Soon Valley 2-Day Itinerary: Lakes, Kanhatti and Amb

Two days is the right length for Soon Valley: enough to see the lakes at an easy pace, walk to Kanhatti, and still have half a day for the Amb temples and the Sakesar slopes. This itinerary spends the first day on the lakes and the garden and the second on the harder, more remote stops, with the night in or near Khabeki.

The valley is about 56 km long, and distances between stops are short but the roads are slow. Treat all times below as a guide, because village roads, tracks and stops stretch them.

Before you go

You need a car, either your own or hired with a driver. There is no public transport that connects the stops, and the Amb track is rough enough that a driver who knows it is worth having. Both the route from Islamabad and the route from Lahore run on the M2 and leave at Kallar Kahar or Balkasar, then cross the hills to the valley.

Book your night first. The valley has a TDCP resort at Khabeki Lake and a few private hotels and guesthouses, covered in our guide to where to stay in Soon Valley. Rooms are limited, and weekends and holidays fill them. If you want to camp instead, see camping in Soon Valley.

The season matters. Autumn to spring is the comfortable time, and October onwards is when migratory birds return to the lakes. Our best time to visit Soon Valley covers it in more detail.

Day 1: the lakes and the garden

Morning: Uchali Lake

Plan to be in the valley by mid-morning. Uchali is a brackish lake beneath Sakesar and is the largest and best known of the valley's three lakes. Its salty water and the surrounding hills draw wintering birds, among them species from Siberia and Central Asia. There are boats for hire at the lake. Give it an hour or two for a walk along the shore, tea and photographs. Our Uchali Lake guide has more.

Late morning: Daep Sharif

Daep Sharif is about 10 km from Uchali by one guide, a short detour to a spring and shrine with a walk at the end. It makes a pleasant, shaded stop before lunch if you are not rushed. See Daep Sharif for what to expect.

Afternoon: Khabeki Lake

Khabeki is a second lake in the valley. Wikipedia describes it as about a kilometre wide and two long, and a known site for white-headed ducks. One guide gives roughly 25 km between Khabeki and Uchali, so expect a drive of well under an hour, longer if you stop in villages. Check in at your base, then walk the shore. More in our Khabeki Lake guide.

Late afternoon: Kanhatti Garden

Kanhatti is a forested garden with waterfalls and camping area, about 10 km from Khabeki by road. Light gets low in the gorge, so go in the later afternoon for the cooler walk and be out before dark. Our Kanhatti Garden guide explains the walk and the water. Be careful at the pools after rain, as the stream rises quickly.

Evening

Return to Khabeki for dinner. Choose food in advance if you are staying at the resort; village stalls near the lake sell tea and simple snacks, but do not count on a wide menu.

Day 2: Amb temples and Sakesar

Early start: the Amb Sharif temples

Leave soon after breakfast. The Amb temples are the part of this itinerary that needs the most care. Reaching them can mean a rough track, described in one travel account as needing a 4x4 on the stretch from the Uchali side. Ask locally the evening before. Our Amb Sharif temples guide covers the history, what stands and the two routes in.

Allow most of the morning. The ruins themselves take an hour or so to see, and the rest is travel.

Midday: the Sakesar slopes

Sakesar is the highest peak of the Salt Range, about 1,520 m. The summit has a Pakistan Air Force base and is restricted. What you can do is drive through the surrounding forest and enjoy the cooler air and views. About 4 km separates Amb Sharif from Sakesar, which is why the two pair naturally. Read our Sakesar guide before you go, so you know where public access ends.

Afternoon: head home

Start the drive back by early to mid-afternoon. The drive to Islamabad is about four hours and to Lahore roughly five to six from the valley, so a day-two finish means arriving after dark. If that is a problem, extend to a third night.

If you have only one day, or three

• One day: do Uchali, Khabeki and Kanhatti, and skip Amb. Our Soon Valley guide lays out a single-day loop.
• Three days: add Jahlar Lake, about 18 km from Naushera according to the Khushab district website. Our Jahlar Lake post covers it. You could also start the trip at Kallar Kahar, see the Kallar Kahar guide, or stop on the way home at the Khewra salt mine, which is about 29 km from the Lilla interchange.

Packing and practical tips

• Cash. Card payments are unlikely in the villages.
• Water and snacks for the Amb leg
• Sturdy shoes for Kanhatti and the temples
• A power bank, because signal and charging are patchy
• Warm layers for winter evenings, since Sakesar is the only peak in this part of Punjab that gets winter snow

Is this itinerary right for you?

It suits people who like to be outdoors, don't mind a slow drive, and want more than a lake and a picnic. It does not suit anyone who wants luxury: accommodation is basic to mid-range and facilities are limited. If rough tracks put you off, finish day two at Khabeki and skip Amb.

Frequently asked questions