Lakes in KPK: The Best Alpine Lakes and How to Reach Them

The best lakes in KPK are in three places: the Kaghan valley above Naran (Saiful Muluk, Lulusar, Dudipatsar and Ansoo), upper Swat around Kalam (Mahodand, Kundol, Spin Khwar and Izmis), and Kumrat in Upper Dir (Katora). Only three of them, Saiful Muluk, Lulusar and Mahodand, can be reached without walking; the rest need anything from a two-hour hike to two days on foot. All of them are summer lakes, open roughly from June or July to September, and frozen or snowed in for the rest of the year.

This guide takes the lakes region by region, with the altitude, the access and the walking involved, and ends with a note on Chitral, a lake near Islamabad, and safety.

The Kaghan valley lakes

Lake Saiful Muluk

Saiful Muluk is one of the best-known lakes in Pakistan, at 3,224 metres above the tree line at the head of a side valley above Naran, under Malika Parbat. It is the centre of the Saiful Muluk National Park and the setting of the folk tale of Prince Saiful Muluk and the fairy princess, told in verse by Mian Muhammad Bakhsh. You reach it by jeep from Naran, and in July and August the shore is busy with boats, horses and tea stalls. Our Saiful Muluk guide covers the jeep, the fees and how to avoid the crowds.

Lulusar Lake

Lulusar, at about 3,410 metres and 48 km beyond Naran, lies right beside the road to Babusar Pass. It is the main source of the Kunhar river, the river that runs the length of the Kaghan valley. There is no walking involved and no jeep to hire, so it is the easiest high lake in the province, reachable whenever the Babusar road is open, usually from about June into autumn.

Dudipatsar Lake

Dudipatsar, at about 3,800 metres in the Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park, is the reward for a real trek. The path starts at Besal, on the Babusar road, and runs about 15 km up a side valley with steep slopes and several stream crossings. A fit walker can reach the lake in six to eight hours, but most people camp at Mullah ki Basti on the way and walk up to the lake the next morning. Go with a local guide, and only in settled weather.

Ansoo Lake

Ansoo, "teardrop" lake, sits at about 4,100 metres near Malika Parbat and gets its name from its shape seen from above. It is one of the highest lakes in the Himalaya, and the trek from Saiful Muluk is a long, steep day of more than 12 hours there and back, often over snow. The window is narrow, roughly mid-July to mid-August, and it needs a guide, an early start and good fitness.

Upper Swat: the Kalam lakes

Mahodand Lake

Mahodand, at about 2,865 metres in the Ushu valley, is the Swat lake most families see. It is about 35 km from Kalam, but the jeep track through the Ushu forest is rough, with stream crossings, so the drive takes an hour and a half to two hours each way. The lake sits in a wide meadow with pine forest on the slopes, and there are boats and small eating places in summer. It is a good day out from Kalam between June and September; see our guide to places to visit in Kalam for the rest of the valley.

Kundol, Spin Khwar and Izmis

The Utror valley, west of Kalam, has three lakes for walkers:

• Kundol Lake, north of Utror, is the easiest. A jeep takes about an hour from Kalam through Utror to the meadow at Ladu, and from there it is a walk of about 1.5 to 2 hours up to the lake.
• Spin Khwar Lake is about two hours further on from Kundol, so many people make a long day or an overnight of both.
• Izmis Lake, south-west of Utror above the tree line, is reached by jeep to Loypanrghalay and then a walk of three to six hours.

Daral and Saidgai

These two lakes lie on the high ground between Swat and Upper Dir. Saidgai, at about 3,500 metres, is roughly 1 km long; Daral lies north-east of it. They are reached on foot from the Gabin Jabba meadows above Matta, or from Ushirai Dara on the Dir side, about seven to eight hours' walk. They are for trekkers with a guide, not a day out.

Kumrat: Katora Lake

Katora Lake, at about 3,500 metres, is a small glacial lake above Jahaz Banda, at the head of the Kumrat valley in Upper Dir. Getting there takes two days. A jeep runs from Thal up the unpaved road to Jandrai; from there it is a walk of four to seven hours, depending on your pace and starting point, up to the meadow of Jahaz Banda at about 3,100 metres, where people camp. The lake is another three to four hours above the meadow, and most people walk up and back the next day.

Take a local guide from Thal, carry warm layers and a tent or arrange one, and go between July and September. Our Kumrat Valley guide covers the valley below.

Chitral: Broghil and Shandur

Chitral's lakes are the most remote in KPK. The Broghil valley, at the far northern end of Upper Chitral, has around 30 small freshwater lakes among its peat meadows, and from Broghil trekkers go on to Karambar Lake, just across the boundary in Gilgit-Baltistan. Broghil is a long journey from Chitral town; our Broghil Valley guide explains the route.

Shandur Lake lies on the Shandur plateau between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, beside the famous polo ground, at around 3,700 metres. You can drive to it in summer, and most visitors see it during the polo festival.

Near Islamabad: Khanpur Lake

If you want water without the mountains, the reservoir behind the Khanpur Dam, in Haripur district about 50 km from Islamabad, is the closest lake in KPK. It is a reservoir rather than an alpine lake, but in summer private operators run boating, jet skis and cliff jumping there. Wear the life jacket they give you, and don't swim where the operators say not to.

Which lake should you choose?

• With young children or older parents: Lulusar, which needs no jeep or walk, or Mahodand, a jeep day from Kalam.
• The classic first lake: Saiful Muluk, early in the morning before the crowds.
• A first proper hike: Kundol from Ladu.
• A two-day trek: Katora via Jahaz Banda, or Dudipatsar from Besal.
• A serious walk for fit hikers: Ansoo, in its short summer window, with a guide.

Whichever you choose, remember that every high lake is cold, deep and usually far from help. Don't swim, keep children away from the edge, and take your rubbish back down. If you want the lakes built into a longer trip, tell us your dates and how much walking your group enjoys.

Is it safe to visit these lakes?

The Kaghan lakes are in Mansehra district, which is not among the areas the UK government's travel advice warns against, and they see huge numbers of Pakistani visitors every summer. The risks there are the weather, the altitude and the jeep tracks.

The Swat and Dir lakes are different. The UK government advises against all travel to Swat and to Upper and Lower Dir, and in August 2026 there was a suicide bombing at a peace rally in Kabal, Swat, which killed 17 people, and a two-day gun battle between police and militants in Upper Dir. Pakistani tourists still visit Kalam and Kumrat, but check local news and current police advice before you set out, and travel in daylight. Broghil lies close to the Afghan border, where the UK also advises against all travel. Overseas visitors should know that their government's advice may say not to go, and that travelling against it can void travel insurance.

Frequently asked questions