About Startsapuk Tso
Startsapuk Tso is a high-altitude natural lake located near Puga in the Samad Rokchan area of Changthang, Ladakh. Situated at over 4,500 metres on the Rupshu plateau, it lies south of Tso Kar within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. The saline lake is known for its stark, arid mountain setting, seasonal birdlife and proximity to the Puga geothermal fields, and is visited as part of the Tso Kar - Puga - Tso Moriri circuit.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect a remote, open high-altitude lake surrounded by barren hills and wide Changthang plains with no built structures or shoreline development. The lake appears shallow with saline water and marshy edges, reflecting the surrounding mountains. The area is quiet and sparsely populated, used by Changpa nomads for grazing. Visitors can view the lake from unpaved tracks, observe migratory birds and wildlife, and experience the stark, high-desert landscape.
Key highlights
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High-altitude saline lake at approximately 4,500 metres in Changthang
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Located within Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary near Puga Valley
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Important habitat for migratory birds including black-necked cranes and bar-headed geese
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Stark, treeless plateau landscape with views of surrounding mountains
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Part of the Tso Kar - Startsapuk Tso - Puga Hot Springs circuit
Culture & Context
Located in the traditional grazing grounds of the Changpa nomads of Changthang, who rear pashmina goats and yaks in the surrounding plains; the lake and its wetlands are part of the nomadic pastoral landscape
Route
| By air | Fly to Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh, then continue by road to Samad Rokchan and Puga |
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| By train |