Rupshu Plateau — Tso Kar Basin Lakeshore Dispersed Camp

Tso Kar — the White Lake — earns its name from the salt crust ringing its shores. Overlanders running the Leh–Pang–Thukje corridor drop down from Thukje village onto the Rupshu plateau and find wide-open camping on the lake’s eastern margin near Thukje or on the flats north of Startsapuk Tso, the freshwater feeder lake just to the south. It’s exposed, wind-hammered, and absolutely stunning — black-necked cranes, kiang herds, and the jagged Zanskar ranges as backdrop. No facilities, no services, zero shade. Temperatures at this elevation can swing 40°F between afternoon and pre-dawn even in summer. Keep a low footprint — this is a Ramsar-listed wetland.

Access is via the Manali–Leh Highway (NH3) turnoff toward Thukje, then a rough dirt track toward the lakeshore — high-clearance 4WD minimum. Fuel up in Pang (basic) or Leh before heading out. No mobile signal. Inner Line Permit required for the Rupshu area; obtain in Leh before departure. Best window is mid-June through mid-September before the plateau freezes.

Salt lake camping at 15,000 ft in Changpa country.