GILGITGILGIT-BALTISTAN· 36.16°N 74.18°E
Naltar Valley
Pine forests and famously coloured lakes above Gilgit — with ski slopes in winter and alpine walks in summer.
Overview
Naltar is an alpine valley a jeep-ride above Nomal on the Karakoram Highway, close to Gilgit. Unusually for Gilgit-Baltistan it is thickly forested with pine, and above the trees lie meadows, snow peaks and a group of intensely coloured lakes.
In winter Naltar is one of Pakistan's best-known ski destinations; in summer the same slopes are green pasture and the lakes draw day-trippers from Gilgit. The mix of forest, snow and water makes it feel quite different from the bare high country nearby.
Suited for
- Families
- Photographers
- Winter sports
- Nature
Good to know
- Best time to visit
- Summer for the lakes; winter for snow & skiing
- Suggested duration
- A day-trip or overnight from Gilgit
- Getting there
- By jeep track above Nomal on the Karakoram Highway
- Altitude
- ≈ 2,900 m (approx.)
Popular places to explore
The most beautiful and worthwhile places in and around Naltar Valley.
Naltar Lakes
Intensely coloured alpine lakes set among pine forest.
The Naltar Lakes are a group of intensely coloured alpine lakes — often simply called the Blue Lake and its neighbours — set among pine forest above the Naltar valley near Gilgit. Fed by snowmelt, their water shifts through turquoise, blue and green depending on the light and season. Reaching them usually means a jeep ride and a short walk beyond Naltar village, and the forested setting — unusual for Gilgit-Baltistan — makes the valley feel quite different from the bare high country nearby. The lakes are a favourite summer day-trip and one of the most photogenic corners of the Gilgit district.
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Representative imageNaltar Ski Slopes
One of Pakistan's best-known ski areas, deep in pine and snow.
Naltar is home to one of Pakistan's best-known ski slopes, used for national competitions and run with the help of the armed forces. In the cold months the pine-covered valley fills with snow and the higher meadows become ski runs; in summer the same slopes are green pasture. The valley's mix of forest, snow and alpine lakes makes it a genuine year-round destination — skiing and snow in winter, lakes and walking in summer. It lies a jeep-ride above Nomal on the Karakoram Highway, a straightforward trip from Gilgit.
Unsplash — free under the Unsplash License
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