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ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
Lakes of Himachal — 12, from the ones you drive to the ones you walk to
Twelve lakes of Himachal by how you reach them: Khajjiar, Rewalsar and Renuka by road, Prashar near it, Serolsar and Bhrigu on foot, Chandratal high up.
How this list is sorted
Himachal's lakes range from a meadow pond you can drive to in an hour from a hill station to glacial tarns high above the tree line that take a day's climb. This list groups them by how you reach them, because that decides the trip. Altitudes and road times come from our own place pages.
Photos: Gerd Eichmann (CC BY 4.0) · Sukhjiwan Singh (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wayfarersonmove (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Sahil Dhiman (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
By road
[Khajjiar](/places/khajjiar-lake), at 1,951 m, is the small lake in a meadow ringed by deodar forest, about 18 km and 38 min from Dalhousie.
[Rewalsar](/places/rewalsar-lake), at 1,360 m and about 23 km and 56 min from Mandi, is sacred to three faiths. To Buddhists it is Tso Pema, the lotus lake of Padmasambhava, whose great statue stands above it. Hindu temples stand on its bank, and Guru Gobind Singh stayed here a month.
[Renuka](/places/renuka-lake), about 44 km and 75 min from Paonta Sahib, is the largest lake in Himachal and a Ramsar wetland since 2005.
[Dal Lake](/places/dal-lake-dharamshala), at 1,775 m above McLeod Ganj, is a small lake in deodar forest, not to be confused with Srinagar's.
[Tani Jubbar](/places/tani-jubbar-lake), a short drive from Narkanda, sits quietly in fir forest.
A short walk from the road
[Prashar Lake](/places/prashar-lake), at 2,730 m and about 36 km and 72 min from Mandi, has a floating island and the pagoda temple of Maharishi Parashar on its bank; the road ends a short walk away. See the Prashar Lake day trip.
[Nako](/places/nako-lake-and-village), at 3,625 m on the road into Spiti, is the lake inside the village, which freezes over in winter.
On foot
[Serolsar](/places/serolsar-lake), at 3,100 m, lies along the ridge from Jalori Pass: on our measured path 123 min out and 89 back, to a lake with the Budhi Nagin temple on its bank.
[Pundrik Rishi Lake](/places/pundrik-rishi-lake) above Shangarh in the Sainj valley has closed over with grass and reed into a soft green floor.
[Bhrigu Lake](/places/bhrigu-lake), at 4,235 m above Manali, is a long climb; most people do it as a trek with a night out.
[Manimahesh](/places/manimahesh-lake-and-the-hadsar-road), at 4,080 m below Manimahesh Kailash, is the goal of the pilgrimage from Hadsar near Bharmour in August or September.
[Dhankar Lake](/places/dhankar-lake), at 4,140 m above Dhankar in Spiti, is reached only on foot from the monastery.
High on the Spiti road
[Chandratal](/blog/chandratal-lake), the moon lake, sits at about 4,300 m below Kunzum, a Ramsar wetland reached by a side road from Batal and a last stretch on foot, from late May to early October only.
More to read
Where to see snow in Himachal and hot springs of Himachal are the companion guides.
Places to visit
All destinations →
Barog
Chaurasi Temple Complex and Mani Mahesh Temple, Bharmour
Mindrolling Monastery — the Tibetan Buddhist centre near Clement Town
Sattal, the seven lakes
Mawphlang Sacred Grove — the Khasi forest kept for the forest spirit
Rewalsar Lake
Sadhupul, on the road to Chail
Jhula Devi Temple — the bell-hung Durga shrine above Ranikhet
More stories to read
All stories →
Treks in Himachal by length and month — an hour's walk to a five-day crossing
Himachal treks by how long they take and which months they open: short walks, Triund in a day, Kheerganga overnight, Bhrigu, Beas Kund and Sar Pass.
Jaipur blue pottery — the pottery made without potter's clay
Jaipur blue pottery uses no potter's clay: quartz, glass, multani mitti and gum, fired once at low heat. How it is made, how it nearly vanished, who saved it.
Chenab Rail Bridge — take away a pier and the train still runs
The Chenab Rail Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir stands 359 m above the river. Railways says it stays open at 30 km/h even if one pier or trestle is removed.
Things to do in Dalhousie — 6 worth the drive, and what each costs
Six things to do in Dalhousie sorted by distance from the GPO, with measured drive times, what each one costs, and the best time of year to go and see them.
How to reach the Tirthan valley — from Delhi, Chandigarh, Manali and the airport at Bhuntar, by bus, car and taxi
Every way into the Tirthan valley: the turn at Aut on the Kullu highway, the night bus from Delhi, Chandigarh by car, Bhuntar's airport 42 km away, Manali.
Destinations to explore
All destinations →
Today on HimLocal
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Questions people ask
Which lakes in Himachal can you drive to?
Khajjiar, 18 km from Dalhousie; Rewalsar, 23 km from Mandi; Renuka, the largest lake in the state, 44 km from Paonta Sahib; Dal Lake above McLeod Ganj; and Prashar, where the road ends a short walk from the water, 36 km from Mandi. Nako's lake sits in the village on the Spiti road.
Which is the highest lake on this list?
Chandratal, at about 4,300 m below Kunzum, open only from late May to early October. Bhrigu Lake above Manali is at 4,235 m, Dhankar Lake in Spiti at 4,140 m and Manimahesh at 4,080 m. All need acclimatisation, and all but Chandratal need a long walk from the road.
For an easy walk, which lake in Himachal is best?
Serolsar, along the ridge from Jalori Pass: on our measured path 123 min out and 89 back, mostly level through forest, to a lake with the Budhi Nagin temple on its bank. Prashar is easier still, a short walk from the road at 2,730 m with a temple and a floating island.