I had my eyes on Rush lake trek for a long time but for some unknown reasons I never opted for this adventurous trek. I had studied about it numerous times that how dry and difficult trek is this but at the same time it offers unmatched views of some of the famous peaks e.g. Spantik/Golden peak. Not just views instead crystal clear reflections which is what makes Rush lake hot favourite trek for landscape photographers.
In 2018 for annual trekking trip I wanted to do Lukpe La trek but then I changed my mind and thought I wouldn't do any major trekking trip in 2018. Amjed bhae and I did lots of discussion about our plans for 2018 during our Chillinji pass-Karomber lake-Darkot pass loop trek. Amjed was interested in doing even bigger trek than Lukpe La. So early in 2018 Amjed started contacted me regarding his version of trek, which was combine trek of SKAM and Sim passes, for 2018. It required a lot of funding so I tried my best to not to show any interest. With time my other fellow of Chillinji pass i.e. Mustafa Subhani also started contacting me for the same plan of Amjed bhae. Hence I gradually started taking interest in their plan and eventually gave my word that I will join them.
Now we need 1-2 more people to complete the group. We started asking in our close circle of friends whom we thought might be interested to join us. Some were interested but they couldn't commit because it was too early and they were not sure if they will get leaves from office. Finally Amjed bhae told me that one of their Snow lake trek partners Adeel Athar from Karachi is join us and our team is complete.
The next phase was to engage with guides but since this wasn't my plan so this time it was Amjed bhae and Subhani bhae who had to deal with all that headache. After discussions with couple of guides they finally made a deal with Fida Ali from Arandu. Fida Ali was the guide who had helped Muhammad Nayyer Qasim to cross Sim La so he was already familiar with this terrain.
When the time came close to start the trek then one day Subhani bhae informed us that his family has got visa for UK so he is going with family and cannot join the trek as planned. Actually he had told us about this even before we had started our planning so his participation was always doubtful. Then after a day Adeel Athar had informed Amjed bhae that his leaves has been cancelled so he too cannot join. Now it is was just me and Amjed bhae. We knew that if 2 still opt to go then the individual cost/head will be even bigger now which wasn't an ideal situation for me. So I suggested Amjed bhae to do Haramosh La but he wasn't interested in Haramosh La instead suggested me alternate plans in which I wasn't interested (mostly for the same high costs reasons).
After lots of thinking we decided to call it off. Now I had a window and I desperately wanted to do an alternate trek of my own choice and it was a perfect opportunity to tick off this wonderful trek of Rush lake. But first I needed 2-3 people to join me, first for company and second to keep the costs down. I posted the trip on my Facebook account and Aamer Ayyub Rabbani, lover of lakes, promptly agreed to join me.
I will be adding each day's travelogue as a reply or you can read the full travelogue at http://thesilenttraveler.com/trek-to-rush-lake-in-nagar-valley/
For more photos from my Rush lake trek please checkout my Instagram account at @sheraliphotography.
- If you plan to do to Chillinji pass trek then checkout travelogue of my Chillinji pass trek here.
- If you plan to do Karomber lake trek then checkout travelogue of Karomber lake trek here.
