Which Himalayan lake is Nepal’s largest by surface area?

Rara Lake is Nepal’s largest lake by surface area.

The lake lies in Rara National Park in the remote Mugu and Jumla districts of northwestern Nepal. It covers about 10.8 square kilometres and sits at approximately 2,990 metres above sea level. Forested hills and snow-dusted peaks surround its deep blue water.

Rara Lake is roughly 5 kilometres long and 3 kilometres wide, with a maximum depth of about 167 metres. It drains through the Nijar Khola, which eventually joins the Karnali river system. The lake’s isolation has helped preserve a relatively quiet environment compared with Nepal’s more heavily visited trekking destinations.

Rara is sometimes confused with Tilicho Lake, which is higher and famous as one of the world’s highest lakes, but Tilicho is much smaller in area. Shey Phoksundo is also a major Nepalese mountain lake, yet Rara holds the national surface-area record.