To travel to Gurudongmar Lake one has to first travel to Lachen and then prcoceed to Gurudongmar Lake. Lachen is a mountain village with tourism as its main business. Ahead of Lachen is a hamlet Thangu at an altitude of 14,000 ft where the visitors usually acclimatize before they proceed to Gurudongmar Lake. One can either stay in Lachen or Thangu. Permits are required to visit the place though it’s allowed for only domestic tourists & locals. Foreign nationals are strictly not allowed.
At an altitude of 17,800 ft, Gurudongmar lake is one of the highest lakes in the world. A lake considered sacred by both Sikhs and Buddhists. Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava had touched the lake whilst he visited Tibet from this area. Since the lake used to remain frozen most of the year, it was not possible to use its water for drinking purposes. The local residents are reported to have approached him for providing source of water. A portion of the lake touched by him does not freeze even in extreme winter. Since water of the lake is considered sacred, visitors carry the 'blessed' water in bottles.
