Gosainkunda
Sacred High Altitude Lake Of Shiva Inside Langtang National Park; Site Of The Janai Purnima Pilgrimage · Dhunche, Bagmati
Gosainkunda is a sacred lake at about 4,380 metres in the mountains of Langtang National Park, one of a chain of glacial lakes strung along a high ridge north of Kathmandu, and it is one of the holiest lakes in Nepal for Hindus. Legend says Shiva created it by striking the mountain with his trident to find water to cool his throat after swallowing poison, and a rock in the lake is said to be his reclining form. Every August, at the full moon of Janai Purnima, thousands of pilgrims, including jhankri shamans, climb here to bathe in the freezing water, and for a few days the lakeside becomes a festival of chanting and drums. The rest of the year the lake is quiet and stark, frozen for much of the winter, with views on clear days back to the Langtang range and even the Annapurnas. Trekkers reach it from Dhunche in two to three days, or as part of a loop with the Langtang Valley and Helambu over the Laurebina pass. The altitude is serious for a short climb, and pilgrims who rush up often suffer from it.
Langtang National Park, Rasuwa District, Dhunche, Bagmati, Nepal
Seasonal. Trekkers visit mostly from October to November and March to May; the lake is frozen and snowbound in winter. Janai Purnima, in August, draws large pilgrim crowds. A Langtang National Park permit is required. The trek starts from Dhunche, a day's drive from Kathmandu.