Yanga Lake sits within Yanga National Park near the township of Balranald in south-western New South Wales, part of the Lower Murrumbidgee Floodplain. The lake is estimated to be approximately 120,000 years old and forms one of four significant water bodies in the park, alongside Tala Lake, Piggery Lake, and Irrigation Lake. The park encompasses 66,734 hectares with 170 kilometres of Murrumbidgee River frontage, and the wetlands collectively represent 12 different wetland types under the Ramsar Convention classification system.

The primary access point for paddling is Regatta Beach, which has a boat ramp and a carpark with a picnic area. The road to Regatta Beach is red clay and can become boggy when wet, making access strictly dry-weather only. Paddlers should check conditions before setting out. No drinking water is available at the site, so bringing an adequate supply is essential. The park is open from sunrise to sunset.

The climate is semi-arid with low annual rainfall of approximately 320 millimetres, hot summers with temperatures that can reach up to 50°C in some outback areas, and high evaporation rates year-round. Spring and autumn are noted as favorable times for birdwatching, when the lakes fill and waterbird activity increases. Given the extreme summer heat, those seasons are likely more comfortable for paddling as well.

Yanga Lake is a significant habitat for waterbirds, and the park supports up to 150 bird species including white-bellied sea eagles and great crested grebes. A Red Gum bird hide along the Yanga Lake walking track provides close observation opportunities. The lake and surrounding wetlands also support the nationally threatened southern bell frog and have received substantial environmental water deliveries — over 200,000 megalitres since 2005 — to restore wetland vegetation and river red gum forests.

A current NSW recreational fishing licence is required for fishing in all waters within the park. The Yanga Homestead precinct, woolshed, and a viewing deck are located nearby and offer historical context, with the homestead dating to around 1870 and the woolshed built in the late 1800s. The area carries deep Aboriginal cultural significance, with evidence of human habitation spanning millennia.