after Debring on the Manali-Leh Highway.
HOW TO REACH TSOMORIRI LAKE
By Air
The nearest Airport is the Leh International Airport.
By Train
ROUTES
ROUTE “A” LEH TO TSOMORIRI (via UPSHI – CHUMATHANG – MAHE)
Leh – 34 kms – Karu – 13 kms – Upshi – 54 kms – Kumdok – 8 kms – Kere – 31 kms – Chumathang – 24 kms – Mahe – 16 kms – Sumdo – 22 kms – KIAGAR TSO – 20 kms – Korzok (Tsomoriri):- TOTAL 222 kms.
Drive till UPSHI is Ok. But beyond UPSHI, the road enters narrow valleys alongside the Indus river till CHUMATHANG. On both sides of the road, you will find high mountains and you would be travelling in a narrow valley upto Chumathang. To me, the road was a bit kind of gloomy & depressing to go on. The road condition is fairly good with some rough roads beyond UPSHI for about 15 odd kms. The road remains fairly good after that till Kiagar Tso. Beyond that the final 20 kms till Korzok are loose gravel & dirt track.
ROUTE “B” LEH to TSOMORIRI (via Debring – SUMDO – MAHE)
Leh – 34 kms – Karu – 13 kms – Upshi – 61 kms – Tanglang la – 14 kms – Debring – 31 kms – Tsokar – 37 kms – SUMDO – 22 kms – KIAGAR TSO – 20 kms – KORZOK (TSOMORIRI :- TOTAL 238 kms.
This is quite a good scenic route compared to the Chumathang route, although a bit longer. In my opinion, you should try this either while going to Tsomoriri OR while returning to LEH, just to get an experience of both the routes.
On this route you continue on the Manali -Leh Highway, ascend TANGLANG LA beyond Rumste and reach Debring. A little beyond Debring, at the point where MOORE PLAINS start, you will find a road on your left towards TSOKAR lake. You would be exiting the Manali Leh Road at this point & continuing to TSOKAR. Beyond TSOKAR, the road turn into dirt tracks all the way along through POLO KONGKA LA & till SUMDO. At SUMDO, you should take a right for KORZOK (Tsomoriri). From SUMDO to KIAGAR TSO, roads would be good with tarmac. The last 15-20 kms a little after KIAGAR TSO would again be a dirt track till KORZOK.
ROUTE “C” PANGONG to TSOMORIRI (via CHUSUL-LOMA-NYOMA)
PANGONG TSO – 9 kms – MAN –11 kms – MERAK – 26 kms – CHUSUL – 12 kms – REZANG LA – 19 kms – TSAGA – 34 kms – LOMA BEND – 24 kms – NYOMA – 20 kms – MAHE – 16 kms – SUMDO – 22 kms – KIAGAR TSO – 20 kms – KORZOK (TSOMORIRI :- TOTAL 213 kms.
YES” friends, it is possible to directly travel between PANGONG lake & TSOMORIRI lake. Offlate this route has gained immense popularity for people seeking adventure. Secondly, the serenity & the scenic beauty of PANGONG lake beyond MERAK is incomparable & enchanting than the conventional route. This extract will cover all the tips to travel on this route & make you familiar with the associated risks too.
- This route passes very close to the INDO-CHINA border. This route being a very sensitive border area, travel along this route requires an ILP specifically highlighting that you intend to travel on this route. It requires you to mention all the places enroute TSOMORIRI / HANLE mentioned above.
- Only Indian tourist are allowed to travel on this route. Foreigners are not allowed beyond MERAK. Compared to the Leh Pangong route, there are very few tourists who travel on this route. You would not find a vehicle in sight for miles. This route is absolutely isolated beyond MERAK.
- There are no tar roads beyond PANGONG. In fact you won’t find any roads beyond Merak. You would have to follow the visible tracks of the vehicles that have passed from that route & keep a constant eye on the direction.
- As the road diverges deep inside a few kilometres beyond MERAK, you would not even find the tracks.
- While travelling between MERAK & CHUSUL, I had lost track a couple of times & had to backtrack to explore other tracks.
- Keep an eye on the Electricity poles nearby. They serve as a guideline & a direction to your travel on this route. The Electric Poles which may not exactly travel with you, but would ultimately converge on the Indian side. In case you come across a tricky bend where poles are not visible, try taking the right route. The left route should be avoided as it could lead you to the Chinese side.
- Keep basic spares, puncture repair kits, check the spare wheel (4 wheeler) for adequate pressure. If you get stranded, you would be in the middle of nowhere. Getting help would be very difficult. Do stop for a while to enjoy the vistas & to give a break to the vehicle. Do not overexert the engine.
- Beyond Chusul, do make a halt at REZANG LA for a cup of tomato soup from the Army camp. Do read the story of the 1962 war, where an army company of 120 jawans led by Maj. Shaitan Singh fought against waves of Chinese ingression & gave the supreFme sacrifice. Believe me, there would be no Indian who would not be moved to tears after reading the story.
- Road beyond Rezang La would continue to the the same till you pass TSAGA LA. On the left side, you will find endless stretches of vast valleys. Just before TSAGA village, you would be greeted with tarred roads about 85 kms from PANGONG lake. Proceed till LOMA, where you take the left for HANLE & the right for TSOMORIRI.
- At MAHE checkpost, register yourself & take a left on the bridge for KORZOK (Tsomoriri) further 60 kms.
In a nutshell, this is an offbeat route, but the real glimpses & beauty of PANGONG lake is beyond MAN & MERAK. The lake widens at a certain point glittering the aqua green colors in all its grandeur. I would strongly recommend you all to experience this route, not for the purpose of saving one day, but to enjoy the true beauty & explore these virgin treasures of the Ladakh reg
ROUTE “D” (PANGONG TO TSOMORIRI via KAKSANG LA)
PANGONG TSO – 9 kms – MAN –11 kms – MERAK – 26 kms – CHUSUL – NAMA – KAKSANG LA – HORALA – MAHE – 15 kms – SUMDO – 22 kms – KIAGAR TSO – 20 kms – TSOMORIRI (KORZOK) :- TOTAL 180 kms
The route from Pangong Tso to Chusul remains the same as above. At Chusul, instead of proceeding towards, Rezang La on the left side, one has to go straight towards towards NAMA & then KAKSANG LA, HORALA & then MAHE. The road after NAMA to KAKSANG LA & on the other side has sharp stones. These stones are capable of damaging your tires and can leave you stranded at a desolate location. Hence please carry a good puncture repair kit and a reliable spare tube. From HORALA to MAHE, the road conditions improve. This route is rarely used by people and there is hardly a chance that you would come across anyone except for the army. In all probabilities, the Army may even restrict you to proceed beyond NAMA.
I would still recommend the CHUSUL- TSAGA – LOMA route due to the vistas although a bit longer.
ROUTE “E” (PANGONG to TSOMORIRI via CHUMATHANG)
Spangmik – 13 kms – Lukung – 35 kms – Tangste – 10 kms – Durbuk – 29 kms – Chang La – 34 kms – Sakti – 14 kms – Karu – 13 kms – Upshi – 54 kms – Kumdok – 8 kms – Kere – 30 kms – Chumathang – 24 kms – Mahe – 16 kms – Sumdo – 22 kms – Kiagar Tso – 20 kms – Korzok (Tsomoriri):- TOTAL 322 kms.
Although longer, this route can be used by Foreign nationals who are running short of time & would like to avoid going back to Leh. This indirect route backtracks till KARU on the PANGONG TSO – LEH route & takes a left towards Upshi & Chumathang to reach KORZOK (Tsomoriri). You would be required to start early since this route would take about 12-13 hours. I would definitely say that this journey is quite tiring.
ROUTE “F” (HANLE to TSOMORIRI (3 ROUTES)
From Hanle, there exists 3 routes to reach Tsomoriri.
Route 1 :- HANLE – 50 kms – LOMA BEND – 24 kms – NYOMA – 20 kms – MAHE – 16 kms – SUMDO – 22 kms – KIAGAR TSO – 20 kms – KORZOK (TSOMORIRI :- TOTAL 213 kms.
This is the most convenient & conventional route followed by a majority of the tourists. You backtrack for 50 kms to LOMA bend, then after crossing the bridge, take a left & continue on the NYOMA route till MAHE. At Mahe, take a left & cross the MAHE bridge & continue till SUMDO. At SUMDO, take a left for KORZOK & continue straight till KORZOK (Tsomoriri Lake). The last 15-20 kms upto KORZOK are dirt track & loose gravel.
Route 2 :- HANLE -53 kms-SALSAL LA- 33 kms CHUMUR diversion – 77 kms – KORZOK (via CHARCHAGAN LA):- 163 kms (Chumur Route)
Its very unlikely that you would get permits to travel by the CHUMUR route. CHUMUR village is very close to the Indo-China border & permits are generally not issued to travel on this route. In case you manage to get the permits, there would be nothing like this wondrous adventure. However, the road conditions are extremely bad & is its a completely isolated route. This route would require a 4 x 4 SUV. It is recommended to travel in groups or tag along with some vehicle on this route. In the eventuality of any breakdown / difficulty, help would be very difficult to obtain.
After driving for about 50 kms from Hanle, you would come across a diversion. The road on the left continues to Chumur via Salsal La. Just before Chumur, you will come across another bifurcation. The road on the left continues to Chumur village & the road on the right side goes to KORZOK via Charchagan LA. From Chumur, the road continues for about 77 kms & descends on the opposite side of KORZOK. While descending you can see the Tsomoriri Lake & Korzok village from the opposite side. The pristine blue lake in all its grandeur is a divine sight to experience from this end of the world.
Even if you have permits, the Army may not allow you to travel on this route OR visit CHUMUR village. You need to be real lucky to get the permits via this route.
Route 3 :- HANLE – 13 kms – Punguk – 39 kms – Ryul Tso – Chilling Tso – 38 kms – Nyoma 20 kms – MAHE – 16 kms – SUMDO – 22 kms – KIAGAR TSO – 20 kms – KORZOK (TSOMORIRI :- TOTAL 168 kms.
This route connects NYOMA directly as an alternate route bypassing the LOMA BEND. It passes throught Punguk village & takes you via 2 beautiful lakes namely RYUL TSO & CHILLING TSO. Further to these 2 lakes, it passes through THIT ZORBITLA pass & connects NYOMA . Take a left turn at NYOMA & continue on the same route till Mahe. From NYOMA to Tsomoriri, the route would remain the same as per Route 1.
ROUTE “F” (MANALI to TSOMORIRI via SARCHU – MOORE PLAINS) DO NOT USE THIS ROUTE.
Manali – 115 kms – Keylong – 76 kms – Baralacha La – 32 kms – Sarchu – 76 kms – Pang – 38 kms– Moore Plains (converging point from Leh side) – 16 kms-Tsokar Lake – – 37 kms – SUMDO – 22 kms – KIAGAR TSO – 20 kms – KORZOK (TSOMORIRI) :- TOTAL 432 kms
To optimize on the travel time & to prevent frequent back & forth travel, it is quite logical that people travelling from Manali to Leh would come up with this question. This would be more tempting for tourist who plan to reach Leh from the Manali side & exit from the Srinagar side on the Srinagar-Leh Highway. However, it is NOT RECOMMENDED to visit Tsomoriri Lake via this route for the below given reasons
- To ensure that you do not get hit by AMS, it is essential that your body gets gradually acclimatized at ascending altitudes. While travelling on this route, you would be at 6398 ft in Manali on Day 1, Day 2 at Keylong, 10,100 ft & on Day 3 at Tsomoriri 14,836 feet. This steep gain of altitude is more than enough to be hit by In fact, it is highly recommended to avoid SARCHU on Day 2 since SARCHU is at 14,070 feet. Imagine, that you are travelling in a group and one person gets affected, it could not only ruin your trip, but would seriously land the person in trouble.
- Symptoms of AMS are usually ignored by the victim OR misinterpreted as travel fatigue OR tiredness. By the time, it is diagnosed, the victim could be in an advanced stage. Tsomoriri (Korzok) is not equipped to handle AMS cases. As such, you are looking for about another 7-8 hours drive to the nearest competent medical facility in Leh. These 8 hours would be decisive in aggravating the case and could also be fatal.
- Inner Line permits are required to visit Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, Hanle & Tsomoriri lake. These ILP’s are required to be obtained from Leh D.C.’s office. Even if you apply online, the permits would have to be stamped by the D.C.’s office. Hence even if you reach Tsomoriri, you would not be allowed to enter the area.
- As per the rules of Leh Taxi Union & Leh Bike Rental union, taxis and bikes hired from regions other than Leh (including Himachal Pradesh) would not be permitted to visit any sight-seeing places in and around Leh. Unless you are looking for trouble with an unacclimatized body, this should be clearly avoided. Of course, this does not apply unless you are travelling in a self-owned car or a bike,
PREFERRED VEHICLES
- Any 2 wheeler of 150 cc onwards is OK, provided it is serviced & maintained properly. Although most of the riders travel on Enfield Bullets (I too ride a Bullet Classic 350), its absolutely not mandatory. Do carry spares, puncture repair kits, airpumps etc. Tyres are preferred to be tubeless although not mandatory. Puncture Repair become easier comparatively.
- For 4 wheelers, if you are travelling on the LEH-TSOMORIRI route via UPSHI – CHUMATHANG, a hatchback OR a sedan can make it.
- But if you are travelling on any other routes, a mid-sized, high ground clearance SUV’s (say 190mm & above) would be preferred. Its not mandatory to have a 4 x 4 SUV. But Hatchbacks & sedans should be avoided due to low ground clearance.
FUEL PUMPS
There are no Fuel Pumps at Tsomoriri. The nearest pump would be at KARU or UPSHI & if you are exiting on the Manli-Leh Highway, then the next Petrol Pump would be at TANDI in Himachal Pradesh. At Pangong & Tsomoriri, you can get fuel stored by Dhabawalas, but the rates would be high & the quality of the Petrol / Diesel would be a question mark.
- If you are planning to visit Tsomoriri via Chumathang / Debring & exit at Manali, you should make arrangement of fuel for the next 560 – 600 kms.
- If you intend to travel LEH-PANGONG- TSOMORIRI (via Chusul) – MANALI then you should make arrangement of fuel for the next 750 kms. In case you intend to add HANLE & UMLING LA to this circuit, add provision for another 300 kms of Fuel.
- If you intend to travel LEH-NUBRA (Hunder)-PANGONG-HANLE-TSOMORIRI (via CHUSUL), then you need to make a provision of 900 kms. If you are adding TURTUK, SUMUR & PANAMIK, then add another 250 kms.
- In Hilly terrains, your vehicle may not get the best of the average considering off roading, low gear drives, steep inclines etc. You can safely consider the fuel average which your vehicle gives under traffic conditions in metro cities.
- Do carry empty Plastic cans in your vehicle. Preferably 10 ltr & 20 ltr Plastic cans for a 4 wheeler & a 5 ltr OR 10 ltr Plastic can for a 2 wheeler depending on the way you intend to travel.
- If you ask me, I travel by my Bullet Classic 350 & I travel very light. I only carry a 40 ltr saddle bag on my rear seat. On the left side of my saddle bag, I carry all clothes & other personal items (including my DSLR). On the right side, I keep spares, tubes & 3 cans of 5 ltr each. Since I do the entire circuit most of the time, I also keep 4 x 1 ltr Bisleri bottles filled with Petrol in the 4 pockets of the saddle bags.
MOBILE SERVICES
- No prepaid connections are allowed in Jammu & Kashmir.
- If you prefer to remain connected most of the time, I would strongly recommend that you buy a BSNL postpaid SIM card from your hometown before you proceed to Ladakh.
- Although Vodafone, Airtel & Jio have their presence in Leh & in some nearby places, it may not work in remote locations. Barring a couple of days in Leh, you would be mostly travelling in remote locations only & would remain out of reach most of the time unless you have a BSNL prepaid SIM.
STAY OPTIONS AT TSOMORIRI
Hotel tariffs are negotiable & would depend on demand / supply conditions. If you try to pre-book them, there is very less scope for negotiations. If you are very particular about the facilities & the quality of the accommodation, stay etc. you should pre-book it.
However, the best option would be to start EARLY & reach EARLY (say by 03:00 pm – 04:00 pm) & directly approach the hotels. Based on the availability of accommodation, you can bargain for good rates. If you reach early and accommodation is available, you can certainly get a good deal & a choice of rooms / tents. They would be more inclined to close the deal of unsold rooms. If you arrive late, they can sense your urgency & may not be as responsive to your bargaining, especially if you are with your family. In an online / direct pre-booking, you may not be assured of a specific room. Mostly, those who are booked take the privilege to reach as per their convenience & end up with left over rooms (of course from the same category).
This, of course is in general & my views are not specific to any particular HOTEL /RESORT. Below list of hotels / camps / homestays in Tsomoriri.
- TSOMORIRI CAMP & RESORT
- Address :- Tsomoriri Lake Korzok village, 194101, India
- Tel. :- (+91) 932-050-1211 / (+91) 887-900-1171
- Email : info@offbeatescapes.com, info@tsomoriricampandresort.com
- Website : www.tsomoriricampandresort.com
- Price Range :- Rs.2,500 – Rs.3,000
- Facilities :- Clean & comfortable rooms with attached Toilets & Hot water (in Buckets), multi-cuisine food, Electricity Back up, medical facilities etc.
- Accommodation Type :- 5 Self-contained Rooms & 15 Deluxe Tents
- Review ;- Most recommended & a perfect place for a family to stay of course if budget is not a constraint.
- NOMADIC LIFE CAMP AND RESORT
- Address :- Below Korzok Monastery, Village Korzok, Block Nyoma, Dist. Leh-Ladakh.
- Tel, :- +91-9906229877 / 9906990975 /+91-9419178984 / 9779769670
- E-mail :- nomadiclifecamp@gmail.com info@thenomadiclifecamp.com
- HOTEL LAKE VIEW
- Address :- Tsomoriri, Korzok,
- Tel :- +91-9469457025, 09419345362, 9419299673, 9906248379
- E-mail :-tsomoririhotellakeview@gmail.com
- Review :- People who have stayed here have given good reviews of this hotel. Rooms are clean with attached baths & good views from the window.
- MENTOK GUEST HOUSE
- Address :- Tsomoriri, Korzok, Ladakh.
- Price Range :- Rs. 500-1000/-.
- Review :- It’s a very basic guest house, but it has 3 rooms on the Ist floor with fantastic views of the lake. I have personally stayed here twice. Food served is basic, but very good. Toilets & bathroom are shared.
- GOOSE GUEST HOUSE
- Address :- Tsomoriri, Korzok, Ladakh.
- Price Range :- Rs. 700-1000/-.
- Reviews :- Well, I have seen good reviews of tourists who have stayed in this guest house. From what I can gather is that, it is in the narrow lane opposite to the monastery. It’s being run by a family & the rooms are quite clean, but with a common toilet & bath.
- GOLDEN MARK CAMP
- Address :- Village Korzok, Leh-Ladakh,J&K, India. Pin: 194101
- Tel. : +91-9419370663 (Tsomoriri)
- Email : tseringnamgail9@gmail.com (Tomoriri)
- Delhi Tel. : +91-9716507246
- Delhi Email : info@offbeatescapes.com
- GRAND DOLPHIN HOTEL & GUEST HOUSE
- Address : Tsomoriri Lake, Leh Ladakh (J&K), korzok, Jammu & Kashmir 194101
- Tel. :-+91-99712 53990
- CRANE GUEST HOUSE
- Address :- Tsomoriri, Korzok, Ladakh.
- Price Range :- Rs. 500-800/-.
- Review :- Again a very clean & basic guest house with common toilet & bath.
TO SUMMARIZE.
In this article, I have tried to provide a clear idea of the various routes to can take to reach Tsomoriri, the associated circuits, the duration taken by each of them & the pleasures you stand to experience. If you find this article helpful, please share the same with your friends, families & contacts.
You can also share your experiences, add details / updates on the subject. You are most welcome to put forward any travel questions which you would have in planning a trip to Ladakh. Please feel free to write to me in the comments section below1