On May 02, I visited Gorashi Lake near Ghandoos village in Kharmang Valley (Skardu). It was a family trip. I was told that only a 4wd vehicle could go after Ghandoos village. So, I decided not to take my Alto car and I took a Toyota Hilux Surf along with an expert driver. We left for Ghandoos village at 12:30 pm and travelled on Skardu-Kargil Road along the Indus River. The road is mettled and in a good condition except last 5km unpaved (but no problem for a car).
At around 2:30 pm, we crossed the hanging bridge over the Indus River near Kharmang Khas, and after taking a left turn, travelled 2 km on a dirt road and reached Ghandoos.
My driver was Blati but he was visiting this village for the first time. We stopped near a shop and asked the shopkeeper about the lake. He told us that the road is closed due to landslides and it will take two hours to walk to the lake. Meanwhile, some villagers gathered around us and they all told different stories about the distance and time to reach the lake.
I asked the driver to move on. As we went ahead, we found the road in a bad condition and there the climb was steep. We travelled around half a kilometre, and found a roadblock due to a landslide.
I discussed the situation with my wife and we decided to go on foot. Two young villagers came there and told us that the road ahead is in a very bad condition and it is blocked by landslides at many places. They told me that they had come from the village only to help ?the guests?.
They lifted up our food and led us to the lake. It was 3:30 pm and the sun was shinning brightly and the weather was a little warm. We had to walk slowly as my three-year-old daughter refused to sit on my shoulders and insisted that she would walk.
After one-and-a-half hour ?walk and climb? we reached the lake. The lake was almost half full. Our guides told that the lake would be full by mid June. They also told that the lake was full of trout fish and we could enjoy fishing after paying Rs 200 fees. I had neither a fishing rod nor time for fishing. After lunch and taking some photographs, we returned to the village. I gave Rs 500 to both the villagers. At first they refused to take the money, but I insisted and they had to accept it.
Gorashi Lake
Distance from Skardu city to Ghandoos village: 99 km
Ghandoos to Gorashi Lake: Around 3 km
Time: Around 3 hours and 45 minutes (2 hours and 45 minutes drive and 1 hour walk)
Location of Gorashi Lake: Near Ghandoos village which is on Skardu-Kargil Road
Other places to visit on Skardu-Kargil road
Manthoka waterfall
Distance from Skardu city: 60 km (58 km mettled road and 2 km off main road unpaved)
Time: 2 hours
Location: Near Manthoka village
Khamush waterfall
Distance from Skardu city: 112 km (102 km mettled road and 10 km unpaved road)
Time: 3 hours
Location: On Skardu-Kargil road near Khamush village
