Mansar Lake, Jammu: 2026 Visitor Guide

Facts on this page are sourced from Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism), the Ramsar Sites Information Service, the National Institute of Hydrology lake survey and Outlook Traveller, last checked 22 October 2026.

Where is Mansar Lake? (district, map and GPS)

Mansar Lake is in Samba district, in the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies about 22 km from Samba town, up a forest road that climbs north from the Jammu to Pathankot highway, and that same road carries on to Udhampur. That makes Mansar a handy shortcut between Samba and Udhampur that skips Jammu city altogether. The GPS position is 32.6961 N, 75.1468 E. Search "Mansar Lake, Samba" in your maps app, because "Manesar" (Haryana) and "Mansarovar" (Tibet) are common mix-ups. For the wider region, see our Jammu travel guide and the Kashmir tourism hub.

Mansar Lake distance chart

By the main Samba road, Mansar is 62 to 64 km from Jammu, depending on where in the city you start. The Surinsar road is shorter on the map but narrower, so it takes about as long.

Staying in Katra? Our list of places to visit in Katra shows what else fits around a Mansar day.

How to reach Mansar Lake from Jammu and Katra

Road is the only way in. There is no railhead or airstrip at the lake, so you fly into Jammu Airport (IXJ) or take a train to Jammu Tawi (JAT) and drive the last stretch. The closest station is Manwal, a small stop on the Jammu to Udhampur line about 14 km north of the lake, but most long-distance trains stop only at Jammu Tawi or Udhampur. Our how to reach Jammu guide covers flights and trains from Delhi and other cities.

Via Samba (the main route). Head south-east from Jammu on the Jammu to Pathankot highway (NH 44) to Samba, then turn onto the Samba to Mansar road for the final 22 km or so. It is the wider road and the one buses use. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours.

Via Surinsar (the scenic shortcut). From Jammu, take the Bajalta side road out to Surinsar Lake, roughly 30 km, then carry on about 15 km through the sanctuary to Mansar. Drivers like to go out one way and back the other, which turns the trip into a loop that covers both lakes without doubling back.

By bus. J&K SRTC and private minibuses leave the Jammu General Bus Stand for Mansar through the day, mostly via Samba. They are slow and fill up on weekends, but the fare is a small fraction of a taxi. Ask at the stand for the last bus back before you set off.

By taxi. A day hire from Jammu that covers Mansar and Surinsar was last published at about Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 for a full day. Fares have gone up since and vary with season and how long you stay, so agree the fare and the stops before you leave.

From Katra. Take the Udhampur road, then the Udhampur to Mansar road south, about 75 km in all. Leave by 8 am and you can be back in Katra for dinner.

Mansar Lake timings and entry fee

The lake area is open from 7 am to 5 pm every day, and entry to the lake and the shrines costs nothing. You pay only for boating and parking. Boats stop well before dark, so plan to be on the water by mid-afternoon. Seasonal closing hours and the current boat and parking charges are kept up to date on our Mansar Lake timings and Mansar Lake entry fee pages.

Things to do at Mansar Lake

• Take a paddle or row boat. Boats go out from the jetty on the eastern shore, run by the Tourism Department. The last widely published rate was Rs 100 an hour for four people, and it has gone up since, so ask at the jetty counter. Mornings are calmer and you rarely queue before 10 am.

• Walk the parikrama path. A paved path loops the lake, roughly 4 km, which takes an hour to 90 minutes at an easy pace with temple stops. Newlyweds traditionally walk it three times for Sheshnag's blessing.

• Feed the fish and look for turtles. Shoals of large fish crowd the ghats whenever someone throws feed, and turtles surface close to the steps. Buy the fish feed sold at the stalls instead of throwing bread. The fish are sacred, so no fishing.

• Visit the temples. Start at the Sheshnag shrine, then walk on to the Umapati Mahadev, Narasimha and Durga temples (details below).

• Go birding. Between roughly November and February, wintering coots, moorhens, grebes and tufted ducks settle on the open water. Cranes and spotted deer turn up in the Surinsar-Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary next door.

• Eat at the lakeside. Stalls near the ghats sell chai, pakoras and Dogra snacks such as kalari kulcha. The JKTDC restaurant serves simple vegetarian meals, which suits a temple visit.

• Photograph the early mist. On winter mornings mist lifts off the water until about 9 am. The JKTDC deck and the eastern ghats are the two best angles.

For a fuller list across the region, see things to do in Jammu.

Mansar Lake temples: the Sheshnag shrine and the old shrines

The temple Mansar Lake is famous for is the Sheshnag shrine on its eastern bank. It is not a carved building. It is a large boulder hung with iron chains that stand for the coils of Sheshnag, the serpent king, and offerings are tied and left around it. Devotees walking the parikrama start and end here.

Close by are the ancient shrines of Umapati Mahadev (Shiva and Parvati), Narasimha and Durga. The Narasimha temple and the old Mansar Haveli are both on the list for restoration under the lake's development plan. On festival days the ghats fill with people taking a holy dip, and families from across the Jammu region bring young boys here for their mundan ceremony. Dress modestly and leave footwear at the shrine steps.

The legend of Mansar Lake

Local tradition ties Mansar to the Mahabharata. Babruvahana, Arjuna's son, ruled this land. When Arjuna's horse from the Ashwamedha yajna wandered into his kingdom, the two fought without knowing who the other was, and Babruvahana killed his father. To bring him back he needed a mani (jewel) held by Sheshnag in the underworld. He shot an arrow into the ground at Surinsar, travelled through the tunnel it made, defeated Sheshnag, and came up at Manisar. Manisar became Mansar. Most tellings, including Wikipedia's, name Babruvahana's mother as Chitrangada, while Incredible India names Ulupi. The story is why the Sheshnag shrine matters here, and why Surinsar and Mansar are always visited together.

Mansar Lake facts: depth, size and Ramsar status

Being part of a Ramsar site means it is recognised as a wetland of international importance, mainly for its turtles and the waterfowl that winter here.

Best time to visit Mansar Lake

October to March is the best time to visit Mansar Lake. Days are clear, the walk is comfortable at any hour, and winter brings the ducks. From late April the plains heat reaches the lake too, and by June the afternoons pass 40 degrees.

Mid-April is busy for a different reason. Around Baisakhi (13 or 14 April) the Tourism Department holds the Mansar Food and Craft Mela on the lakeshore, with folk performances, craft and food stalls and boat races. Go then for the atmosphere, or avoid those days if you want a quiet lake.

Temperature ranges are monthly figures from Incredible India. Weekdays are far quieter than Sundays and holidays. For the whole region month by month, see our best time to visit Jammu guide.

Where to stay and eat at Mansar

The only rooms at the lake are run by JKTDC, the state tourism corporation. The Alpine Hotel Mansar and a cluster of tourist huts face the water, with tariffs that run from about Rs 700 for the simplest hut up to about Rs 5,000 for the better rooms. Book through JKTDC and expect clean, basic rooms rather than resort comforts. An overnight stay is worth it mainly for the early-morning lake. Most travellers base themselves in Jammu or Katra and come out for the day. Food at the lake is simple and largely vegetarian, from the JKTDC restaurant and the stalls along the ghats.

Places to visit near Mansar Lake

• Surinsar Lake (about 15 km). The smaller twin, with an island full of bats and the sanctuary road between the two lakes. Pair them on the same day.

• Surinsar-Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary. Scrub and pine forest between the lakes with spotted deer, nilgai and birdlife. Best seen from the connecting road in the early morning.

• Jammu city (62 km). Raghunath Temple and Bahu Fort make a good afternoon on the way back.

• Udhampur and Patnitop (35 to 80 km). Carry on north if your trip continues into the hills.

Want more ideas within a couple of hours? Read our guide to places near Jammu or the full list of places to visit in Jammu.

One-day Mansar and Surinsar itinerary

From Jammu. Leave by 7 am and take the Samba road. Reach Mansar around 9 am, start at the Sheshnag shrine, then walk the parikrama path while it is cool. Take a boat out at about 11, before the queues build. Have lunch by the lake at 12:30 and drive the sanctuary road to Surinsar at 2 pm. Spend an hour at Surinsar and its Nag Devta temple, then return to Jammu on the Surinsar road by about 5:30 pm.

From Katra. Use your arrival or departure day. Leave Katra by 8 am via Udhampur, spend late morning and lunch at Mansar, then continue down to Jammu for an evening train or flight. Our guide to places to visit near Vaishno Devi has more add-ons for the same trip.

If you would rather have the car, hotels and darshan slots sorted for you, browse our Jammu tour packages or Vaishno Devi tour packages. Either can be customised to include a Mansar and Surinsar day.

Mansar Lake travel tips

• Go on a weekday. Sundays and holidays bring big family groups, loudspeakers and queues at the jetty.

• Carry some cash for boats, parking and stalls. Card and UPI acceptance at the small counters is not guaranteed.

• Swim only where the ghats allow a holy dip, and never fish. The lake is deep and the fish are sacred.

• Use the fish feed sold at the stalls. Bread and packaged snacks foul the water the turtles depend on.

• Remove footwear and dress modestly at the Sheshnag shrine and the old temples.

• Expect some work zones. The lake's development plan (e-foundation laid in November 2020, about Rs 198 crore) is being built out in phases. In October 2026 a new wooden jetty at the boating point and a lakefront tourist reception centre were among the works under way, so stretches of the path may be fenced off.

For more local know-how, see our things to do in Jammu blog.

Edited by TravelTriangle