Nestled high in the lap of Himalayas, the high altitude lake of Hemkund/Lokpal perches at an astounding elevation of 4329 mts above the sea level, upon reaching this lake, travellers are completely immersed in another world. The lake is entirely surrounded through heavenly vicinities. Here travellers won’t find any forms of modernity, no polluting outer influence and no vehicles as the lake is accessible through trekking path only. With the uphill trek from Ghanghria you can easily reach this holy spot within a time period of five to six hours.
The lake is encircled with seven snow clad peaks and all other nearby glaciers with all forms of magical elements of nature that astound travellers. The admired shrine reflects its surroundings through the serene and crystal clear waters. The lake is formed through the glaciers from Saptrishi Peaks and Hathi Parvat. Visitors will also come across the narrow and beautiful stream known as Himganga which flows through this celestial lake.
This site is mentioned in various stories in the ancient Hindu epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata) and Puranas. The holiness of Lokpal Lake is attributable to the tales of Goddess Durga, Lakshman, and the Pandavas. Lakshman is known to have meditated in this place. According to a renowned story Lakshman was brought up to the Lokpal shore after he was mortally wounded after getting involved in a clash with Meghnad.
The ancient lake of Lokpal is also known to be the ancient pilgrimage place for the Tibetan people. Some local Garhwali people follow a tradition of visiting the nearby temple on annual summer festivals like Janam Ashtami, Durga Ashtami and Rakshabandhan.
How To Reach
By Air: Air passengers can book their flights till the Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun. The roads are accessible till Govind Ghat as a trek of 19kms commences from here till Hemkund Sahib. The airport links Dehradun with major Indian cities.
By Rail: Rishikesh is the closest railway station to the town of Hemkund Sahib and is situated at around 273 kms before the town of Govindghat on the NH58 route. The town is well linked with railway networks with major Indian destinations.
By Road: The town is linked up with motorable roads that are connected till the beautiful town of Govind Ghat. Govind Ghat is situated in NH58 and can easily be reached through major destinations of the state of Uttarakhand.