--- title: "Lakes, the 10 best lakes in the world to visit | Wimup" description: "The ten best lakes in the world, from Lake Como to Lake Malawi, ranked by the water, the mountains around it and what you can do there." url: https://wimup.com/lakes type: Themed list updated: 2026-10-31 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Lakes, the water worth crossing the world for. By Wimup desk · 10 picks · 5 films · ≈ 4 min read Ten lakes from the Alps to the Andes, ranked by the water and the setting around it, with the boat to take and the month to go for each. We ranked these ten by the lake and its setting: the water itself, the mountains, volcanoes or towns around it, and what a visitor can do on and beside it. A pretty view alone did not make the cut; each one is worth a few days. ## Lakes, the water worth crossing the world for. ### 1. Lake Como, Italy Lombardy · Italy The lake every other is judged by: a deep Y of water between Alpine slopes, lined with villas and gardens such as Villa Carlotta and Villa del Balbianello. Base yourself in Bellagio, Varenna or Menaggio and let the public ferries do the driving. - **Best for:** Elegance - **Don't miss:** Villa del Balbianello - **Go in:** Apr–Jun · Sep Links: [Italy guide](https://wimup.com/country/italy.md) ### 2. Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand Otago · New Zealand New Zealand's longest lake, about 80 km of lightning-bolt water under the Remarkables, with Queenstown on its shore. Ride the coal-fired TSS Earnslaw, sailing since 1912, to Walter Peak, or drive the lakeside road to Glenorchy. - **Best for:** Mountains - **Don't miss:** TSS Earnslaw - **Go in:** Feb · Mar Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/queenstown.md) · [Watch the Queenstown film](https://wimup.com/watch/queenstown.md) ### 3. Lake Atitlán, Guatemala Sololá · Guatemala A caldera lake at about 1,560 m, with the volcanoes Atitlán, Tolimán and San Pedro standing over it and Maya villages around the shore. Public lanchas link Panajachel, San Pedro and Santiago; cross in the morning, before the afternoon wind raises the water. - **Best for:** Volcanoes - **Don't miss:** Morning lancha - **Go in:** Nov–Apr Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/antigua.md) ### 4. Lake Louise, Canada Alberta · Canada Glacial rock flour turns the water a milky turquoise beneath Mount Victoria and its glacier. Paddle a rented canoe, then climb about 400 m to the Lake Agnes Tea House; book the Parks Canada shuttle, since the lakeshore car park fills early in summer. - **Best for:** Colour - **Don't miss:** Lake Agnes - **Go in:** Jun–Sep Links: [Canada guide](https://wimup.com/country/canada.md) ### 5. Lake Titicaca, Bolivia Altiplano · Bolivia The great lake of the Andes, at about 3,800 m on the Bolivia and Peru border, and widely cited as the highest navigable lake in the world. From Copacabana, boats cross to Isla del Sol and its Inca paths; stay a night, since La Paz is three and a half hours away. - **Best for:** Altitude - **Don't miss:** Isla del Sol - **Go in:** May–Sep Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/la-paz.md) ### 6. Hallstätter See, Austria Salzkammergut · Austria A narrow Alpine lake with mountains dropping straight into it and Hallstatt's houses stacked on its western shore, part of a UNESCO-listed landscape since 1997. Arrive by train and take the Stefanie ferry across from the station, the best first view of the village. - **Best for:** Village - **Don't miss:** Station ferry - **Go in:** May · Jun · Sep Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/hallstatt.md) · [Watch the Hallstatt film](https://wimup.com/watch/hallstatt.md) ### 7. Pangong Tso, India Ladakh · India A 134 km lake at about 4,250 m in the Changthang, its colour shifting through blues and greens as the light moves, with most of its length across the line in Chinese-administered territory. Acclimatise in Leh first, cross Chang La, and sleep at Spangmik. - **Best for:** Remoteness - **Don't miss:** Night at Spangmik - **Go in:** May–Sep Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/leh.md) ### 8. Nahuel Huapi, Argentina Patagonia · Argentina A glacial lake at the heart of Argentina's oldest national park, ringed by forest and Andean peaks, with Bariloche on its southern shore. Drive the Circuito Chico for the views, then take the boat to Isla Victoria and the arrayán forest on the Quetrihué peninsula. - **Best for:** Forest - **Don't miss:** Isla Victoria - **Go in:** Dec–Mar Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/bariloche.md) · [Watch the Bariloche film](https://wimup.com/watch/bariloche.md) ### 9. Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia Ohrid · North Macedonia One of the oldest lakes in Europe, deep, clear and home to about 200 species found nowhere else, with UNESCO-listed Ohrid on its shore. Walk the cliff path to St John at Kaneo, then take a boat south to the springs at Sveti Naum. - **Best for:** History - **Don't miss:** St John at Kaneo - **Go in:** Jun · Jul · Sep Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/ohrid.md) · [Watch the Ohrid film](https://wimup.com/watch/ohrid.md) ### 10. Lake Malawi, Malawi Mangochi · Malawi Africa's freshwater aquarium, home to hundreds of cichlid species found nowhere else, with clear water off the beaches of Cape Maclear. Snorkel or kayak in Lake Malawi National Park, a UNESCO site since 1984, about three hours from Lilongwe. - **Best for:** Snorkelling - **Don't miss:** Cape Maclear - **Go in:** May–Sep Links: [View the Top 10](https://wimup.com/city/lilongwe.md) · [Watch the Lilongwe film](https://wimup.com/watch/lilongwe.md) ## FAQs ### Which lake is the most beautiful in the world? On our ranking, Lake Como, for the villas, gardens and villages set on a deep lake under the Alps. Lake Wakatipu and Lake Atitlán run it close, on mountain and volcano scenery. ### What is the highest navigable lake in the world? Lake Titicaca, at about 3,800 m on the border of Bolivia and Peru, is the lake usually given that title. Pangong Tso, also on this list, lies higher still at about 4,250 m. ### Can you swim in these lakes? In several. Lake Malawi and Lake Ohrid are warm and clear in summer, and Lake Como has lidos along its shores. Glacier-fed Lake Louise stays cold all year, and Pangong Tso is for looking at. ### How do you get around Lake Como without a car? By ferry. Navigazione Laghi runs public boats between the lakeside towns, and the crossings between Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio take about 15 minutes. Trains from Milan reach Varenna and Como. ### Do I need to acclimatise for the high lakes? Yes, for Titicaca and Pangong Tso. Spend at least two days in La Paz or Leh before going higher, drink plenty of water and descend if a headache gets worse. ## Sources - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.