Location :- In district Kangra. 170 km from Chandigarh, 110 km from Amritsar, 55 km from the district headquarters at Dharamshala. The closest railway stations are at Mukerian - 30 km, and Pathankot - 32 km.The settlements of Nagrota Surian and Jawali - which are located on the Sagar's periphery - are connected by the charming narrow gauge Kangra Railway Line that connects Pathankot to Jogindernagar. The closest airport is at Gaggal - 40 km. The lake is well served by a network of roads. Named in the honour of the great patriot Maharan Pratap, the Maharana Pratap Sagar was once known as the Pong Dam Reservoir. India knows the Maharan as a man who struggled valiantly for his knigdom of Mewar - as for the principle of independence.

It is made of Beas River. In 1960, a dam was built on the Beas river and this dam resulted in a huge Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake (once known as Pong Lake). This huge mass of water varies from 180 sq. km. to 400 sq. km. This lake was declared sanctuary in 1983. Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake has emerged as favourite place of many migratory birds. About 16 to 20 thousand migratory birds, belonging to 54 species, visit the lake every year. . The Dam was completed in 1976. Its reservoir has an area of about 45,000 hectares at maximum possible flooding - the level varies with every season and averages around 30,000 hectares. Over 200 villages with a population of over 85,000 people lie along the wetland.

In 1983, the Sagar was declared a wildlife sanctuary and over 220 species of birds belonging to 54 families have been sighted over the waters and the fringing mud-banks - these include black-headed gulls, plovers, terns, ducks, water-fowl and egrets. Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake is the only place in India other than Bharatpur (Rajasthan) where the rare red necked grabe has been found.

The land portion of the sanctuary has barking deer, sambar, wild boars, nilgai, leopards and claw-less otters.
27 species and sub-species of fish belonging to six families have been recorded in the Sagar's waters. Some of the important commercial varities are - Labeo Dero (Gid), Labeo Rohita, Labeo Calbasu, Tor Putitora (Mahasheer) and Mystus Seenghala (Singhara). Since 1976, fishing has been a major economic activity in the area and today, this provides employment to more than 1,500 fishermen and the annual catch is valued at over a crore rupees.

There is a branch of the Directorate of Mountaineering and Aliied Sports at the Sagar and year-round activities include swimming, water-skiing, surfing, kayaking, rowing, canoeing and sailing. The Directorate of Tourism and Civil Aviation providesequipment at the Sagar - this includes sail boats, paddle boats, speed aero boats, life buoys, water scooters, speed boars, rafts, life jackets, water skis and wet suits. Various courses - beginner, intermediate and advanced - are also conducted at the Sagar.

Other Attractions :- The sagar is close to several places of Hindu Pilgrimage - Jawalamukhi, Chamunda Devi, Chintpurni, Brajeshwari Devi, Mahakalesar, Bagalamata and Naina Devi. The seat of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Mcleodganj and the Namgyal Monastery are a short drive away. The other budhist monasteries at hand are Tahijong and Bir.