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North India's Most Beautiful Rivers and Lakes

From the crystal Umngot at Dawki to the sacred Ganga at Varanasi, from alpine Pangong to the jungle lakes of Ranthambore — water bodies that are destinations in themselves, not just scenery on the way to somewhere else.

7 destinations in this collection
Pangong Tso
1

Pangong Tso

4,350m

Ladakh

4,350m. 134km long. Colour changes with light — blue, green, grey. The most photographed lake in India. October best.

Dawki
2

Dawki

400m

Meghalaya

Umngot River — India's clearest. Boats appear to float in air. Winter only (Nov-Mar). Monsoon turns it brown.

Nainital
3

Nainital

1,938m

Uttarakhand

Naini Lake — the reason the town exists. Boat rides, Mall Road promenade. Surrounded by 7 hills.

Tso Moriri
4

Tso Moriri

4,522m

Ladakh

4,522m. Remote, pristine, no commercialization. Migratory birds (bar-headed geese). Permits required.

Rishikesh
5

Rishikesh

340m

Uttarakhand

The Ganga at its most adventure-friendly. Rafting, riverside meditation, suspension bridges. Sacred and wild.

Varanasi
6

Varanasi

80m

Uttar Pradesh

The Ganga at its most spiritual. Morning boat ride at dawn — the ghats, the light, the chants. October-March.

Srinagar
7

Srinagar

1,585m

Jammu & Kashmir

Dal Lake — houseboats, shikaras, floating markets. Iconic but overcrowded in summer. October-November best.

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