Sri Kalam Lake
There are a large number of natural lakes in
mountains of Swat. So far, more than one hundred lakes have been discovered
where visitors have taken pictures or videos. One of the discovered lakes is
heart-shaped, unique and historical lake also known as "Sri Kalam Lake".
Sri Kalam Lake is situated at an altitude of 12086 feet above sea level. Naturally,
this lake is looked like a "heart".
How to reach Sri Kalam Lake?
To reach Sri Kalam Lake,
the route from Mingora (main town of Swat) to Bahrain is in the form of a paved
road. Recent floods have affected the road at 2 places but still travel is not
difficult. This route of 57 to 58 km from Saidu Sharif (capital of Swat
district) can be easily covered in one and a half hours.
It is better to start
journey early in the morning. Although Bahrain market has been affected a lot
due to recent floods, you can still have breakfast in a tea stall in Bahrain
itself. The prices of restaurants in Bahrain Bazaar are reasonable compared to
other tourist areas of the country.
Beyond Bahrain, the road
has washed away due to recent floods at many places, but Kalam can still be
reached after 2 to 2.5 kilometers journey. Kalam Bazaar has good restaurants,
where local and non-local food are available at reasonable prices. Another
feature of Kalam Bazaar is that you can easily find everything you need.
Fasten Your Seat Belt
Fasten your seat belt when
you start your journey after having lunch and taking some rest. Beyond Kalam
comes a fork in the dense forest, from where a path leads to Atrur and Gujjar
Gabral. While the other flows through Mittaltan region to Mahodand Lake, Kundal
Shahi Lake (commonly known as Saifullah Lake), Donchar Falls and Sri Kalam
Lake.
What to see on the way to Sri Kalam Lake?
No doubt, that the journey
to Sri Kalam Lake is very difficult, but its memories leave an indelible
impression on the mind. On the way, the famous Glacier Chashma e Shifa (its
water is reputed to be a cure for many ailments), a lovely waterfall falling
down from a high mountain, and the sight of highest peak ‘Falk Ser’ attract the
tourists.
Falk Ser is the highest
peak in Swat with an elevation of 5,985 meters (19,638 feet). Recently it has
been summited by 2 young mountaineers from Swat, Syed Zeeshan Umar and Seth
Nauman Khalil.
Before them, a climbing
team from Lahore had won the honor of being the first Pakistani team to reach
the summit. Ahmed Mujtaba, Adnan Salim and Hamza Anis were included in this
team.
Where to spend the night?
So many places can be
found to spend the night, but two places will be the best. The first place is Mahodand
Lake while the second is Kundal Shai Lake (Saifullah Lake). Both the
lakes look almost the same. Mahodand is a bit bigger, but Kundal Shahi Lake is
cleaner and more beautiful.
Mahodand is always crowded
with the tourists. But tourists leave their garbage on the lake on their way
back from a picnic or a day out. Similarly, tea stalls and restaurant operators
in Mahodand also do not take special care of cleanliness due to which tourists
want to spend night in Kundal Shahi.
There is Panghal Lake
beyond Kundal Shahi, on the bank of which one can spend the night comfortably
by pitching a tent. Lake Panghal is much bigger than Mahodand and Kundal Shahi
in terms of size.
The third place to spend
night is Donchar Falls. There are also shepherds' huts. Spending the night
pitching a tent between Donchar Falls and the emerald waters of Swat River is
also a unique experience.
Next day's Program
If the night is spent at Mahodand
Lake, the next day breakfast should be plentiful as the journey ahead is on
foot and requires patience. On the banks of Lake Panghal, a path emerges for
onward journey.
There is a 10 minute
walking distance between Mahodand and Kundal Shahi which can also be reached by
car. Then there is a 10-minute walk to Lake Panghal beyond Kundal Shahi.
Kalam to Panghal is a 3 to
3.5 hour drive with the help of 4x4 vehicle. Beyond Lake Panghal, one can
easily reach Donchar Falls after 2-hour walking. This is a great place to take
photos. The water falling from above makes so much noise that the ear cannot
hear the sound.
Donchar Falls is also
called Chagho Falls by locals. The word Chagho is called 'scream' in Urdu. A wooden bridge will be
seen along the way. Crossing it, a waterfall can be seen in the distance, the
spray of which is seen flying far away.
Capture it with the eye of
camera and move forward that the destination is still far away. Sri Kalam Lake
can be reached after about 7 hours of walking from Mahodand or Kundal Shahi.
How is hiking up to Sri Kalam?
The hike up to Sri Kalam
Lake gets progressively tougher. The first 3 hours of hiking is normal. It does
not have to face big stones (boulders) while there is a patient phase ahead.
A dozen or so waterfalls
invite visitors along the way. Beyond Donchar Falls, the grazing grounds of Sri
Kalam Lake begin, where local people bring their livestock to graze and live in
mud huts. This area is most suitable for camping as there are no beasts or
dangerous wild animals.
Why the name ‘Sri Kalam’?
This place is the end of
Kalam; hence we call it Sri Kalam. From here onwards the boundaries of Kalam
ends.
Best time to visit Sri Kalam Lake
The period from mid-May to
mid-September is the best time to visit this lake. Since the lake is in alpine
zone, the peaks around it are devoid of forests. There are no trees or bushes
near the lake. Its elevation is about 3,663 meters (12,017 feet) above sea
level.
Sri Kalam Lake has several characteristics, the first of which is that the lake looks like a heart. The second feature is that this lake is situated between snowy peaks and the third feature is that one can spend night by pitching a tent on its banks.
Also visit:
👉 Bashigram Lake of Madyan Swat Valley
👉 Swat Valley: Cradle of History and Civilization
Please share your
experience with us in comments box, if you visited natural heart-shaped lake "Sri Kalam Lake" of
Swat.
Please share your experience in Comments Box, if you visited any Tourist Place in Pakistan.