Panikot Lake – A Mini Ladakh Near Faridabad With Pristine Lake

While looking for offbeat places to explore near Delhi NCR, I came across this lake which was mentioned as the mini Ladakh. This mention itself was enough for me to wonder why this place was named so. I browsed through some photographs of this lake and found it was mentioned so because it deserved such an honor. After reading a few blogs on Panikot Lake, I called a friend and decided to go there to explore its untouched beauty as per the photographs shown on the internet. However, photographs online are often misleading. The beauty and elegance of Panikot Lake mentioned on the internet wasn’t that much as I found there. But that was all because of man-made activities, like garbage in the lake. 

Read Here – Checklist of Trekking Essentials

For me, traveling is exploring hidden places. Even if it is a small site/place in my hometown which I don’t know, I love to visit there. I don’t fantasize about those highly commercial locations, rather I seek solace in places that are offbeat, lesser-known, and don’t attract too many commercial activities. I love hills but that doesn’t mean I have to explore the world-famous hills. I am good at exploring the small hills of any village just like the Khudana Hills that I visited in January 2021. Panikot Lake was one such place which gave me more pleasure than visiting any other touristy place. As I mentioned I love exploring offbeat and lesser-known places be it anywhere. That’s my motive for traveling. 

Some of the photos of Panikot Lake that were posted online were incredibly breathtaking and I was tempted to visit this offbeat lake near Faridabad. A one and half hour drive from Gurgaon (that’s from where I visited this place) and you are in a hidden gem, surrounded by hills of Aravalli Range. The peacefulness and elegance of this place will keep you elated as long as you sit by the rocks and stare at the pristine clear water and watch the birds dancing around. 

Panikot Lake – a Hidden Gem Near Delhi With Pristine Clear Water

Some call it Goa near Delhi. Some call it Pangong Lake near Delhi or Mini Ladakh near Delhi. Adorned with many names, Panikot Lake is surrounded by small hills and probably that’s the reason that this lake is also called Pangong. One of the most offbeat locations to visit from Delhi on weekends, Panikot Lake has pristine water. Though the water isn’t crystal clear due to man-made activities but when the water is calm and all the dust sediments and settles down, it is close to what we can call crystal clear. The lake is known to be a natural lake and is perfect for spending a few hours when you want to take a break from routine life. The lake being located in a village is mostly visited by these villagers who come here for regular activities. I saw village kids playing and the women doing some work at the lake. 

I visited Panikot Lake on 9th February 2021 and the lake had dried at some places. Probably during the monsoon when it rains, the lake may have enough water to make it far more beautiful and elegant. This mini Ladakh of Delhi is an ideal place for a weekend escape from the chaos of the city and one can spend some quality time. 

Location and Timing – How to Reach Panikot Lake

This picturesque lake is located near Faridabad and can be easily reached from Delhi in around one and half hours. Panikot Lake is located in Sirohi village of Faridabad district in Haryana on Ballabhgarh – Sohna road. I am not sure if there are any direct bus services to this village since I traveled by personal vehicle. While I was reading about this lake online, I even found that people have visited this lake by bicycle from Delhi. 

The table below shows the distance of the lake from Delhi, Gurgaon, and Faribdad (as per Google Map). 

When you come from Delhi or Gurgaon, you will cross a village known as Dhauj which is a camping location near Delhi. Yes, you can camp overnight, do rock climbing, and several other such adventurous activities near Delhi NCR. I wasn’t aware of this place and got to know about it only in 2019. 

Things to Remember Before Visiting This Mini Ladakh

This lake is located in a village surrounded by hills. There is no parking area so you will have to park your vehicle near the lake itself. If you have a car, you need to park it near the cemetery of the village since there is no way you can take your car to the lake. And from the cemetery, you need to take a short walk to the lake. If you have a bike (two-wheeler), you can take it to the lake and park there so that you can keep it in your sight. While we were parking the car, a kid told us that he would take care of the car since some other kids might scratch it or break the glasses. So that’s a challenge. If you ask a kid to watch your vehicle, you may pay him a ten-rupee note or something to eat. 

There are no shops, cafes, etc. at the lake. Either you need to carry your food or snacks or you can buy from the market. The village has some shops. Since this is a village so you won’t find the area clean and you need to watch your foot before you step. Make sure that you don’t litter anything around. Already the lake is full of plastic waste, food wrappers, polybags, beverage bottles, etc. which people dump in the lake. So, if you carry any plastic with you, kindly carry it back with you and dispose of properly instead of throwing it randomly. Let’s contribute our share in keeping nature clean and plastic-free. 

Avoid any sort of public profanity. Couples may find this place suitable since it is a hidden gem and away from too much crowd, but it’s in a village. Be a responsible traveler/tourist. The water of the lake isn’t deep at the shores but in the middle, the depth may reach a few feet. One can sit at the shores with shoes off. However, walking in the lake will need attention. The stones are sharp and totally covered in algae which makes them slippery. So keep that in mind if you plan to get in the lake. 

Panikot Lake is distributed in different ponds like water bodies and it looks like a cluster of small islands. To my mind, it was a mined area which is now left abandoned and the rainwater filled it. The hills on one side are cut straight from the top to the bottom while the hills on the opposite side look like those of Ladakh. I am not sure if camping is allowed here or not since I didn’t get to see any person whom I could ask. All I could see were kids playing around. 

If you are not able to travel outside Delhi due to COVID situations, it is better to travel within and around Delhi to explore some unexplored and hidden places. I am a huge lover of offbeat locations like this lake and such places often make me happy. I have been traveling to offbeat places and I will be exploring them in the future as well. If you plan to go to Panikot Lake, there is no exact time to go there. You can go anytime. But it’s better to visit during the daylight. You can visit here any time of the year. But better to avoid too hot and too cold season. Monsoon can be a good time to visit when the lake will be full of rainwater and the surrounding will be green.