Chandratal - the "Moon Lake" - sits at 4,300 metres near the Kunzum Pass, and it's one of the few high-altitude lakes in Himachal that genuinely lives up to its photographs, with turquoise water that shifts colour through the day against a backdrop of bare scree slopes.
One detail catches almost every first-time visitor off guard: overnight camping directly beside the lake has been banned for a few years now to protect the fragile ecosystem, so verified campsites are set up roughly 2-3 km away, with a short walk or shuttle to reach the lakeshore itself for sunrise or sunset. Day-trip visitors coming from Kaza or Manali skip the camping altogether and simply drive in, walk the rim, and drive back out the same day.
An Inner Line Permit is required to camp overnight near Chandratal, which most verified operators handle as part of the package - always confirm this before you commit, since unpermitted camping attempts do get turned back at checkpoints.
