History Of Ansoo Lake

The story of this lake is linked to Saif ul Mulook Lake. It is said that there was a prince in Kaghan named Saif ul Mulook, who fell in love with a princess fairy named Badar Jamal. 

Their love story was not an easy one as a demon named Duo Safaid (White Giant) was also in love with the fairy princess. He trapped her but later it came to his knowledge that she wanted to marry Prince Saif ul Mulook. On realizing his defeat in love, he started to cry; so much that it formed a lake, which is now known as the Ansoo Lake.

History Of Ansoo Lake in Urdu

آنکھوں کی طرح خوبصورت اور دلکش، آنسو جھیل پاکستان کے صوبہ خیبر پختونخوا کے ضلع مانسہرہ کے علاقے کاغان ویلی میں واقع ہے۔ اس جھیل کی منفرد بات یہ ہے کہ اس کی شکل آنسو کی مانند ہے، جس کی وجہ سے اس کا نام “آنسو جھیل” پڑا۔

آنسو جھیل سطح سمندر سے تقریباً 4,245 میٹر (تقریباً 13,927 فٹ) کی بلندی پر واقع ہے۔ یہ جھیل قدرتی حسن سے مالا مال ہے اور سال بھر برف سے ڈھکی رہتی ہے، خاص طور پر سردیوں کے موسم میں جب اس کے اطراف کی پہاڑیاں برف کی سفید چادر اوڑھ لیتی ہیں۔

جھیل کے بارے میں مشہور کہانیوں اور روایات کے مطابق، اس کا نام “آنسو” اس کی آنسو کی شکل کی وجہ سے رکھا گیا ہے، لیکن کچھ کہانیاں یہ بھی بیان کرتی ہیں کہ جھیل کی تخلیق ایک دل گرفتہ واقعے کی یادگار ہے جس میں محبت یا کسی دکھ کی داستان شامل ہے۔ تاہم، ان کہانیوں کی کوئی تاریخی تصدیق موجود نہیں ہے۔

آنسو جھیل تک پہنچنا ایک چیلنجنگ سفر ہوتا ہے جو عموماً ہائیکرز اور ایڈونچر کے شوقین افراد کے لئے مخصوص ہوتا ہے۔ سفر کا آغاز اکثر سیف الملوک جھیل سے ہوتا ہے، جہاں سے پیدل یا گھوڑوں کی مدد سے دشوار گزار راستوں کا سامنا کرنا پڑتا ہے۔ راستے میں بلند و بالا پہاڑ، گلیشیئرز، اور قدرتی خوبصورتی سے بھرپور مناظر ہائیکرز کو مسحور کر دیتے ہیں۔

گرمیوں کے موسم (جون سے ستمبر تک) میں یہ جھیل سب سے زیادہ دیکھی جاتی ہے، کیونکہ ان مہینوں میں راستے نسبتاً کم برف کی وجہ سے قابل رسائی ہوتے ہیں۔

Romantic Tale of Ansoo Jheel

There is much beyond the visual beauty for which Ansoo Lake is being famous. It’s a romantic tale.Locals say that the lake has been named Ansoo, which means “tear” in Urdu, due to a really painful love story associated with its birth.

According to the legends, it is said that a prince and princess fell in love with each other and used to visit Ansoo Lake often. So once when the prince and princess were visiting that place, there was such heavy rain and wind that the princess was swept away by the storm.

The prince wept and tears fell like a rain, which filled the basin; hence it is a lake in the shape of a tear.

This tearful love tale has been added to the folklore of the lake and adds much more to the romantic aura of the lake. The beauty of Ansoo Lake and emotions associated with its story never fail to captivate visitors.

Treks going to the lake itself is considered as one of the most exciting adventures awaiting anyone. The beauty, stunning surroundings of mountain ranges, and valleys make it worthwhile to go on the journey.

How to Reach the Ansoo Lake

It is a place that demands thoughtful preparation before visiting. The base location of the tour is Naran, which is the principal city in Kaghan Valley. Naran can be reached from Islamabad, Lahore, or Peshawar on well-maintained roads.

From Naran one must begin visiting Lake Saif ul Malook as the primary base camp for the Ansoo Lake trek.

Via Lake Saif ul Malook

Lake Saif ul Malook is at an elevation of 10,578 feet and can be accessed from Naran by jeep. The lake shore is the trailhead for entering Ansoo Lake. It would be ideal to start by dawn when adequate daylight is left for the long trek ahead. The trekkers will have to engage guides and porters at Lake Saif ul Malook since that place demands a great deal of technical skills for operating in such a complex terrain.

Two Halves of the Trek Valley and Malka e Parbat Base

The trek has two different halves. The first half moves on the valley floor and crosses streams and meadows. It is a relatively soft stretch but exhausting in effort. The second half is a tougher climb towards Malka e Parbat base. Much energy and good mountaineering equipment are required, even more during snowfall.

Mahandri Bazaar to Village Manor

The stage from Mahandri Bazaar to Village Manor constitutes the first leg of the trek. In this stage, trekkers have an opportunity to buy and replenish all their basics as well as secure their final stock. The village is a small hamlet and has basic accommodations and acclimatization before the tougher stages.

Dher A Lush Green Mead on the Trekking Route

Dher meadow is one of the halts along the trek that is quite photogenic. The big empty green space acts almost naturally as a halt that offers fantastic panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. This is actually where most trekkers choose to camp so they can rest and acclimatize before climbing up to Ansoo Lake.

Ansoo Lake Pakistan Trek

One of the toughest yet rewarding adventures in Pakistan, the trek to Ansoo Lake is a good 6-8 hours trek from Lake Saif ul Malook. That depends much upon the weather and seasonal conditions too.

Ansoo Lake is 13,927 feet in the Kaghan Valley of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This lake does not maintain constant depth but remains in its typical tear shape for all seasons. The dramatic cliffs and snow-covered peaks make the surrounding landscape quite spectacular in an alpine environment.

Ansoo Lake Weather Conditions and Best Time to Visit

Weather at Ansoo Lake is highly varied with extreme conditions possible at any time during the year. It is best to plan a visit in July to September when the snow levels are at lowest and favorable conditions of weather prevail. But still, even in the above months, sudden changes in the weather, which a trekker is bound to face.

Distances from Major Cities

Thereafter, it is an hour’s drive from Naran to Lake Saif ul Malook and then the 6-8 hours trekking route to Ansoo Lake.