Chandratal is the one place in Spiti that stops even the most jaded mountain travellers in their tracks. A crescent-shaped glacial lake at 4,300 metres, sitting in a high-altitude meadow surrounded by bare brown peaks, it has water so intensely blue that it looks almost artificial — the colour shifts from turquoise to cobalt to deep navy depending on the time of day and cloud cover.
The lake lies about 14 kilometres from the Kunzum Pass on the Manali-Kaza highway, accessible by a short trek or, in good conditions, a rough vehicle track. The walk around the lake takes about an hour. Camping here is popular but requires some preparation: nights are bitterly cold even in August, the altitude induces mild headaches in many visitors, and water must be treated. The area around Chandratal is also protected; no plastic or non-biodegradable material is allowed on the trail. If you time it right in late June or early July, the surrounding meadows bloom with wildflowers and the lake reflects the lingering snow on the peaks above — a combination that is difficult to find anywhere else at this altitude.