MANANG: A newly discovered lake named Kajin Sara Lake has been found in Singarkhark of Chame Rural Municipality–4 in Manang district, prompting the local government to prepare for a second phase of technical and scientific study during favorable weather conditions.
Chame Rural Municipality said the survey will be conducted with the participation of relevant agencies and will include satellite measurements, hydrological tests, environmental risk assessments, and detailed scientific analysis. Rural Municipality Chair Lokendra Bahadur Ghale said the study aims to develop long-term plans for conservation, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable management in coordination with local communities.
Ghale said a nationally coordinated survey process has been initiated as preliminary measurements suggest the lake could potentially be established as the world’s highest large-altitude lake. Based on information provided by local residents and herders, a joint team comprising Chame Rural Municipality officials, Nepal Police, local representatives, and then Chief District Officer Suprabha Khanal Dhungel conducted an initial assessment and estimated the lake’s surface elevation at around 5,200 meters above sea level.
“The lake requires a detailed study. If it is confirmed as the highest of its kind, we will need to plan for global recognition and formal claims. We are moving ahead to ensure official verification,” Ghale said.
According to the team, Kajin Sara Lake lies in an extremely remote high-altitude Himalayan terrain. Despite difficult access due to harsh weather, altitude, and risky geography, preliminary findings suggest the lake should be promoted not only as a key natural asset of Manang but also of national importance.
The rural municipality said official scientific certification of the lake’s elevation, area, and depth is still pending. Chair Ghale expressed confidence that Kajin Sara Lake could open a new chapter in Manang’s tourism sector. He said preparations are underway to develop long-term plans prioritizing safe trekking routes, alternative access trails, tourist-friendly infrastructure, and environmental conservation.
Emphasizing that the area is biologically and geographically sensitive, Ghale said environmental impact assessments will be mandatory for any planned development. He noted that local herders had long reported seeing a distant blue water body while grazing yaks, sheep, and goats in the Singarkhark region. Based on these accounts, exploratory work initiated by the rural municipality in 2021 estimated the lake’s length at around one kilometer and width at about 600 meters.
Former Chief District Officer Dhungel had also reached the site by helicopter during an earlier survey attempt. However, the depth of the lake has yet to be measured. Preliminary reports describe Kajin Sara Lake as a high Himalayan glacial lake formed from meltwater originating from glaciers.
The lake is surrounded by prominent Himalayan ranges, making it visually striking. Manaslu Himal lies to the east, Annapurna and Lamjung Himal to the south, Damodar Himal to the west, and Tibet’s Peri Himal to the north. Local tourism entrepreneurs say the lake could be developed as a major attraction by linking it with Tilicho Lake, the Annapurna Circuit, and the Nar–Phu region.
Kajin Sara Lake is being seen as a potential challenger to Tilicho Lake, currently recognized as one of the world’s highest lakes at 4,919 meters. Preliminary measurements suggest Kajin Sara Lake may lie about 300 meters higher. Experts say geological uplift, glacier expansion, and gradual changes in water sources make the discovery of previously unidentified high-altitude glacial lakes a natural process.
Meanwhile, Narphu Rural Municipality Chair Konjo Tenzing Lama cautioned that no definitive claims can be made until official measurements are carried out by the Department of Survey. He said that if Kajin Sara Lake is eventually listed among the world’s highest lakes, it would be a moment of pride for all of Manang.
Local residents have called for greater government attention toward the study and survey of Kajin Sara Lake. They believe that once scientific verification and international recognition are completed, Nepal should formally stake its claim that Kajin Sara Lake is among the highest-altitude lakes in the world.
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