There is a Fairyland Lake nestled in between the majestic Skardu Valley mountains. It takes roughly 15 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the lake, passing through a beautiful village and fruit-tree groves.
Approximately 30 kilometers from Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan’s capital, lies Upper Kachura Lake (froq zhou). The capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, is the closest city to Skardu. It is accessible by road or by air. In about 45 minutes, you can reach the lake by jeep from Skardu. One of the most beautiful valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan is Shigar Valley, which is in proximity to the lake.
If you drive to Skardu main city by Jeep, it will cost you Rs.5000, and to Kachura Chowk by Jeep, it will cost you Rs.1000.
For a complete round trip around Upper Kachura Lake, you will need to hire a complete speed boat for Rs.5000.
You will find a variety of restaurants and hotels on the banks of the lake. The following are among them:
There are many things to do at Attabad Lake at affordable prices. Some of the activities are:
There are extensive wild apricot orchards in the area, which are part of the Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests ecoregion. Hiking, fishing, and mountaineering are some of the recreational activities available at Upper Kachura Lake.
To enjoy Upper Kachura Lake, you should plan a trip between April and October. The weather was mild, and the lake was at its most beautiful during that time. Lake levels begin to rise in March and peak in July. Winters are cold and snow-covered, which offers a different kind of charm. Since temperatures drop below freezing and the roads are in poor condition, tourists are advised not to visit during winter.
There is no any entry ticket for Upper Kachura Lake.
There is something really beautiful about Upper Kachura Lake. You can easily access it by car, and there are plenty of parking areas available. You can take a short walk from the parking area to the lake, where locals sell locally sourced and handmade products. You can also enjoy drinks and snacks at these places.
At the point where you first see the lake, you have an incredible elevated view. Awe-inspiring beauty. To descend to the lake level, you have to navigate several steep concrete stairs from this position. This would present a problem for a visitor who has mobility issues. Water levels in the lake vary according to the season. Much of the mountain snow has melted in the past couple of months, meaning that the lake has become much more full.
Various types of boats are available for boating on the lake, and there are a few restaurants around the area. We enjoyed our boat ride and the fresh apples from the trees in the nearby area.
The lake is one of the most serene and scenic in Skardu (30 minutes drive). You can swim there with family, but you need to bring extra layers and towels. Those guys will give you a secluded corner for your family, and we spent an afternoon swimming and riding a boat. Its beauty has almost remained untouched and unexplored by travelers due to a lack of infrastructure caused by the rough terrain.
Shangrila Lake is located in the Karakoram mountain range of the western Himalayas, in the Kashmir region, and in the basin of the Indus River. In Upper Kachura Lake, the water is clear and its depth is 70 metres (230 feet). Temperatures in the summer are 15°C (59°F). There is a solid layer of ice on the surface in the winter. At a lower elevation, the upper Indus River flows.
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