Photo: GB TourismField guides / Baltistan Division / Skardu & Baltistan / Sadpara Lake
Field guide · Nature
Baltistan Division
Skardu District · Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Sadpara Lake
A 4 km² lake at 2,600 m above Skardu, fed by snowmelt from Deosai, with an island in the middle.
Satpara (Sadpara) Lake lies at about 2,600 m just above Skardu. It covers about 4 km² with an island in the middle, fed by snowmelt from the Deosai Plains, and its only outlet, the Satpara stream, waters the Skardu valley on its way to the Indus.
Why go
- ✦An island in the middle of the lake
- ✦Fed by snowmelt from Deosai
- ✦Trout in the lake
- ✦Just above Skardu
About
Tradition says the Balti king Ali Sher Khan Anchan dammed the lake, and his queen Mandok Gyalmo took a stream from it to water her gardens. The modern Satpara Dam downstream has since enlarged it. Brown and rainbow trout, introduced here, live in the lake.
How to Reach
Just above Skardu on the road to the Deosai Plains.
Responsible Travel
Use Leave No Trace principles, carry out all rubbish, avoid disturbing wildlife and livestock, and respect private/community land.
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, May to October.
Getting there, Just above Skardu on the road to the Deosai Plains.
Allow, One to two hours, or a stop on the way to Deosai.
What to Do
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Sadpara Lake, within 5 km.
