Haramosh Valley & Kutwal Lake Trek Guide
30th June 2019
The magnificent Haramosh Valley offers some of the most picturesque views in the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan. Hikers pass through diverse terrains with ever-changing views in a relatively short hike. The popular destination for this hike is the Kutwal Lake, but there is more to be seen beyond it.
Jump to:
- Hike Overview
- Trip Overview
- How to Reach
- Hike to Kutwal Village
- Camping
- Hike to Kutwal Lake
- Equipment
Hike Overview
- Hike Difficulty: Moderate
- Trail Length : 19 km (12 mi)
- Typical Hike Duration (One-way): 8 to 11 Hours
- Trail Head: Dasu
- Lake Altitude: 3,310 m ( 10,860 ft)
- Hike Season: June to October
- Campsite: Kutwal Village
- Guide: Available from Sassi
- Porters: Available from Sassi
- Car Parking: Available at Sassi
Note: Preserving nature for future generations is the responsibility of every tourist / hiker. Please DO NOT LITTER, DO NOT DRAW GRAFFITI, DO NOT CUT TREES.
Trip Overview & Itinerary
Day | Time | Journey | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
Day 0 / Day 1 | 10:00pm to 03:00pm (+1) | ![]() Islamabad to Sassi (via Babusar) |
17 hours |
10:00pm to 08:00pm (+1) | ![]() Islamabad to Sassi (via KKH) |
22 hours | |
Day 2 | 08:00am to 09:15am | ![]() Sassi to Dasu |
75 mins |
10:00am to 04:00pm | ![]() Dasu to Kutwal Village |
6 hours | |
Day 3 | 07:00am to 09:00am | ![]() Kutwal Village to Kutwal Lake |
2 hours |
09:30am to 12:00pm | ![]() Kutwal Lake to Base Camp |
2.5 hours | |
12:30pm to 04:00pm | ![]() Base Camp to Kutwal Village |
3.5 hours | |
Day 4 | 07:00am to 11:00pm | ![]() Kutwal Village to Dasu |
4 hours |
11:30pm to 12:30pm | ![]() Dasu to Sassi |
75 mins | |
02:00pm to 07:00pm | ![]() Sassi to Chilas |
5 hours | |
Day 5 | 08:00am to 08:00pm | ![]() Chilas to Islamabad (via Babusar) |
12 hours |
06:00am to 11:00pm | ![]() Chilas to Islamabad (via KKH) |
17 hours |
How to Reach Haramosh Valley?
By Car
The Haramosh Valley is accessed through the town of Sassi which is located on the Gilgit-Skardu road. Haramosh Valley's distance from Islamabad is 492 km on the Babusar route and 583 km on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) route.
Set-off from Islamabad on the Peshawer Motorway (M-1). Turn onto Hazara Motorway (M-15) from the Hazara Interchange and head towards Mansehra. From Mansehra, there are possibly two options depending upon the situation at Babusar pass.
In the hike season (June to September) the Babusar pass, which is high altitude mountain pass connecting the Kaghan Valley with Gilgit-Baltistan, is open for traffic. For the rest of the year, the pass is buried in snow as high as 12 ft and is henceforth closed for traffic.
When the Babusar pass is open it offers a shorter route to Gilgit-Baltistan and is undoubtedly the preferred choice. In this case you should turn towards Naran from Mansehra. The pass is located 186 km from Mansehra and takes about 6 hours to reach. The entire route is surrounded by green mountians and the temperature is cool. The pass itself offers beauitful views of the valleys beneath. On the other side of the pass the road will join the Karakoram Highway (KKH) near the town of Chilas.
If, however, the Babusar pass is closed then your only other option is to turn towards Besham from Mansehra and join the Karakoram Highway (KKH). This route has a very poor road condition and its considerably longer, about 5 hours more, but it is open throughout the year. The weather on the KKH is hot and the surrounding mountains are barren.
The section of KKH from Chilas to Raikot is a 90 min stretch of rough surface running parallel to the lndus river on the left. At the Raikot bridge you will move to the left of the lndus river and from there onwards the road conditon drastically improves. Suddenly you can drive at speeds of upto 100 km/h with ease.
A little while later you will come to a point from where the enormous Nanga Parbat (8,166 m) is visible to your right.
Further up the road you will reach Skardu morr from where you must turn right towards Skardu. You will once again cross to the other side of the river and drive for a further 2 hours to Sassi on a rough road.
Sassi is the first town on this road. Here you will check into your hotel for the night.
By Public Transport
Faizabad and Pir Wadhai Morr are the main bus stations in Islamabad / Rawalpindi. From here you should get a bus for Skardu which passes by Sassi. You then disembark at Sassi after about 20 -22 hours on the road.
By Air
Nearest airport to Haramosh Valley is the Gilgit airport which only operates domestic flights. Gilgit to Haramosh Valley's distance is about 66 km which is convenient. Upon landing at Gilgit airport, take a taxi or a ride-hailing app such as Careem or Uber to the local bus station. From there, get a bus for Skardu which passes by Sassi. Disembark at Sassi after about 4-5 hours on the road.
Jeep Track to Haramosh Valley
From Sassi you will board a jeep and head to the trail head. Although jeep rides in the Pakistani mountains are rarely enjoyable, this one is an exception.
The Haramosh Valley jeep track will initially start off as a treacherous path, but it will soon turn into a pleasant ride through beautiful mountain villages. These villages have abundant blueberry and apricot trees and if you are in an open-top jeep, you will be able to pick fresh blueberries and apricots straight from the trees without even stopping.
The jeep journey takes about 75 mins after which you reach the trail head at Dasu.
Hike to Kutwal Village
After disembarking from the jeeps, you will carry on forward on the same path. The wide jeep track gradually becomes narrow into a pedestrain trail. On your right there is a small water stream flowing to the villages below.
Verly early on the trail you will come across a waterfall on the right. Soon after there is a section which is prone to rock sliding. This short section of approximately 50 m must be crossed vigilantly.
The trail first leads to Iskere village where locals can be seen going about there daily chores. You will also come across many fruit bearing trees here.
You may have to cross a couple of snow / ice patches along the trail. These must be crossed with great care, because a slip here can be very costly.
Keep following the trail across the regularly changing sceneries. At one point, you even have to cross over across a water stream using a wooden plank that serves as a bridge. Crossing the raging water using this plank is an experience in of itself.
Camping
After hiking for about 5 to 6 hours, the trail becomes flat and you reach a series of beautiful open meadows. After about another hour or so, you reach the campsite which is located next to the very small Kutwal village. This is where you will camp for the night. You must bring all camping gear with yourself as there are no facilities available at the campsite. Ice cold water is available from a small water stream running along one side of the campsite.
The campsite offers great views of several surrounding snowcapped peaks such as the Haramosh Peak, Bilchar Dobani and Laila Peak.
Haramosh Valley weather, as with any other high altitude destination, can change rapidly at night. The temperature can drop quite a fair bit hence it is recommended to use a good quality sleeping bag with a temperature range of at most O°C.
Available Facilities at Campsite
Facilities | Availability |
---|---|
Tents | ![]() |
Water | ![]() |
Food | ![]() |
Toilet | ![]() |
Phone Signals | ![]() |
Hike to Kutwal Lake
The following morning you will continue the trek towards Kutwal Lake which is located a further 2 hours away.
The hike from the campsite to the lake is the climax of the entire trip. The surroundings views change after about every 20 mins. The most jawdropping section is one where you trek through a vast open green meadow bordered by the dark grey of the incredibly close mountains.
A little while later you are surrounded by short trees which constantly emanate little particles floating off into the air, creating an almost magical environment.
After passing the trees you gain some elevation. Here, if you turn around and look the way you came, you will see the meadows and the tree patch and the magnificent Bilchar Dobani (6,143 m) in the backdrop. The enormity of the mountain makes this scene indescribably mesmerising.
The final approach to the lake consists of a gradual climb. The lake comes into view down below a steep slope. The lake does not have any inflow or outflow, and hence seems to be the result of precipitation alone. Kutwal Lake's height is 3,310 m.
For anyone wondering about how to reach Kutwal Lake, you basically have to trek through scenes so amazing that the lake itself might not seem as appealing in the end. You can hike further beyond the lake towards the base of the mountains where there is an enormous glacier.
Equipment
Having the right equipment and gear is essential for an enjoyable hiking experience. Check out the list of recommended hiking gear.