The majority of visitors to Spiti Valley probably won’t be able to identify Sopona Lake simply based on its name. I get looks like “Where is it, is it real, never heard of it, you are kidding, etc.,” whenever I suggest this location to friends and family.
To tell you the truth, I am aware that Chandratal Lake is head and shoulders above the majority of the locations in Spiti Valley and is one of the most popular destinations in the region. In Spiti Valley, the majority of tourists only venture as far as Kaza, Tabo, Ki, Kibber, and Dhangkar. Chandratal is the only other popular destination in the region.
Spiti Valley, on the other hand, is home to a plethora of additional hidden gems of locations, such as Sopona Lake, Langza, Hikkim, and Komic, amongst others. In this article, I will discuss one such out-of-the-way location in Spiti Valley known as Sopona Lake and attempt to provide an in-depth travel guide for visitors interested in going there.
Regarding the Sopona Lake Hike
The lake of Sopona, on its own, can on occasion be underwhelming, particularly in the beginning of winter or the beginning of summer, when there is still a significant amount of snow on the ground. On the other hand, the hike to Sopona lake provides some stunning panoramas of the Spiti valley and the high, handsome Manirang range.
The Manirang Himalayan range is one of the highest mountain ranges in Himachal Pradesh. It is located on the boundary between the districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul–Spiti. Prior to the construction of the motorable road, the Manirang pass, which is located at an astounding altitude of 21,631 feet or 6,593 metres, served as one of the early trade routes between Spiti and Kinnaur.
You will find that Sopona lake and the Mane villages are two of the very few locations on the planet that are capable of completely isolating you from the rest of the world and immersing you, “self,” in the natural environment. These are the kinds of places that transport you to another era and provide ample opportunities for introspection or getting lost in one’s own thoughts. Therefore, get outside and immerse yourself in the enchantment of this location, which offers the best of both solitude and nature.
The best way to get to Sopona Lake and its precise location
The remote twin villages of Mane, known as Manegogma (the lower village) and Maneyogma, are located above the Sopona lake, which is situated at an elevation of 13,500 feet (4122 metres) (upper village). If you are coming from Tabo in the direction of Dhankar, you will come to a small Schichiling bridge just before the Dhangkar village diversion point. From there, you will need to take a left to get across the Spiti river.
Manygogma & Maneyogma Villages
You continue driving for another 5 or 6 kilometres until you reach the village of Manegogma, and after another couple of kilometres of driving, you will arrive at Maneyogma. If you walk at a normal pace, the distance from Maneyogma to Sopona lake, which is approximately 6 kilometres, will take you between 2.5 and 3 hours.