Tso Moriri is situated in the Changthang region, a high-altitude plateau extending from Tibet into eastern Ladakh. The lake is endorheic, meaning it has no outlet to the sea; its waters are fed by springs and snow-melt from the surrounding high mountains. Because evaporation is the only way water leaves the lake, its waters are brackish and oligotrophic (low in nutrients), leading to incredible clarity and vivid blue hues.
The lake measures roughly 26 kilometers in length and 3 to 5 kilometers in width. The surrounding landscape is a stark, treeless high-altitude desert flanked by majestic snow-capped peaks, several of which exceed 6,000 meters, such as Mentok Kangri and Lungser Kangri. The area is highly protected as the Tsomoriri Wetland Conservation Reserve. It is a critical breeding ground for several rare bird species, including the vulnerable Black-necked Crane, the Bar-headed Goose, and the Brown-headed Gull. Mammals such as the Tibetan wild ass (kiang), Himalayan marmots, and the elusive snow leopard inhabit the surrounding hills.
