Pong Dam Lake

The Pong Dam, completed in 1974, backs up the Beas into a broad, shallow lake against a backdrop of the Dhauladhar. It was recognised as a Ramsar site in 2002 and is a notified wildlife sanctuary. In winter it hosts large flocks of migratory birds — bar-headed geese, northern pintail, common teal and many more, with well over 200 species recorded. There is a water-sports centre at Nagrota Suriyan, and angling for mahseer. The water drops a lot from April to June, exposing mudflats and, near Bathu, a group of temples that stand in the water at full pool.

1. Drive from Dharamshala (~65 km) or Kangra to Nagrota Suriyan on the lake's edge.
2. Nearest railheads are Pathankot and Mukerian; Amb Andaura is the closest new broad-gauge station.
3. Local buses reach Jawali and Nagrota Suriyan; the sanctuary interior needs your own vehicle or a boat.

November to March, when the migratory birds are in and the water is high. By May–June the lake shrinks and the birds have gone.

• Entry to parts of the sanctuary needs a permit from the forest department — arrange it at Nagrota Suriyan.
• Carry binoculars; the best birding is by boat in the early morning.
• The Bathu ki Ladi temples are only walkable when the water is low, roughly March–June.

Individual pages for these are added as they are reviewed.