Best lakes destinations in India
104 curated lakes destinations across 28 states, each with the months it is worth going and the months it is not.
Best of lakes India
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Pushkar
Rajasthan
Holy lake town, Rajasthan's backpacker capital
Peak: Oct to Feb
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Jispa (Bhaga Valley)
Himachal Pradesh
Bhaga riverside village on the Leh road, base for Baralacha La and Suraj Tal
Peak: Jun to Sep
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Bhandardara
Maharashtra
Dam-lake basecamp for Maharashtra's highest peak, Kalsubai
Peak: Jul to Aug
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Kodaikanal
Tamil Nadu
Misty Palani lake town loved by trekkers, backpackers
Peak: Apr to May and Sep to Oct
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Alleppey (Alappuzha) Backwaters
Kerala
Venice of the East - houseboats through the backwaters
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Atapaka (Kolleru Lake)
Andhra Pradesh
Pelican and painted stork colony on India's biggest freshwater lake
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Manasbal Lake
Jammu and Kashmir
Lotus-choked lake under Nur Jahan's Jarokha Bagh terrace
Peak: Jun to Sep
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Chandubi Lake
Assam
Earthquake-born forest lake in Rabha country near Guwahati
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Bhopal & Sanchi
Madhya Pradesh
Lake city gateway to the UNESCO Sanchi Buddhist stupas
Peak: Oct to Feb
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Dawki & Shnongpdeng
Meghalaya
Glass-clear Umngot river: boating, cliff camps, border
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Mahoba (Chandela Lakes)
Uttar Pradesh
Chandela lakes cut into granite hills, temple ruins standing in the water
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Morni Hills
Haryana
Chandigarh's nearest hills, low-key and quiet
Peak: Mar to May
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Pangong Tso
Ladakh
The '3 Idiots' lake - a 134km turquoise line into Tibet
Peak: Jun to Sep
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Mangalajodi (Chilika Wetlands)
Odisha
Ex-poacher guides row you into Chilika's winter clouds of waterbirds
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Harike Wetland (Harike Pattan)
Punjab
Beas meets Sutlej at north India's biggest man-made wetland
Peak: Dec to Feb
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Asan Conservation Reserve (Dakpathar)
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand's Ramsar wetland where the Asan meets the Yamuna
Peak: Dec to Feb
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Dudhni Lake
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
Shikara rides on the Madhuban backwaters under Warli hills
Peak: Oct to Feb
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Nal Sarovar
Gujarat
Shallow 120 sq km Ramsar lake of flamingos and punt boats
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Ghatshila
Jharkhand
Subarnarekha river town of Bengali holiday lodges, Burudih lake and Dharagiri falls
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Tamdil Lake (Saitual)
Mizoram
Forest-rimmed lake at 780 m near Saitual, with a lakeside lodge and kayaks
Peak: Oct to Mar
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Doyang Reservoir (Pangti)
Nagaland
A million Amur falcons roost here each Oct-Nov, guarded by villagers who hunted them
Peak: Oct to Nov
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Laknavaram Lake
Telangana
Island-dotted Kakatiya lake with a swaying 160 m hanging bridge
Peak: Oct to Feb
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Neermahal & Rudrasagar Lake (Melaghar)
Tripura
A 1930s water palace stranded in a lake full of winter ducks
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Mirik
West Bengal
Lake town below Darjeeling with orange orchards and tea
Peak: Mar to Apr and Oct to Nov
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Kanwar Lake (Kabar Taal)
Bihar
Asia's largest oxbow lake, a Ramsar wetland of winter ducks near Begusarai
Peak: Dec to Feb
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Gangrel Dam (Ravishankar Sagar)
Chhattisgarh
Mahanadi mega-reservoir with a beach strip and water sports
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Honnemaradu
Karnataka
Island-studded Sharavathi backwater for kayak and coracle camping
Peak: Oct to Feb
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Loktak Lake
Manipur
Floating phumdi islands, world's only floating park
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Udaipur
Rajasthan
City of Lakes: palaces and postcard sunsets
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Masroor & Pong Lake
Himachal Pradesh
Eighth-century rock-cut temples above a Ramsar lake of a hundred thousand geese
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Bhigwan (Kumbhargaon)
Maharashtra
Dawn boats among flamingos on the Ujani backwaters
Peak: Dec to Feb
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Ooty (Udhagamandalam)
Tamil Nadu
Nilgiris' colonial hill capital, toy train and tea gardens
Peak: Apr to May and Oct
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Munroe Island (Munroe Thuruthu)
Kerala
Canoe canals through eight islets where Kallada meets Ashtamudi
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Nagarjuna Sagar (Nagarjunakonda)
Andhra Pradesh
Buddhist ruins moved to an island in a Krishna reservoir
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Mansar Lake
Jammu and Kashmir
Forest-ringed Shivalik lake with a Sheshnag shrine and turtles
Peak: Nov to Feb
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Haflong
Assam
Assam's only hill station, on the Lumding-Silchar hill railway
Peak: Nov to Feb
Every lakes destination in the catalogue
- Alwar Rajasthan
- Bakhira Lake (Khalilabad) Uttar Pradesh
- Banswara (Mahi Backwaters) Rajasthan
- Barot Himachal Pradesh
- Basohli Jammu and Kashmir
- Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary Haryana
- Chandoli National Park Maharashtra
- Chandratal Himachal Pradesh
- Chidambaram & Pichavaram Tamil Nadu
- Chilika Lake (Satapada) Odisha
- Dajipur (Radhanagari) Maharashtra
- Debrigarh (Hirakud Reservoir) Odisha
- Deogarh (Devgarh) Rajasthan
- Dindi (Konaseema Backwaters) Andhra Pradesh
- Dumboor Lake (Narikel Kunja) Tripura
- Gandhi Sagar (Chambal) Madhya Pradesh
- Gavi Kerala
- Hanuwantiya Tapu Madhya Pradesh
- Jaisamand (Dhebar Lake) Rajasthan
- Jawai Bandh (Bera) Rajasthan
- Kakkayam Kerala
- Keshopur Chhamb (Miani Community Reserve) Punjab
- Khajjiar Himachal Pradesh
- Kolayat Rajasthan
- Kumarakom Kerala
- Lonar Crater Lake Maharashtra
- Mannavanur Tamil Nadu
- Mawphanlur Meghalaya
- Mount Abu Rajasthan
- Mukutmanipur West Bengal
- Nagzira (Pitezari Gate) Maharashtra
- Nainital Uttarakhand
- Nako Himachal Pradesh
- Nangal (Sutlej Lake) Punjab
- Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary (Unnao) Uttar Pradesh
- Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary Andhra Pradesh
- Orvakal Rock Garden Andhra Pradesh
- Pakhal Lake Telangana
- Palak Dil (Phura) Mizoram
- Parashar Lake Himachal Pradesh
- Patratu Valley Jharkhand
- Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (Chuka) Uttar Pradesh
- Pulicat (Pazhaverkadu) Tamil Nadu
- Ramtek Maharashtra
- Ranikor (Kynshi river) Meghalaya
- Renuka Lake (Renuka Ji) Himachal Pradesh
- Rewalsar (Tso Pema) Himachal Pradesh
- Sambhar Lake (Phulera) Rajasthan
- Saputara Gujarat
- Sattal Uttarakhand
- Shilloi Lake (Latsam) Nagaland
- Shivpuri (Madhav National Park) Madhya Pradesh
- Silvassa Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
- Son Beel (Karimganj) Assam
- Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir
- Sultanpur National Park (Bird Sanctuary) Haryana
- Tapola (Shivsagar Lake) Maharashtra
- Thenmala Kerala
- Toranmal Maharashtra
- Tso Kar Ladakh
- Tso Moriri Ladakh
- Umrangso (Kopili Reservoir) Assam
- Valiyaparamba (Nileshwar backwaters) Kerala
- Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
- Wari Chora (Emangre) Meghalaya
- Wular Lake (Watlab) Jammu and Kashmir
- Yelagiri Tamil Nadu
- Yercaud Tamil Nadu
When to go
January, February and December are the months with the most lakes places in peak season.
By state
Rajasthan (10)Himachal Pradesh (9)Maharashtra (9)Tamil Nadu (8)Kerala (7)Andhra Pradesh (5)Jammu and Kashmir (5)Uttar Pradesh (4)Madhya Pradesh (4)Assam (4)
Common questions
How many lakes destinations are there in India?
This catalogue lists 104 tagged lakes, across 28 states and union territories. It is a curated list, not an exhaustive one: places earn a spot on the strength of the landscape or the heritage.
When is the best time for a lakes trip in India?
January, February and December put the most of them in peak season. Each place carries its own window, though, so check the one you are aiming at.
Which states have the most lakes destinations?
Rajasthan (10), Himachal Pradesh (9), Maharashtra (9), Tamil Nadu (8) and Kerala (7).
Other themes
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