Wular Lake
One of the loveliest places in India where nature is at her bountiful best, Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir is a tourist's paradise blessed with beautiful rivers and lakes, blossoming gardens, and verdant woods. The Wular Lake - acclaimed to be the largest freshwater lake in India and perhaps in Asia too - ranks prominent as one of the major tourist attractions in Srinagar.
Lying about 32 km to the northwest of Srinagar City, Wular Lake is set amidst scenic locales, and the lake reflects the beauty of nature at her pristine best. Wular is encircled by high mountains on the north and north-east of the valley, which further add to the scenic charm of the locales.
Wular Lake is about 16 km long and 10 km wide, spreading over an area of about 125 sq. km. Wular acts as a natural flood reservoir, drawing off excess water from the Jhelum River, which leaves the lake at Sopore. The lake changes character with every few miles of its course.
| Jammu Kashmir Tour |
Being devoid of any artificial feature, Wular Lake is home to an enchanting variety of avian life. The extensive marshes surrounding the lake support dense coniferous forests, alpine pastures and orchards, adding to the natural splendor and biodiversity of the wetland area. The lake serves as a wintering site for several migratory waterfowl species like Little Egzet, Cattle Egzet, Shoveler, Common Pochard, and Mallard, to name a few.
Other attractions at Wular Lake include 15-century ruins lying in the center of the lake. These are remains of an ancient island called Zaina Lanka, which was built by King Zain-ul-abidin. There is a general belief that the lake is a remnant of the Satisar Lake of pre-historic times.
On your tour to Wular Lake, you can also visit the neighboring town of Bandipore - a famous shopping destination for locally-made woolen carpets. Another popular destination in the vicinity is the Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary - a bird watcher's paradise.
Indianholiday.com offers online information on Wular Lake, Srinagar. For detailed information on Tour to Jammu and Kashmir, please enter your queries in the form .
