Phoksundo Lake is a deep turquoise lake at about 3,611 m in Shey Phoksundo National Park, Dolpo, in western Nepal. It is reached by a flight to Dolpa and a short trek, and it is the most accessible highlight of the Dolpo region.
Why this lake stands out
Phoksundo is the one place in western Nepal where a short trek ends at a view that people travel across the world to see. The lake lies at around 3,600 m inside Shey Phoksundo National Park, the largest national park in the country, and its water is an intense turquoise that shifts to deep blue as clouds pass. It is usually described as Nepal's deepest lake. Reported figures for depth and altitude differ between sources, so treat them as approximate; the colour needs no figure.
The Dolpo setting
The park sits in the rain shadow of the Dhaulagiri range, so the land is dry, with bare hillsides, juniper and birch rather than the thick forests of eastern Nepal. This is the edge of the Tibetan plateau in character, and you will see it in the flat-roofed houses, the prayer flags, the barley fields and the yak trains. Even the lower villages feel far removed from the busier trekking areas.
Ringmo and Bon culture
The village of Ringmo, on the lakeshore, is home to people who follow Bon, the pre-Buddhist religion of the Himalayan plateau. The details differ from Buddhist practice in small but visible ways: for example, Bon followers walk their mani walls and chortens anticlockwise. A Bon monastery stands on a ridge above the lake, and local accounts describe it as very old. Treat dates with some caution, but go there for the setting and the quiet.
Water and waterfall
On the approach you pass a long waterfall that drops from the lake outlet, one of the highest in Nepal according to guides, and well worth the time to photograph. The trail from the roadhead climbs above the river, sometimes along wooden walkways fixed to the cliff, which is both dramatic and a little exposed.
Where it fits in Dolpo
Phoksundo is the usual starting point for the longer Dolpo journeys. Lower Dolpo continues over high passes to Dho Tarap, and Upper Dolpo crosses the Kang La to Shey Gompa. Many travellers see Phoksundo first and then decide whether the high-country trek is for them. See the Lower Dolpo hub and the Upper Dolpo hub for those routes.
Plan it
We plan the lake as the Phoksundo Lake trek with flights from Kathmandu via Nepalgunj. Read the permit and flight guide before booking.
