At 3,224 metres above sea level, Lake Saiful Muluk is the highest point most visitors to Kaghan reach — a glacial lake ringed by mountains at the head of a side valley above Naran. The water is an almost unnatural shade of turquoise-blue, fed by snowmelt from Malika Parbat and the smaller Saiful Muluk Glacier that hangs above the southern shore. On clear mornings, the reflection of Malika Parbat in the lake's surface is one of the most striking sights in northern Pakistan.
The road from Naran takes about 45 minutes in a jeep (regular cars cannot manage the upper section), or it's a three-hour walk. The lake sees heavy day-tripper traffic from June through August, with horsemen, tea stalls, and photographers cluttering the shore by mid-morning. Go at dawn or stay the night at one of the basic guest houses to catch it without the crowd. From the lake, a rough trail continues to Ansoo Lake, a smaller and much less visited glacial pool another hour's climb beyond.