Travelers, sign boards, and jeeps use both spellings. This page separates the names so you do not brief a driver for the wrong lake.
People mean the alpine lake above Utror
In English signs and social posts you will see Kundol and Kandol for lakes in upper Swat. They are not a joke spelling of Mahodand. Mahodand is the jeep-track lake near Kalam. The Kundol or Kandol names belong to the harder, higher lakes reached from the Utror side.
On this site, Kundol Lake and Kandol Lake are listed as their own places because visitors and photos use both forms. Before you pay a jeep or a guide, point at the map and say which trailhead you want: Utror side, not “the famous lake,” which many drivers will hear as Mahodand.
Why the double spelling exists
Pashto place names do not land on one English spelling. Blogs, Google pins, and painted boards each picked a version. A driver in Kalam bazaar may nod at both words and still take you to the booking point he uses most.
Write it down. “Utror, Kundol or Kandol, not Mahodand.” If you are going with family and a short day, you probably wanted Mahodand anyway. Read which lake to choose.
How hard the day is
These lakes are a trek or a long rough approach, not a parking-lot viewpoint. The existing first-timer Kundol guide and the Utror route guide are the detailed pages. Use this article only to get the name right, then follow those for fitness and packing.
Do not attempt either name in winter on a guess. Snow closes the upper approaches.
Photographs
The cover on this page is a Kundol Lake photograph from our Swat set. If a pin or a shop uses a bright parking-lot lake with boats, that is often Mahodand, which is beautiful and different. Boats, a wide jeep track, and a shorter day from Kalam point to Mahodand. A walk from Utror points to the Kundol or Kandol side.
Frequently asked questions
Are Kundol and Kandol two lakes or one name?+
Travelers use both spellings, and this site keeps separate place pages because both names appear in real searches. Confirm the trailhead with your guide: Utror side versus Mahodand.
Which one can we do with children?+
Neither high lake is a casual toddler trip. Mahodand by jeep is the usual family lake, with its own limits. See the toddler guide before you go.
What should I type in Google Maps?+
Search both spellings, then check that the pin sits above Utror, not at Mahodand. Show the pin to the driver.
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