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Borith
Lake is a famous
lake in the Northern
Areas of Pakistan.
Borith is a hamlet
in the surroundings
of the Borith Lake
to the northwest of
Hussaini, a village
near Gulmit, Gojal,
in the upper Hunza.
The altitude of
Borith is roughly
8500 feet above sea
level.
It lies
approximately 2 km
to the north of
Ghulkin, a saline
body of water
occupying a small
hollow at an
elevation of 2500
meters. The lake can
be reached via a 2
km unpaved jeep
route from Hussaini
village, which lies
adjacent to Ghulkin
village. It is also
accessible by a 2-3
hour trekking route
directly from
Ghuylkin, across the
end of the Ghulkin
glacier. The site is
an important
sanctuary for
migrating wildfowl
and is a must to be
included in the
itinerary of
bird-watchers and
nature lovers. To
witness the large
number of ducks
arriving from the
warmer parts of
southern Pakistan,
one should visit
between the months
of March and June.
The birds rest here
on their way
northwards to the
cooler waters of
central Asia.
Similarly, from
September–November,
the spectacle occurs
in reverse with the
onset of winter
towards the north.
A short trek of one
hour each way will
bring you to Ghulkin
Glacier. Just follow
the trekking route
towards Borith Lake
as far as the edge
of the glacier, and
return by the same
route.
For the more
adventurous, a
longer walk to Passu
Gar Glacier is
another attraction,
crossing both
Ghulkin Glacier and
Borith Lake. Having
crossed Ghulkin
Glacier by the same
route, continue on
the southern side of
Borith Lake past the
settlement of Borith
Bala and the now
deserted settlement
of Shahabad. The
lack of a continuous
water supply led to
the desertification
of this village many
years ago. On
reaching Passu Gar,
one finds a
spectacular view of
all the icy
crenellations along
its length. The walk
takes about 4–5
hours form Ghulkin
to Passu. From the
glacier, a path
leads down to the
Karakorum Highway
and the Shisper
Hotel.
Alternatively,
transport can be
obtained locally,
enabling the
exploration of many
routes around this
area from different
starting points,
such as Gulmit.
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