The Upper Kachura Lake is the prettier of the two Kachura lakes, a small turquoise body of water at around 2,500 metres altitude, surrounded by apricot orchards and pine forest. It is the centrepiece of the Shangri-La Resort, a fixture of Pakistani tourist itineraries since the early 1980s — even the wreckage of a small aircraft is built into one of the lakeside restaurants.
Day visitors pay a small entry fee. A short walking trail loops around the lake, with several scenic viewpoints. The Lower Kachura Lake nearby is wilder and quieter — a 20-minute walk through orchards and a far less developed shoreline. From Skardu the drive takes about 90 minutes.