Manang, December 22

A new lake named “Kajin Sara Lake” has been discovered in Singarkhark of Chame Rural Municipality–4 in Manang district. Following the discovery, the rural municipality has announced plans to conduct a second phase of technical and scientific studies during a weather-friendly season.

According to the municipal office, the survey will be carried out with the participation of concerned agencies. Chame Rural Municipality Chairperson Lokendra Bahadur Ghale said the study will include satellite measurements, hydrological tests, and environmental risk assessments. The objective is to develop long-term plans for conservation, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable management in coordination with local communities after the survey.

Chairperson Ghale said that preliminary measurements indicate the lake could potentially be established as the world’s highest large lake, prompting the municipality to move forward with the survey process at the national level.

Based on information provided by local residents and herders, a joint team comprising Chame Rural Municipality, Nepal Police, local representatives, and then Chief District Officer Suprabha Khanal Dhungel estimated the lake’s surface elevation at approximately 5,200 meters above sea level. Ghale said a detailed study is essential and, if confirmed as the highest, Nepal should formally claim and promote it internationally.

The lake is located in an extremely remote Himalayan terrain. Although access is difficult due to harsh trails, weather conditions, altitude, and risky geography, preliminary findings suggest Kajin Sara Lake should be promoted as a significant natural heritage not only of Manang but of the country as a whole.

The municipality stated that formal scientific verification of the lake’s elevation, area, and depth is still pending. Chairperson Ghale expressed confidence that the lake would open a new chapter in Manang’s tourism sector. Plans are underway to prioritise safe trekking routes, alternative access trails, tourist-friendly infrastructure, and environmental conservation.

He added that the area is biologically and geographically sensitive, making environmental impact assessments mandatory for any planned development. According to Ghale, local herders had long reported sightings of a distant blue water body while grazing yaks, sheep, and goats in the Singarkhark hills and meadows. Based on their information, exploratory work initiated by the municipality in 2078 BS estimated the lake’s length at around one kilometre and width at about 600 meters.

Former Chief District Officer Dhungel had conducted an aerial survey of the area by helicopter to assess the lake. However, its depth has yet to be measured. Preliminary reports describe the lake as a high-altitude glacial lake formed by meltwater from Himalayan glaciers.

The lake is surrounded by prominent mountain ranges—Manaslu to the east, Annapurna and Lamjung Himal to the south, Damodar Himal to the west, and Tibet’s Peri Himal to the north—making Kajin Sara Lake visually striking. Local tourism entrepreneurs believe it could be developed as a tourist destination in coordination with Tilicho Lake, the Annapurna Circuit, and the Nar–Phu region.

Kajin Sara Lake is currently seen as a potential challenger to Tilicho Lake, widely regarded as the world’s highest lake. Preliminary measurements suggest Kajin Sara Lake lies nearly 300 meters higher than Tilicho Lake, which stands at 4,919 meters. Experts say it is natural for previously unidentified high-altitude glacial lakes to emerge due to geological uplift, glacier expansion, and gradual changes in water sources.

Narpa Bhumi Rural Municipality Chairperson Konjo Tenzing Lama said that although Narpa Bhumi is officially the highest rural municipality in Nepal, no definitive conclusion on Kajin Sara Lake can be drawn until an official survey is conducted by the Department of Survey. He added that Kajin Sara Lake being listed as the world’s highest lake would be a matter of pride for all residents of Manang.

Residents have emphasised the need for government attention toward the study and survey of the lake. If scientific studies and official recognition are completed, Nepal is expected to formally claim Kazinsara Lake as the world’s highest lake.

—RSS

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