Surrounded by lofty snow-capped mountains, the Shonga Tser Lake is a beautiful, calm and serene spot, lying on the outskirts of Tawang. Its tranquility makes it an ideal spot for meditation. Tourists can undertake a trek in the surrounding areas of the lake and get picturesque views of the valley and evergreen pine forests. Strings of Buddhist prayer flags fluttering in the breeze can be seen tied around the trees and boulders of this lake. The lake also invites birdwatchers who can sight species of Ruddy Shelduck birds (high altitude flight birds mostly seen in winters) while exploring the walkways around the lake. The colloquial name for this bird is the Brahminy duck. The lake is also called Madhuri Lake, because a song from a hindi film called Koyla, starring popular Indian actress Madhuri Dixit was shot here. Tourists can also go for nature walks and explore the natural beauty of the area.

This natural lake was created by a depression that was formed due to an earthquake followed by flash floods that hit this region many decades ago. Streams of water from the nearby rivers drained into this depression and filled it with beautiful, mineral rich water from the Himalayas. Some dry tree stumps still remain embedded in the bed of the lake from its pre-earthquake days, giving the landscape a unique look.