Lower Kachura Lake

Quick facts

• Height above sea level: 8,200 ft (about 2,500 m)
• Nearest city: Skardu — About 20–25 km (about 30–40 minutes by road)
• Summer (Jun–Aug): 12°C to 28°C
• Winter (Dec–Feb): -10°C to 4°C

Famous for: Also called Shangrila Lake, a heart-shaped lake inside the Shangrila Resort, known for its red-roofed cottages, gardens and a café built inside an old aircraft fuselage.

Lower Kachura Lake, popularly known as Shangrila Lake, sits at an elevation of 2,500 meters in the Skardu Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan. Known for its clear turquoise waters, peaceful reflection of surrounding high peaks, and lush apricot orchards, it is framed by the distinctive red-roofed chalets of the Shangrila Resort. A notable feature of the lakeside complex is a unique restaurant set inside the fuselage of an aircraft that crash-landed nearby. The lake is a prime destination in Skardu for boating, lakeside photography, and relaxing mountain views.