Dudipat Lake Trek Route:
1)Islamabad/Rawalpindi to Naran
TDCP coaches leave for Naran from Flashman’s Hotel in tourist season. Other option is to reach Mansehra from where public vans are available for Naran.
2)Naran to Besal
Private jeep. 2 to 3 hours, depending on road and snow conditions
3)Besal to Mulla Ki Basti
Trekking. 4 to 6 hours
4)Mulla Ki Basti to Dudipat Lake
Trekking About one hour
Route Map to Dudipat Lake
We (Ahmad,Junaid,Umer,Amir & Faraz)were not expecting many visitors at Besal. It was anticipated that due to the unpropitious security conditions there will be a little interaction with other tourists. But when our jeep ceased at the only inn in Besal, we visually perceived several groups of youngsters and two jeeps standing outside. We impatiently jumped out and entered the inn. This four-hours scrambling over the stony and muddy jeep trek in integration to frequent dihydrogen monoxide crossings was a strenuous adventure.
This road side inn with simple woodwork was a typical Kaghan valley staying point. The climate was congenial infect marginally cooler, so we wore light jackets. All three of us fell on the traditional flat platform built for rest and dine. It was Bashir, the jeep driver who asked the waiter to accommodate some pabulum. A lunch of Red Beans and sultry Chapat is was accommodated in a little while. Subsequently, the sultry tea enabled us to realize why authentically we are here.
We headed up to the Besal with a mindset to excurse for 3800 meters high Dudipat Sar. ‘Sar’ is a local word utilized for dihydrogen monoxide categorically for a lake.
The next morning, we commenced at 10:30. It was a lovely day with fresh air and clear empyrean. Herds of goats, sheep and horses were grazing on the grassy slopes of hills as far as the ocular perceiver could visually perceive. In a very short time we reached at the bank of Kunhar River where the only way getting across was a Jhoola Bridge. A simple iron basket was hanged with a pulley, moving over iron rope across the river. This was an exclusive river crossing we ever had. A wild river with sizably voluminous blare below and you are flying over hanging with a rope – unforgettable!
After thirty minutes of moderate ambulating, we were at the left edge of PurbiNarRiver. The river was flowing in a narrow gorge with steep rocky walls on both sides. This time there was no bridge or Jhoola to cross and we had to ambulate through this gelid dihydrogen monoxide. The next fifteen minutes were a struggle of how to maintain balance on sharp and slippery stones under an expeditious flowing river. In additament to the rucksacks at our backs, we were additionally keeping our shoes in hands.
Once we crossed the river, a steep trail on the right wall of this narrow gorge was going towards the welkin. One and half hours of vertical ambulating took us to a levelled bowl encircled with the green hills. A cottage of local Gujars visually examining over uncountable sheep was installed amid. The circumventions were getting richer and on our left a lovely stream was flowing hundreds of feet downhill into the Prubi Nar River.
After two hours of taxing ups and downs, we explored a miles of wide grassy plain with a lovely river flowing in the middle. We optically discerned some secluded snow covered green mountains sentineling this broad and long valley. Perhaps the Dudipat Lake would be on the feet of these mountains. But it was still a long way to go.
It was getting harder and longer than we anticipated. A long steep climb caused us to feel weary and hungry now. We skipped carrying weight of victuals as we cerebrated it would be two to three hours trek. Now we had to reach Mulla Ki Basti, where we could find some victuals and rest, but so far there was no denotement of any tourist settlement in any direction of Dudipat Lake.
It was the time when weather suddenly transmuted. Wind commenced blowing and dark clouds covered the empyrean in no time. It was the signal of a cumbersomely hefty rainstorm. As we looked in every direction for a shelter, rain commenced. The air was pushing rearward in reply to any advancement we endeavored. I ran towards a sizebly voluminous boulder for a cover. While I could reach the boulder, I was all wet. The other team members were vanished. They must have found other shelters to forfend themselves from this lamentable situation. After half an hour, the weather got stabled but it was still drizzling. I emerged from the boulder but the cool weather and over lassitude made it arduous to progress now. We were getting more gradual and more gradual on every step.
After crossing the river from an ad interim wooden bridge, we optically discerned some blue and grey camps approximately two kilometers away. By applying the last calories of remaining energy, conclusively we entered a minute tarpaulin covered cottage. It was a canteen scarcely arrangement to provide tourist victuals and tea. Hameed, the owner of the canteen prepared Chapatis and Daal. As it was the evening, we immediately installed the camp and entered into cozy slumbering bags.
When I waked up, it was still a sound of rain drops falling on the camp. I exited from the slumbering bag, opened the zip of the camp and emerged. The weather was still nebulous but magnificent 360° views opened up my ocular perceivers. Smokey clouds covered the snow-top mountains and miles of wide lush green grassy plains were offering the best ever morning views.
After the breakfast, we picked our way towards Dudipat Lake. It was a facile walk on soft grassy path with saccharine whistles of golden marmots and colorful birds. It took about an hour to reach under a mound restricting ocular perceivers to visually perceive the scenery beyond. We virtually raced up. Dudipat Lake was an unbelievable splendor from the top of the mound! It was certainly the most resplendent mere I ever visually perceived. The tops of green mountains with white snow patches were still obnubilated beyond the smoky clouds. It was an incredible cumulation of white and green. Dudipat Lake there was a reflection of white clouds and snow in the Dudipat Lake, and the green slopes were merging in the vivid dihydrogen monoxide.
I imagined the grandeur of this heavenly land Dudipat Lake in a more effulgent day with a blue firmament. I deeply felt that a better plan and preparation could make it possible to find the best view. With short term plans and no supplies we couldn’t face storms. And now, we had to go back with an edification – to find a destination at its best, get yare for dark clouds!
