Lakes in Uttarakhand :

Uttarakhand is home to some of the beautiful and enchanting natural lakes in India attracts large number of tourists. These sapphire-hued lakes perfectly complement the scenic landscape of verdant hills, floral meadows and snow clad Himalayan peaks. At higher elevation, glacial lakes are common sight for trekkers and mountaineers.

Bhimtal Lake :

Bhimtal Lake is a lake in the town of Bhimtal, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, with a masonry dam built in 1883 creating the storage facility. It is the largest lake in Kumaon region, known as the "lake district of India".The lake provides drinking water supply and supports aquaculture with variety of fish species. There is an island at the centre of the lake which has been developed as a tourist attraction and has an aquarium. The lake and the dam are located at an elevation of 1,375 meters (4,511 ft) in Bhimtal town in the Nainital district in Uttarakhand.The lake drains a catchment area of 17.12 square kilometers (6.61 sq mi). The "C" shaped lake, which is the largest in the Kumaon region, impounded by the masonry dam has an area of 47.8 hectares (118 acres).

Bhullatal Lake :

Bhullatal Lake, an artificial manmade lake dedicated to the Garhwali youth of The Garhwal Rifles who helped in construction of the lake, located at just 1 km from the Lansdowne, India. Bhulla in local Garhwali language means young brother. Bhullatal lake is also known as Bhulla Lake.

Deoria Tal :

Deoria Tal (also Devaria' or 'Deoriya) is a lake about 3 km (1.9 mi) from the villages of Mastura and Sari on the Ukhimath-Choptaroad in Uttarakhand. At an altitude of 2,438 meters (7,999 ft), it has heavily wooded, lush green surroundings with snow-covered mountains (Chaukhamba is one of them) in the backdrop.

Hindu faith states that the Devas bathed in this lake, hence the name. The lake is also believed to be the "Indra Sarovar" referred to in the Puranas by wandering Hindu mendicants, Sadhus. It is also believed that it was the place from where the mighty Pandavas were asked queries by Yaksha. According to the locals it was also said that this lake was built by Bheem, who was strongest among the Pandavas, to appease his thirst, and Yudhister, who was the wisest, suggested Bheem to build his own lake.

Dodital :

Dodital is a freshwater lake in uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, India, situated at a height of 3,024 metres (9,921 ft). Assi ganga rises from dodital and joins bhagirathi. The confluence is at Gangori.

According to one of the popular legends Lord Ganesha chose this place as his abode. There is a temple devoted to Lord Ganesha here. Another name for this lake is 'Dhundital' meaning Ganesh ka tal or lake of Ganesha.

Homkund :

Homkund, also spelled Hom Kund is a high-altitude mountain pond located in Chamoli District, Uttarakhand State, India. Located at a height of 12,323 feet above sea level, it is in the middle of snow-covered valleys.Two Himalayan peaks, Trisul and Nanda Ghunti are near Homkund.

Homkund has become a trekking destination in recent years and those who trek to Roopkund consider this as another trekking destination, as Homkund is located near Roopkund.

Kedartal :

Kedartal (also known as Shiva's lake) is a glacial lake situated at an altitude of 4,750 metres (15,580 ft) in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas in India. The lake is fed by the snowfall over Thalay Sagar (6,904 m), Meru (6,672 m), Bhrigupanth (6,772 m) and other surrounding peaks, and is the source of Kedar Ganga, which in Hindu mythology is considered to be Shiva's contribution to Bhagirathi(a source-stream of the Ganges).

Nainital Lake :

Nainital Lake, a natural freshwater body, situated amidst the township of Nainital in Uttarakhand State of India, tectonic in origin, is kidney shaped or crescent shaped and has an outfall at the southeastern end. Nainital is most popular hill station of Kumaon district. It is famous for its Naini Lake located at the centre of the town and several other lakes of nearby areas. The lake is bounded by the high and steep Naina peak on the North West side, by the Tiffin Top to the south west side and snow view peaks on the north. 

Naukuchiatal :

Naukuchiatal or "lake of nine corners" is a small hill station in Nainital district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The lake is 175 feet deep and is situated at 1,220 m above sea level. It is surrounded by hills covered in trees and shrubs. It is the deepest of all the lakes in the Nainital region. The length of the lake is 983 m, its breadth is 693 m and it has a depth of 40.3 m. Within the valley are opportunities for angling and bird watching. Other activities include parasailing, paragliding, fishing, rowing, paddling or yachting. The lake is fed by an underground perennial spring. Naukuchiatal is also known for the 'escape festival' which happens once every year (in the month of May).

Sattal :

Sattal or Sat Tal (Hindi for "seven lakes") is an interconnected group of seven freshwater lakes situated in the Lower Himalayan Range near Bhimtal, a town of the Nainital district in Uttarakhand, India. During the British Raj, the area had a tea plantation, one of four in the Kumaon area at that time.

The lakes sit at an altitude of 1370 metres below lush orchards in the Mehragaon valley.Set amongst dense forests of oak and pine trees, Sattal is one of the few unspoiled and unpolluted freshwater biomes in India. These lakes are a paradise for migratory birds. It is home to a few camps being operated mostly by local people catering to tourists looking for outdoor vacations.

Panna Tal :

Panna Tal, also known as Garuda Tal, is one of the seven lakes of Sat Tal in Uttarakhand, India. Sat Tal is located at an altitude of 1 370 m above sea level. Sat Tal is located 22 km from Nainital, 298 km from New Delhi, and 35 km from Kathgodam Railway Station. There are six other lakes in the surrounding area: Nal-Damyanti Tal, Purna Tal, Sita Tal, Ram Tal, Laxman Tal, and Sukha Tal (Khurdariya Tal).

The lake and its surroundings are clean and untouched by commercialization.

Roopkund :

Roopkund (locally known as Mystery Lake, Skeletons Lake) is a high altitude glacial lake in the Uttarakhand state of India. It lies in the lap of Trishul massif and is famous for the hundreds of human skeletons found at the edge of the lake. The area is uninhabited, in the Himalayas at an altitude of 5,029 metres (16,499 feet).Surrounded by rock-strewn glaciers and snow-clad mountains, the lake is a popular trekking destination.

A shallow lake, having a depth of about two metres, Roopkund has attracted attention because of the human skeletal remains that are visible at its bottom when the snow melts. Researchers have concluded that the skeletons are the remains of people killed in a sudden, violent hailstorm in the 9th century. Because of the human remains, the lake has been called Skeleton Lake in recent times.

 Satopanth Tal :

 Satopanth Tal is a lake in Uttarakhand, India, located in the midst of snow-capped peaks at an altitude of 4,600 metres (15,100 ft) above sea-level. The lake is considered to be of religious significance to the local people; residents of Mana village throw the ashes of the dead in the lake.There is a saint known as Moni Baba, for he had stopped talking from a very early time. There is a common belief that he can live on only sun and air, if food is unavailable.

 It indeed is a great feeling to trek to the high altitude lakes in Uttarakhand that are often situated in an isolated places with nothing but nature’s beauty to savour.  With beauty, peace, calmness and a lot of history behind their formation, these lakes in this state of Northern India allure a plethora of travellers in search of nature’s best.