Karambar Lake, also known as Qurumbar Lake is one of the most beautiful, pristine, and pure lakes of Pakistan. It is located in Ishkoman Valley, District Ghizer, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. It is the 31st highest lake in the world and falls in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region, which is one of the world’s richest biodiversity regions.
Some facts about Karambar Lake
- Surface elevation: 4,272 m
- Area: 2.634 km²
- Length: 3.9 km
- Mean depth: 52 m
- Width: 2 km
How to get there?
Karambar lake can be reached via Chitral through Yarkhun and Broghil valley as well as Gilgit. From Islamabad you go to Chitral and then to Mastuj. Journey from Mastuj to Brep is around 2 hours and Mastuj to Power is 3 ½ hours. From Power, Yarkhun valley, you move towards Lasht, Yarkhun, Broghil valley and Lashkargaz. Journey from Power to Lashkargaz is around 10 hours, if roads are open and from Mastuj to Lashkargaz is 12-14 hours depending on road conditions. In between there are towns of Lasht, Garail and Kishmanja. Roads are non-existent from Brep onwards. Most of the bridges were washed away by floods and we had to travel in the river and on washed off roads in order to cross Kishmanja. Once you cross the FC post at Kishmanja, the beautiful lush green valley of Broghil opens up. You also come across a great big glacier at Chiti Boi (and road leading to Chikar). Darkot pass and Broghil pass to Afghanistan and many other passes to Gilgit Baltistan can be seen here. Once you reach Lashkargaz, there is an FC post that will take your original CNIC and only return them to you once you return (NOC is mandatory for foreigners).
This is because the border with Afghanistan starts after this point and if you cross Wakhan Corridor, you can enter Tajikistan. We had lunch at Lasht, Yarkhun at a road side guest house. We had tea near Kishmanja again in a local place. There are no proper restaurants of Dhabas on the way to Broghil but you pass many villages where you can have tea. Broghil is a real beauty. It is full of lush green meadows, fields, fresh water streams and glaciers with mountain tops covered in snow even in summers. You must stop at a stream and at Chiti Boi glacier for rest and for refreshing you minds. We reached Lashkargaz guest house at night. It is at a height of 12000 feet and has very basic accommodation of two rooms for groups and one toilet in the yard. Air is very thin at this height and you may get sick (high altitude sickness) if you are not used to high altitudes. Headaches, chest pain, breathlessness, loss of appetite and nausea are common symptoms of high altitude mountain sickness and you must descend immdeiately if your condition worsens. The owners of guest house can arrange porters and horses for you for Karambar lake expedition, which is 6 ½ hours one way (23.5 kms one way) from Lashkargaz and you have to travel by foot or by horses from here onwards). Always hire a local jeep and driver if you are travelling to Broghil.
Lashkargaz (12000 feet) to Karambar lake (14100 feet). This is the real adventure part of the trip! You have to leave Lashkargaz early since the trip is around 13 hours (round trip). You leave your Jeep behind since from now on, there is only hiking (or horse riding). Karambar lake is at a height of 14100 feet (4300 meters) and is 23.5 kms one way from Lashkargaz. You gain a height of over 2000 feet in 6 hours and the air is very thin. The journey is picturesque. You must leave Lashkargaz by 7:00 or 7:30 am to reach Karambar lake by 2 pm. On the way there are many glaciers (biggest one is Chiantar glacier), many fresh water streams to relax by and drink water, many small lakes (Lashkargaz lakes) as you gradually ascend the height while travelling on lush green meadows. You will see many golden marmots on the way whistling by when you pass them by! There are yaks and other animals grazing on the pastures. The valley (or plateau) reminded me of Deosai since it is exactly like Deosai but at a higher altitude. We intended to spend the night at Karambar, but once we reached there, it was extremely cold and windy. So very rightly we decided to come back to Lashkargaz. We left Karambar lake at 4 pm (after about 90-minute stay) and reached Lashkargaz at 9:30 pm. Round journey was 13 hours (47 kms) of hiking and horse riding. It was pitch dark and very windy and cold on return journey but we had warm jackets and our guides and porters made our journey in the dark easy as they knew the right track and had flash lights with them.
Karambar is a clean lake with blue tinge (just like Sheosar). Karambar is second highest alpine lake of Pakistan (after Rush lake) at a height of 14100 feet (4300 meters). Pure glacial water and no pollution makes it very attractive (since there are very few visitors to this remote lake that is extremely difficult to reach and according to locals, many people return without reaching the lake itself). So please, if you visit Karambar (or any other place) do not leave rubbish behind and keep the place neat and clean and bring all the wrappers and empty containers back with you. Karambar lake is actually situated in Ghizer district of Gilgit Baltistan, so you travel from Upper Chitral, Lashkargaz and cross in to GB to reach Karambar. You can enter Chapursan valley through Chilinji pass into Gilgit Baltistan but this route is very difficult and technical. And also, you are not allowed to go in to Gilgit Baltistan though these routes since your CNIC is with the Chitral Scouts and you can only collect them on your way back from Broghil! All your journey from Lashkargaz to Karambar is at border with Afghanistan, which is stone throw away! And 6.5 kms from the border (Wakhan corridor) is Tajikistan. Enjoy the pictures and keep your country clean and green.
Location
| Karambar Lake |
| Open 24 Hours |