Natural Landscapes are calling from Pakistan

Place, weather, silence and Enigma of Nature.

                                          ABSTRACT

               Bernard Shaw said, “Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. This article is written for the people who have misconceptions regarding Pakistan through Media propaganda across the globe and have no idea about the real Pakistan. Pakistan is nation of over 200 millions people and one should not make judgments on the basis of speculations and conspiracies. Pakistanis are loving and affectionate people. Masses of Pakistan are simple and unimpeachable. I am going to discuss with you, my excursion to one of the most beautiful valleys in Pakistan that is called Naran Kaghan Valley, KPK, and Pakistan. Foreigners who visited Pakistan in couple of last years had become the ambassadors of this nations, its beauty, culture, mountains and landscapes.

Eva Zu Beck, a popular blogger across the globe from Poland stayed 6 months in Pakistan on her second trip in order to cover different areas of Pakistan. Apart from Chitral and Kashmir, She has traveled to every place in Pakistan. Beck said in a video posted by her,"See, most of my friends start to chuckle when I tell them this, but it's really no joke but I believe Pakistan can be the world's number one tourism destination". 

Fog, Alpine tree's, mountain's. What else is required. 

                                                              INTRODUCTION

Naran Kaghan Valley is unquestionably one of the best places for the tourist to visit as there is the number of mesmerizing mountains, Crystal clear lakes, and streams, full of Alpine trees and spectacular eye-catching views on multiple places and above all, River Kunhar which is the main feature of the valley. The beautiful valley gives a warm reception to visitors across the globe. Valley is 160 km in length and optimum place for the tourists to visit in summer.

Naming a few places to visit in the Naran Kaghan Valley:

1.  Balakot (3000 feet, approximately)
2. Shogran (7,749 feet)
3. Shinkiyari Huts (8200 feet)
4. Paye (10,032 feet)
5. Danna Meadows(9,728)
6. Naran (7, 904 feet)
7. Lake Saif-ul- Malook (10,578 feet)
8. Ansoo lake (13,927 feet)
9. Batakundi (10,246 feet)
10. Babusar top (13,691 feet)
11. Dudipatsar lake (12,500 feet)
12. Burawai (10, 578 feet)
13. Lalazar (10, 246 feet)
14. Sharan   (7872 feet)
15. Mana Meadows (8000 feet)
16. Moses Mountain (13, 390 ft)
17. Jhalkhad (12,988 feet)
18. Kawai (6,249 feet)
19. Nori top (12,988 feet)
20. Besal (10,695 feet)
21. Shingri Top (12,700 feet)
22. Malakandi Forest (6,899 feet to 10,500 feet)
23. Manoor Valley (8,500 feet)
24. Siri (8,497 feet)
25. Hans Gali (13,103 feet)   

                    In order to have better understanding, you should search for these 25 mentioned places from Google and YouTube and you will easily be able to comprehend and understand the atmosphere and positive vibes of Pakistan.

"A pleasant site of River Kunhar from Balakot"

                             “Glimpses of Trip in Naran Kaghan Valley”

"Welcome to my Blog"

                                                                      BALAKOT

              We reached Balakot from Abbottabad in 80 minutes in the morning. The lush green mountains, moderate weather with little mist along with the fresh breeze, the melody of the river, the beauty of the thick forest and picturesque beauty set the tone of our tour. Balakot is an important historical place as there was a battle fought between Sikhs and Muslims in the 19^th century. “Ayub Bridge” was constructed over River Kunhar in 1965 which connects with Kaghan Valley as well as with the rest of Pakistan. Natives of Balakot speak Hindko as their first language. Noor Jahan, a Mughal queen used the route below Balakot near Garhi Habibullah Khan on her expedition to Kashmir during the reign of Mughals in the sub-continent.

"Grow like Tree, not that of Mushroom"

                                                     SHINKIYARI HUTS

"Picture is giving a call to those who have vision"

          Shinkiyari huts are also known as Dana Shinkiyari. I visited twice and in my opinion, Shinkyari Huts is the most beautiful mountain that I know of till day. The landscapes are awe-inspiring and spectacular, the meadows are lush green. There is no better feeling such as seeing early sunrise in Shinkiayari huts. Apparently, most of Pakistani people are not exposed to this immaculate and heavenly place.

                                                                    NARAN

        Naran is the middle point of the Kaghan Valley. Naran has beauty, moderate atmosphere, charismatic and captivating scenery, number of natural waterfalls and streams flowing from the beautiful tall mountains. We spent a night in the Gateway Hotel, Naran. Naran is a hub for tourist attraction as there are different hotels, shops, and restaurants. Naran is also famous for enigmatic Trout Fish. You must not miss the delicacy of Trout Fish.

"Mighty Kunhar as per usual"

                                                           LULUSAR LAKE

"Time wasted at Lulusar is time well spent " 

Many found Lulusar a random lake but in my experience, it is the most beautiful lake among all the lakes of Naran as it had the best feel, covered in blue and gold rough flowers, easy access through any vehicle, the color of the lake is Emerald green and River Kunhar starts from it.

"The photo was taken by the Mohsin Khan, when car was going at the speed of 40 km/hr"

                                                                Shogran

Shogran is also one of the most beautiful places in the Kaghan Valley. Its elevation is 7500 feet above the sea level.  Shogran presents beautiful sites of greenery. Shogran is the best place for meditation. Shogran offers a beautiful view of three tall mountains that are Moses Mountain ( 13,390 feet), Makra Peak (12, 746 feet) and Malika Parbat( 17,360 feet). Hotels are easily available for the stay. Students prefer camp over hotels .

                                                                       Siri Paye

After crossing Shogran, there is a mighty plateau that is full of Pine trees and lush green meadows at the elevation of more than 10,000 feet known as Paye. Siri is behind Paya which is known for the beautiful lake and scenic scenery. Siri Paye can be reached through a jeep in 45 mins or a 2.5-hour hike from Shogran. Hiking from Shogran to Paye will be an amazing experience for you. I did it, twice. The landscapes and scenery are spellbinding and charming before reaching Siri Paye.

                                                          GANHOOL

"Scenic View"

         Ganhool is the village 14 km away from Balakot. There is a number of beautiful natural waterfalls. The route to Manna Meadows and Shinkiyari huts goes from Ganhool. It is one of the educated places in the valley and it is famous for its hospitality.

      
                                                                      BESAL

                    On the way to Babusar, there is a small village name Besal. It has delightful eye-catching landscapes. We did our camping in Besal. Besel provides the sights of pointed rocks.

                                                                 BURAWAI

       Burawai is also a small village but is famous for giving the bewitching views of River Kunhar and by the experience of my naked eye, it can’t get better than this.

"An Eye pleasing view of River Kunhar passing through Berawai"

                                                                BATAKUNDI

        It is an enjoyable spot from the perspective of a tourist. The altitude of Batakundi is 8607 feet above the sea level. The views of Batakundi is mesmerizing.

                         

                                                    RIVER KUNHAR

River Kunhar is one of the riskiest and it can be challenging as it has got a tremendous amount of pace. Kunhar is 166 km long. It is the backbone of the valley. The river starts from Lulusar and joins River Jhelum outside of Muzaffarabad. Water from Saif-ul-Malook, Dudipatsar and the melting glaciers of Malika Parbat also fell into the Kunhar. The hottest attraction of Kunhar is its icy cold water and Trout fish. Trout Fish is exported to various outside cities due to its taste, uniqueness, and rarity. River Kunhar is truly an amenity and more than a blessing for the natives and tourists.

                                               NATURAL STREAMS

"No words can describe my love and gratitude for this place"

               Leonardo Da Vinci, once said, “Water is driving force of all the nature”. Naran Kaghan Valley is truly blessed with the ample amount of natural water streams that flow across the valley. Water is pure and crystal clear. It is not possible for an individual to take a leave without viewing and observing the melody and exquisiteness of this auspicious treasure of Almighty.

                                 CHICKEN KARAHI

             We made Chicken Karahi and did BBQ a couple of times, during our journey in the valley on the number of occasions. 

"It was team effort but we would like to give credit to Mohsin for making delicious Karahi"

                                          GATEWAY HOTEL, NARAN

              Naran is one of the coolest places in the valley and everyone loves to stay as Naran has so much to offer. We stayed one night in Naran in Gateway, Hotel. The room was clean and well furnished. We had a lot of fun. Night in the hotel along with my boon companions is remarkable, memorable and unforgettable. The sleep in the room along with the soothing melody of River kunhar which was at the distance of 100 feet and the absolute silence at night is going to stay with us till our last breath. We still cherish those moments, frequently.

                                Citizens of the Valley

People living in the valley are humble and cheerful. The treatment of natives towards tourists regardless of their status is welcoming. In my experience, drivers on local vehicles are quite humorous. 

"Photo with Imtiaz and Ayaz"

People like Ayaz( Jeep driver), Sher Baz (Jeep driver) and Imtiaz (Cook at Shinkiyari huts) were really helpful. There constructive approach and hospitality have impressed us a lot.

                                                "SUGGESTIONS"

     
      Places where you can do Hike:

1. Musa ka Musala (Moses Mountain)
2. Makra Peak
3. Shinkiyari Huts
4. Manna Meadows
5. Dudipatsar Lake
6. Ansu Lake

                                                        VILLAGE LIFE

"There is no better feeling than enjoying the true blessing of the moment"

Anyone living anywhere in the valley is quite fortunate as there are lush green trees, soothing voice of River, Stillness, beautiful shades of nature and it’s culture. Villages are beautiful destinations and you will feel more at peace in the village. Caesar said, “I had rather be first in a village than second at Rome”.

                                                 Salient features of Valley

The main feature of the valley is River Kunhar.

1. Gujar migrants with their livestock
2. Trout fish is the best commodity of the valley
3. Honey dealers
4. Potato farms
5. Trout fish

The valley epic landscapes, lush green meadows, natural streams, hospitality, and culture make it the icon of all beautiful valleys in South-East Asia. The weather of Naran feels like spring all year long which is a great attraction for the visitors. Hindko and Gojri are widely spoken languages of the valley and many people around understand and can communicate in English as well. The road leads to the valley through wide-ranging hamlets, cities and towns, especially Abbottabad, Taxila, Mansehra, and Balakot. Balakot is the last place that comes earlier to the start of the valley.

The greatest entertainments are across the River Kunhar that flows through the length of the valley. The road to the entire valley is enchanting as chasmic slopes and the sky-high peaks stretching alongside ends of the river. One cannot discover everything in one trip as the valley spreads across a large area and has a lot to offer to the tourists. The Valley is called the land of fairies as it has a natural instinct that stuck you in its spellbound beauty. Easy access to the valley is the key reason for its popularity and one can reach from Islamabad (capital) in seven to eight hours, easily.
                                           
                                       Things to be done

         There are many things one can do, during a visit to the valley apart from getting lost in the heavenly place, here is a long-awaited list of activities that you must try before leaving the valley in order to give a final classic touch to your trip.

•  Meditation by the side of the river
•  Make an attempt to do fishing by the river
•  BBQ and bonfire (it can be anywhere in the premises of the valley)  
•  Horse riding at Saif-ul- Malook, Siri Paye, Shogran and Besal.
•  See sunrise at Balakot
•  Rowing in River Kunhar
•  Make an attempt to do camping at Babusar top
•  Tea at different Dhaba’s
• Lastly, Make new friends and get acquainted with its habitat.

"We hope you all have read the article and let us know about your approach and thinking about Pakistan after reading and understanding the article in comments section"