Pangong Tso (Ladakh)

A high-altitude saltwater lake straddling India and China, its waters shifting between blue and green with the light; camp by the shore for stargazing. A filming location for 3 Idiots.

Pangong Tso is a high-altitude saltwater lake straddling the India–China Line of Actual Control. It is about 134 km long, with roughly one third on the Indian side in Ladakh, and its surface sits at about 4,250–4,350 m. This destination covers the Indian side of the lake, about 160 km east of Leh, requiring a crossing of Chang La (5,360 m); the drive takes 5–6 hours. From northwest to southeast along the shore, the main areas are: Lukung (the first stretch of shoreline, with a visitor center), the 3 Idiots filming spot, Spangmik (where most camps are concentrated), and Man and Merak (fewer tourists, homestay experiences). Tangtse and Durbuk on the way in are supply and checkpoint stops and also serve as acclimatization stops. The best season is Jun–Sep, when the lake's shifting blue-green colors are most pronounced; May and October are possible, but the lake may be partly frozen and most camps not yet open; from Dec to Mar the whole lake freezes over, with only a few ice-lake tours. We recommend staying 1 night by the lake for the stars and sunrise; a same-day round trip is very tiring. Getting there: hire a car or self-drive from Leh, or join a tour in Leh; it can be combined with Nubra Valley via the Shyok road to form a loop. Foreign visitors must obtain a protected-area permit (PAP), generally valid only as far as Merak; areas farther south, such as Chushul and the Rezang La war memorial, are usually open only to Indian citizens. Note: the risk of altitude sickness is high, so acclimatize in Leh for 2 days first; nights are bitterly cold and camps have limited hours of electricity; Tangtse has the only fuel station along the way; the area is close to the LAC, so photographing military installations and crossing the line are prohibited.

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