Pine Forest behind Mahudand Lake (Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa)
Area around Mahudand Lake covers with dense pine forest, which makes the beauty of its landscape more attractive and fascinating. Behind the Mahudand Lake, layers of pine trees with snow-covered mountains and shadows of clouds attract a number of tourists around the World.
About Mahodand Lake
The Mahodand Lake is located in the Hindukush Range at the height of 9,603 feet, in Upper Ushu Valley in Swat. It is a beautiful and large-sized lake surrounded by meadows, mountains, and pine forests. The main sources of its water are glaciers in the Hindukush Range. It is located at the distance of 37 km from Kalam, a hill station in Swat.
The beauty of the Mahodand Lake is the pine forest and pastures behind it. It gives greenish touch to lake within the bluish waters of the lake. In the pine forest, you can camp for night to observe the golden moon rays touching the silver water of the Mahodand Lake. In summer season, the surrounding of lake is also filled with the alpine flowers, which add a more charming effect in the structure of the Mahodand Lake. The water of lake is the main source of the Ushu Khwar, which is the main tributary of the River Swat. The lake water is divided into various size streams, which are the homeland of the trout fish. Then these stream merge again into the large Ushu River. In winter season, the water of lake freezes and a layer of height snow covers it totally.
You can hire a jeep from kalam for a full day adventure in Ushu Valley and the Mahodand Lake. Jeeps are available from Kalam, but have to bargain with them to avoid extra jeep charges. The best time to start your journey toward the Mahodand Lake is morning around 7pm, otherwise it becomes difficult to get the full adventures in the Ushu Valley and Mahodand Lake.
It is the best place for fishing and camping. After a 2 to 3 hours journey, fishing here will be relaxation activity for you. You can observe cool breeze with light waves in the bluish waters of the lake. The breeze coming from the glacier sides becomes more cold, so sometimes you have to wear jacket in summer season too. The hot sizzling trout fish can be a source of warmness that your body need there. Eating trout within the healthy atmosphere of lack with a broader view of the Mahodand Lake with series of pine trees and snow-covered peaks in the background, will be the memorable days of your life.
Boating is real enjoyment of any lake and a way of touching the inner waters of the lake. At Mahodand lake, you can also enjoy the same. The added beauty of this trip, is the observing the closest view of the pine jungle behind the lake as well as the melting glaciers. Touching the water gives you the sense of coolness hidden inside the glaciers. You can also see moving swarm of brown and rainbow trout fish there in the crystal clear water of the Mahodand Lake.
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