Rush Lake & Rush Peak
A glacial lake at 4,694 m, among the highest in Pakistan.
Rush Lake is a glacial lake at 4,694 m on a ridge above the Barpu and Miar glaciers in Nagar, among the highest lakes in Pakistan. The trek runs five to seven days there and back from Hopar (about 2,800 m), one to two hours from Karimabad, crossing the broken Bualtar and Barpu glaciers and climbing to the lake via Chidin Harai. From the lake an optional three-to-four-hour round trip climbs Rush Peak (5,098 m), with Spantik and Miar Peak close by and, on a clear day, K2 far to the east. It's an open-zone trek with no permit.
The trek starts with a crossing of the Bualtar Glacier below Hopar: icy, broken and constantly moving, half an hour to three hours depending on the year. Then comes the Barpu Glacier, the meadow camps of Barpu Giram and Bericho Kor at about 3,300 m, and a steep climb of about 1,000 m to Chidin Harai, at about 4,400 m, below the lake. The return loops through the summer pastures at Hamdar.
Rush Peak is a three-to-four-hour round trip from the lake, with a steep, rocky final section. From the top you see Spantik (the Golden Peak, 7,027 m), Miar Peak (6,824 m), Malubiting (7,458 m) and Diran, and on a clear day K2 and Broad Peak far to the east.
The glaciers are changing fast. In August 2026 trekkers found the usual crossing several feet lower than expected, with an exposed scramble on loose rock beyond it, so go with a guide who has done the route that season. Bring microspikes, acclimatise for a few days in Hunza before the big climb to Chidin Harai, and carry water from Hopar: there is no reliable source until Bericho Kor.
Questions, answered
Is Rush Lake the highest lake in Pakistan?
It's often called that, but several lakes are listed higher, including the Shimshal lakes. At 4,694 m it is among the highest lakes in Pakistan, and one of the few you can trek to in a week.
How hard is the Rush Lake trek?
Moderate to demanding: five to seven days, two glacier crossings that change every year, and a climb of about 1,000 m in one day to Chidin Harai. You need good fitness and a few days' acclimatisation in Hunza first.
Do I need a permit for Rush Lake?
No. Rush Lake is in an open zone, so no trekking permit is required, though a guide who knows the glacier crossings is strongly advised.
Run it with the home team.
Private departures with our Hushe and Askole crews — permits, mules and every logistics line handled.