Birendra Tal is named after King Birendra of Nepal. It lies in a bowl of moraine just west of the village, and the walk takes about 30 to 40 minutes each way across fields and a low gravel ridge. The lake changes colour with the light, from milky turquoise in the morning to slate grey under afternoon cloud. Chunks of ice break off the glacier face across the water, and in still air you hear them before you see them.
Because the climb is small, the walk is a gentle way to keep moving on the day you arrive from Lho. Light activity helps acclimatisation more than lying in your room. Families and older trekkers who skip the longer Pungyen or base camp hikes still get a close look at a Himalayan glacier here.
Keep well back from the lake shore and the moraine edges. In 2024 an avalanche into the lake pushed a surge of water over its banks, a reminder that glacial lakes are active places. Stay on the main path, do not climb onto the ice, and come back before dark, when temperatures drop sharply.
Good for
- Families
- Seniors
- Couples
- Photographers
Questions travellers ask
How far is Birendra Tal from Samagaun?
About 30 to 40 minutes on foot each way from the main lodges, with a climb of less than 100 m. The path crosses village fields and a short stretch of moraine. Most trekkers walk there on the afternoon they arrive from Lho, or before breakfast on the rest day to see Manaslu reflected in calm water.
Can you swim in Birendra Tal?
No, and you should not try. The water is glacial meltwater close to freezing, ice falls from the glacier into the lake and the shore is loose moraine. In 2024 an avalanche caused a surge of water over the banks. Enjoy it from the marked path and keep children well back from the edge.
Is the Birendra Tal walk enough for acclimatisation?
It is a good arrival-day leg stretch, but on its own it gains too little height to count as your main acclimatisation hike. On the rest day we recommend a climb to Pungyen Gompa or towards Manaslu Base Camp, then sleeping in Samagaun again at 3,530 m.
