Pakistan is one of those countries, who are naturally gifted, with several mountain ranges, plateaus, deserts, glaciers, rivers, lakes, and various coastal areas. Ansoo Lake is one of them, which is situated in Manoor Valley, Kaghan Valley in the Mansehra District of the KPK province of Pakistan.
This lake is considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. The name Ansoo means teardrop, which comes from its tear-like shape, just like resembles a human eye with a central ice island resembling the iris and a ridge resembling an eyebrow. Ansoo Lake is considered among one of the highest lakes of the Himalayas, situated near Malika Parbat, the highest mountain of Kaghan Valley.
In the summer, when the ice melts, it got more prominent. However, this beautiful lake was partially destroyed in the 2005 massive earthquake. Ansoo Lake was discovered by a Pakistan Air Force Pilot who was flying low in this area. Before that, local peoples were not even known about it. As far as staying at Ansoo Lake, no facilities are available here. The tourists use to stay here in camp. The weather is freezing and windy, surrounding mountains. It is highly risky to stay suggested by local people.
The Ansoo Lake has two approaches; the first one is a short but steeper trek from Saif-ul-Mulook. It takes over 7 to 9 hours round trip to reach Ansoo Lake. The trek is covered with snow in most parts of the year. The best time to trek is July till mid-August. The optimal time to set off for the lake from Saiful Mulook is around 06:00 in the morning, in order to return before sunset. Horses and guides can also be hired from the Lake Saiful Mulook.
Sometimes, Ansoo Lake is not visible due to dense fog or rain. But you will enjoy the breathtaking views during trekking. This trek can be separated into two halves. The first part is through a valley alongside a river to the base camp of Malika Parbat. The second steeper part is from the base camp of Malika Parbat to Ansoo Lake.
The Ansoo Lake is located in the far-off deserted and particularly difficult areas; thus, it can become unsafe if one is not fully equipped and need proper guidance and planning as there are no lodging facilities available. Therefore, camping is the only available solution, but it is so windy and ice-cold out there that one has to be really prepared to camp.
The second trek to Ansoo Lake begins in a village named Mahandri, located about 40 kilometers to the south of Naran. So, turning left from Mahandri Bazar, a jeep track leads to Village Manoor. This majestic valley offers attractive views. Make sure, vehicles cannot proceed farther from here. 6 to 7 hours of trek brings one to a green meadow called “Dher”. From here the trek becomes steeper. After 3 to 4 hours of the trek from Dher at a height of about 16500 feet, Ansoo Lake becomes visible.
There is no risk-free way to reach lake waters because it lies in the crater with steep, snow-covered walls. There is no apparent drainage of lake water, and no one ever tried to explore it because of its dangerous approach and limited resources in that area.
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