Maharana Pratap Sagar, otherwise called Pong Dam Reservoir or Pong Dam Lake was made in 1975. It was declared wild life sanctuary later in 1983. Maharana Pratap Sagar is man made water reservoir and covered 45,000 hectare area located in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
The lake is made of river Bias and its tributaries. Paddle boating, bird watching and walking along the side of lake is favourite activities of tourists at Pong Dam. In summers, it hosts 220 species of birds from 54 families.
Many species of fishes like Sinagara, Lobeo, Mahasheer and Rohita can be seen over the water including very rare fishes like Sal and Gad. The pong dam is also a suitable place for the people loves water sports. Water sports enthusiast comes here to enjoy water activities from all over the state. Tourists can enjoy here activities like sailing, water skiing and canoeing other than traditional water swimming.
The Lake Sanctuary
Pong dam Wild life Sanctuary is sprawled with tropical and sub tropical forests. This forests gives shelter to many wild animals of the Himachal Pradesh state like leopards, Neel Gai, black wild boars, Sambars and also barking deer. Flora of the sanctuary includes Amla, prunus, ficus, mulberry, shisham, Eucalyptus and Jamun. In winters birds comes here from Sebiria and Himalaya.
This is also a famous place for birds watching in Himachal Pradesh. Tourists can easily see species of birds like water-fowl egrets, Red neck grebes, ducks, Black-headed gulls, terns, plovers.
How to reach Pong Dam
Pong dam located 8 km away from Kangra town. If tourists are coming from the side of Dharamshala and Pathankot they can easily get a taxi or local bus. However one of nearest railway head is located at Mukerian Punjab at 30 kms . This is not mostly used railway station for the tourist coming from other parts of India . Panthakot railways station located at a distance of 70 kms. It is well connected with many states of India. A narrow gauge Kangra Mandir railways station is 22 km away from Pong Dam.
Tourist can also reach Pong Dam by flight reaching at Gaggal airport of Dharamshala. Gaggal is 80 km away from Pong dam. Taxi is easily available from the airport.
- 170 kms from Chandigarh
- 110 kms from Amritsar
- 55 kms from Dharamshala.
