Naltar Valley

Naltar is unusual for this part of the Karakoram in being green: while the main valleys are bare rock and scree, Naltar holds real pine forest, and the contrast with the surrounding mountains is the first thing visitors notice. The valley has two settlements, Naltar Bala and Naltar Pai, and above them a jeep track continues to the lakes, a chain of three or four small pools whose colours run from deep blue to a startling emerald, fed by springs and framed by forest. In winter the valley becomes Pakistan's oldest ski station, with lifts run by the air force, national championships and a growing junior programme; several of the country's Winter Olympians learned here. Wildlife includes ibex and, rarely seen, snow leopards in the side valleys. The road in from Nomal is narrow, unpaved and slow.

What you actually see

• The coloured lakes - a chain of blue and emerald pools in the upper valley.
• Pine forest - genuine woodland rare in the bare Karakoram valleys.
• The ski slopes - lifts and pistes above Naltar Bala in winter.
• Ibex country - side valleys holding mountain wildlife.

When to go

May to October for the lakes, with the colours strongest in bright midsummer light. Winter for skiing, though access then requires chains and patience. Weekends bring day trippers from Gilgit to the lakes.

Honest expectations

The lakes are small, and the jeep track to them is rough enough that many visitors find the ride harder than expected. Facilities are limited to basic guesthouses and huts. In peak season the first lake gets crowded and littered; the further lakes are quieter. The valley road from Nomal is not for nervous drivers.

Nearby

Gilgit is the base; Hunza and the Karakoram Highway lie north.