Assalam-o-Alaikum, everyone! How are you all? I hope you’re all doing well.
Today, I’d like to tell you about a lake called Blind Lake, which is located in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
During my recent trip to Skardu, as part of my travel journey, I also visited Blind Lake. You can call it a small hidden lake, as not many people know about this place. We actually found th
e route to it through Google Maps, and luckily, we were able to find our way there.
If you’re starting your journey from Skardu, the route takes you towards Sarfaranga, crossing the Chomok Bridge. Once you reach Sarfaranga Desert, you cross the desert as well, and the road towards Shigar Valley is on the same route.
After around 45 minutes to an hour, you’ll come across a turning point where you take a left towards the lake. From there, the paved road turns into an unpaved, slightly uphill road. We drove for another 15–20 minutes, and along the way, you get to see some absolutely breathtaking scenery.
On one side, you can enjoy views of the Indus River, and as you continue driving, you’ll eventually come across the Shigar River as well. Along the way, you’ll see different animals, beautiful landscapes, and stunning valley views. And after enjoying all these beautiful sights, you eventually arrive at Blind Lake.
Once you reach Blind Lake, you have to pay an entry ticket. The main activity there is boating. You can either choose pedal boating or the traditional type of boating where you row the boat by hand.
I think the boating costs around PKR 3,000–4,000, and then you can start your boating experience.
We chose the pedal boat, and it was honestly so much fun! We really enjoyed it. The boat can accommodate two people, just like you can see in the pictures. It’s a cute yellow boat designed like a duck or swan, and my husband and I sat in it and pedaled our way around the lake.
We spent around 10–15 minutes boating, and the experience was really enjoyable. The lake isn’t very deep, and life jackets are provided, so you can wear one and enjoy the activity comfortably without worrying.
There’s also a small snack shop there where you can grab some snacks and refreshments, such as chips, juice, and other little things to enjoy during your visit.
Speaking about my overall experience, I had a really wonderful time at Blind Lake. It’s such a peaceful place where you can enjoy a lot of silence and tranquility, and because it’s a hidden spot, it doesn’t get very crowded.
First of all, exploring a lesser-known place itself feels like an adventure, so the journey was quite exciting. Once we reached the lake, we could simply relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Of course, I also took quite a lot of pictures to capture the memories, which made the experience even more special.
It was definitely a different kind of experience because the place was less crowded, and the boats were also really fun and unique. They weren’t the usual boring boats you see everywhere—they were these cute, funky-looking boats, which made boating even more enjoyable!
Overall, it was such a lovely experience, and we had a great time.
Another great thing is that the journey isn’t too long. It’s not like you have to drive for 8–9 hours just to reach the destination. From Skardu, it takes around an hour to an hour and a half at most, so you don’t get overly tired. You can enjoy the whole trip and still make it back home comfortably and on time. The journey isn’t too exhausting or draining, which makes it a really nice option for a short day trip.
