Lakes in Nepal

Lakes in Nepal

Lajestic, splendid and holy... the lakes of Nepal are revered not only for their natural beauty but also for the spiritual importance attached to them. There are around two hundred lakes in Nepal of glacial and tectonic origin. Mountain lakes like Rara, Tilicho, Phoksundo and Phewa are majestic in extent and beauty.

Lakes are used for several activities, leisure as well as general purpose uses. With approximately 118 varieties of fresh water fish found in the Himalayan waters of Nepal, fishing is one important revenue generating activity base on the lakes. Mahaseer is the most commonly sought sport fish, besides mountain stream trout-like varieties and lowland water species. Pokhara's crystal clear lakes are the best for fishing.

'Tal' (pronounced taal) is a term used for lakes in nepali, the national language.

Fast facts of major lakes in Nepal

Lake	Category	Location	Water surface area (hct)
Rara Lake	Mountain lake	Mugu district	1000
Phewa Lake	Mid-hill lake	Pokhara	523
Phoksundo Lake	Mountain lake	Dolp` district	180
Tilichio Lake	Mountain lake	Manang
Gosainkunda Lake	Mountain lake	Rasuwa district
Begnas Lake	Mid-hill lake	Pokhara
Rupa Lake	Mid-hill lake	Pokhara

Rara Lake: 

Rara lies in the Mugu district of western Nepal and is the country's largest lake. It covers an area of about 15 square kilometers at an elevation of 2,990 m ( 9,717 ft). The Rara Lake, formed on a plateau, is surrounded by beautiful pine forests. Exotic birds and rare wildlife can be seen in this protected area. The bow-shaped lake is surrounded by gently rolling mountains on all sides. The lake is full of trout fish from 14­ to 18" long. The trout fish are said to be slow and numbed by the cold water, and fishing is done in a novel way -- by means of spears.

Fewa Lake:

The Fewa Lake is the second largest lake in Nepal after Rara Lake and is Pokhara's prime attraction for tourists. It is famous for the reflection of Mount Machapuchre on its surface. The lake is the home of 17 species of native fish and 4 exotic species.

The holy Barahi temple is situated on the island located in between the lake. Tourists and devotees can visit the temple on boats. It isn't an uncommon sight to see people just spending an hour or more on the boats doing nothing, simply enjoying the peace and serenity of the area.

Fewa Lake is surrounded by Lakeside area in the east, which is a popular tourist area just like Thamel in Kathmandu, Pame village in the west and Sarangkot hill in the north. Devi's fall lies on the south side which hs another tourist hotspot in Pokhara but has been closed for security reasons.

Gosaikunda Lake

Gosaikunda Lake is located in Rasuwa district and is one of the popular pilgrimage for Hindus. It is situated at the height of 4,380 meters from sea level, and sips down to form the Trishuli river. It is on the way of a popular trekking route of Dhunche-Gosainkunda-Helambu trail. Gosainkunda trek adjoins the famous Langtang trek in the same district. The lake remains frozen for 6 months in winter October to June. The best season to visit is June.

There is a famous folklore about the origin of this lake. It is believed when Lord Shiva drank the poison, gifted by the gods and devils during the epical event of Samundra manthan, he drank the water from this place to quench the overwhelming heat of the poison. Lord Shiva banged his Trishul in the ground and water originated from there and later formed Gosainkunda lake. 

 Phoksundo Lake

 At a depth of 650 m Phoksundo is the deepest lake in Nepal. It is located in the lower region of Dolpa which is the best known of the many isolated high Himalayan valleys across northern Nepal.Dolpa is the largest district of Nepal covering 5.36% of total landmass of the country and it preserves one of the last remnants of traditional Tibetan culture. 

The lake is considered sacred by the dwellers therefore swimming is prohibited. No aquatic life is found in it therefore it is crystal clear.

The lake flows through the Shey- Phoksundo National Park which is the largest and the only tr`ns-Himalayan National Park in Nepal. It covers an area of 3,555 square kilometers.

Tilicho Lake

 Tilicho Lake is the highest lake in the world. It is 4,949 m high in the Annapurna range of the Himalayas in Nepal.Tilicho happens to be a hotspot for trekkers. It was for long almost totally closed save for a few climbers and expeditions, and since 1974, when Nixon changed the China policy, part of the area above Thini on the Jomosom side became a totally off-limits military area. From the Manang side it was rarely if ever visited. A much sold guide book informed potential trekkers that the path to Tilicho was “a figment of some ones fantasy” and the locals in Manang had little knowledge of the route too. The best season to trek to Tilicho is June, july and August.

Begnas Lake and Rupa Lake

Begnas Tal is just 15 km to the east from Pokhara. Rupa Lake is separated by the Pachabhaiya ridge from Begnas Tal, hence, these two lakes are often called the twin lakes. The lakes are relatively secluded so if you are looking for peace and some time to relax then this is just the perfect destination. The regular hustle-bustle and crowd is comparatively less around these areas.

Lake Activities

Nepal lakes are famous for their crystal clear water, scenic backgrounds and the adventure activities that they offer. Cited below are two of the activities that keep you fresh and vigorous like the blue waters of the lakes themselves.

Boating

The pleasure of touching water waves while siting on a boat cannot be described in words. A relaxing boat drive on Phewa lake of Pokhara is one of the most soothing experiences in Nepal. Leisure boating can be done in various locations. Pokhara, set in a lush topic`l alley, with a backdrop of the Annapurna range, is blessed with many lakes and is the most famous spot for boating activities.
The Phewa, Begnas and Rupa lakes provide enough space for boating experiences. Phewa Lake is Pokhara's prime attraction for photographers, boaters and shore side strollers.Visitors love sending an hour or two rowing (or being rowed by one of the local boats men) through the many inlets, with a visit to the Varahi island temple.

Fishing

Nepal, the world's second rich country in the water resources having numbers of rivers and lakes, is an ideal location for fishing and angling. There are some specific ethnic group in the hills and Terai region of Nepal whose lifestyle has been based on Fishing. Bote, Majhi, Tharu and Machhuwar are some of them.
With approximately 118 varieties of fresh water fish found in the Himalayan waters of Nepal, fishing can be really exciting. Mahaseer is the most commonly sought sport fish, besides mountain stream trout-like varieties and lowland water spebies. Pokhara's crystal clear lakes are the best for fishing.

List of other popular lakes in Nepal

1. Gaduwal tal – Chitwan
2. Satyavati tal – Palpa
3. Khaptad tal – Doti
4. Barhakune tal (12 corners in nepali) – Dang
5. Surma Sarobar – Bajhang
6. Deepang tal
7. Khaste tal
8. Maidee tal
9. Rokum tal
10. Mahadev tal
11. Kailali tal
12. Rupia tal
13. Gadhbhijala tal
14. Nakhrodi tal
15. Badhaiya tal
16. Sakhunia tal
17. Budhi tal
18. Gaindhawa tal
19. Bees Hazar tal – Chitwan
20. Halkuria tal