Ghodaghodi Lake

Ghodaghodi is a system of oxbow and seasonal lakes set in the lowland sal forests of Kailali in far-western Nepal, at about 205 m. It is the largest natural lake system in the Tarai and forms the core of the Ghodaghodi Lake Area, a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance designated on 13 August 2003 (Ramsar site no. 1314) that spans about 2,563 ha of lakes, marsh and surrounding forest; the open water is shallow, with an average depth around 4 m.

The wetland is a biodiversity hotspot and a wildlife corridor linking the Churia (Siwalik) hills with the Tarai plains and the Indian forests beyond. It supports the marsh mugger crocodile — a February 2021 survey recorded 26 muggers across 18 of the lakes — along with the endangered red-crowned (three-striped) roofed turtle, the Eurasian otter and even the occasional Bengal tiger moving through, plus a flora of some 388 vascular plant species. The lakes were declared a bird sanctuary in March 2022.

Ghodaghodi carries strong cultural meaning for the local Tharu communities of Kailali, who make up a large share of the district's population, and a temple and legend of a divine horse-and-mare pair (ghoda-ghodi) give the lake its name.

The lake lies right beside the East–West (Mahendra) Highway between Lamki and the Indian border, which makes it one of the most accessible major wetlands in the far west — and also exposes it to the pressures of a busy lowland landscape.