We found a lovely video (below) showing Pangong Tso, or Pangong Lake, in Ladakh. Of course, there’s no substitue for actually going there, but this video does an excellent job of taking us beyond mere photographs of this amazing lake.

And when we say amazing, let’s define terms. Pangong Tso is 83 miles long, a maximum of three miles wide, and crosses from India into Tibet at an elevation of 14,270 feet. That is so high that, even though the lake is saline, it freezes over in the winter. Here is more from Wikipedia:

The brackish water of the lake has very low micro-vegetation. Guides report that there are no fish or other aquatic life in the lake, except for some small crustaceans. On the other hand, visitors see numerous ducks and gulls over and on the lake surface. There are some species of scrub and perennial herbs that grow in the marshes around the lake.

The lake acts as an important breeding ground for a variety of birds including a number of migratory birds. During summer, the Bar-headed goose and Brahmini ducks are commonly seen here. The region around the lake supports a number of species of wildlife including the kiang and the Marmot.

Formerly, Pangong Tso had an outlet to Shyok River, a tributary of Indus River, but it was closed off due to natural damming. Two streams feed the lake from the Indian side, forming marshes and wetlands at the edges. Strand lines above current lake level reveal a 5 m (16 ft) thick layer of mud and laminated sand, suggesting the lake has shrunken recently in geological scale.

It’s about a five-hour drive from Leh, the capital of Ladakh, and could be reached on a tour of Ladakh, such as Embark’s Parang La Trek.

So, to whet your travel appetite just a little more, here is that video, from user coxandkings on YouTube: