Chitta Katha Lake is located in the picturesque Shounter Valley of Azad Kashmir. The Lake is situated at 13,500 feet above sea level. It is also known as “White Stream”. The lake water flows from Mount Harri Parbat, a regional place for the Hindu community. The accessible route to Lake is bumpy and rough but a beautiful trek. The jeep track starts from Kel to Domail Bala. Then, hike to 5 kilometers to reach the lush green valley. After reaching there, explore nature’s stunning, mesmerizing beauty and breathtaking surroundings. Check the best Neelum Valley Kashmir tour package.
The main attraction during the trek to Chitta Katha Lake
Dhani waterfall
Kuttan
Jagraan resort
Keran
Kel
Domail
Shounter
Sapoon lake
Chitta Katha Lake
Possible Itinerary:
Day 1 – Move towards Kel from Islamabad. Enjoy breakfast on the way at Muzaffarabad. Lunch at Keran. Reach Kel and take jeep to reach Upper Domail. Dinner and Night stay in camps at Upper Domail.
Day 2 – Breakfast at Upper Domail. Start trekking towards Dak-1/Dak-2. Dinner and spend night in camps at Dak-1/Dak-2.
Day 3 – Breaktfast at Dak-1/Dak-2. Start hiking towards Chitta Katha Lake. Dinner and spend night in camps at the lakeside.
Day 4 – Breakfast at Chitta Katha Lake. Trek back to Upper Domail. Reach Upper Domail and take 4×4 jeep for back to Kel. Dinner and night stay in a hotel at Kel.
Day 5 – Breakfast at Kel. Start the return journey towards Islamabad. Short break for refreshment and enjoy sightseeing on the way. Reach Islamabad.
Reaching Kel:
Take public transport to Kel from Islamabad. Drive through beautiful Muazafarabad and enjoy stunning sightseeing on the way. The road to Keran is pretty rough. Reach Sharda and then take a 4×4 jeep to Kel to reach Kel. Spend the night at hotel in Kel.
Kel To Shounter Valley:
After breakfast at the hotel, take a jeep from Kel to Upper Domain. Move towards Upper Domail, which is 9000 feet high (Junction Point of Two Streams) 20 km away. After a 2-hour jeep ride, you should hire a professional guide if you visit this place for the first time. There is no proper track or trail to Chitta Katha Lake. The track is rough and very dangerous, heading towards the Upper Domain. The Chitta Katha Lake is located in the center of the Hari Parbat Mountains at an altitude of 13,500 feet.
Domail Valley:
The first viewpoint of the village is Lower Domail Village. From here, you can capture the view of the mesmerizing Hari Parbat Mountains. However, no network service is available here. Explore natural beauty away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Sarwali Peak and Hari Parbat:
“Sarwali Peak” is the first highest peak in Azad Kashmir, also known as Dabbar Peak and Toshe Ri. It is 20,754 feet high. The second highest peak is “Hari Parbat.” It is 16,500 feet high and a very technical climb. Both mountains are independent in Kashmir. The Mountain Science says that both mountains are little “Nanga Parbat.”
Nangi Mali Mountain:
Nangi Mali Mountain is a treeless mountain, which differs from other mountains. Nowadays, Rubies are extracted from there. Ruby or Red Yaqoot is a precious stone. Some companies have drilled mines in the hills and extracted rubies. After a long time, the track to reach there ended due to a wall standing in the front. The view of serene “Nangi Mali,” along with the colors of autumn trees, was seen in this place.
Shounter Valley to Dak-1:
There are two routes to Chitta Katha Lake. The first route passes through a stony mountain. You trek to the top of a small greenish mountain and then down to a valley called DAK. This route is too long and takes 5 to 6 hours. The second route is a steep, stony ridge that you pass about 100 meters.
The second route is right along the bank of a stream from DAK 1 and 2. It is shorter and steeper than the first one. It will take 3 to 4 hours to get there. The route passes through an Alpine forest with lush greenery and a sharp, milky stream coming from the top. This same stream is called “Chitta Katha.”
Chitta Katha Village:
The sandy track starts when crossing the bridge on the left of the valley. After passing the village, a few hundred meters wide trail was quite suitable, but then it started to rise. The lush green forest began. Ten minutes later, the forest was over, and we captured the beautiful scenery of a fast-flowing milky stream.
After that, the track came to the right on the bank of Nallah. Then, moving down from top to bottom on the wet rocks. The track was tiring, but we reached a top enough level. The top was a cup-like field surrounded by Hari-Perbat. There were shepherds’ houses in this field called “Bahk.” Trekkers called this place “Dak-One”.
Dak-1 to Dak-2:
Move towards Dak-2 from Dak-1, which is located less than a kilometer away. The route is a steep climb. You can stay the night at Dak-1 or Dak-2. The grounds have beautiful, colorful flowers. After passing these, we reached the bottom of the mountain and started climbing up the zig-zag. It took 40 to 45 minutes. That is a shortcut way. On the top right, there was “Dak-2.”
Dak-2 to Chitta Katha Lake:
The scene was terrific, with waterfalls falling from a high altitude. The white stream of Chitta Katha was flowing through the right side. According to the people of this area, the water of Chitta Katha Lake flows deep inside the rocks. Then, move up the left, cross the top stones, and reach the middle of the Hari Parbat Mountains. Explore the beautiful view of Chitta Katha Lake from there.
Chitta Katha Lake Trek:
Chitta Katha Lake is a famous, beautiful lake in Azad Kashmir. It is not easy to see this high-altitude lake. It takes about 20 km of jeep track from Kel to Domail and then an 18 km (8 to 10 hours) hard hike. Due to its difficult accessibility, it’s not easy to maintain this stunning lake and its peaceful atmosphere.
The lake is accessible only from July to September, but you’ll capture wildflowers’ fantastic colors during the August hike.
Trekking Routes:
i) Domail Bala village – Dek 1 – Dek 2 – Hari Parbat Waterfall & the Lake
ii) Houz village – Dek 1 – Dek 2 – Hari Parbat Waterfall & the Lake
The Ultimate 3-Day Itinerary:
Day 1: Leave Kel and reach Domail Bala. Visit Shounter Lake and Waterfall, which are 4 km from Domail Bala (the base camp). After that, return to Domail Bala and hire a guide to carry extra luggage. Start your trek and reach Dek-1 before evening. Set up your camp on the bank of Chitta Katha Nullah for a night’s stay.
Day-2: Leave for the Lake, enjoy the breathtaking, incredible sites on the route, short stay for refreshment at Dek-2, then move towards Hari Parbat Waterfall and relax there for an hour. Then, move forward and reach the Lake before evening. Spend the night in your camps.
Note: The best time for photography at the Lake is 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm.
Day-3: Start trekking back to the Domail. You’ll reach Domail Bala. Then, leave for Kel and stay at Arang Kel.