Parashar Lake
Floating-island lake with a pagoda temple, camping spot
Best time to visit Parashar Lake
- Jan, best avoided
- Feb, best avoided
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, peak season
- May, peak season
- Jun, peak season
- Jul, best avoided
- Aug, best avoided
- Sep, shoulder season
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, shoulder season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: April to June and October to November
- Shoulder: March, September and December, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: January to February and July to August
Parashar Lake season by season
Winter December to February Shoulder
Jan-Feb often bring heavy snow that closes the road; Dec is cold but usually still reachable.
Summer March to May Prime time
Apr-Jun are prime camping season - clear skies, warm days, the lake at its most photogenic.
Monsoon June to September Prime time
Jun is fine; Jul-Aug turn the approach road muddy and landslide-prone, with fog hiding the views.
Autumn October to November Prime time
Oct-Nov bring crisp, star-clear nights - one of the best camping windows near Mandi.
What Parashar Lake is actually like
A popular Delhi/Chandigarh weekend camping spot - easy to join a bonfire with campers.
Getting to Parashar Lake
Fly Bhuntar, 2h drive to Baggi village, then a 5km trek to the lake.
Practical ways in: road
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 3 days
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Steady at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 2730 m
- State
- Himachal Pradesh
- Coordinates
- 31.7545, 77.1016
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Parashar Lake?
April to June and October to November is peak season in Parashar Lake. March, September and December is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid January to February and July to August. Apr-Jun are prime camping season - clear skies, warm days, the lake at its most photogenic.
How many days do you need in Parashar Lake?
3 days is the usual stay. A popular Delhi/Chandigarh weekend camping spot - easy to join a bonfire with campers.
How do you get to Parashar Lake?
Fly Bhuntar, 2h drive to Baggi village, then a 5km trek to the lake. Practical ways in: road.
Is Parashar Lake expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Mandi
Himachal Pradesh
Choti Kashi: eighty stone temples along the Beas ghats
20 km from Parashar Lake, roughly under an hour by road
-
Kullu
Himachal Pradesh
Dussehra town where 200 village gods gather on Dhalpur maidan
30 km from Parashar Lake, roughly under an hour by road
-
Shangarh (Sainj Valley)
Himachal Pradesh
Sacred meadow village at the quiet gate of the Great Himalayan NP
40 km from Parashar Lake, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Janjehli (Shikari Devi)
Himachal Pradesh
Seraj valley trailhead for the Shikari Devi summit temple
40 km from Parashar Lake, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Rewalsar (Tso Pema)
Himachal Pradesh
Tso Pema, one small lake sacred to Hindus, Sikhs and Tibetans
40 km from Parashar Lake, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Jibhi
Himachal Pradesh
Pine-forest hideout near Jalori Pass, quieter than Manali
40 km from Parashar Lake, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Tirthan Valley (Gushaini)
Himachal Pradesh
Trout-river valley on the edge of Great Himalayan NP
50 km from Parashar Lake, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Kasol
Himachal Pradesh
Parvati valley's trance-backpacker hub, gateway to treks
50 km from Parashar Lake, roughly about 1 h by road
More places to visit in Himachal Pradesh
- Barot Himachal Pradesh
- Bharmour (Manimahesh) Himachal Pradesh
- Bir Himachal Pradesh
- Chail Himachal Pradesh
- Chamba Himachal Pradesh
- Chandratal Himachal Pradesh
- Chitkul Himachal Pradesh
- Churdhar (via Nohradhar) Himachal Pradesh
- Dalhousie Himachal Pradesh
- Dhankar Himachal Pradesh
- Janjehli (Shikari Devi) Himachal Pradesh
- Jibhi Himachal Pradesh
- Kalpa Himachal Pradesh
- Karsog Valley Himachal Pradesh
- Kasauli Himachal Pradesh
- Kasol Himachal Pradesh
- Kaza (Spiti) Himachal Pradesh
- Khajjiar Himachal Pradesh
- Kheerganga Himachal Pradesh
- Kullu Himachal Pradesh
- Malana Himachal Pradesh
- Manali Himachal Pradesh
- Mandi Himachal Pradesh
- McLeod Ganj Himachal Pradesh
- Miyar Valley (Urgos) Himachal Pradesh
- Naggar Himachal Pradesh
- Nako Himachal Pradesh
- Narkanda & Thanedar Himachal Pradesh
- Palampur & Andretta Himachal Pradesh
- Pangi Valley (Killar) Himachal Pradesh
- Pin Valley (Mudh) Himachal Pradesh
- Rakcham Himachal Pradesh
- Renuka Lake (Renuka Ji) Himachal Pradesh
- Rewalsar (Tso Pema) Himachal Pradesh
- Sangla Himachal Pradesh
- Sarahan (Bhimakali) Himachal Pradesh
- Shangarh (Sainj Valley) Himachal Pradesh
- Shimla Himachal Pradesh
- Tabo Himachal Pradesh
- Tirthan Valley (Gushaini) Himachal Pradesh