Ansoo Lake sits at 4,245 metres in the Kaghan Valley of northern Pakistan, a glacial lake known for an unusual feature: its outline is remarkably like a human teardrop. The name is the Urdu word for tears, and the shape is the first thing most visitors come to see.
What to expect
The lake is reached only on foot, along demanding trekking routes rather than by road. That makes it a trip for visitors who are comfortable with steep, high-altitude walking and who plan for changeable mountain weather. The effort is part of the appeal: the lake is set in quiet high country, away from the traffic of the valley towns below.
- Altitude: about 4,245 metres, so pace the walk and watch for the effects of thin air.
- Access: by trekking only, with no direct road to the water.
- Character: a glacial lake whose teardrop form, shaped by glacial activity, gives it an almost mystical look.
Around the lake
The lake belongs to the Kaghan Valley, a long green valley in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region that is a common base for mountain travel in northern Pakistan. Local legends have grown up around the lake's striking shape, and these stories are part of how visitors come to understand the place. Travellers heading there usually plan their route and their stay through the valley, where the towns offer places to rest and prepare before and after the trek.
Ansoo Lake suits visitors who want a remote, physically demanding natural destination rather than a site with facilities. Come prepared, go with a clear plan for the route, and allow time for the walk and for the mountains to set the pace.