Dudipatsar Lake, also known as Dudipat Lake, is a lake encircled by snow-clad peaks in Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park. The lake lies at the north end of the Kaghan Valley, in the Mansehra District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in northern Pakistan.

Geography

The lake's water is a greenish blue hue and very cold, at an elevation of 3800 m. The surrounding mountains, with snow patches in the shady dales, average around 4800 m in elevation. Their natural habitat is in the Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows ecoregion. Lulusar Lake, also in the park, is the primary headwaters of the Kunhar River. Saiful Muluk National Park, with Saif ul Maluk Lake, is adjacent in the 150 km long Kaghan Valley region and the parks jointly protect 88000 ha.

Travel

Besal, or Besar, a town just before the Lulusar Lake, is fifteen kilometers from the lake. The trek is quite tough and not particularly suitable for unfit or new trekkers. Slopes can be steep and there are numerous water-crossings which require a lot of hard work and strength. It is preferable to make Mullah Ki Basti, a small town along the way, the basecamp for the lake. Due to security issues, it is recommended to spend the night at this camp and leave for the lake in the morning. A fit person can easily complete the track in 6–8 hours including breaks.

Wildlife

The lake and its wetlands habitats are of significant ecological importance for resident fauna and migratory waterfowl. Some of the park's fauna includes the snow leopard, black bear, marmot, weasel, lynx, leopard, Himalayan snowcock, and snow partridge.

Access

The 2005 Kashmir earthquake in North Pakistan made access more difficult. However, since 2006 the Pakistan government has taken steps to restore tourism in the Kaghan Valley, including rebuilding and new tourism facilities and infrastructure.