Lower Kachura Lake | Shangrila Lake
Lower Kachura Lake, also known as “Shangrila Lake” is a beautiful lake located in Sakardu District of Gilgit-Baltistan. This lake is located within the Shangrila Resort. Shangrila is the charming valley of Pakistan which smiles at the foot of mountains.
Shangrila Lake is a beautiful lake in the northern region of Pakistan, which is twenty minutes’ drive from Sakardu city. One of the beauties of Shangrila Lake is that a very attractive hotel / tourist resort has been built on its banks which is the best accommodation for tourists visiting here.
Shangrila Resort was built in 1983 and it was the first tourist resort of Sakardu-Baltistan. The clear water of this lake, beautiful views and pleasant weather are no less than a blessing for the tourists.
The Shangrila Lake, endowed with the beauty of Dev Malai, occupies a unique place in the world. The masterpieces of nature are scattered around Shangrila Lake in such a way that the whole area looks like a paradise.
Summer-struck citizens from different parts of the country come to enjoy the mesmerizing views of Shangrila. Snowy mountains everywhere, greenery and coolness are no less than a miracle for tourists.
Domestic and foreign tourists along with their families make the green fields of Shangrila their abode. Women and children enjoy boating in the lake water. People capture the ship statue on Shangrila Lake in photographs.
By attracting people from all over the world to a natural habitat like Shangrila, huge foreign exchange can be earned along with promoting tourism.
Shangrila! Paradise on Earth by Nature
Gilgit-Baltistan, such a huge land, every color, every valley is its own example in its beauty and charm, where even the river Indus, roaring from the mountains, is not allowed to be insolent.
Leaving Sakardu, the Gilgit-Sakardu road is about 25 km along the Indus River. Surrounded by mountains, the charming, peaceful and serene Kachura Valley offers peace as if one were sitting in heaven. The raging Indus River, foaming through narrow gorges and mountains, calms down on reaching here as if it has found its destination. The bluish raging Indus River, quietly flow away.
The tranquil valley lies at the foothills of Kachura Mountains. The paradise of smiling world, Shangrila, is a heart-shaped lake, also known as Lower Kachura Lake, between the mountains.
Restuarant at Shangrila Lake
Brigadier Islam Khan, the first commander of Northern Scouts who fought the freedom war against Dogars in 1948, established the first restaurant in Baltistan called Shangrila in 1983, due to which the area is known as Shangrila in the world.
Shangrila is a Chinese word meaning 'Heaven on Earth'. Shangrila is named after James Hilton's book 'Lost Horizon'. British writer James Hilton wrote the famous novel Last Horizon in 1934. In this novel, a ship crashes in the snowy mountains. The travelers are fortunately safe, and after wandering for several days in the snowy valleys, reach La Ma Sarai in the Shangrila Valley of Mount Caracal.
Caracal literally means Blue Moon. Due to this, Shangrila was also called the Blue Moon Valley. Lama Sarai is called a Buddhist monastery. The lamas are educated and trained here. The accommodation and food facilities are provided here for the travelers and guests. The building of Shangrila Resort is also based on Chinese architecture, such as the lakeside Buddhist temple.
Story of Sakardu's crashed Plane
A crashed plane is also parked on the Shangrila's lawn. Orient Air Liner's DC-3 aircraft crash-landed in the Indus River after taking off from Sakardu. Brigadier Islam Khan bought the defunct aircraft for one and a half hundred rupees. It took almost three months to drag it from the crash site. Now it is a coffee shop at Shangrila Lake.
The green areas of Shangrila Resort are spread around half of the shores of Lower Kachura Lake. On a platform built in water of the lake, the dining hall has a beautiful pagoda-like building with glass walls. The water of Shangrila Lake is very clear. Fishes can be easily seen in it.
Blue Moon Valley ‘Shangrilas’
The Blue Moon Valley of James Hilton's famous novel ‘The Lost Horizon’ gave birth to many Shangrilas in the world. Being captivated by James Hilton's Shangrila, American President Roosevelt named the US President's official resort Shangrila. President Eisenhower named it Camp David in 1953.
Shangrila Lake of Sakardu has a unique place in the world due to its beauty. Located in Sakardu, the world's unique natural lake Shangrila is a masterpiece of natural beauty all around. Citizens from different parts of the country are camping in the chilly air of Shangrila due to heat stress. The beautiful Shangrila Lake occupies a unique place in the world.
The masterpieces of nature are scattered around the Shangrila Lake in such a way that the whole area looks like a paradise. The heat-stressed citizens from different parts of the country enjoy the mesmerizing views of Shangrila. Snowy mountains everywhere, greenery and coolness are no less than a miracle for the tourists.
Please share your experience with us in Comments box, if you visited Shangrila Lake (Lower Kachura Lake) of Sakardu, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Please share your experience in Comments Box, if you visited any Tourist Place in Pakistan.