| Saif Ul Malook | |
|---|---|
| in spring | |
| Location | Kaghan Valley |
| Basin countries | Pakistan |
| Surface area | 2.75km |
| Surface elevation | 3,224 m (10,578 ft) |
Lake Saiful Muluk (Urdu: سیف الملوک) is a lake located at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley () near Naran. It is in the north east of Mansehra District in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. At an altitude of 3,224 m (10,578 feet) above sea level it is amongst one of the highest lakes in Pakistan.
The weather here is moderate during day time while the temperature drops to minus degrees at night.
A fairy tale called Saiful Muluk, written by the famous sufi poet Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, is associated with the lake.[1] It is the story of prince of Persia who fell in love with a fairy princess at the lake.[2] The impact of the lake beauty is of such extent that people believe that fairies come down to lake in full moon.A poet and writer from Balakot Ahmad Hussain Mujahid wrote the story of Saiful Muluk in prose depicting the local version.
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The Guardian ranked Lake Saiful Muluk as the 5th Best Tourist Destination in Pakistan.[3] Mansehra District has had a flourishing tourism industry in the past due to its many mountain ranges and the Saiful Muluk Lake, however since the 2005 earthquake the region has seen a decrease in tourists. This lake is about three thousand feet above the ground level of Naran, this beautiful lake reflects many colors in minutes.[4] Lately there has been an interest in building hotels in the area.[5]