Lakes of Nepal

26 places of this kind across 25 districts of Nepal, from the Himal to the Terai. Filter by province or belt, or open any dot on the map.

Hidden gems only

26 places

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Timbung Pokhari

Taplejung, Koshi Province

A sacred high-altitude lake near the Sikkim border, walked to by Limbu pilgrims for the Janai Purnima full moon.

Lake & pond

Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri

Solukhumbu, Koshi Province

Six turquoise glacial lakes beside the Ngozumpa glacier, and a summit view of four 8,000 m peaks.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Mai Pokhari

Ilam, Koshi Province

A sacred, forest-ringed wetland with nine corners, listed as a Ramsar site and loved by birdwatchers.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Gupha Pokhari

Tehrathum, Koshi Province

A small sacred pond and trail stop on the Milke ridge, with a wide Himalayan panorama at dawn.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Salpa Pokhari

Bhojpur, Koshi Province

A sacred lake in the high forests where Bhojpur meets Solukhumbu, revered by the Rai as the home of their ancestors.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Rauta Pokhari

Udayapur, Koshi Province

A forest pond in the Mahabharat hills of Udayapur, a pilgrimage and picnic spot with a small temple to Rautamai.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Betana Wetland

Morang, Koshi Province

A community-managed pond and forest on the highway near Belbari, with boating, birds and a small park.

Lake & pond

Ganga Sagar and the ponds of Janakpur

Dhanusha, Madhesh Province

Sacred ponds scattered through the city, where evening aarti and Chhath bring thousands to the ghats.

Lake & pond

Gosaikunda

Rasuwa, Bagmati Province

A sacred alpine lake at 4,380 m, believed created by Shiva's trident, where thousands bathe at Janai Purnima.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Panch Pokhari

Sindhupalchok, Bagmati Province

Five sacred glacial lakes at about 4,100 m below Jugal Himal, a quiet trek and a Janai Purnima pilgrimage.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Tsho Rolpa and Rolwaling

Dolakha, Bagmati Province

One of Nepal's largest glacial lakes, at the head of the hidden Rolwaling valley under Gaurishankar.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Kulekhani (Indrasarowar)

Makwanpur, Bagmati Province

A hydropower reservoir in the hills south-west of Kathmandu, with boating and fresh fish at Markhu.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Bis Hajar Tal

Chitwan, Bagmati Province

The 'twenty thousand lakes': an oxbow wetland in Chitwan's buffer zone, a Ramsar site full of birds and crocodiles.

Lake & pond

Phewa Lake and Tal Barahi

Kaski, Gandaki Province

Pokhara's lake, with Machhapuchhre reflected in still water and a pagoda temple on an island.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Begnas and Rupa lakes

Kaski, Gandaki Province

Two quiet lakes in Pokhara's eastern valley, divided by a forested ridge, with fish farms and homestays.

Lake & pond

Tilicho Lake

Manang, Gandaki Province

One of the highest lakes of its size in the world, at 4,919 m below the icy walls of Tilicho Peak.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Rukumkot and Kamal Daha

Rukum East, Lumbini Province

The old seat of the Rukum kings, with a lotus lake and temple, headquarters of remote Rukum East.

Lake & pond

Rara Lake

Mugu, Karnali Province

Nepal's largest lake, a deep blue sheet of water at 2,990 m ringed by pine, spruce and juniper forest.

Lake & pond

Shey Phoksundo Lake

Dolpa, Karnali Province

Nepal's deepest lake, an unreal turquoise, with a 167 m waterfall and the Bon village of Ringmo on its shore.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Syarpu Lake

Rukum West, Karnali Province

One of the largest lakes in the middle hills, among terraced fields near Musikot in Rukum West.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Kupinde Lake

Salyan, Karnali Province

A sacred lake in Salyan's hills, said never to rise or fall, with fairs at the full moon.

Lake & pond

Birendranagar and Bulbule Lake

Surkhet, Karnali Province

The planned capital of Karnali Province in the Surkhet valley, with a spring-fed lake and park at its edge.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Jhilmila Lake

Kanchanpur, Sudurpashchim Province

A forest lake in the Chure hills of Kanchanpur, near the Indian border, surrounded by sal jungle and birds.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Ghodaghodi Lake

Kailali, Sudurpashchim Province

A Ramsar-listed complex of forest lakes on the East–West Highway, rich in birds, turtles and lotus.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Ramaroshan

Achham, Sudurpashchim Province

Twelve lakes and eighteen meadows in the hills of Achham — the 'Switzerland of the far west'.

Hidden gem

Lake & pond

Surma Sarovar

Bajhang, Sudurpashchim Province

A sacred glacial lake below Surma Devi peak in Bajhang, a remote pilgrimage in the shadow of the Saipal range.