How To Get To Kandol Lake From Kalam

Untouched Swat

As Lahore and Karachi steadily see a large tick in the number of tourists, places like Swat Valley remain untouched. Deep within the mountains at the once-popular resort town of Kalam, sights such as Kandol Lake (Kundol) and Kumrat Valley are names that are well known in Swat. Although regarded as some of the most breathtaking sites in the entire region, these virgin areas exist in a paradise, unchanged by time.

Traveling in Swat Valley and visiting Kandol Lake is an adventure in every sense of the word. Although you will find a well-trodden path to most of the famous sites in Swat, many of the trails are only know by the local nomads and shepherds. When you set off in the morning to hike some mountain pass or make a pilgrimage to a sanctuary in the wilderness, there is no guarantee you will make it. With landslides and lack of transportation, a lot is in the hands of God.

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Tribal Wars

From Mingora all the way past Kalam, it is obvious that Pakistan is preparing for its tourism boom by repairing old crumbling roads and carving new ones out of the mountainside. But no matter how many smooth winding highways are laid down in Swat Valley, it won’t change the fact that the region is run by various clans who are prone to getting into small conflicts over land.

If you are wanting to travel to Kundol Lake from Kalam, you will first have to go to Utrar. Although a mere 17.5 km away, getting to this town is next to impossible. For several years Kalam and Utrar have been in a cold war over grasslands nestled high up in the mountains. For grazing of herds and the tourist potential, both of these towns have laid claim to the fields. But rather than dealing with this conflict head-on, Utrar and Kalam have ceased all communication and public transport along Utrar Road.

Due to this tribal conflict, travelers visiting Kundol are left with 2 options: hiving a taxi for 2,000 PKR (13 USD) or roll the dice by hitchhiking your way to Utrar.

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How To Get To Utrar

With no end in sight to the tribal conflict between Kalam and Utrar, your options are severely limited on how to get to Kandol Lake. The most straight forward option is to simply hire a taxi to take you directly to the shores of the lake. This, however, takes all of the enjoyment of exploring the unspoiled lush nature of Swat.

After asking around Kalam, you will come to find out that the owner of a local restaurant known as Cafe De Jan’s (+92 333 5399939) actually owns Kandol Lake. You could always try your luck, see if you can’t strike up a friendship with Jan and get a ride up to the lake.

Your last and final option is to set out early from Kalam and stick out your thumb by the side of the road. Believe it or not, hitchhiking in Pakistan is much easier than you would think.

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Hitchhiking to Utrar

From Kalam, the earlier you set out the better. With no guarantee of a ride to Utrar and a 3-hour hike to Kundol Lake, you will want to be sure you are not left stumbling your way back to town in the dark. As you put one foot in front of the other, with a belly full of chai, your lonely walk begins on the side of the road, waiting for some kind soul to give you a lift. Being Pakistan, you won’t be alone for that long!

From small compact cars to the colorful rattling beastly trucks, you are sure to find someone who will be willing to squeeze you into their cab. This is the perfect experience, not only to Pakistani hospitality but to ride in one of those ornate monsters of the road. Although Pakistani trucks are beautiful to behold, you may begin to question if you can walk faster than these enormous machines.

If you happen to find a car it will take you a mere 30 minutes to Utrar, these dump trucks, however, chug down the highway at a snail’s pace. This taking you nearly an hour and a half to reach Utrar.

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The Start of the Trail

Depending on how the gods may be favoring you, you should be arriving in Utrar in the late morning. Unlike other villages throughout Swat, Utrar seems to be a lively town with a bustling bazaar. It could possibly be an option to stay overnight in Utrar and start the trek to Kundol the following day.

If you are looking to make a day trip from Kalam to Kundol Lake, you will have no time to waste exploring the town. There is a hydro plant a little way up the road in Ladu Valley towards the lake. Many locals may be willing to give you a ride up to the plant before you have to start hoofing it up to Kandol.

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Into The Valley

One of the popular landmarks that signify you are on the right track towards Kundol Lake is the abandoned hotel on the left side of the valley. Some backpackers are known to pitch their tents and camp in the empty building before heading out early to hike up to the lake.

Despite what you may hear, nowadays the trail to Kundol Lake is well worn down with fire tracks and the boots of hikers. It is nearly impossible to get lost along this trek. There may be some times where you are left listening to nothing but the breeze tickling the leaves the trees, but no need to worry. As long as you follow the path, you will be led straight to the shores of Kundol.

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Meeting the Locals

Knowing about the tribal conflicts between Utrar and Kalam may have you a bit uneasy about meeting some of the locals of Swat Valley. The Pashtuns have somewhat of a bad reputation due to some hardline Islamist groups, quick temper, and conservative lifestyle. But after coming across some of the shepherds and nomads that call this valley home, you will feel part of the family in Swat.

In many ways, life has not changed for the residents of Ladu Valley for centuries. They are still tending to herds, sleeping in log cabins, and walking in the same steps as their ancestors. Armed with modern guns and traditional instruments, you will find a clash of modern flexes of power and a deeply rooted culture in the valley.

As a foreign tourist, you might as well be an alien in the eyes of the shepherds. Even though you may have obvious European features, locals will assume you are Chinese or some other nationality you obviously have no ties to. Being such an isolated people who seldom even see domestic tourists, foreigners trekking to Kandol Lake is almost unheard of.

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The Entrance To Kandol Lake

It wasn’t too long ago when the entire Kandol Lake region was free of all traces of human life. The only people you could find wandering the foot of the mountains were the herders and their families. As Pakistan ever so slowly continues to inch the doors open to their country, many opportunists are scooping up swaths of land preparing for the tourist boom.

Although you have been already walking for over an hour along the dirt trail, you will eventually come across a makeshift wooden booth and a barricade blocking the road.  The entrance fee to continue the hike to Kandol Lake is only 100 PKR (0.65), but it is only a matter of time before the ticket for foreigners shoots to astronomical prices. Being in such a remote region, far away from the nearest town, it is perplexing as to why they would bother erecting this checkpoint in the middle of nowhere.

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The Shepards of Swat Valley

Coming from the shack forcing tourists to fork over the entrance fee to Kandol Lake, you will have to face the most excruciating section of the trail. After nearly thirty minutes of periodic breaks to catch your breath between spurts of pushing your self to climb the steep incline, you will finally reach the last stretch of the hike before reaching the turquoise blue waters.

If the inline up the mountain didn’t slow you down, being stuck behind hundreds of sheep will. Most locals around Kandol Lake rely on their herds to make a living, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself trapped in a mass of goats. Being fed by glacial water, many shepherds will bring their flocks to Kandol Lake to drink and graze along the way. For now, you will be witnessing an unspoiled way of life. But one can’t help but wonder how the nomad’s world within the valley will change once more tourists make their way to Kandol.

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The First of the Lakes

After waking up at the crack of dawn, hitchhiking along the side of the road, venturing through the valley, crossing rivers, and climbing mountains, you will finally reach the shores of Kundol Lake. You will find a few makeshift benches built on top of the overlooking hill, but other than these planks of wood you will feel as if you are alone on the top of the world.

If you are not quite satisfied with just one lake, there is also Spinkhor Lake found a little furthermore off the beaten path. But if you have already made the journey from Kalam in the morning with no plans to stay overnight, it will be next to impossible to continue on the adventure to Spinkhor.

Another option, if you are short on time, is to hang around Kandol Lake and wait for some other tourists to show up. It may be possible to hitch a ride back into town with them. This will save you the peace of mind of having to both hike back to Utrar and the jumping into one of the slow-moving metal mammoths.

You would not be in Pakistan if you were not seeking out an adventure. And traveling to Kandol Lake is just that in every sense of the word. It is just the drastically changing landscapes and mountains draped in the snow that will make the journey to Kandol the trip of the lifetime. It is the characters you meet along the way who will leave those impressions that will stay with you for a lifetime.