The Himalayan landscapes of Nepal has tremendous topographic diversities of Lakes and wetlands ways down from the Himalayan high altitude to lowland Terai. Lakes and wetlands provide water for irrigation, maintains biodiversity, enhancing livelihoods of local people
The Himalayan landscapes of Nepal has tremendous topographic diversities of Lakes and wetlands ways down from the Himalayan high altitude to lowland Terai. Lakes and wetlands provide water for irrigation, maintains biodiversity, enhancing livelihoods of local people through eco-tourism, a basis for cultural and spiritual development and so on. We can see the different reports and surveys, Nepal has more than 6000 rivers, 3,252 glaciers, 2,323 glacial lakes. Among them, National Lake Conservation Development Committee (NLCDC) has enlisted 5,358 lakes in Nepal during its map-based inventory conducted the program in 2009.
Lakes are preserved insights of cultural importance in the most higher altitude areas. For example Jatapokhari, Pach Pokhari, Gosai Kunda, Maipokhari and so on. Lakes of midland are beautiful as the attraction of the tourist. Terai Lakes and wetlands are used for agricultural purposes whereas some of the Lakes are preserved as the holy lakes and the tourists’ attraction spots.
Some of the beautiful lakes you will visit during the time of trekking
Gokyo lakes are located in Khumjung Village Development Committee of Solukhumbu District in Sagarmatha National Park in north-eastern part of Nepal. These lakes are oligotrophic lakes at an altitude of 4,700-5000m (15,400-16,400ft) above the sea level. These lakes are the world’s highest freshwater lake system comprising six main lakes, of which Thonak Lake is the largest one.
Gokyo Cho, also called Dudh Pokhari, is the main lake with an area of 42.9 ha (106 acres), and the village of Gokyo lies on its eastern shore. Thonak Cho is the largest lake with an area of 65.07 ha (160.8 acres) Gyazumpa Cho is 29 ha (72 acres) in size, Tanjung Cho with an area of 16.95 ha (41.9 acres), and Ngojumba Cho with an area of 14.39 ha (35.6 acres). These lakes are fed from the Ngozumpa glacier, a stream coming from the Renjo La pass from the north-west and another stream originating from the Ngozumpa glacier in the east. These are glacier-fed freshwater and also connected via underground seepage water.
The Gokyo Lakes are considered sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists. In the festival of Janai Purnima, Hindi people take bath in the holy lake which usually occurs in the month of August. This site is worshipped as the residing place of “Nag Devata” (Snake God); a temple of the Hindu deities Lords Vishnu and Shiva is situated at the western corner of the lake. Every year, on average more than 8000 tourists visit Gokyo Lake.
Gokyo Lake is one of the popular destinations for tourists in the Khumbu, Everest region. Gokyo village at 4,790 meters elevation is a major center of this area. A day hike to Gokyo Ri will be a remarkable day 