Selma Lake, written Selima Tsho in Tibetan-influenced spellings, is a turquoise glacial lake at about 4,570 m in northern Humla. It lies in the high basin below the approaches to Nyalu La (Nyalu Lagna), roughly two days north of Simikot, with no settlement, lodge or shop anywhere near it. For most travellers it is where the northern route ends.
Where Selma Lake is
The lake sits in a glacial basin on the high route north out of Simikot, above the Phendol camping ground and below the ground that tilts up toward Nyalu. The standard approach runs Simikot, Dharapori, Kermi, then a long climb through Phendol into the basin. Coming the other way, from Limi over the pass, Selma is the first landmark on the descent toward Sallikhola.
It is entirely uninhabited country. The nearest permanent settlement in either direction is a hard day away, and there is nothing at the lake itself but the water, the moraine around it and whatever a passing party has left as a camping spot. That emptiness is the point, and it is also the reason Selma has to be treated as a serious objective rather than a scenic stop.
For where this sits in the district as a whole, the Humla district guide covers the arrangement of the land, and the Humla and Limi destination page sets out the full loop this basin belongs to.
How high is Selma Lake?
About 4,570 m. That is well above the altitude at which most people begin to feel it, and it is roughly 1,660 m above Simikot.
| Stage | Approximate elevation | What is there |
|---|---|---|
| Simikot | about 2,910 m | Airhead and road head for the northern route |
| Dharapori | lower than Simikot | The route drops before it climbs |
| Kermi | about 2,700 m | The standard sleeping altitude before going high |
| Phendol | high camp below the basin | Camping ground, no permanent settlement |
| Selma Lake | about 4,570 m | The basin. No shelter, no supplies |
| Nyalu La | about 4,990 m | The pass above, frequently snow-blocked |
The gain from Kermi to Selma is close to 1,900 m, and how you spread that over days is the single most important planning decision on this route. The Humla altitude profile covers why, and the general acclimatisation guide covers the physiology.
What Selma Lake actually looks like
The colour is the thing people describe and it is not exaggerated. Glacial meltwater carrying rock flour scatters light in a way that produces a strong turquoise, and at Selma it changes through the day with the angle of the sun and the amount of cloud. In flat light it goes grey-green and unremarkable. In direct sun it is the colour the photographs suggest.
The setting is bare. Moraine, scree and cropped grass, with no trees at this height and very little scrub. The basin is open enough that weather arrives visibly rather than suddenly, which is one of the few kindnesses of the place. Wind picks up through the day as a matter of routine.
In monsoon 2026 the ground around the lake was snow-covered in patches on the higher side and clear on the lower, and the snowbanks that stopped us were on the ground above rather than at the water. The lake itself was open. That was one season on one day and it should not be read as the normal state of the basin.
Getting to Selma Lake
There are two ways and both are committing.
On foot, Selma is a stage on the Limi circuit and is reached from Simikot in several days through Dharapori, Kermi and Phendol. Trekking parties camp rather than staying in lodges from Kermi onward, and carry food and fuel for the section.
On wheels, the track up from Kermi is rideable in the open windows on a capable bike and passable to jeeps, and it is the same line the Limi loop uses. In monsoon 2026 we rode it as far as the snowline in the basin. It is loose over hardpack, outward-cambered in places and crossed by side streams that carry stones when the weather is wet. There is nowhere to stop and nowhere to get help.
Either way, the section is inside the restricted area north of Simikot. The permit structure is a per-week charge, a two-person minimum and a registered Nepali guide, checked at Simikot and again further north. The restricted-area permit guide explains the system; current rates come from the Department of Immigration or a Simikot operator, never from a travel page.
Why Selma is where people turn back
Selma is the natural decision point on this route, and understanding why makes the rest of the planning easier.
Below the lake the ground is manageable. Above it the track climbs toward Nyalu La across slopes that hold snow late, and the exposure increases. The snowbanks that block the pass reach down into the upper basin, so the lake is usually the last place you can still turn a vehicle round easily and retreat over ground you know.
It is also the last place with a recognisable landmark. Above the basin, in cloud, one moraine ridge looks much like another, and the track is only obvious while you can see it.
Treat Selma as a destination in its own right rather than a consolation prize. It is a high glacial lake in genuinely empty country, and reaching it is a serious piece of travel whether or not anyone gets over the pass afterwards.
Camping and water at the lake
There is no lodge, no teahouse and no hut. Anyone spending a night here is camping, and camping at about 4,570 m in a basin with no shelter means a tent and a bag that can cope with a hard freeze regardless of the month.
Water is plentiful and needs treating. Glacial meltwater is not automatically safe and rock flour clogs a fine filter quickly, so plan for chemical treatment or boiling as well as filtering. Fuel for cooking has to be carried from Simikot, because there is nothing burnable at this height.
Leave the basin as you found it. There is no waste collection anywhere north of Simikot, and rubbish left at 4,570 m does not break down. Everything you carry in comes out with you.
When to go
The same windows that govern the pass govern the lake: May and June before the monsoon, and late September into early November after it. Winter puts the basin under snow and closes the approach. Monsoon makes the lower track worse and does not reliably clear the high ground, as our own turnaround shows.
Clear mornings are the norm at this altitude, with cloud building through the day, so an early start is worth more here than almost anywhere lower down. If the colour of the water is what you came for, that is a morning proposition.
For the wider seasonal picture across the region, the seasons guide to West Nepal sets out the general pattern, and the Karnali night sky covers what an unlit high basin offers after dark.
How many days from Simikot to Selma Lake
There is no single answer, because it depends on whether you are walking or riding and on how seriously you take the altitude. What is not negotiable is that it takes more than one day, and anyone planning it as a day trip from Simikot has misread the profile.
On foot the usual shape is three or four stages: down to the valley and along to Dharapori, on to Kermi, then the long climb through Phendol, with a night at or near the camping ground before the lake. Trekking parties carry tents and food from Kermi onward because there is nothing to buy.
On wheels it can be compressed, and compressing it is where people get into trouble. The physical ride from Kermi to the basin is a long day rather than several, so the constraint is not the track, it is the body. Sleeping at Kermi at about 2,700 m and going up from there is the arrangement that works. Sleeping high after a fast gain is the one that does not.
Add a day to whatever you plan. Weather in the basin closes visibility without closing the route, and there is no value in arriving at a turquoise lake in flat cloud with no time left to wait for the light.
What lives in the basin
Not much, and that is worth understanding rather than being disappointed by. At about 4,570 m there are no trees, very little scrub and a short growing season measured in weeks. The vegetation is cropped grass, cushion plants and lichen on rock, and it is greener in the weeks after the snow lifts than at any other time.
The larger animals are the ones that use high open ground: blue sheep on the steeper rock above the basin, and domestic herds from the villages far below during the grazing months. Raptors work the ridgelines. On the plateau side further north, the fauna is trans-Himalayan rather than Nepali, which is the subject of the country beyond the crest rather than this basin.
Do not expect anything to be tame or close. This is thinly populated ground where animals have no reason to tolerate people, and the sensible expectation is distant sightings rather than encounters.
What to carry to Selma
Everything, is the short answer. There is no resupply above Kermi and no shelter above Phendol, so a party at the lake is carrying food, cooking fuel, water treatment and enough insulation for a hard freeze in any month.
The specific things people underestimate at this altitude are sun protection and wind. The basin is open, the ground is pale and reflective, and the ultraviolet at 4,570 m is severe enough to burn through a cloudy day. Wind picks up as a matter of routine through the afternoon, which turns an acceptable temperature into an unpleasant one.
For anyone on a vehicle there is a second list, covering fuel, spares and the recovery gear that makes a stuck machine a delay rather than a disaster. The fuel and spares guide sets that out, and the rule that matters most is carrying enough fuel to get back from wherever you stop.
Before you travel. Humla is a restricted border district and conditions change without notice. Roads close, flights are cancelled, permit rules and fees are revised, and the Hilsa crossing opens and shuts to different categories of traveller. Confirm the current position with the District Administration Office in Simikot, the Department of Immigration, or a registered local operator before you commit to a route.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high is Selma Lake?
About 4,570 m, in a glacial basin in northern Humla below the approaches to Nyalu La. It is roughly 1,660 m above Simikot, and the gain from the usual sleeping stop at Kermi is close to 1,900 m.
Is Selma Lake the same as Selima Tsho?
Yes. Selima Tsho is the Tibetan-influenced spelling of the same lake and you will see both written, along with Selma Tsho. It is one body of water in the basin below Nyalu La.
Can you drive to Selma Lake?
In the open windows, yes. The track up from Kermi carries the Limi loop and is passable to capable motorcycles and jeeps. It is unpaved throughout, loose over hardpack, and crossed by side streams that run hard in wet weather.
Is there anywhere to stay at Selma Lake?
No. There is no lodge, teahouse or hut anywhere in the basin. Visitors camp, and at about 4,570 m with no natural shelter that means a tent and sleeping gear rated well below freezing in any month.
Do you need a permit to visit Selma Lake?
Yes. The lake is inside the restricted area north of Simikot. The permit is charged per week, needs two people minimum on the application and a registered Nepali guide, and is checked at Simikot and further north. Get current rates from the Department of Immigration or a Simikot operator.
Why is the water turquoise?
Glacial meltwater carries suspended rock flour, ground fine by ice moving over bedrock, and those particles scatter light toward the blue-green end. The effect is strongest in direct sun and disappears almost entirely under flat cloud.
When is the best time to visit Selma Lake?
May and June before the monsoon, or late September into early November after it. Winter closes the approach under snow. Go early in the day if the colour of the water matters to you, because cloud builds through the afternoon at that altitude.