Kareri Lake

A beautiful and picturesque lake, the Kareri Lake seems like a place which has been picked straight out of a Hollywood movie. Also known as Kumarwah Lake, this is a shallow, freshwater lake that is situated to the south of the Dhauladhar range, about 9 kilometres to the northwest of Dharamshala, in the Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh. Located at an altitude of 2,934 metres above the sea level, the Kareri Lake is also a popular trekking destination in the Dhauladhar range other than being a major sightseeing attraction. Frequented mostly by the Gujjars and Gaddis who reside in the nearby villages because of the extensive pasturelands that the Kareri Lake houses, the lake also boasts of beautiful clusters of dense conifers and different kinds of colourful perennial flowers. 

The snow melting from the Dhauladhar range serves as the water source for this high altitude lake, and the pristine water from the Kareri Lake then outflows in the form of a stream known as Nyund. Since the water supply to the lake is provided by melting snow, and the lake is quite shallow; the water visibility is very high, and in most of the places, the lake bed is visible. 

While a majority of the backpackers who visit Himachal Pradesh are seen flocking to Triund or Indrahar Pass circuit, a short trek to the Kareri Lake makes for a more luxurious and quieter experience. The lake appears to be especially appealing during the winter months of December to March when the lake is frozen and an air of tranquillity envelopes it. A trip to the Kareri Lake is thus definitely not worth a miss, especially for nature lovers.