What Phoksundo Lake is
Phoksundo Lake lies at about 3,611 m in Shey Phoksundo National Park, in the Dolpo region. It is long and narrow, with a deep turquoise colour that changes with the light. It is one of the deepest lakes in Nepal. Steep cliffs stand along its sides, and the village of Ringmo sits at its southern end.
The lake is sacred to the local people. A Bon monastery, Tshowa Gompa, stands near the shore. Bon is the old religion of this area, and here people walk around holy places anticlockwise, the opposite of Buddhists.
Staying here
Most people fly to Juphal, then walk up the Suli Gad valley through Dunai and Chhepka in about three days. Near the end you pass a tall waterfall below the lake. In Ringmo there are a few simple lodges and campsites. A rest day here is good, to walk along the shore and visit the monastery. It also helps your body get used to the height before you go higher.
For Upper Dolpo, the trail goes on along a narrow path cut into the cliffs above the west shore. Dolpo needs special permits. See my page on trekking permits.
Honest notes
- Please do not swim in the lake or throw anything into it.
- Flights to Juphal are often delayed by weather. Keep spare days.
- The cliff trail above the lake is narrow and exposed. Go slowly, and not in snow or strong wind.
- If you feel unwell from the altitude, go down towards Chhepka. Read about altitude sickness.
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