A heaven lies in the north of Pakistan, which is occupied with ultimate places and gorgeous valleys. The well-known Kaghan valley is one of these astonishing valleys, which is located in the north east of Mansehra district in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. The magnificent lake Saiful Muluk is the trinket of this splendid valley and is situated at the northern edge of Kaghan Valley. The sparkling clear waters of the mystic lake Saiful Muluk are nurtured by the fresh glaciers of the Malka Parbat Mountain. The most distinctive feature is the greenish shade of the water of Lake Saful Muluk that occurs due to the lush green peaks of adjoining mountains. Lake Saiful Muluk is one of the top ten highest and distinguished lakes in the world and it is also one of the most beloved tourist destinations in Pakistan.
Another legendary thing about this majestic lake is the fable related with it, which is in fact a romantic fairy tale called Saiful Muluk, written by one of the renowned sufi saints of this area, who was known as Mian Muhammad Bakhsh. The most attractive scenic beauty of the Lake Saiful Muluk occurs in nights with full moon and the local community believe that the fairies come down to Lake Saiful Muluk in full moon lit nights. Maximum of the tourists come to Lake Saiful Muluk from Naran through jeeps and horses while some of the youth also like to come on foot which takes nearly three hours to reach the lake. The entire track is filled with spectacular and fascinating sights and a glacier also lies in the path, crossing of which is an astonishing experience.
The lake contains rich biodiversity and embraces numerous species of blue-green algae. The flora of surrounding area includes the shrubs, perennials, trees and herbs of the higher altitude Western Himalayan alpine shrub, Himalayan Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests and meadows ecoregions. With Asteraceae the most usually found specie, about twenty six species of vascular plant occur in the lake region. Other species which generally exist in the region includes Compositae, Ranunculaceae, Cruciferae, Gramineae, Leguminosae, Apiaceae, Polygonaceae and Scrophulariaceae. The fauna of the area adjoining the lake includes the Black bear, Snow leopard, Marmot, Lynx, Weasel, Himalayan Snow cock, Snow partridge and Leopard. Weighing up to nearly seven kilograms, large brown trout are also found in the lake. The lake and wetlands habitats are of substantial ecological significance for migratory waterfowl and local fauna.
Although there are stacks of facilities available at Naran but Saiful Muluk Lake is not congested with hotels and restaurants. This is an encouraging factor with respect to environmental protection that the crystal white and freezing waters are free from any sort of garbage or pollution. The boating facility is also available and the visitors can relish the deep and calm waters. A pathway through the elegant Malka Parbat also leads towards another incredible miracle known as “Tear Lake” which is also a wonderful gift of nature. Every tourist who visits Lake Saiful Muluk, the ornament of Kaghan valley gets captivated by its fantastic beauty and environment.
Saiful Muluk, Lulusar and Dodipat National Parks were established in 2003 with an area of 88000 hectare. These National Parks demonstrate the alpine ecosystem devouring exceptional landscaping. These lakes have substantial ecological significance as they serve as staging ground and wetland for seasonal water fowl.
