Tso Kar, Salt lake in Leh district, India

Tso Kar is a salt lake in Leh district situated at about 4,500 meters elevation, with white salt deposits visible along its shoreline. The lake lies in a remote mountainous landscape and connects to a neighboring lake called Startsapuk Tso through a natural channel.

The lake was an important salt source for Changpa nomads who exploited it for centuries. These nomadic traders developed routes through Rupshu valleys to Tibet, which connected the region economically to neighboring areas.

The name Tso Kar refers to the white salt efflorescence left on the lake margins when the saline water evaporates. Until a few years ago the Changpa nomads harvested this salt and exported it to Tibet. The nomadic settlement of Thugje stands 3 km north of the lake, and a tented camp on the west bank now accommodates visitors.

The lake is located far from major settlements and requires careful planning before a visit. Travelers should bring their own supplies and arrange transportation from Leh, as there are no facilities available at the site.

Kiang, the Tibetan wild ass, are not horses: the Tso Kar basin and adjoining More Plains form one of their most important habitats, alongside Tibetan gazelles, Tibetan wolves and foxes, with Himalayan marmots higher up. The lake is also one of India's key breeding sites for black-necked cranes and a stopover on the Central Asian Flyway.