Phander Valley is located in Gilgit-Baltistan. As the locals know, the valley is called Phander for a reason because “Phan” means palm in the local Khowar language, and the place is as flat as a palm tree, hence the name Phandear. One of the most famous tourist attractions of GB. This small valley contains four lakes, the largest of which is Lake Phander. Phander is one of the few places where the Gilgit River splits into several lines as it enters the valley and rejoins as it leaves the valley.
Phandar is a village in Gupis Tehsil, Ghizer District, and Gilgit-Baltistan District. Phander is known for its astonishing yet unmatchable beauty.
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The Phander Valley in the Ghizer region is one of the most picturesque and easily accessible from Gilgit and Chitral. It takes 5-6 hours from Gilgit to reach Bandar Valley, known as “Little Kashmir”. Bandar Lake is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the entire region.
Phander Valley is the breadbasket of all northern regions. The name Ghizer comes from the village “Ghizer” located near Phander. The deep blue Pande Lake is beautifully landscaped and is primarily a habitat for trout.
Phander Valley: Bewitching Beauty Land Of Pakistan
There are PTDC Motel and Phander Lounge, which provide the best service for tourists. The people of this valley are simple, dynamic, and famous for their hospitality.
Phander Valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan. It is known as “Little Kashmir” by nature lovers and tourists. There are many lakes (at least one within a 30-minute drive). “Phandar Lake”, “Kinesoteko Lake”, and “Shahimal Lake” are beautiful lakes worth mentioning. There are also many glaciers in this valley, but they are not as famous as the climbs required to get to them. These immense and magnificent glaciers are “Gunoug Glacier” and “Ga Chernick”. These two glaciers are the primary source of irrigation water for the valley. However, both of these are unknown to the tourist community.
Because it offers panoramic views you could not find elsewhere, Phander Valley is one of the most attractive and famous places in the Gizer region. Phander Valley is renowned for its most beautiful valleys, deep blue lakes, and the Gizer River that runs through the village. Located at 1,454ft above sea level, it is known as “Little Kashmir” for its lush fields, rivers running through the villages, and scenic landscapes. Phander Valley is 61 kilometres from Gupis Valley and about 163 kilometres from Gilgit City.
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The most attractive tourist attraction in Phander Valley is the magnificent Phandar Lake. The deep blue lagoon at the eastern end of the valley, with crystal clear waters, greenery, trees, rocks, and snow-capped mountains, offers breathtaking views to fall in love with nature in its original form. In short, Phandar Lake is full of colours. The total area of the lake is about 3 kilometres.
Phander Lake-mesmerizing beauty of Pakistan
The locals of the Phander Valley are, by nature, generous, simple, and hospitable. In Phandar Khass, there are also Gulagmauli and Hundarap valleys, the most expansive valleys in the north. Phander Valley is also known for trout fishing along the Gilgit River.
In the western part of the Phander valley, there is a small but beautiful valley called Hundarap Valley. It is located between the Hundarap and Shandur rivers. Furthermore, the valley is also known for its lakes and is also known as a trout fishing paradise. Hundarap Valley is about 190 kilometres from Gilgit and 118 kilometres from Gakuch. Additionally, it is 10,800 feet above sea level. You can walk south of the Dadaliri Pass to Lake Hundarap.
Hundarap Valley
Short walks around the valley
Getting around the city and waterways is fun, and you can meet friendly people. If you want to go the extra mile, you can follow some shepherd’s trails through the surrounding mountains. Otherwise, you can follow two narrow waterways into the hills. When you’re from Gilgit, you start at Chashi, below/before Phander. Another started with Hanadarap. If you look at them on the map, they are heading south.
Walking treks in Phander
Tairu is another beautiful mountain town, a little higher than Phandar. You can easily spend a day wandering around its fields and simple houses. The famous Shandour Pass, a 2-3 hour drive from Phandar, is remote and completely natural.
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Both can be visited as a day trip if you rent a car from someone or have your transport. Be sure to check that Shandor is open before checking out; it is closed for snow most of the year.
Trout fishing, finding fresh honey, meeting with local people, and tasting street food have in themselves. Phander is all about trout fishing, and many locals are crazy about it. Beekeepers line up on the way from Gilgit to Sandur; well, their honey is wet. Many locals are hospitable and invite you to drink plenty of tea if given a chance. Homemade bread and boiled eggs are familiar with tea – the eggs are already cooked in the tea!
Local Shop of Phander
For the convenience of tourists, there are many PTDC motels and inns in the valley. Of these motels, however, the Shun Dao Hotel and the Wally Hotel are the most popular hotels in the area.
The best time to visit Phander Valley is from June to October. You will see the most amazing colours of nature in Phander Valley in Spring, Summer, and Autumn, and winters are exceptionally incredible here.
Phander Valley is easily accessible from Chitral and Gilgit. From Gilgit, it takes 5-6 hours to reach Phander Valley.
The total distance from Islamabad to Phander Valley is 671 kilometres.
The downside of Phander and the rest of Gilgit-Baltistan is the poor mobile signal. SCOM is the only network running on Pander. While relatively consistent, they are slower than molluscs. Don’t expect more than 2G on Pander. If possible, make sure you get a SCOM SIM on Gilgit. However, Phander doesn’t have much in the way of a mobile store.
Undoubtedly, the Phander Valley has the most unmatchable beauty of any northern region. The stunning deep blue lagoon of Phandar is a prime habitat for trout. Gorgeous lakes and stunning colours of nature are enough to make someone fall in love with this piece of land. Book your tour now to Phander Valley Tour now
Since 2017, Saba Ghani has been serving as the talented and dedicated chief content writer for Pakistan Tour and Travel & EMHI Solutions. With her exceptional writing skills and in-depth knowledge of the travel industry, she has been instrumental in crafting engaging and informative content that captivates the audience. You can catch her at [email protected] or Twitter
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