TSO KAR AND PUGA VALLEY GUIDE
Tso Kar and Puga Valley Guide is a part of the Ladakh series. If you are planning a trip to Ladakh, refer to my Ladakh travel guide for details. I visited Ladakh twice, in 2014 and 2022. But it was my first time going to Tso Kar. Now I have travelled to all three high-altitude lakes in Ladakh- Pangong Lake, Tso Moriri and Tso Kar. I have already posted guides to Pangong Lake and Tso Moriri. You can refer to them while a trip to the lakes.
The Tso Kar and Puga Valley guide covers the following topics.
- ABOUT
- ROUTES
- HOW TO TRAVEL
- BEST TIME TO VISIT
- PERMITS
- PLACES TO VISIT NEARBY
- ACCOMMODATIONS
- ITINERARIES
- HELPFUL TIPS
ABOUT TSO KAR AND PUGA VALLEY
Tso Kar is a small salt lake in the Rupshu Plateau in Ladakh. It is the 42nd Ramsar site situated at 15,280 ft. Tso Kar is connected to Startsapuk Lake by an inlet stream. Startsapuk and Tso Kar form the More plain pool. The Thungje and Gursan mountains stand tall by the lake. According to geology reports of the More plain, Tso Kar reached here.
Vegetation is scarce on the shores of Tso Kar because of the salt deposits. But you can find pondweeds, sedges and buttercups on the inlet streams because they are non-saline. The lake is home to migratory birds and other animals such as Kianga, Ibex and blacked neck cranes. It is also home to snow leopards and snow foxes.
Tso Kar is known as the “White Lake” because of all the salt deposits on the shores. From afar, the lake looks white. But as you draw nearer, the deep blue water comes into view. Until a few years ago, the Changpa nomads obtained salt from the lake and exported it to Tibet. And the Thungje and Gursan nomads are the guardians of Tso Kar and its surroundings.
ABOUT PUGA VALLEY
Puga valley is a region in Ladakh known for its lumpy grassland and hot springs between Tso Kar and Tso Moriri. The hot springs are around 30 kms from Tso Kar, but there are no clear directions to the Puga hot springs. While driving, you will notice the lumpy grassland. Ask the locals if the hot springs are near. The best time to visit Puga valley is June to September. That’s when the fields are mossy green. During other months, the grass is dry, and sometimes it appears white due to the mineral deposits. The main attraction of the Puga valley is the hot springs. The hot springs are rich in sulphur and borax and are said to be beneficial for skin problems and rheumatism.
There are no proper directions to the Puga hot springs. While driving, you will notice the lumpy grassland. Ask the locals if the hot springs are near.
ROUTES TO TSO KAR AND PUGA VALLEY
There are three routes to Tso Kar- one is from Leh, the other from Tso Moriri, and the third from Pangong lake. If you are going on an overnight trip to Tso Kar, Leh road is the best option. But if you are near Pangong lake or Tso Moriri, you can drive to Tso Kar from there. You don’t have to return to Leh to come to Tso Kar. There are tar roads connecting the three lakes.
LEH – TSO KAR – PUGA VALLEY
Tso Kar is 153 km from Leh and takes 4-5 hours. Drive on the NH3 highway, Manali-Leh highway, up to the Pang-Debering intersection point. From here, the lake is 21.7 km away. The road conditions are good up to the intersection. From there, the tar road runs for a short distance. It’s a dirt track for a while. The road is under construction.
Leh – Shey – Thikse – Hemis – Upshi – Miru – Lato – Gya – Taglang La – Debring – Pang-Debering intersection point – Tso Kar – Puga hot springs
*NOTE:- The Pang-Debering intersection is 9.1 km from Debring.
TSO MORIRI – PUGA VALLEY – TSO KAR
Tso Kar is 78.6 km from Karzok and takes 3-3½ hours. Always search Karzok because Google maps points the road to the other side of the lake. The road between the lakes is unnamed, and there are no proper directions. It is a dirt track with patches of good road.
Karzok – Kyagar Tso – Sumdo – Puga hot springs – Pologongka La – Tso Kar
PANGONG LAKE – TSO KAR
There are two routes when travelling from Pangong lake to Tso Kar. One road is via Chang La, and the other is via Chusul. The Chusul route is shorter and in better condition than the Chang La one. If you want to stop by Hanle or Tso Moriri en route to Tso Kar, select the Chusul road.
VIA CHANG LA
It is 241 km and takes 6-7 hours. Take the Pangong Lake road up to Karu. From here, turn onto the Manali-Leh road and continue to the Pang-Debering intersection. Leave the highway and continue on the tar road till you reach the lake.
Spangmik – Muglib – Tangste – Durbuk – Chang La – Chemrey – Karu – Upshi – Lato – Taglang La – Pang-Debering intersection point – Tso Kar – Puga hot springs
VIA CHUSUL
It is 203 km from Spangmik and takes 5-6 hours. Follow the Pangong Lake road to Chusul and then continue on the Tsaka La road. Continue towards Nyoma from the Mahe checkpoint. Next, take the diversion from the Mahe bridge to Puga hot springs. Tso Kar is less than 30 km from here.
Spangmik – Man – Merak – Chusul – Mahe checkpoint – Nyoma – Mahe bridge – Sumdo – Puga hot springs – Pologongka La – Tso Kar
HOW TO TRAVEL TO TSO KAR AND PUGA VALLEY?
Tso Kar is a remote lake in the Rupshu valley. Few people visit the lake on their way to Tso Moriri. There are only three ways to reach Tso Kar- taxis, self-driving or rented bikes.
Self-driving is the best and the cheapest option. You can travel at your convenience and stop anywhere and everywhere for photo ops. However, few people self-drive, so the next better alternative is hiring a taxi. There are private taxis and shared taxis. The private cabs are expensive because it’s only your family or group in the vehicle. But shared cabs are cheaper. You will share the taxi with strangers heading to the same destination, and the cost gets divided among the passengers. Also, whether you opt for a sedan (four-seater) or an SUV (six-seater), the prices may differ. Taxis charge Rs. 5000 onwards for a roundtrip to Tso Kar from Leh. The cost may vary if you opt for an overnight stay.
Puga valley is a new tourist hotspot, so the price may not include a trip to the hot springs. Inform your taxi driver if you wish to visit Puga valley.
Ladakh is the mecca of bike trips. You can rent a bike at one of the bike rentals in Leh. They charge Rs. 500 for a half-day and Rs. 2000 for a full day. The prices might differ depending on the model.
*NOTE:- There is no bus service to and from Tso Kar.
BEST TIME TO VISIT TSO KAR AND PUGA VALLEY
Tso Kar is beautiful in every season. But June to September is the best time to visit Tso Kar. The roads to the lake close in October and remain so till April. Depending on the snow, the highways might open in May.
April marks the beginning of summer. The temperature is pleasant, and the snow has melted by mid-April. The minimum temperature is -4, and the maximum is 10. In May, the weather gets warmer, and the temperature rises to 30 or more. May is the best time to visit Tso Kar for a day trip to the lake because the camps and homestays are closed and reopen in June.
June, July and August are the best months to visit Tso Kar. The temperature is warmer, and the weather is pleasant with clear skies. It is a high-altitude lake, so it is often windy. The temperature reaches 30 or more during the day and drops to single digits at night. Also, Tso Kar receives little to no rainfall. Those who like summer should travel to Tso Kar between June and August.
June is the peak seak for Ladakh. But July and August are low seasons and see fewer tourists. By mid-June, the homestays near Tso Kar reopen. If you are staying at Tso Kar, June to August are great months.
October to March is the winter season. Tso Kar is a high-altitude lake, so the area experiences harsh winters. Sometimes the temperatures fall to -40. Also, the homestays close in the first week of October and reopen in April. Those who dislike cold weather, avoid Tso Kar between October and March. Also, the roads to Tso Kar are closed due to heavy snowfall. Some internal roads might be open, but ask locals before starting the trip.
BEST TIME TO VISIT PUGA VALLEY
The best time to visit Puga valley is June to September when the valley is green. In the winters, the green marshy area dries and changes to white. The grass sprouts once again in the summer.
PERMITS FOR TSO KAR AND PUGA VALLEY
All places in Ladakh, except Leh city, need an inner-line permit. You can fill out the online application form or submit it manually at the DC office in Leh. It takes 24 hours to process the application and issue the permit. If you are travelling to Tso Kar from Pangong lake via Chusul, you need to mention this in the form. And only Indians are allowed to travel that route. Foreigners will have to travel via the Leh-Manali highway. There are checkpoints at Nyoma and Mahe. You have to submit a copy of the permit at these checkpoints.
*NOTE:- Carry several copies of the inner-line permit. You may have to submit a copy at some checkpoints.
PLACES TO VISIT NEAR TSO KAR
KYAGAR TSO AND TSO MORIRI
Tso Kar is 80 km from Tso Moriri and takes 3 hours. There are no proper directions, and the roads are under construction. Most people visit the lake over two days and spend the night in Karzok.
Tso Moriri is the largest high-altitude lake in Ladakh, and Kyagar Tso is a smaller saline lake, 40 km from Karzok . Aside from the two lakes, the Karzok monastery is another beautiful site. It is a 300-year-old gompa overlooking the mighty the lake.
HANLE
Hanle or Anle is a small village in the Hanle river Valley. It is home to the 17th-century monastery and the world’s highest observatory. Aside from this, it serves as the base for visiting Umling La, the highest motorable road in the world. It is not a very popular destination yet. But soon, it will be renowned. Many people visit Hanle on their way to Tso Moriri and Kyagar Tso. Tourists need an inner-line permit for travelling to Hanle and Umling La.
If you plan to visit the village, refer to my Hanle and Umling La guide.
PANGONG LAKE
The portion of the Tsomo Nganglha Ringpo that lies in Ladakh is the Pangong. It is a high-altitude lake and the second largest in Ladakh. The remaining part of the lake is in Tibet and is known as the Tso Nyak, Rum Tso and Nyak Tso.
Pangong lake became popular after “3 Idiots”. The iconic scene takes place on the banks of Pangong lake. Since then, a Ladakh trip without visiting Pangong’s been unimaginable. You can travel to the lake on a day trip from Leh or spend the night in nearby villages.
ACCOMMODATIONS
There are no accommodations near Puga hot springs, but you can find a few near Tso Kar. You will find a handful of houses and one or two hotels. Therefore, always pre-book your rooms in peak and low seasons. Sometimes new camps might sprout up or close down. But two establishments are open from June to October. They are-
- DRUK ECO RESORT
- TSO KAR ECO RESORT
They are small establishments with basic facilities. The hotels have rooms with an attached bathroom and can accommodate up to three people. The bathrooms are compact and clean. The rooms have thick blankets to ward off the cold. But you still have to wear a sweater to prevent freezing.
Don’t expect hot water. A bucket of hot water is available on request. And the meals are included in the tariff. The hotels are a bit far from the lake. You can drive there or take a long walk down to the lake. The rooms are limited, so the resorts get sold out quickly. Therefore pre-book hotels no matter when you are travelling. And the hotels are open from June to Mid-October.
*NOTE:- The hotels are not fully operational in the first week of June. The staff has just returned after the winter, so pipes are often frozen or damaged. So most bathrooms might not work, and you will have to share a common bathroom.
ITINERARIES
There are two itineraries for Tso Kar. Depending on your route, you can select the itinerary.
LEH – TSO KAR – LEH
You can visit Tso Kar on a day trip from Leh or an overnight trip. I recommend spending the night at Tso Kar.
- Day 1:- Travel to Tso Kar from Leh. Trek or drive to the lake and enjoy the sights. Later visit the Puga hot springs. Spend the night at Tso Kar.
- Day 2:- It is time to leave. After breakfast, head back to Leh.
LEH – PANGONG – TSO MORIRI – TSO KAR – LEH
In this itinerary, you can travel to the three high-altitude lakes in Ladakh. If you have limited time, this is the ideal itinerary. You can visit Pangong lake first and lastly Tso Kar or vice versa.
- Drive to Pangong Lake from Leh. It takes 5-6 hours to reach. Spend time at the lake and enjoy a beautiful sunset. Spend the night in Spangmik, Man or Merak.
- On the second day, travel to Moriri Lake. It takes 5-6 hours to reach Karzok. Visit the Karzok gompa. Spend the night in Karzok.
- Leave for Tso Kar in the morning. It takes 3 hours to reach the lake. Stop at the Puga hot springs en route to Tso Kar. Walk down to the lake and enjoy the sunset. Spend the night at Tso Kar.
- After breakfast, return to Leh.
HELPFUL TIPS
- Carry at least 20 litres of extra fuel when travelling because the nearest petrol pump is in Leh. The other pumps are in Leh and Karu. You can find loose petrol for Rs.130 per litre and diesel for Rs.100 per litre in Durbuk, Nyoma, Spangmik, Merak and Hanle.
- Download offline maps or carry a map book because the mobile network is unavailable near Pangong Lake.
- Carry proper medication because there is no medical assistance nearby. And it takes hours to reach Leh.
- Bring plenty of cash because many camps and hotels don’t accept online or card payments. There are no ATMs nearby.
- Don’t drive your cars and bikes on the grasslands of Puga Valley because it is a marshy area, and the vehicles can get stuck. And be careful while walking on the lumpy grass because it is a marshy land.
- Carry plenty of snacks and water. Restaurants and dhabas are far and few.
- Wear warm clothes because the temperature drops at night.
- Pre-book hotels and camps during peak season. Rooms get sold out quickly.
- Get acclimatised before travelling to Tso Kar or higher altitudes because the nearest medical facility is Leh.
- Don’t touch the water in the hot springs. It is boiling, and there is no source of cold water nearby.
- Don’t drive your car and bike too close to Tso Kar. The surface around the lake is marshy, and vehicles get stuck. It’s safe to park at a safe distance and walk from there.
- Also, wear full clothes when visiting Tso Kar and Puga valley because there are swarms of mosquitoes. The mosquitoes are abnormally large.
CONCLUSION
In this Tso Kar guide, I have included all the topics necessary for planning a hassle-free trip. If you think I have missed something, please let me know in the comments.
I hope this ignites your wanderlust because
The goal is to die with memories, not dreams.
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