Tamdil Lake (Saitual)
Forest-rimmed lake at 780 m near Saitual, with a lakeside lodge and kayaks
Best time to visit Tamdil Lake (Saitual)
- Jan, peak season
- Feb, peak season
- Mar, peak season
- Apr, shoulder season
- May, shoulder season
- Jun, off-season
- Jul, off-season
- Aug, off-season
- Sep, shoulder season
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: October to March
- Shoulder: April to May and September, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: no month is a write-off here
Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryMarchOctoberNovemberDecember
Tamdil Lake (Saitual) season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Dec-Feb the lake sits under a dawn mist that burns off by 9, days run 8-20 C and the lodge is mostly empty on weekdays; Aizawl families fill the picnic sheds on Saturdays.
Summer March to May Prime time
March is cool and clear enough for the forest trails; April and May turn hazy and humid, though at 780 m the lake stays cooler than Aizawl and the boats still run.
Monsoon June to September Shoulder
Jun-Sep the hills are their greenest and the lake brims, but 2,000 mm of rain means boats stop in downpours and forest paths are leechy; the Saitual road stays open.
Autumn October to November Prime time
October's washed skies make it the best month for kayaking and forest walks; November evenings turn cold at the lodge, so carry a layer for the lakeside verandah.
What Tamdil Lake (Saitual) is actually like
Weekend picnic families from Aizawl by day, a near-empty Tourism Dept lodge by night; evenings are a lakeside walk and an early dinner
Getting to Tamdil Lake (Saitual)
Aizawl to Saitual about 100 km by sumo (3 h, Mon-Sat), then 6 km by taxi to the lake; Lengpui airport is 30 km beyond Aizawl
Practical ways in: flightroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 2 days
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Steady at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 778 m
- State
- Mizoram
- Coordinates
- 23.7386, 92.9528
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Tamdil Lake (Saitual)?
October to March is peak season in Tamdil Lake (Saitual). April to May and September is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. No month is a write-off here. October's washed skies make it the best month for kayaking and forest walks; November evenings turn cold at the lodge, so carry a layer for the lakeside verandah.
How many days do you need in Tamdil Lake (Saitual)?
2 days is the usual stay. Weekend picnic families from Aizawl by day, a near-empty Tourism Dept lodge by night; evenings are a lakeside walk and an early dinner.
How do you get to Tamdil Lake (Saitual)?
Aizawl to Saitual about 100 km by sumo (3 h, Mon-Sat), then 6 km by taxi to the lake; Lengpui airport is 30 km beyond Aizawl. Practical ways in: flight and road.
Is Tamdil Lake (Saitual) expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Aizawl
Mizoram
Mizoram's hillside capital: churches, cafes, rock music
40 km from Tamdil Lake (Saitual), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Reiek
Mizoram
Ridge-top village with hiking trails and border views
50 km from Tamdil Lake (Saitual), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Hmuifang
Mizoram
Protected chiefs' forest ridge at 1,500 m south of Aizawl
60 km from Tamdil Lake (Saitual), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Champhai (Murlen & Vangchhia)
Mizoram
Mizoram's rice-bowl valley of vineyards on the Myanmar rim
70 km from Tamdil Lake (Saitual), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Dampa Tiger Reserve (Teirei)
Mizoram
Clouded-leopard rainforest on the Bangladesh border, explored only on foot
70 km from Tamdil Lake (Saitual), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Thenzawl (Vantawng Falls)
Mizoram
Mizoram's tallest fall and a handloom town in the Serchhip hills
70 km from Tamdil Lake (Saitual), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Jampui Hills (Vanghmun)
Tripura
Tripura's only hill ridge, dawn cloud-seas over Mizo villages
100 km from Tamdil Lake (Saitual), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Dumboor Lake (Narikel Kunja)
Tripura
Dam-born lake of 48 islets deep in Tripura's hill folds
150 km from Tamdil Lake (Saitual), roughly about 3 h by road
More places to visit in Mizoram
- Aizawl Mizoram
- Champhai (Murlen & Vangchhia) Mizoram
- Dampa Tiger Reserve (Teirei) Mizoram
- Hmuifang Mizoram
- Palak Dil (Phura) Mizoram
- Phawngpui (Blue Mountain) Mizoram
- Reiek Mizoram
- Thenzawl (Vantawng Falls) Mizoram