Dudipatsar Lake (Urdu: دودی پت سر جھیل), also known as Dudipat Lake, is a lake encircled by snow-clad peaks in Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park. The lake lies at the north end of the Kaghan Valley, in the Mansehra District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in northern Pakistan.[1][2]
| Dudipatsar دودی پت سر جھیل | |
|---|---|
 Dudipatsar Lake, Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park | |
  Dudipatsar دودی پت سر جھیل | |
| Location | Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 35°01′05″N 74°05′24″E / 35.0181°N 74.0900°E |
| Type | Alpine lake/glacial |
| Part of | Indus River basin |
| Primary inflows | Glacial water |
| Primary outflows | Purbinar valley |
| Basin countries | Pakistan |
| Max. length | 835 metres (2,740 ft) |
| Max. width | 600 metres (2,000 ft) |
| Average depth | approx. 5 m (16 ft) |
| Max. depth | approx. 5 m (16 ft) |
| Residence time | May to September |
| Surface elevation | 3,800 metres (12,500 ft) |
Geography
editThe lake's water is a greenish blue hue and very cold, at an elevation of 3,800 metres (12,500 ft). The surrounding mountains, with snow patches in the shady dales, average around 4,800 metres (15,700 ft) in elevation. Their natural habitat is in the Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows ecoregion.[3]
Lulusar Lake, also in the park, is the primary headwaters of the Kunhar River. Saiful Muluk National Park, with Saif ul Maluk Lake, is adjacent in the 150 kilometres (93 mi) long Kaghan Valley region and the parks jointly protect 88,000 hectares (220,000 acres).[3]
Travel
editBesal, or Besar, a town just before the Lulusar Lake, is fifteen kilometers from the lake. The trek is quite tough and not particularly suitable for unfit or new trekkers. Slopes can be steep and there are numerous water-crossings which require a lot of hard work and strength. It is preferable to make Mullah Ki Basti, a small town along the way, the basecamp for the lake. Due to security issues, it is recommended to spend the night at this camp and leave for the lake in the morning.
A fit person can easily complete the track in 6–8 hours including breaks.
Wildlife
editThe lake and its wetlands habitats are of significant ecological importance for resident fauna and migratory waterfowl.[3] Some of the park's fauna includes the snow leopard, black bear, marmot, weasel, lynx, leopard, Himalayan snowcock, and snow partridge.[3]
Access
editThe 2005 Kashmir earthquake in North Pakistan made access more difficult. However, since 2006 the Pakistan government has taken steps to restore tourism in the Kaghan Valley, including rebuilding and new tourism facilities and infrastructure.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Ali, Salman (17 November 2019). "Pakistan's scenic north: Paying homage to Dudipatsar Lake". The News International. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Khan, N.Ahmad (13 July 2022). "The unexplored lakes of Kaghan valley". Dawn. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa: Saiful Malook & Lulusar-Dodipat National Park, Naran, District Mansehra". Archived from the original on 2011-05-09. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
- ^ www.president-of-pakistan-gov: "Tourism Revival plans" Archived 2006-09-30 at the Wayback Machine