Everyone who plans a Ladakh trip has Pangong Tso on their list. And fair enough - that lake earned its fame! But drive a little further into the Changthang plateau, past the crowds and the rows of parked cars, and you will find a lake that feels like it belongs on a different continent altogether. This is Tso Moriri - a quieter, higher, wilder, and honestly, far more photogenic than its famous cousin. Tso Moriri sits at around 4,522 metres above sea level in the Changthang plateau of eastern Ladakh, roughly 220 km southeast of Leh and about a 6 to 7 hour drive via Chumathang. The lake stretches about 26 km from north to south and 3 to 5 km across, with a surface area of around 120 square kilometres. What makes it special is that unlike Pangong, which straddles the India-China border, Tso Moriri lies entirely within India. Also Read: Travel Influencer Erin Fang Shares 3 Mistakes You Should Avoid On Your First Trip To The Colosseum The colour of the water genuinely stops people in their tracks. Depending on the light, it shifts from deep sapphire to a pale, glacial turquoise, framed by bare, honey-coloured mountains and an almost impossibly blue sky. There are no crowds jostling for the same photo, no chai stalls lined up along the bank. Just the wind, the water, and a silence that is rare to find anywhere in India. It is the kind of place where you half expect to see the Andes or the Patagonian steppe instead of a lake in Ladakh. Ecologically, this place matters more than most visitors realise. Tso Moriri is designated as the world's highest Ramsar Wetland site, a status given to wetlands of major international importance. That is also why shoreline camping is banned here - the lake and its marshy edges are breeding grounds for rare birds, including the elegant black-necked crane, along with sightings of the Tibetan wild ass (kiang) and, if you are lucky, a snow leopard prowling the higher slopes in winter. There is no shortcut to Tso Moriri, and that is precisely why it stays uncrowded. The most common route runs from Leh through Shey, Karu, Upshi, Chumathang, Mahe and Sumdo before finally reaching Karzok village on the lake's edge. If you have more time, there is a longer alternate route via Upshi, Rumtse, Tanglang La, Debring, Tso Kar, Puga and Sumdo, which lets you stop at the smaller, equally striking Tso Kar lake along the way. A word of caution: this is not a day trip from Leh. The altitude gain is steep, the roads are rough in patches, and the remote location means you will need to stay overnight rather than rush there and back. Korzok village, right on the lakeshore, is the only real settlement here, with a scattering of homestays and basic guesthouses run by local Changpa families - the same nomadic herders you will spot tending yaks and pashmina goats on the surrounding plains. Also Read: Sadhguru Turns 69: The Hill Where He Says He Became Enlightened Is Now A Spiritual Destination Since the region sits close to the border, Indian nationals need an Inner Line Permit and foreign nationals require a Protected Area Permit, both of which can be arranged online or through a registered agent in Leh before you set off. Keep photocopies handy - checkpoints along the way, including at the Mahe Bridge, will ask for them. The lake stays frozen through peak winter, so most travellers head there between May and September, with June to September being especially good if birdwatching is on your mind. Days are pleasant but nights drop close to freezing even in summer, so pack accordingly - and remember there's no mobile network at the lake itself, with the last connectivity around Chumathang, some 70 km away. For a few days, that is not a drawback. It is the whole point! Travel News - Find latest news and tips based on Indian and World travel including top 10 travel destination, tourism information, how to reach visit and more at Times Now. Senior Copy Editor at Times Network, Akanksha Arora covers Lifestyle, Culture and everything that falls under its big umbrella. When not writing, she ... View More