Satpara Lake, also known as “Sadpar Tso” is a high-altitude lake located just 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) south of Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Sitting at an elevation of 2,636 meters (8,650 feet), the lake is also the source of the Satpara Dam, which provides water and electricity to the region.
The hike to the lake from Skardu is a relatively easy walk, taking about 2-3 hours, following Satpara Road leading to Deosai National Park.
While it’s possible to drive the entire way to the lake viewpoint, walking the road is a good option on a rest day before departing for Askole or Jhula on the K2 Base Camp Trek.
How to get to Satpara Road (Trailhead)
Satpara Road extends through the southern division of Skardu, the largest city of Baltistan.
The starting point of the hike to Satpara Lake will vary depending on where you are staying in Skardu. However, if you’re looking to hike rather than drive, I suggest getting transport to “Mountain Lodge Hotel” and continuing on the road south from there.
My Experience Hiking to Satpara Lake
- Hike Distance: 8.6 km
- Duration: 2-3 hours return
- Difficulty: Easy road walking
- Elevation: 302 m elevation gain
- Satpara Lake viewpoint elevation: 2,672 m
Starting from the Mountain Lodge Hotel we descended slightly on the dusty road, taking a right at the fork past the Skardu Water Treatment Plant.
From here, we continued until we met up with the main road leading south. This “hike” involves walking on this road for approximately 3.3 km to a viewpoint overlooking the lake. The road is unshaded for the entire walk, making this quite a hot walk in the summer heat.
The road gains elevation gently and eventually leads to a sharper switchback up the hill.
Approximately halfway, there is a welcome sign to “Deosai National Park”.
While we didn’t see any other hikers, there were plenty of Pakistani tourists from Lahore and Karachi driving this road. Many stopped and asked us for selfies.
Eventually, we reached the dam building where a security guard was standing. This is the first sight of the turquoise lake but the views are much better slightly further on.
From the Satpara Lake viewpoint, we stopped to take some pictures of the water contrasting beautifully with the dry rocky mountains on either side.
After a short while, we turned back on the same path and returned to Mountain Lodge for a delicious lunch.
Overall I recommend this walk if you have a spare day in Skardu, especially if you are preparing for the K2 Base Camp Trek and want to get some light altitude hiking in. While it’s possible to drive the entire way, it still makes for a fun few hours out and the views are worth the trip.