Pangong Tso Like the salars of Bolivia and the Atacama desert, this 134x5km salt lake lies in a basi

Pangong TsoLike the salars of Bolivia and the Atacama desert, this 134x5km salt lake lies in a basin without exit, concentrating the salts eroded by rain and snow from the surrounding mountains in its deep blue waters. The name is Tibetan for ‘long, narrow enchanted lake’, though it occurs at 4,350 metres in Leh, a sub-province of the state of Jammu & Kashmir in India, and the traditional staging posts for caravans crossing the high passes between India and China.The lake is in disputed territory, forming the frontier (known as the line of actual controlwhere the two countries forces were situated at the armistice that ended their 1962 war) between Tibet (a province of China) and India. It is being considered as a wetland of international importance, and if established would be the first international wetland in south Asia.There are no fish, and only a few crustaceans in the lake, though it is a breeding ground for migratory birds such as Brahmini ducks in summer, and marmots live in the surrounding area. Special permits are needed to access the area, which for foreigners can only be obtained on a group basis. The journey from Leh is on the world’s third highest motorable road.LozImage credit: Sidharth Kocharhttp://www.pbase.com/asiatramp/pangongtsohttp://www.roughguides.com/destinations/asia/india/jammu-kashmir/ladakh/southeast-leh/pangong-tso/ -- source link

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