Nako, July 15, 2016, 1843 hours.

I got my first glimpse of Nako Lake as I stepped towards a horse enclosure on a farm. It was a mare as we found out soon enough and there was a young foal standing alongside its Mumma and munching grass. That’s also the moment when I caught sight of the green waters of the Nako Lake.

Photo: Sanjay Mukherjee

And it was at once a relief to have finally reached the lake and also a captivating moment since I found myself walking towards the lake drawn by it’s beauty.

Photo: Sanjay Mukherjee

The Nako Lake is quite famous and its famous so much so that many people know of Nako only because of the lake. It’s a small lake compared to other famous Himalayan lakes but it’s got a distinct character. It has the feel of a homely large pond with cosy enclaves formed by protective trees. It has a decent length, allowing one to take a leisurely walk around its periphery.

Photo: Sanjay Mukherjee

Photo: Sanjay Mukherjee

And it has fish, like we realised when we saw these little kids intently and seriously going about the business of fishing.

Photo: Sanjay Mukherjee

The lake apparently freezes in winter, much to the glee of locals and for the few tourists who make it to that altitude in winter – it becomes an ice-skating arena then.