A spot of brilliant blue surrounded by snow-crowned mountains, green meadows and pretty wildflowers is how the mesmeric Alpather Lake looks from the sky. It looks even more surreal during the months of November to mid-June when the lake freezes over and ducks can be seen walking on it rather than swimming. Thus, the lake has also come to be known as the Frozen Lake. Situated at the foot of the twin 4,511-m-tall Apharwat Peaks, the serene Alpather Lake is a one-day trek from Gulmarg (at a distance of around 13 km).

Lying at a height of 4,390 m, it is surrounded by beautiful views of the entire valley. You can take a gondola ride and then cover the short hike of 1.5 km from the Gondola Phase II of Mount Apharwat to Alpather Lake. There are several guides available here to help you reach your destination. For the journey from Gulmarg to Alpather Lake, you can alsp take a pony ride. During summer, the lake is surrounded with beautiful flowering trees and attracts hundreds of photographers, poets or those in search of peace and solitude. It is a great place to enjoy a picnic with friends. Ice skating is a common activity when the waters of the lake are frozen.