Shey Phoksundo Lake in Dolpo is Nepal's deepest lake, famed for its otherworldly turquoise waters surrounded by plunging cliffs and ancient Bon-Po Buddhist culture. An unforgettable Himalayan destination.
Shey Phoksundo Lake sits at 3,611 metres in Dolpo district, surrounded by some of the most dramatic scenery in Nepal. It is Nepal's deepest lake (145m) and its intensely turquoise water, set against sheer rock cliffs and barren mountain landscapes, makes it one of the most visually striking natural sites in the Himalaya.
The colour of Phoksundo is extraordinary — an almost unbelievable shade of turquoise that shifts through blue and green depending on the angle of the sun. Local Bon-Po (pre-Buddhist Tibetan religion) tradition holds the lake sacred, and fishing and swimming are strictly prohibited.
Nepal's largest national park (3,555 sq km) surrounds the lake and extends into Upper Dolpo. Wildlife includes snow leopard, blue sheep, Himalayan wolf, and the rare grey wolf.
The Dolpo region is culturally Tibetan, with many communities following the Bon religion. The village of Ringmo, at the lake's southern shore, features traditional flat-roofed stone houses and prayer flags.
Shey Phoksundo is the kind of place that makes you understand why people travel to the ends of the earth — because some places are simply beyond imagination.