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Nagaland

Shilloi Lake (Latsam)

Foot-shaped sacred lake below Phek's pine ridges near Myanmar

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Best time to visit Shilloi Lake (Latsam)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

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

Planning a specific month? JanuaryOctoberNovemberDecember

Shilloi Lake (Latsam) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Dec-Feb is still and blue with near-frost nights; mist burns off the water by 8 am and you may not meet another visitor all day.

Summer March to May Shoulder

March is fine and quiet; Apr-May greens the ridges but afternoon storms make the long Phek roads slow and greasy.

Monsoon June to September Do not go

Jun-Sep the day-long approach from Kohima crawls with slips and fog while the lake sulks in grey; not worth the grind.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Oct-Nov is best: post-rain clarity, terraced paddy gold around Lutsam village and calm water at the lakeside huts.

What Shilloi Lake (Latsam) is actually like

A small government tourist cottage by the shore and Lutsam homestays; locals hold the water sacred, so nights are hushed

Things to do in Shilloi Lake

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

  • Meluri

    Village · 20 km out

    Pochury town and the road head for the lake, with the last shops, fuel and phone signal; sumos from Kohima terminate here.

  • Phek

    Village · 55 km out

    Ridge top district town of terraced fields and a Saturday market; hire a taxi here, shared vehicles to the lake are rare.

Getting to Shilloi Lake (Latsam)

ILP online; from Kohima a full day via Pfutsero and Phek, 8-9 h; hire a taxi in Phek, sumos are scarce

Practical ways in: road

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Quiet at its peak
Solo travel
Doable solo with some planning
Altitude
954 m
State
Nagaland
Coordinates
25.5954, 94.7930

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Shilloi Lake (Latsam)?

October to January is peak season in Shilloi Lake (Latsam). February to March is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to September. Oct-Nov is best: post-rain clarity, terraced paddy gold around Lutsam village and calm water at the lakeside huts.

How many days do you need in Shilloi Lake (Latsam)?

2 days is the usual stay. A small government tourist cottage by the shore and Lutsam homestays; locals hold the water sacred, so nights are hushed.

How do you get to Shilloi Lake (Latsam)?

ILP online; from Kohima a full day via Pfutsero and Phek, 8-9 h; hire a taxi in Phek, sumos are scarce. Practical ways in: road.

Is Shilloi Lake (Latsam) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.

What are the best things to do in Shilloi Lake?

Meluri and Phek. Pochury town and the road head for the lake, with the last shops, fuel and phone signal; sumos from Kohima terminate here.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Nagaland

All 11 destinations in Nagaland