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Dudipatsar Lake or Dudipat Lake Kaghan Valley


Dudipatsar lake or Dudipat Lake is a beautiful lake encircled by snow clad peaks. The lake lies in the extreme north of the Kaghan Valley at N35.0185 E74.0895 and is about a four hour drive from the chief town Naran. The road is not entirely accessible for cars, even Jeeps. From Besal onwards visitors have to trek about 6–8 hours in vast alpine meadows to reach the lake. The first four hour trek is the hardest part of a visit. The best season to visit is between 25 July and the end of September. The trek consists of a sometimes steep climb while at other places it passes through huge flat valleys; at all times it is filled with amazing sights.

The lake's water is a beautiful greenish blue and very cold. Dudipatsar is also close to Lake Lulusar which is the main contributory to the Kunhar River. At a distance from the lake lies the Babusar Pass which is the end of the 150 km long Kaghan Valley.

The whole area is accessible for four months every year from June-September after which it is closed due to snow.

It is highly not advised to track it in snow, as there is a high probability of avalanches in the area. The lake used to have an abundance of trout, but illegal fishing using dynamite and nets has resulted in a sharp decline in the fish population.

The word "dudi" means white and "sar" means lake. This name has been given to the lake because of the white color of snow at surrounding peaks. In summer the water of the lake reflects like a mirror. Getting to the lake takes four to six hours of tough hiking.

The word "sar" is used with the name of each lake in the area meaning lake. In the summer when the water of the lake reflects like a mirror a large number of visitors from different areas of the country come to watch the enchanting views of these lake.

The whole area is private property but declared national park by Government of Pakistan.

The deep blue Dudipat Sar, at 3,800 meters, is surrounded by green hills at about 4,800 meters, with snow patches in the shady hollows. This lake is very little visited by people and its natural beauty is still very much protected. October 8, 2005's earthquake in North Pakistan has made it more difficult to be accessed. However the government of Pakistan decided on March 14, 2006 to take all steps to restore tourism of the Kaghan valley which includes building new tourism spots and rebuilding previously destroyed ones.

Dudipatsar Lake Map

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