Phander Lake

Phander sits in the Ghizer valley, the gentler, greener western arm of Gilgit-Baltistan, where the river slows into meanders and pools between stands of poplar and willow. The lake is small and intensely coloured, a deep blue-green that shifts with the light, and it is famous locally for trout: brown trout introduced in the colonial period thrive in the cold water, and fishing with a local permit is one of the main reasons Pakistani visitors come. The village spreads across a fan of terraced fields above the water, and a government rest house on the bluff has the classic view. Life here is quieter and more pastoral than in Hunza, with far fewer tourists, and the road onward climbs to the Shandur plateau and its polo ground before dropping into Chitral. Autumn turns the whole valley gold.

What you actually see

• The turquoise lake - a small, deep pool famous for its colour.
• The river meanders - slow bends and side pools along the Ghizer.
• Trout fishing - permits and local guides for brown trout.
• Phander village - terraces and poplars on the fan above the lake.

When to go

May to October. October is exceptional, when the poplars turn and the water holds its colour under clear skies. The Shandur road beyond opens in summer only. Winter closes in hard and services shrink to almost nothing.

Honest expectations

The drive from Gilgit takes most of a day on a road that is paved in stretches and rough in others. Accommodation is basic guesthouses and the ageing rest house. There is little to do beyond walking, fishing and sitting, which is either the point or a problem depending on the traveller. Mobile signal is unreliable.

Nearby

Shandur Pass lies further west; Gilgit is a long day's drive east.