About Tso Kar Wetland Complex
Tso Kar Wetland Complex is a high-altitude wetland in the Rupshu Plateau of Changthang, Ladakh, at about 4,530 meters elevation. Designated as a Ramsar Site in 2020, it comprises the hypersaline Tso Kar lake and the freshwater Startsapuk Tso. Notable for its stark arid landscape, it is an important breeding ground for black-necked cranes and other migratory birds and supports the nomadic Changpa community.
Visitors guide
Visitors can expect a vast, open high-altitude desert landscape with two distinct lakes - the white-rimmed saline Tso Kar and the freshwater Startsapuk Tso connected by marshes. The area offers wide plains, salt flats, and marshy edges with sparse vegetation. Visitors can observe migratory birds, wild ass (kiang), and nomadic Changpa camps with yak and pashmina goats. There are no built structures or promenades; exploration is along natural tracks and lake shores.
Key highlights
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Ramsar-designated high-altitude wetland complex at ~4,530 meters
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Comprises hypersaline Tso Kar Lake and freshwater Startsapuk Tso
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Important breeding ground for vulnerable Black-necked Crane and Bar-headed Goose
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Habitat for Tibetan wild ass (kiang), Tibetan wolf and other Changthang wildlife
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Traditional summer pasture of Changpa nomads with pashmina goat herds
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Stark white salt deposits and marshlands against arid mountain backdrop
History of Tso Kar Wetland Complex
Tso Kar has long been a seasonal encampment and salt source for Changpa nomads. The wetland was designated as India's 42nd Ramsar Site on 19 November 2020, recognizing its international importance for waterbird conservation and high-altitude wetland ecology.
Culture & Context
The wetland lies within the traditional grazing grounds of the Changpa nomadic pastoralists who rear Changthangi pashmina goats. The nearby Thukje Gompa (monastery) reflects the Buddhist culture of the Changthang region, and the area remains central to nomadic livelihood and seasonal migration patterns.
Route
| By air |
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