Gosaikunda

Gosaikunda is a chain of more than a hundred lakes on a shelf at around 4,380 metres in the Langtang range, of which the main one is the pilgrimage site: Hindu tradition holds that Shiva struck the rock with his trident to create it when he needed water after swallowing poison, and a rock in the lake is taken as his reclining form. At Janai Purnima in August tens of thousands walk up from the valleys in a single weekend, bathe in the freezing water and walk down again, which is an extraordinary thing to witness and a hard thing to be caught in if you are not part of it. The rest of the year the lakes are quiet, frozen in winter, with the Langtang and Ganesh ranges visible from the surrounding ridges.

What you actually see

• The lake chain - more than a hundred waters on the high shelf.
• The August pilgrimage - tens of thousands walking up for Janai Purnima.
• Shiva's rock - the outcrop in the lake taken as his form.
• Langtang views - the range from the ridges around the lakes.

When to go

October to November and April to May for trekking. Janai Purnima in August falls in the monsoon and brings vast crowds and hard conditions. Winter freezes the lakes and snow closes the passes.

Honest expectations

The lakes are at 4,380 metres and the climb from Dhunche is steep, so altitude sickness is a real risk on a fast ascent. Lodges are basic and cold. During the August pilgrimage accommodation is impossible and the trail is packed. Snow can close the route into spring.

Nearby

Helambu lies south over the Laurebina pass; Langtang valley is northeast.