Of the lakes in Swat, only one, Mahodand, can be reached by vehicle: a jeep ride of about two hours from Kalam. Saifullah Lake is a short walk beyond it. Every other alpine lake means a proper hike: Kundol from the Utror valley is the easiest, at around three to four hours up; Spin Khwar and Izmis are similar or harder; and Daral and Bishigram, both at around 3,500 metres, are long, steep days that many groups split over two.
This guide covers each lake in turn: where the walk starts, how you get to the start, how long it takes and who it suits. The season for all of them is roughly June to September, when the snow has gone from the trails.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Easiest lake | Mahodand, 2,865 m, by jeep from Kalam |
| Easiest hike | Kundol, about 3,000 m, 3 to 4 hours up from the Utror side |
| Hardest | Daral and Bishigram, around 3,500 m, long days or two-day treks |
| Season | June to September for the hikes; Mahodand usually late May or June to October |
| Base | Kalam for Mahodand, Kundol, Spin Khwar, Izmis and Kharkhari; Bahrain or Madyan for Daral and Bishigram |
| Guides | A local guide is strongly advised for every lake except Mahodand |
| Signal | Expect little or none at the lakes |
Swat's lakes compared
| Lake | Approx. altitude | Start point | Walking time, one way | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahodand | 2,865 m | Jeep from Kalam, about 2 hours | None | Easy |
| Saifullah | 2,910 m | Mahodand | Up to half an hour | Easy |
| Kharkhari | Not reliably recorded | Jeep up the Gabral valley | 1 to 2 hours | Easy to moderate |
| Kundol | About 3,000 m | Utror, then Ladu | 3 to 4 hours | Moderate |
| Spin Khwar | High, near Kundol | Ladu | About 3 hours | Moderate |
| Izmis | Above the treeline | Utror, then Loypanrghalay | 3 to 6 hours | Moderate to hard |
| Daral | About 3,500 m | Bahrain side, or Gabin Jabba above Matta | 6 to 9 hours | Hard |
| Bishigram | About 3,500 m | Kas village, above Madyan | 5 to 7 hours | Hard |
Walking times vary between sources because they depend on how far the jeep can get that year; floods regularly wash out bridges and tracks in the side valleys. Ask in Kalam, Utror or Madyan before you commit.
Mahodand and Saifullah: the lakes you can drive to
Mahodand is a long lake at 2,865 metres in the upper Ushu valley, about 33 to 35 km beyond Kalam. The road is good through the Ushu forest to Matiltan and then turns into a rough track with shallow river crossings, so the last part needs a four-by-four. Plan on around two hours each way, sometimes more, and leave Kalam by 8 or 9 in the morning.
In summer the shore has tea stalls, boats for hire and horses. Saifullah Lake, at 2,910 metres, lies a short walk further on, up to half an hour depending on where you leave the vehicle.
Several things have gone wrong here in 2026, and they are worth knowing before you go:
- Boating. On 1 July 2026 a boat capsized on Saifullah Lake and seven members of a Lahore family drowned. The inquiry found boats with too few life jackets, and a Section 144 order banning boating in Swat that was not being enforced. The administration then began inspecting boats and said none would run without a valid certificate. If you go out on the water at all, insist on a life jacket for everyone, children first.
- Glaciers and snow. In July 2026 a tourist was killed when part of a glacier near Mahodand collapsed on him. Keep off snow bridges and away from the foot of glaciers, especially on warm afternoons.
- Ziplines. In July the administration sealed ziplines at Mahodand and Saifullah Lake that were running without permission. Don't use a ride that can't show you its papers.
- Transport. In May 2026 a group of locals stopped tourists in private coasters and insisted they hire local jeeps. The district administration registered a case and said visitors are free to use their own vehicles or any operator. In practice, a local jeep is what the track needs anyway.
Our guide to places to visit in Kalam covers the Ushu forest and Matiltan on the same road.
Kharkhari: the quiet one in Gabral
Kharkhari lies up the Gabral valley, north-west of Kalam. A jeep road runs up the valley to within about two kilometres of the lake, and most people walk an hour or two from the end of it. It sees far fewer visitors than Mahodand; ask your jeep driver in Kalam how far the track is open that summer.
Kundol and Spin Khwar: the Utror lakes
Kundol is the most popular hiking lake in Swat: a glacial lake of about 3,000 metres, roughly 1.5 km long, in a bowl of grassy slopes above the Utror valley. Utror is about an hour from Kalam by jeep. From there a track leads towards the summer settlement of Ladu; where jeeps can't get through, it is a walk of an hour and a half to two hours. From Ladu, the lake is roughly two more hours uphill.
So, depending on where your jeep stops, expect three to four hours up and two to three down. It is a long but steady day for a fit walker, with one or two stream crossings that can be tricky early in the season, when you may cross on snow bridges. The lake shore is used for camping in summer.
Spin Khwar, whose name means white stream, is a smaller lake near Kundol, about three hours from Ladu. With a tent, the two make a good two-day trip: Kundol on the first day, a night at the lake, and Spin Khwar on the second.
Izmis: above the treeline
Izmis sits south-west of Utror, above the trees; the name means caves in the local Kohistani language, after the rock shelters around it. A jeep road from Utror runs part of the way, to a valley called Loypanrghalay, and from there the walk takes three to six hours depending on your pace and the state of the path. It is steeper and less travelled than Kundol, so it suits walkers who have done Kundol and want something harder. Go with a guide from Utror.
Daral: the big day from Bahrain
Daral is a large glacial lake at about 3,500 metres in the mountains west of Bahrain, and the source of the Daral stream that meets the Swat river in Bahrain town. There are two ways in:
- From the Bahrain side, up the Daral valley. This is the traditional route and the longest: a very long day of eight to nine hours or more, which most groups split over two days with a camp.
- From Gabin Jabba above Matta, starting at the village of Lalko, an hour's drive from Matta town. Expect six to eight hours and about 1,000 metres of ascent, over a pass of roughly 3,700 metres.
The Matta approach passes through the hills where militants were reported in the summer of 2026, so we would not use it this year. There is a small mosque by the lake that shepherds and trekkers use as a shelter.
Bishigram: the hard one above Madyan
Bishigram lies at about 3,500 metres east of Madyan, at the head of the Bishigram valley. It takes 40 to 50 minutes by vehicle from Madyan to reach the villages at the foot of the valley, and from Kas the walk is five to seven hours, climbing about 1,500 metres. That is a very hard day there and back; we would do it as a two-day trip with a camp, and only with a local guide.
Which lake suits you?
- Families, older parents and first-timers: Mahodand, with a short walk to Saifullah. None of the hikes suits small children.
- Fit walkers with one day: Kundol from Utror, leaving Kalam at first light.
- Walkers with two days and a tent: Kundol and Spin Khwar together, or Izmis.
- Experienced trekkers: Daral from the Bahrain side, or Bishigram from Madyan.
On every hike, carry warm layers, rain gear and food for the whole day, start early, and turn back if cloud builds in the afternoon. Our guide to treks in Swat grades the valley's other walks by difficulty.
Is it safe to visit Swat's lakes in 2026?
The biggest risks at the lakes are the ones above: overloaded boats, cold water, glaciers and flooded streams. But security matters too this year. Militants were reported in the hills of Matta, Charbagh and Khwazakhela over the summer, and on 2 August a suicide bomber attacked the police station in Kabal, near Mingora, during a peace rally, killing 17 people. The UK government advises its nationals against all travel to Swat.
Pakistani visitors still travel to Kalam and its lakes in large numbers. Check the local news and ask police in Kalam about the current situation before heading into any side valley, and tell your hotel where you are going. If you are an overseas visitor, your government's advice may say not to go, and travelling against it can void your travel insurance. The Swat Valley page gives the overview of the valley.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most beautiful lake in Swat?
Most people who have seen them all would choose Kundol or Mahodand. Mahodand is the easiest to reach; Kundol, a half-day walk above Utror, is quieter and wilder.
Can I reach Mahodand Lake in my own car?
A normal car can usually get through the Ushu forest towards Matiltan, but the track beyond it needs a four-by-four jeep. Most visitors hire one in Kalam for the day.
How long is the trek to Kundol Lake?
About three to four hours up from where the jeep track ends near Utror, and two to three hours down. Allow a full day from Kalam, and more if floods have damaged the track.
When can you visit the lakes in Swat?
The hiking lakes are usually snow-free from late June to September. Mahodand opens a little earlier, typically late May or June, and stays open into October.
Is boating safe at Mahodand and Saifullah Lake?
Only if the boat has a life jacket for everyone aboard and is not overloaded. Seven tourists drowned on Saifullah Lake in July 2026, and boats have since been inspected. If in doubt, stay on the shore.
