The lakes
Peaks reflected.
Uzair889 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Waterpull — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Imran Ashraf — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mudassir005 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tipuabdul — CC BY-SA 3.0
Naltar Valley is a forested mountain valley about 34 km from the city of Gilgit in northern Pakistan, known for its three alpine lakes, Strangi, Blue Lake and Bodlok, and its mountain scenery. It lies about 30 km in a straight line from central Gilgit. The valley holds the villages of Naltar Bala and Naltar Paain, linked to Gilgit by the Naltar Expressway via Nomal and Faizabad. The Naltar Wildlife Sanctuary was established here on 22 November 1975, with montane conifer forest higher up and mixed forest lower down. Fast white rivers rush between pine and juniper, and snowy peaks are mirrored in the lakes. In summer the valley turns to green meadows and terraced fields, in autumn birch and poplar turn gold, and in winter skiers arrive. The track to the upper valley is rough, so travel by four-wheel drive with a local driver. Bring warm layers, as evenings turn cold fast.
Peaks reflected.
Rivers rushing through.
Golden leaves.
Near Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
By 4x4 from Gilgit via Nomal.
Summer and autumn, or winter for skiing.