my next stop

Jammu and Kashmir

Mansar Lake

Forest-ringed Shivalik lake with a Sheshnag shrine and turtles

LakesSpiritualOffbeat

Best time to visit Mansar Lake

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: May to September

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Mansar Lake season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Dec-Feb is the season - 8-20 C, migratory duck on the water and the Sheshnag parikrama walk done in cool air.

Summer March to May Shoulder

Mar is still fine and Apr warms fast, but by May these Shivalik foothills push 40 C with an hour of usable sal shade.

Monsoon June to September Do not go

Skip Jun-Sep: June is a 40 C furnace, then Jul-Sep runs 33 C and sticky with the forest circuit path a mud slog.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Oct dries out and cools, then Nov is properly good: wetland birds arriving at Surinsar-Mansar and boating back on.

What Mansar Lake is actually like

Jammu picnic families and mundan parties at the shrine; JKTDC huts on the bank and no traveller scene at all.

Things to do in Mansar Lake

The local places worth your time in and around Mansar Lake, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Sheshnag Temple

    Temple · in town

    Snake god shrine on the east bank where families come for a child's first haircut; the vow is three circuits of the lake.

  • Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary

    Wildlife · 1 km out

    Forest belt round the lake with a fenced spotted deer and neelgai enclosure; small ticket, go early or late for sightings.

  • Surinsar Lake

    Lake · 25 km out

    Smaller twin lake in the same sanctuary, ringed by forest and far quieter; direct road across, no shops at the bank.

  • Umapati Mahadev Temple

    Temple · 2 km out

    Old stone Shiva temple a short walk from the bank, plain slabs and usually empty; fold it into the lake circuit walk.

Getting to Mansar Lake

Jammu 60 km, Udhampur 40 km; Jammu-Udhampur road buses drop at Mansar chowk, about 1.5 h from Jammu.

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
1 day
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Fine solo
Altitude
664 m
State
Jammu and Kashmir
Coordinates
32.6972, 75.1449

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Mansar Lake?

November to February is peak season in Mansar Lake. March and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid May to September. Oct dries out and cools, then Nov is properly good: wetland birds arriving at Surinsar-Mansar and boating back on.

How many days do you need in Mansar Lake?

1 day is the usual stay. Jammu picnic families and mundan parties at the shrine; JKTDC huts on the bank and no traveller scene at all.

How do you get to Mansar Lake?

Jammu 60 km, Udhampur 40 km; Jammu-Udhampur road buses drop at Mansar chowk, about 1.5 h from Jammu. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Mansar Lake expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.

What are the best things to do in Mansar Lake?

Sheshnag Temple, Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary, Surinsar Lake and Umapati Mahadev Temple. Snake god shrine on the east bank where families come for a child's first haircut; the vow is three circuits of the lake.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Jammu and Kashmir

All 27 destinations in Jammu and Kashmir