I know I promised all of you ‘the most beautiful place in the world that you have never heard about’, but you gots to be patient. We’re holding that one back until our impressions are consistent. We have high hopes for that one, but knowing our luck, we’ll never get a consistent impression count, and even if we do, that video may tank. But hey, if it does, at least all of you have the blog post! For now, Let’s talk about Upper Kachura lake in Skardu, Pakistan. Where we had our first experience with the infamous kindness of Pakistanis, which every foreigner seems to encounter, seems like a conspiracy to me. Hmmm

Before heading to the lake, we had to sort out a sim card. You see, we are ever reliant upon data (for work purposes), and we usually get a sim card wherever we travel. Pakistan was no different in that regard, but it is different because you typically need two sim cards in this country. One for the south and one for the north. You see, the southern sim card won’t operate in the north of Pakistan hence the reason for needing two. The one we needed for the north is called Scom. Sounds made up, right? I assure you it isn’t, and when you’re driving through or even stranded in the gorgeous valleys of Pakistan, you’ll be amazed that you can get 4G reception in Skardu, Pakistan. 

To get this sim, there were only two locations one could attain them whilst in Skardu, Pakistan. One, in Skardu city itself and, secondly, near upper Kachura Lake. We opted for the closest choice, especially as the awful hotel had no reception and we needed it for work. We went to a little corner shop, and after some deliberating, they managed to get their receiver to work. We were set up with a brand new sim card with our passports on hand to register. It was the most unassuming little chemist you had ever seen in your life, on the side of a dirt road, chickens running about in front and motorbikes constantly speeding by. A top random location of where we’ve purchased sim cards, and it will stick in the memory for a long time; they even had a massive 4g cell reception tower right next door! That reminded us of Pemba, Tanzania, but we’ll discuss that later. We had to come back after we visited Upper Kachura Lake to finalise the sim card; I made it sound pretty straightforward. It wasn’t, but we got it done in the end, and the guys were incredibly friendly.

After leaving the chemist, the only place one could buy a sim card from in the area, we made our way to the entrance of Upper Kachura Lake. We parked up and were met by vendors selling dried fruit and snacks. Upon exiting the Prado, we took the windy, rocky path to the lake; it’s about a ten-minute walk and gets pretty steep towards the end. You’ll pass by a restaurant to collect some supplies but probably best to bring stuff with you if you’re able to. Upper Kachura lake is a picnic spot for the locals, and we identified that the moment we saw it, with teenagers jumping in the water and locals using the far edge of the lake to wash clothes. Families were gathered to soak up the sights, and some even took boat trips.

As we reached the lake’s surface, we dipped our toes in. the water was refreshing; this is the mountains of Skardu, Pakistan, after all. We were offered numerous boat tours and quoted 2,000 PKR for 15 minutes which we politely declined. It didn’t seem like a worthwhile expense, not on a backpacking budget anyway and especially not considering there are only two of us, and the boat can accommodate eight. It also pleases me to say that there was no ‘gringo tax’ or ‘foreigner tax’ The prices are fixed at 2,000PKR and well signposted to avoid doubt.

We would witness over the coming weeks as we sat idly by looking at the first of many gorgeous landscapes. I overheard a conversation between a boat vendor and some local guys as it was happening 4 feet away. They agreed on a price, and seeing as there were only three of them, they offered Natalie and me seats to join them. After a brief deliberation, we agreed and enjoyed a boat ride on Upper Kachura Lake. As I write this, months later, it still amazes me that we were fortunate enough to be on a boat in the middle of Skardu, Pakistan, on a gorgeous lake surrounded by the natural beauty that would be the envy of genuine lovers worldwide. If you’re into mountains, lakes, hikes and beautiful scenery, visit Skardu, Pakistan. Back to the boat, It’s not an exhilarating ride, we did not go fast, as evident in the video, but it was genuinely so lovely of the guys to invite us along. We didn’t know them, but they said they had seen us before and seeing as the boat was already paid for, they kindly offered to take us along. Skardu, Pakistan, may not only be home to beautiful landscapes but also friendly locals. It’s like I said, Pakistan is full of surprises.

Toodles

USEFUL TIPS FOR BACKPACKING PAKISTAN:

How to get a Sim card and Visit Upper Kachura Lake in Skardu, Pakistan, at the same time

So firstly, the sim card. In the north of Pakistan, the Sim card you will need is Scom. Scom worked brilliantly for us, and we could stay connected amongst the remote valleys of Northern Pakistan. The price fluctuates depending on what deal they have at the time, but the sim card and data shouldn’t cost more than 2,000 PKR. Just remember to bring your passport to register, and that typically, data will only last for 30 days, BUT you can top up or purchase a new sim.

Now on to Upper Kachura Lake. In truth, this journey is pretty simple. As is the norm in this area of Pakistan, you will first need to head to Skardu, Pakistan. Skardu will be the central point for a lot of your excursions. Skardu certainly was for us, as you can tell from the numerous videos we have filmed there. We documented our flight from Islamabad to Skardu, showing you how to do that journey.

Likely, your hotel will pick you up from Skardu international Pickup, and we recommend you visit Shangri-La Lake, Soq valley and Upper Kachuara lake as we did on our first day in Skardu, Pakistan. The driving distances are long; PLEASE do not be over-ambitious.

Day trips around Skardu will start at around 5,000 PKR for a car or 7,000 PKR for a Prado, and both prices include the driver, vehicle and fuel cost. The best tip for Skardu Pakistan is to take your time. It may be tempting to cross everything off in a day or two, but please allow yourself five days to immerse yourself in everything. There is a lot to see.

Enjoy! and don’t forget to tag Calamity Travels on Instagram. We’d love to see if you enjoyed backpacking Pakistan as much as we did!