The Kachura Lakes ( ur, کچورہ جھیل) are three lakes in the

Skardu District The Skardu District ( ur, ) is one of the 10 districts of Gilgit-Baltistan territory of Pakistan. The Skardu District is bounded on the east by the Ghanche District, on the south by the Kharmang District, on the west by the Astore District, on ...

of Gilgit-Baltistan, northern Pakistan. The lakes, at in elevation, are Upper Kachura Lake and Lower Kachura Lake. The latter is also known as Shangrila Lake and is within a tourist resort named Shangrila Resort outside the town of

Skardu , nickname = , motto = , image_skyline = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Gilgit Baltistan#Pakistan , pushpin_label_position ...

another lake called Zambakha Lake is situated in the small village Zambakha adjacent to Shangri-la. The lakes are in the Karakoram

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...

of the western Himalayas, the greater

Kashmir region Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

, and in the Indus River basin.

Upper Kachura Lake

Upper Kachura Lake is of clear water and has a depth of . In summer it has a temperature of . In winter the surface is frozen solid. The upper Indus River flows nearby at a lower elevation. The beauty of the Upper Kachura Lake is almost untampered and mostly unexplored by travelers, due to lack of infrastructure owing to its rough terrain The area has a rich

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' ...

of the

Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests The Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the middle and upper elevations of the western Middle Himalayas of Nepal, India, and Pakistan. Setting The ecoregion forms a belt of coniferous fores ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of ...

, and also known for its wild apricot - ''Prunus armeniaca'' orchards. Recreation activities at Upper Kachura Lake include hiking, trout fishing, and Himalaya mountaineering.

Lower Kachura Lake (kandoor)

Gallery

File:Upper-Kachora-Lake.jpg, UpperKachoralake

Upper Kachura Lake in summer File:Lower-Kachora-Lake-Broad-View.jpg, Lower Kachura Lake File:Upper kachura lake, skardu, baltistan.jpg, Upper Kachura Lake File:Upper Kachura Lake in Skardu.jpg, Reflections File:Beauty - Uppaer Kachura Lake Sakardu.jpg, Upper Kachura File:Autumn in Upper Kachora Lake.jpg, Autumn in Upper Kachora File:After Sunset View of Upper Kachura Lake Skardu.jpg, Twilight in Upper Kachora File:View of upper Kachura lake.jpg, Upper Kachura Lake in Skardu File:Upper Kachura Lake, Skardu Gilgit Baltistan Pakistan.jpg, Reflections Upper Kachura

References

External links

Photos from Upper Kachura Lake and Skardu by Waqas UsmanImran Ahmed's Photo gallery
Lakes of Gilgit-Baltistan {{Gilgit-Baltistan Lake Stub

Upper Kachura Lake

Lower Kachura Lake (kandoor)

See also

Gallery

References

External links