Shey Phoksundo Lake

Nestled within Shey Phoksundo National Park, Nepal's largest trans-Himalayan protected area, the lake is uniquely Y-shaped and surrounded by rugged limestone cliffs and snow-capped peaks like Kanjirowa Himal. Geologically, it was formed roughly 30,000 to 40,000 years ago when a massive landslide dammed the river, creating the natural barrier that now feeds Nepal's highest waterfall, the 167-meter Phoksundo Waterfall. The lake is biologically unique for being lifeless; its cold temperature and chemical composition support no fish or aquatic creatures. It remains an untouched sanctuary for Tibetan Buddhist and Bon-Po culture, with the 900-year-old Tshowa Gompa perched on a ridge overlooking its waters. It gained international fame as the filming location for the Oscar-nominated movie "Caravan" (Himalaya).