Tso Moriri Lake

Tso Moriri, a high-altitude lake at nearly 4,600 metres in the remote Changthang region, offers a quieter, less-visited alternative to the more famous Pangong Tso, its still, deep-blue water ringed by stark mountains and used seasonally by nomadic Changpa herders grazing pashmina goats nearby. The lake's designation as a Ramsar wetland of international importance reflects its significance as a breeding ground for the black-necked crane and other high-altitude bird species.

Korzok, the small village on the lake's edge, is one of the highest permanently inhabited settlements in the region, home to a modest monastery and a community that has traditionally combined herding with, more recently, a growing tourism economy tied to the lake's rising visitor numbers.

Long a key grazing ground for Changpa nomadic communities who move seasonally with pashmina goat herds across the Changthang plateau, Tso Moriri's more restricted access compared to Pangong has historically kept it a quieter, less commercially developed destination.

About 220km from Leh, roughly 7-8 hours by road; an inner-line permit is required.