Located around 48 km away from Imphal, the capital of Manipur, the Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in northeast India. The lake is mostly famous for the floating phumdis (floating decomposed plant materials) that even host a national park. Resembling miniature islands, these phumdis are found in various forms, floating on the lake.
The lake’s rich biological diversity comprises 233 species of aquatic plants, more than 100 species of birds, and 425 species of animals, including the Indian python and the sambhar. The Keibul Lamjao in Loktak is the only floating national park in the world. It is home to the last of the brow-antlered deer, one of the most endangered deer in the world. The park, which was initially declared to be a sanctuary in 1966, was subsequently declared a national park in 1977, through a gazette notification.
Loktak is also a bird watchers paradise. The most commonly sighted birds in the region include the black kite, northern hill myna, lesser skylark, Burmese pied myna, and more.
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