Suraj Tal, also called 
Tso Kamtsi or Surya Tal, is an  long lake that lies just below the  high Bara-lacha-la pass in Lahaul and Spiti district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.  It is the third-highest lake in India and the 21st-highest in the world. Suraj Tal Lake is just below the source of the Bhaga River that joins the Chandra River downstream at Tandi to form the Chandrabhaga River in Himachal Pradesh. The Chandrabhaga River is known as the  Chenab as it enters the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir.  The other major tributary of the Chandrabhaga, the Chandra, originates and flows south-east of the Bara-lacha La.

Access
Suraj Tal is  from Keylong, the district headquarters of the Lahaul Spiti district.  It is accessible by National Highway NH 21, also known as the Leh-Manali Highway.  The road skirts Suraj Tal, which is just  short of the Bara-lacha-la pass.  It remains inaccessible during the winter months of November to April since the pass becomes totally snowbound during this period.

Physical description

Terrain

The glaciers and nullahs (streams) that from the Bara-lacha-la pass feed the lake.  The pass is 8 km long and is also called the "Pass with Crossroads on Summit" since roads from Zanskar, Ladakh, Spiti, and Lahaul meet at this pass. In addition to the Bhaga River that originates from it and flows through Suraj Tal, Bara-lacha-la Pass is also the source of the Chandra and Yunan Rivers in the southeast and north, respectively.

The lake is situated in the Upper Himalayan Zone, or High Latitudinal Zone part of the Himalayas which has very sparse population with climatic conditions akin to polar conditions. Snowfall in this zone, though scanty, is reported to be spread throughout the year. Rainfall is rare in the region. Snow precipitation from snow storms is reported to be less than  of snow in nearly 50% of the storms, even though one observatory in the region has reported  of snowfall.  The precipitation starts melting in May. Snow on slopes is generally slackly bonded, with the wind redistributing it. The average total snowfall recorded in a year is reported to be , with the highest temperature at , the mean highest temperature at , the mean minimum temperature at , and the lowest temperature at . The ground in the zone is covered with scree and boulders.

Geology
The lake's geology is similar to thet of the nearby Bara-lacha-la Pass, which is reported to be an early rifting event on the northern Indian passive margin, and the Basalts which are emplaced along the trans–tensional faults indicate that.

Bhaga Valley
The Bhaga River originates in Bara-Lacha La and flows north-west through Suraj Tal to Tandi, the confluence point with the Chandra River.  The Bhaga Valley (Tod or Stod Valley) is  long.  The valley, which is a narrow gorge, is devoid of any vegetation up to Darcha, and thereafter it widens up to its confluence with the Chandra River at Tandi. There are terraces between Darcha and Tandi which are under cultivation in the lower slopes, with the middle slopes having  grasslands. Plantations of trees and shrubs to meet fuel wood and fodder requirements have been done on the hill slopes.

Tourism

Lahaul-Spiti Valley is a common destination for Indian and foreign tourists on road trips, trekking, and motorcycling.   The NH 21 route  from Manali to Leh covers the Suraj Tal Lake and the Bara-lacha-la pass.

Trekking
Trekking tours are common. One trek route is the Zingzingbar–Suraj Tal–Bara-lacha-la.  This involves trekking along the Bhaga River for , crossing a bridge to the north bank, then a further climb of  from the bridge, followed by a steep foot trail up to Suraj Tal.

References

External links

 Suraj Tal Lake
 Surya Taal photos on Trek Earth
 Road and trekking map
 Lahaul and Spiti - Bara-lacha-la Pass

Lakes of Himachal Pradesh
Tourist attractions in Himachal Pradesh
Sacred lakes of India
Glacial lakes of India
Geography of Lahaul and Spiti district