Upper vs Lower Kachura Lake is a choice between a natural lake and a resort lake. Upper Kachura is the bigger, deeper, wilder one, reached by a short, steep path, with local boatmen and fried trout on the shore. Lower Kachura is the small lake inside Shangrila Resort: flat paths, a jetty, restaurants and an entry ticket for day visitors. They are a few minutes apart, 30 km west of Skardu, so most people see both in one morning. If you can only do one, choose Upper Kachura if you can manage the climb, and Lower Kachura if you can't.
This guide compares the two side by side, then explains how to fit both into a morning and which one to stay beside.
| Upper Kachura | Lower Kachura (Shangrila) | |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Natural village lake | Landscaped resort lake |
| Size and depth | Much larger; up to about 70 m deep | Small and roughly heart-shaped |
| Altitude | About 2,500 m | About 2,500 m |
| Access | Short, steep path from the parking area | Flat, through the resort gate |
| Entry | No formal ticket for the lake | Entry ticket normally charged to day visitors |
| Boats | Local boatmen; agree the price first | From the resort jetty; short and gentle |
| Food | Simple trout eateries in season | Resort restaurants and a café in a DC-3 |
| Crowds | Busy late morning in summer | Busy most summer afternoons |
| Time needed | 1.5 to 3 hours with a boat and lunch | 1 to 2 hours |
| Suits | Walkers, couples, photographers | Young children, older parents |
What is the difference between the two lakes?
Both lie in Kachura village, off the road that runs west from Skardu past the airport towards Gilgit, at about 2,500 metres. That is where the similarities end.
Upper Kachura sits above the village among apricot orchards and steep slopes, with the Indus in its gorge further below. The water is very clear and up to about 70 metres deep, and it stays cold even in midsummer. Nothing about it is arranged for visitors, which is its appeal.
Lower Kachura is the lake everyone calls Shangrila, after the resort built around it in 1983. It is much smaller, and the pagoda roofs, lawns, chalets and paths around it are all part of the hotel. It is tidy, managed and easy, which is exactly its appeal for some people and its drawback for others.
Access: the path against the gate
This is the biggest practical difference, and the one that should decide it for older visitors.
At Upper Kachura you leave the car at the parking area and walk down a path with steps through the village to the shore. It takes only a few minutes, but it is steep and uneven, and the climb back up at 2,500 metres is the hard half. It ices over in winter.
At Shangrila you walk in through the resort gate on level paths. Everything, from the jetty to the restaurants, is within a few minutes' flat walk. Pushchairs, and anyone who struggles with steps, will find it far easier than the path to Upper Kachura.
Boating, walking and photographs
Boating. Shangrila's boats go out from the resort jetty on a small lake, so rides are short and gentle, which suits small children and nervous passengers. On Upper Kachura, local boatmen take you out on a much bigger, deeper lake, and a slow ride towards the middle gives the view back to the orchards and mountains. Prices are not posted at either, so agree the price and the length of the ride first, and ask for life jackets.
Walking. Shangrila has a path around the lake, and the loop is short and gentle. At Upper Kachura, you walk along parts of the shore and up through the village lanes and orchards, which feels more like a village walk than a park.
Photographs. Shangrila's pagoda roofs reflected in still water are the classic shot, best early in the morning before the boats move. Upper Kachura is for wider views: clear water, orchards and mountains, again best in the early stillness.
Food and cost
Shangrila charges day visitors an entry ticket at the gate, and the amount has changed over the years, so check it when you arrive. Inside, the Pagoda restaurant, the café in the DC-3 fuselage and a snack bar all serve food at resort prices.
Upper Kachura has had no formal ticket for the lake itself. You pay the boatmen for a ride and the small eateries near the shore for food. In season, fried trout is the thing to order; fish are usually priced by size, so ask first.
For most families, the cheapest good day is a boat and a trout lunch at Upper Kachura, and tea at Shangrila if the budget allows.
Crowds and the best time of day
Both lakes are at their best in the first hours after sunrise, when the water is still and the day visitors from Skardu have not arrived.
- Shangrila gets busy from late morning, and on summer weekends and Eid the paths and jetty can feel like a city park by early afternoon.
- Upper Kachura is quiet at first light, but the shore is busy by late morning in July and August.
- Late afternoon is the second-best window at both: softer light and fewer people.
How to see both in one morning
With a car, both lakes fit comfortably into a morning. A plan that works for most people:
- Leave Skardu by 7 am. The drive west past the airport takes 35 to 45 minutes.
- Upper Kachura first. The water is stillest early, and you are fresh for the climb back up. Take a boat out and walk a little way along the shore.
- Trout by the lake, or wait if it is too early.
- Shangrila in the late morning. Walk round the lake and have tea in the aircraft café. The flat paths are welcome after the climb.
- Back to Skardu for lunch and a rest, and out again to the Katpana dunes near the airport for sunset.
If you are staying at Shangrila, reverse it: the resort lake at dawn from your door, then Upper Kachura once the boatmen are out.
Which lake should you stay beside?
Shangrila is the obvious choice for a lakeside night: rooms, cottages and chalets around the water, restaurants on site, and the lake almost to yourself early and late, when the day visitors have gone. Our Shangrila Resort guide covers the rooms and the resort.
Near Upper Kachura there are smaller hotels and guesthouses along the lake road, generally quieter and cheaper. You get the upper lake at dawn with almost nobody else there, but fewer places to eat. Our guide to where to stay in Skardu compares Kachura with staying in town.
Which one should you visit?
- Choose Upper Kachura if everyone in your group can manage a steep path, and you want a natural lake, a proper boat ride and a trout lunch. Couples, photographers and groups of friends usually prefer it. Our Upper Kachura Lake guide covers the path, boats and safety.
- Choose Lower Kachura (Shangrila) if you are travelling with small children, older parents or anyone with bad knees, or if you want a café and a gentle boat ride close together.
- See both if you have a morning to spare, which almost everyone does. They are only minutes apart.
In winter the choice narrows. Both lakes freeze, Upper Kachura's path turns icy, and the boats stop. Look at the frozen water from the shore, never walk on the ice, and call Shangrila ahead to check what is open.
Both lakes are part of day two of our Skardu and Deosai trip, before the day boats go out. The Skardu destination page shows the rest of the valley.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Upper or Lower Kachura Lake?
Upper Kachura is bigger, deeper and more natural, but you reach it by a steep path. Lower Kachura, inside Shangrila Resort, is flat, landscaped and easier for older visitors and small children.
How far apart are Upper and Lower Kachura?
A few minutes by car, on the same side road in Kachura village, about 30 km west of Skardu.
Is there an entry fee for Kachura Lake?
Shangrila Resort normally charges day visitors an entry ticket for Lower Kachura. Upper Kachura has had no formal ticket; you pay for boats and food.
Is Shangrila the same as Lower Kachura Lake?
Yes. Shangrila is the popular name for Lower Kachura, the small lake inside Shangrila Resort.
How much time do you need at the Kachura lakes?
About three to four hours for both: one and a half to three hours at Upper Kachura with a boat and lunch, and one to two hours at Shangrila.
Can older people visit Upper Kachura Lake?
Many do, but the path is steep and the climb back up is hard at 2,500 metres. For anyone with heart trouble or bad knees, Shangrila is the easier lake.
