Attabad Lake — Attraction in Upper Hunza Tehsil

A nervous sense of humor greets travelers at the highest and most scenic road in the world. Hand-painted signs saying, “Relax, slide area ends” dot sections of the Karakoram Highway along the Hunza River in northern Pakistan. Landslides are commonplace here. But on January 4, 2010, a massive rockslide buried part of a village and blocked the river’s flow. Boulders, rocks, and debris tumbled down the mountainside that day, killing twenty people and damming the river until it swelled and swallowed more communities. In months, the plugged-up river would submerge eleven miles of the Karakoram Highway, turning a thriving region buzzing with trade from the Chinese border into scattered clumps of unconnected villages. while rocks tumble down into the Hunza River in Pakistan’s Gojal region. The rockslide dammed the river and created Lake Gojal, which submerged eleven miles of the Karakoram Highway and isolated several villages. Photo: Courtesy I. Ali Shimshal/Pamir Times)

When hydrologist Jeffrey Kargel of the University of Arizona saw news footage of the rockslide, he had a hunch the flooded river could swell into a lake. He asked geologist Gregory Leonard to check recent satellite images of the area. “Sure enough, there was a lake forming behind the rockslide dam,” said Leonard, Kargel’s colleague at the University of Arizona. “It’s always startling to see the first images of these kinds of things.” Something else worried Kargel. Three huge glaciers, including the thirty-five-mile long Batura Glacier, are perched on the mountains above the flooded villages. In spring, those glaciers would start gushing melt water down into the new lake. Kargel said, “If the rockslide dam overflowed and burst, more people downstream would be in harm’s way.” Kargel studies glaciers and the hazards for communities living near them. He had the tools to figure out when the new Lake Gojal would overflow. But he and Leonard had to do it fast, if the information was to be of any...

Attabad Lake: The Lake Created By a Disaster

The stunning blue colors of this beautiful lake, nestled among the peaks of the Karakoram mountain range in northern Pakistan, belies its violent origin.

In January 2010, a massive landslide possibly triggered by an earthquake came crashing down the mountains and buried the village of Attabad, in Hunza Valley, in the Gilgit Baltistan region, about 760km away from Islamabad. Rocks and soil dammed the the Hunza River’s drainage area which quickly filled to maximum depth and created a new lake, displacing some six thousand people and damaging more than 20 km of the Karakoram Highway. This highway was the only connection to this remote region.

Five months after the disaster, Attabad Lake grew to about 21 km in length. It snakes along the narrow valley like a massive blue serpent, complementing the spectacular beauty of the valleys of Gilgit and Hunza already dotted with dozens of beautiful turquoise mountain lakes. The lake has become a big draw for tourists. A small number of hotels and guesthouses have sprung up around the lake, and various recreationally activities such as boating, jet skiing, and fishing take place on the lake. But for those affected by the landslide, the reality is not quite so picturesque.

The Attabad disaster completely submerged four villages—Ainabad, Shishkat, Gulmit and Gulkin. Apple orchards with trees hundreds of years old, Buddhist relics, mosques, temples and wooden houses with their carved pillars all drowned in the lake. The army evacuated local people and temporarily moved them to another valley. With the highway flooded, vehicles, passengers and cargoes had to ferried across the water in wooden boats. Although the trip was often a joy for tourists, for truckers and local residents, it was a major hassle.

Five years later, the Karakoram Highway was diverted along the shores of the lake, and the lives of the people are now starting to return...

Attabad Lake – Hunza's Turquoise Miracle

📍 Location: Hunza Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan (on the Karakoram Highway, ~20 km from Karimabad).

🌊 About the Lake: Formed in 2010 after a massive landslide blocked the Hunza River, submerging villages and creating this stunning 21 km-long lake. Color: Vibrant turquoise-blue (from glacial silt). Depth: Up to 120 meters (400 ft) in some parts.

✨ Why Visit? ✔ Boat Rides – Glide past submerged trees & mountain reflections (boats available at the lake). ✔ Photography – Surreal landscapes, especially at sunrise/sunset. ✔ Adventure – Nearby hiking trails & fishing spots. ✔ Karakoram Highway Views – The lake cuts through the iconic KKH, with winding roads along cliffs.

🚤 Top Activities: Speedboat or traditional wooden boat tours (30 mins–1 hour). Jet skiing (seasonal, usually May–Sept). Lakeside picnic at designated spots.

📅 Best Time to Visit: May–October (boats operate, weather is pleasant). Avoid winters (freezing temps, limited access).

🏨 Where to Stay? Luxury: Serena Shigar Fort (1.5 hrs away). Budget: Guesthouses in Karimabad or Hunza.

💡 Tips: Cash only – No ATMs nearby. Dress in layers – Windy and cool by the lake. Altitude caution – Lake is at 2,500m (8,200 ft).

Attabad Lake is a must-see—nature’s disaster turned into beauty! Need boat rental contacts or KKH travel tips? Ask me! 😊

(Fun fact: The lake’s creation displaced thousands but now boosts...