Mahodand Lake, Swat

In Northern Pakistan there is a piece of land called Swat – often referred to as the “Switzerland of East”. It’s famous for its surreal natural beauty. In the center of this land there is a lake like no other called, Mahodand Lake. It’s undoubtedly one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

The lake is located 40kms from Kalam, in the Ushu Valley, which is a part of the infamous Hindu-Kush mountain Range. The lake is 9,400 ft above sea level and spread over 2kms in length. To get to this magical lake, you have to leave early in the morning, because it takes around 3-4 hours to get to the lake. On your way there, you will get patches of metal road, but most of the path is just rocks and gravel. I wouldn’t suggest taking your own car because it will get abused from underneath. Hire a Jeep from the local market or ask the receptionist of your rest house in Kalam to arrange one for you.

Even though the path is not perfect, it has so many views to offer, that you can’t even imagine. You pass through a forest, then drive along a river and eventually drive alongside high-rise mountains, all within a span of 3-4 hours.

After a lot of twist and turns, the lake finally unveils itself to you, and it’s hard to take your eyes off it. Next to the lake you’ll have horses running around in all their glory. There is a campsite set for you, you can even hire a boat to experience the lake up close, or you can just sit down and relax.

If you are lucky enough, and the clouds don’t block your view, from the lake you can spot the highest mountain of the valley with the height of 19,416ft, called Falak Ser.

Even though the lake is really beautiful, tourists have ruined the area around the lake. Nobody cares about the trash and there is litter all around. So, if you plan a visit to the lake, I would suggest taking a garbage bag with you and avoid littering there. And if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you could also pick up as much litter as you can.