Heavenly Gurudongmar Lake - Highest Lake in the world

Gurudongmar Lake located in North Sikkim is one of the highest lakes in India. Gurudongmar Lake, at an altitude of 17100 ft , is one of the highest lakes in India. It is located in the northern-most edge of Sikkim, very close to the Chinese Tibetan border. The journey to this heavenly place is an experience in itself.

This blog is about our personal experience when I visited this Nature Painting. It was on our Travel bucket list for a very long time. The moment we reached Lake Gurudongmar I was stunned with the beauty it holds within itself, and the realized how beautiful this location is and my efforts to travel explore this place in such tough weather conditions has paid off. For couple of minutes I was thinking that is this a painting " Natures Painting". Mountains covered with white snow, frozen lake, strong cold winds and the beauty it was mesmerizing. Land with no habitation but full of beauty and you can only take back memories. Some places cannot be expressed in words, we just have to live in that moment. That's when we realize how beautiful this world is.

Gurudongmar Lake is considered to be one of the 108 “Tso-Chen” or major holy lakes of the Demajong and is believed to be the abode of the local guardian deities. The lake is named after Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.

During the eight century AD, Guru Rinpoche (also known as Guru Padmasambhava) had visited the Tibetan Chogyal (King) Trisong Detsan. He informed the king that in future Tibet’s sovereignty might be subjugated and there might be a decline in Buddhism. The Chogyal requested Guru Rinpoche to search for places where the Dharma might be kept alive. The Guru after completing his spiritual quest selected four different lands around Tibet.

He first arrived at Gurudongmar Lake in North Sikkim and later went on towards Tashiding in West Sikkim. Here he found his Beyul Demajong or hidden land where he hid his treasure teachings in caves and sacred places to be later revealed when Dharma was in danger.

The lake usually remained frozen for most of the year with no probability of providing drinking water to the local people. Legend has it that the locals prayed to the Guru to help them. The revered Guru then put his hand on a part of the lake which has since then refrained from freezing. Gurudongmar Lake has been revered and respected since then. Guru Rinpoche also saw this as a propitious sign that welcomed him to this land.

Devotees also believe that by offering prayers at the lake and doing a parikrama (going around the lake), one can be blessed with a child.

Best time to visit Gurudongmar Lake

The best time to visit Gurudongmar Lake is from March until June as the weather is pleasant and one can see clear crystal blue skies, with lush greenery in the surroundings along with beautiful and divine Gurudongmar Lake. The temperature during these months fluctuates between 5°C / - 5°C. The peak tourist season is from March until June.