Upper Kachura Lake: There are amazing sights in many parts of the world, but some sites have become synonymous with beauty and with amazing scenery. One such site is Shangrilla. No matter what the world has seen, all the tourists will be ready to flock to this amazing piece of land. However, there is not just one lake in Shangrilla, but there are two. The second lake located in the area is called the Upper Kachura Lake. This lake is one of the most beautiful sites of Pakistan and anyone who has had the opportunity to travel to the lake has been mesmerized by the serene beauty of the lake. It sits majestically in the snow clad mountains and during the summer months, when the snow melts, the vegetation that covers the slopes makes it look like a pearl in a sea of grass.

Upper Kachura Lake Geography

The Upper Kachura Lake is one of the two lakes which are called Kachura, the second lake is called the lower Kachura Lake and it is also called the Shangrilla Lake. Both of these lakes are located in the Skardu District of the Gilgit-Baltistan province of Pakistan. The lakes, both upper and lower, are located at an elevation of almost 2,500 meters i.e. 8,200 feet above the sea level.

Best Time to Visit Upper Kachura Lake

The area of the lakes is such that it is covered in snow in the winter months. The locals do not even visit the out of way places during these months and the people who are living in the area try to migrate to other low lying areas during the time of the winter. But during the summer season these areas are full of vegetation. There are many trees that bloom only in the summer months and almost all of the local flowers bloom in the summer months. Therefore, the months of summer are the best months to visit the lake.

Another thing which must be kept in mind is that during the months of July and August, many of the local people will be offering hospitality services and it will be easier for a trip to be taken to the area. Therefore, the best time to visit the lake is during the months of June, July and August.

Upper Kachura Lake Trekking Guidance

The lake is very easy to reach as it is on one of the few marked and maintained trails of Pakistan. The simplest way is to travel to the lower Kachura Lake via public transport or a hired car. Driving a personal vehicle is only recommended to those who are experienced in mountain driving. From the lower Kachura lake try to go straight towards the “bazar”. Once the party reaches the Bazaar, the trail will be visible with its marking and its signs. Then it is a simple ‘follow the signs’ job. The lake is very easy to reach and the trek has been marked as “easy”. Even with novice climbers and trekkers, the trek will not take more than three hours at the most, while those who have experience with hiking will be able to reach the lake within 90 minutes of starting.

Upper Kachura Lake Visit Precautions

As much of the trip is going to be undertaken on roads, the trip must be undertaken in a responsible manner.

  • All people who are driving to the town of Skardu should make sure that they are experienced mountain drivers.
  • If there are no drivers like this, it is better to hire a jeep or even take the public transport, as this is the safest way.
  • Make sure that all members of the trip are abiding by the local laws, and they are carrying their national identification cards at all times. Any trips that are taking foreigners with them should make sure that they have the necessary identification documents with them.
  • While trekking to the lake make sure that no member of the group does something that is detrimental to the natural surroundings. For example, throwing away used plastic bottles in the open, burning small fires just for fun, throwing away plastic bags in the open and throwing away small food containers in the open should be avoided at all costs.
  • Make sure that the group travels with adequate sun protection like sun cream and hats so that they’re not scorched by the dazzling sun during the months of August and July. Otherwise, they may end up having different skin issues until the time they reach back.

Upper Kachura Lake’s Nature Reserves

When the trip will travel to the Upper Kachura Lake they will see that all of the landscape is almost as if nature is undisturbed. This is due to the fact that no industry has taken hold of the area yet. Furthermore, this is the reason that many small animals like rodents, squirrels, wild foxes, wild cats and marmots will be seen while traveling in these areas. Snowcock and snow pigeons can also be seen rarely in these areas. Furthermore, the lake is an active lake and, therefore, it will be full of fish which can be caught using tackle and supplies loaned by the various locals. Alternately, the members of the trip may bring their own supplies with them. Getting indulged in such an activity at the lake will certainly make your trip interesting and exciting.

The trees, which are common to the area, are the subalpine conifer trees which include many species of hardwood and are prized all over the world. Although the logging industry has yet to exploit this part of the land. One of the most unique trees in the area is of the wild apricot which is known by the scientific name Prunus armeniaca. This is one of the most beautiful trees is the area and many birds such as Blue jays, warbles and blue tits will come to nest in these trees. With all these marvels of nature, this lake remains to be on top of the list for many who want to explore the nature reserves found all over Pakistan.