Lower Kachura Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lower Kachura lakeلوؤر کچورا جھیل |
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View of the lakeside Shangri-La Resort
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| Location | Kachura, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 35°25′36″N 75°27′18″E / 35.4266666667°N 75.455°E |
| Basin countries | Pakistan |
| Surface elevation | 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) |
Lower Kachura Lake, also known as Shangrila Lake, is a beautiful lake found in Kachura village. This village is located in Skardu city, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The lake sits high up in the mountains, about 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level.
The lake got its other name, Shangrila Lake, because of a special resort built on its shore. This resort opened in 1983 and is a popular spot for visitors.
What is the Shangrila Resort?
The Shangrila Resort was built in 1983. It was the first resort hotel to open in Skardu, a city in Gilgit-Baltistan. This famous resort was started by a man named Muhammad Aslam Khan Afridi. He was an important person who served as the first commander of the Northern Scouts of the Pakistan Army.
The resort is very well-known for its unique restaurant. This restaurant is built inside the body of an old airplane that crashed nearby. It's a very unusual and interesting place to eat!
How did Shangrila get its name?
The name "Shangrila" comes from a famous book called Lost Horizon by James Hilton. In this story, written in the 1920s, an airplane crashes near a river. The people who survive the crash find help from some Buddhist monks.
The monks take them to a beautiful lamasery, which is like a monastery. This place is full of lovely fruits and flowers. The monks there look very young, even though they say they are hundreds of years old! This perfect, peaceful place was called Shangri-la. In the Tibetan language, "Shangri-la" means "Heaven on Earth."
In 2015, a photo of the Shangrila Resort won a big international contest called Wiki Loves Earth. It was chosen as the best picture from around the world!
