Mahodand Lake ( ur, ; ps, د ماهو ډنډ - "Lake of Fishes") is a
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
located in the upper
Usho Valley at a distance of about from
Kalam
''ʿIlm al-Kalām'' ( ar, عِلْم الكَلام, literally "science of discourse"), usually foreshortened to ''Kalām'' and sometimes called "Islamic scholastic theology" or "speculative theology", is the philosophical study of Islamic doc ...
in
Swat District
Swat District (, ps, سوات ولسوالۍ, ) is a district in the Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. With a population of 2,309,570 per the 2017 national census, Swat is the 15th-largest district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa pro ...
of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...
province of
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
. The lake is accessible by a
four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer cas ...
vehicle, and is often utilized for
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
and
boating.
Geography
![Mahudand Lake 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Mahudand_Lake_01.jpg)
The Mahodand Lake lies at the foothills of
Hindu kush
The Hindu Kush is an mountain range in Central and South Asia to the west of the Himalayas. It stretches from central and western Afghanistan, Quote: "The Hindu Kush mountains run along the Afghan border with the North-West Frontier Province ...
mountains at an elevation of , surrounded by the
meadows
A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artificia ...
, mountains and dense
forests
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
. Similarly, the banks of Mahodand lake are covered by pines and pastures that serve as a camping site during the summer.
The Mahodand lake is fed by melting glaciers and springs of the Hindu Kush mountain and gives rise to Ushu Khwar, the major left tributary of the
Swat River
The Swat River ( ur, , ps, سوات سیند) is a perennial river in the northern region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. The river's source is in the high glacial valleys of the Hindu Kush mountains, where it then flows into the s ...
.
Flora and fauna
During the winter, the Mahodand lake freezes and is covered by heavy snow. In the summers, the basin of the lake is surrounded by a sheet of alpine flowers like
geum
''Geum'' , (Latinized Greek for "taste" referencing the roots of the plant) commonly called avens, is a genus of about 50 species of rhizomatous perennial herbaceous plants in the rose family and its subfamily Rosoideae, widespread across Euro ...
,
blue poppy,
potentilla
''Potentilla'' is a genus containing over 300Guillén, A., et al. (2005)Reproductive biology of the Iberian species of ''Potentilla'' L. (Rosaceae).''Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid'' 1(62) 9–21. species of annual, biennial and perenni ...
and
gentian
''Gentiana'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family (Gentianaceae), the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species it is considered a large genus. They are notable for their mostl ...
. Apart from it, the lake is encircled by diverse pinus species which serves as abode for wild birds. Similarly, the lake contains abounding trout fishes, which furnish ideal opportunity for angling, but catching is allowed only to the licensed anglers.
Fishing and camping
![Mahoo Dand Swat valley](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Mahoo_Dand_Swat_valley.JPG)
Visitors fish and camp at the lake. The waters of Mahodand lake are divided into a series of small and large streams, which once swarmed with brown and rainbow trout introduced by the former ruler of Swat State. Over-fishing by the locals for daily income, along with the illegal use of fishing methods like electrocution, dynamiting, and large nets, have significantly reduced the fish population.
See also
*
Lake Saiful Muluk
Saiful Muluk ( ur, ) is a mountainous lake located at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley, near the town of Naran in the Saiful Muluk National Park. At an elevation of 3,224 m (10,578 feet) above sea level, the lake is located above the tree l ...
- ''Kaghan Valley''
*
Dudipatsar Lake - ''Kaghan Valley''
*
Saidgai Lake
Saidgai Lake ( ps, سيدګۍ ډنډ; ) also known as Saidgai Dand is a lake in the upper reaches of Ushirai Dara of Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the Province of Pakistan. It is located at an elevation of above the sea level. It is ...
- ''Swat Valley''
*
Kundol Lake - ''Kalam Valley''
*
Daral Lake - ''Swat Valley''
References
External link
{{commonscatinline
Hotel booking near Mahodand Lakes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Swat District
Swat Kohistan
Tourist attractions in Swat
Tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa