Murree: a travel guide

Murree literally means “high place” is one of Pakistan’s most popular hill stations. It is a part of the Margalla hills and located in the outer Himalayas. It is surrounded by lush green trees and is a tourist destination throughout the year because of its scenic, relaxing atmosphere, and proximity to Islamabad.

 During the summer season when all of Pakistan is suffering through the heat wave, people generally tend to travel to Murree for even just a day but to get a cooling atmosphere. One of the most appealing factors of Murree is that there is a lot to do there in addition to just relaxing.

If we analyze the brief history of Murree is one of several hill stations made by the British in the Himalayan foothills during the 19th century. It was a town and was built according to building frame of European cities with Church in the center and main road, The Mall. Mall road is running along with commercial places and administrative offices around the same. The Mall was and still is still the center of attraction.  Only Europeans were allowed access to the Mall and after 1947, Non-European got access to The Mall. The city is packed with forests of pine and Oak. Alongside goes the main road.

Murree's cool climate is the precise reason why it is such a popular summer retreat. Located at an altitude of approximately 2,300m above sea level, the region has a hilly terrain and is covered by dense evergreen forests. Visitors choose to visit Murree during winter when the place is snowy and the views are too spectacular for words. Murree has a population of 176426 people (1998 census). The increase in population rate is considerably lower as compared to the other regions of the country. One of the reason is the migration to the twin cities and other major cities of Punjab, and secondly, because there were many territorial changes like separation of Kotli Sattian from Murree Tehsil. People of Murree are famous for their hospitality.

The most common profession use to be agriculture (farming and livestock). In the past, most of the families use to have their own livestock to meet their dairy and poultry needs and to earn a living out of it as well. Now very few people maintain livestock for personal use or for a source of earning. Because people are switching towards different other professions like teaching. Most of the population in rural areas are Abbasis.

  

Other prominent tribes include Satti, Kethwal, Danials, and Kianis. Literacy rate of 69 % makes Murree one of the most literate area of the country. Village Ausia has a booming rate of 82% and is the most literate rural area of Pakistan. Considering the fact that the major population chunk (87.8%) belong to the rural segment, such a high literacy rate is quite an achievement. Some of it is because of the people’s commitment and love of knowledge. There is a large number of primary secondary and middle schools, separate degree colleges for both boys and girls, and private schools around every corner.

Contributor: Adeel Satti

Kumrat valley

Nature has the key which opens the way to our aesthetic, intellectual, and spiritual satisfaction. The valley of Kumrat has much beauty and charm to admire everyone. The valley is the home to lush green meadows, waterfalls foggy mountains and the wonderful snowcapped splendid hills and gushing streams. It’s the gem in the crown of Pakistan. There are no words which could define the beauty of the breathtaking kumrat valley. 

It is he in the Upper Dir. district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. And in the foothills of Hindu Kush Mountains surrounded by Chitral in north and Swat valley to the East and lower Dir. to the south.

The valley is becoming one of the most visited tourist resort of Pakistan. As it is becoming picturesque for them. Each summer here is gifted with thousands of travelers who come along from different parts of the country to explore the hidden beauty and enjoy the greenery alongside the cool weather. It is alpine climatic in nature and the weather is very cool in summers unto 20C and freezing in winters with snowfall to 3-11 feet’s. So the best time to plan a tour in spring and summer.

When one just reach out there with closed eyes he could experience the peace and tranquility from the waves of water gushing down the streams. The nights there are carved parts of heaven on Earth providing serenity and solitude.

The valley is ideal for camping though people also are provided with lavish hotels every 3 hours track. Its, however, a place which is newly discovered yet many advancements are not provided to international standards. It is a journey of 6 to 8 hours for the central bazaar if upper Dir. People usually use tents at the cost of 200 to 800 rupees. The ravishing scenic beauty is attracting tourists to dive into the hidden paradise on Earth.

Some of the notable lakes of the valley are Panjokora River, Do Kala Chashma, JahazBanda, Thal, Katora Lake, Barad and Lake, and Django. Along with them some trees and forest also enhance its beauty including Jandai village, Jahaz Banda Meadows and forest Kumrat. The astonishing views of the crooked woods are beyond comprehension. Lastly, the most serene green meadow is Badogoi Pass whose beauty and enchanting peace is impossible to forget.

To reach Kumrat Valley is tough because the roads are still not fully developed and constructed. But 4x4 vehicle could be used to reach beyond Sheringal. However, to reach the gateway of Kumrat Valley Thal is usually used.

The variety of animals are to be seen in Kumrat Valley. These include markhor, ibex, deer, jackals musk, monal pheasants, porcupines, brown bears, monkeys, chakores and snow leopards. They hugely attract public and the enjoyment is enhanced more due to these species. Along with these diverse flowers and fruits are abundantly found in the valley of kumrat.

Before the unexplored paradise comes on mainstream one has to visit it to gaze a real beauty of paradise on earth.

Hunza valley

  

The valley of Hunza enveloped in the Himalayas and the Karakoram is emanating tourist resort of Pakistan. It is referred by the tourists as the heaven on Earth. The whole new spectrum of colors mesmerizes people a lot and want to retreat the charm. The meadows orange and pink flowers are found throughout the path. The valley of Hunza is in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan and is in the extreme northern Part of Pakistan bordering the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan and the region Xinjiang of China. 

To fully understand the valley let us go into the brief history of the Hunza. The princely state for 900 years was dissolved by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The capital was Baltit and the old settlement is Ganish Village which literally means ‘’Ancient Gold’’. In the year 1890, the British embarked a mission to annex the valley. The mission is known as the Hunza-Nagar Campaign. They gained full control with little effort. After that the Mir, Safdar Ali Khan fled to Kashgar in China. And his brother Mir Mohammad Nazim Khan was made the new ruler of Hunza by the British. 

The Mountains provide seclude from every sorrow of the world. Along with the enchanted peace one just want to remain there forever. The dynamic landscape, rivers, deserts, lakes, and waterfalls nurture one's creativity. One of the remarking quality of Hunza is that the literacy rate is more than 90 percent. Having Karakoram International University, offering programs of BS in Development studies, biological sciences, mathematics, and Tourism and Hospitality Management. Not only is this, the friendliness and hospitality of the public are beyond comprehension also the safety they provide to tourists is something to praise upon. The local language is Burushaski, wakhi, and Shina. 

The famous places to visit in Hunza valley are Gulmit, Passu, Sost, Shimshal, Jamalabad, Gircha, Chipursan, Misgar Shiskhkat, Hussaini, Gojal, Baltit Fort and Borith Lake. Most important is the world’s highest peak K2 located in Hunza valley. 

The best time to visit the valley is generally from October to May because in winter the Karakorum Highway is blocked with snow. Restaurant Hunza is very famous for its local eateries, which are served at most of the restaurants located in the Karim Abad market area. Some of the names of the normal foods area unit Sharbat, diram-fete, davdo, muleda, amongst many others. These dishes are cooked with pure butter and downed them in oil, but are prepared on occasion as they are expensive.

Things you should know while travelling Swat valley

The serenity in the Swat valley of Pakistan has the hypnotizing Effect. The unfolding creativity of nature there is beyond comprehension. It is alluring to experience solitude with the natural beauty of Swat Valley.

The practice of devoting to the bliss of calmness is soothing and reviving. One has to visit this place to wipe away the miseries of life. the roaring Rivers, meandering streams, glacier-fed lakes, pine meadows ice-capped peaks of Mankial and flaksair, fruit-laden orchids, glowing green fields, flower-filled mountains slopes along with the hostility of people make the Valley, hallmark of magnificent tourist resorts of Pakistan.

The Swat valley sprawls over 10350 sq. km. the temperature of summer in its peak is just below 25C and as low as 7C. The capital of the valley is Saidu Sharif with its twin city Mingora the largest one. Bahrain, Madain, Kalam and Malam Jabba and Madyan are its most fascinating tourist resorts. The height of these cities ranges from 991 meters above sea level at Saidu Sharif to the top highest mountain Flaksair which is 6257 meters high.

Let us now delve into the history of the Swat Valley to fully understand its worth.

Swat was described as ‘’Udyan’’ meaning the garden in the ancient Hindu scriptures. Alexander the Great crossed the valley in 327 BC. He fought and won some of his major Battles at Barikot and Udegram and stormed plains of the five rivers. In the Greek writings, these places are remembered as Ora and Bazira. With the demise of Alexander the Greeks lost control over these colonies and flunk the northern colonies of the subcontinent situated west of the Indus River after that these were annexed by Chandra Gupta.

After the second century BC to the 9^th century AD, the valley became the cradle of Buddhism and found almost 1400 monasteries. This was the time when Swat became the hub of Gandhara School of Sculpture which was the mixture of Buddhist style and Greco Roman sculpture. The ruins of these monasteries are still found in the Swat Valley.

Now we just have come out of the beauty of Swat valley, so let’s find a way to get into this wonderful place. So to reach out, Swat Is linked by road and by air with Islamabad, Peshawar. People also use the regular bus and Van service between Rawalpindi and Mingora. There are hotels to stay by every class of society be it elite or middle class. The reasonable amount allures everyone.

Furthermore, the local handicrafts include embroidered linen, hand woven rugs, and shawls, silver, tribal jewelry and carved woodwork.

The beauty of nature is unimaginable. Everyone is attracted to it. When someone will observe and feel the beauty of Swat valley the tranquility will affect his mind and soul and gives them a feeling of refreshment and delight.

Contributor: Tooba Mujtaba

   

A Backpacker's guide to travel pakistan

Media has always hyped about Pakistan in their bites and tickers but the country has always been warm towards the tourists. With several 'one-must' destinations under its belt, it is hard for solo travelers to miss these exotic locations.

On one of vacation to the country, it was quite difficult to obtain a visa first but after a month's hard work, I finally landed with 10 days of visa. I made a list of places, popular and some not-so-famous to make sure I don't miss out the best in the country. I just had details and what is popular I can get for my near and dear ones, I head to the country with 0 perceptions.

I arrived Islamabad which was my first destination and I already had booked with one of the guesthouses. Although I am not a huge fan of big cities the city deserves a place in my itinerary. I went to Lok Virsa, the Heritage Museum and yes, the architecture one die to look for- Faisal Mosque.

Next, I moved to Lahore, the famous city of the nation and its a must visit the city if you love food. I went to Badshahi Mosque, Sohneri Mosque and head to spice market Akbari Mandi.

Hunza was my next planned location as from Gilgit I went to Hunza. I did trekking and hiking tours. For a nature lover, you can see amazing landscapes, meet the localities and had mouth-watering food.

Last but not least Chitral was my last destination. It was a long ride with infinite checkpoints. It is advised to carry 20 copies of your passport. And from there I took transportation to Kalash valley which was shares a border with Afghanistan. I applied for NOC to be in Chitral and surrounding areas just to study about Kalash people. I spent my last 3 days of the trip to Kalash. The worth to visit were Bamburate and Rumbur. The city's color can be witnessed in the embroidered dresses and beaded headdresses popularly known as susutr.

Pakistan is a land of hospitality and you can see kindness among locals as they came forward and helped me out with shopping and food. One must visit the country and see how people are welcoming locals as they came forward and helped me out with shopping and food.

Kalash: The sole pagan valley of chitral

The mysterious Kalash valley is the most spectacular valley location of Pakistan and stands on the elevation level of 1670 meters. It is located in Chitral district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It has a unique indigenous culture and religion that dates back thousands of years. The valley is endowed with rich natural resources and celebrate all year round.

The valley is surrounded by Hindu Kush mountain range. The valley shares a 380km border with Afghanistan in north and west. It boosts serene beauty with lush green valleys and fruit farms making it ideal for tourist spot not only in terms of scenic beauty but also cultural diversity and religious spot.

The history of Kalash Valley Is quite extraordinary. There are three theories about its origin. Some historian’s belief that the inhabitants are the descendants of the soldiers of Alexander the Great. While the second group believes that they are indigenous to Asia and came from Afghanistan, however, according to the third theory the Kalash ancestors migrated to Afghanistan from a distant place in South Asia called Tsiyam. They first migrated to Chitral from Afghanistan and then in second century BC they established in the Valley.

The language of the Kalash valley is Kalasha and Dardic language. It has no proper script however there have been recent developments in introducing a formal script for the language. Like all other religions, the Kalasha also have different religious rituals and practices. The numerous God and Goddesses have shrines and altars all over the valley where goat scarifies are offered regularly. Crows that are considered to be their ancestors are frequently fed with their left hand at a number of places including tombs. Moreover, the people of Kalash do not bury their dead underground rather their coffins are left out in the open. They believe that the soul was excited to leave the human body and reunite with the already departed souls. It is for this reason that they celebrate the funeral of a dead person by singing and dancing rather than mourning over the dead. The people are cheerful who love music, instruments, dance, and drums. Each year they celebrate several festivals namely Chilam Joshi, Pho festival, Uchal, and others. One more unique thing is the dress code, they wear long black loose robes with colorful cowrie shells. They also wear colorful beads and necklaces that further distinguish them. However, male wear shalwar kameez and waistcoat with a hat of the common northern area. Their houses are built on the embankments of streams and rivers that are plentiful in the region. They are constructed with rough shaped logs and are double storeyed.

The valley is beautiful beyond worlds and their beauty can only be admired when the sight is in front of you.

‘’We still, do not know thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us’’ Albert Einstein

Why Neelum valley is worth traveling?

The shining horizon and the glowing breeze

Neelum is bestowed with endowing peace

The picturesque valley is situated about 240 kilometers to the North and North East of Muzaffarabad; a capital of Kashmir. The revitalizing scenic beauty and the panoramic view of the towering hills of both sides of the gushing Neelum River with milky water. The flourishing green forest, falling streams from high altitude splashing against the rocks which make the valley a dream come true.

This is an ideal destination for people who admire beauty. The part of Nanga Parbat massif falls dominated by the Sarwaali peak of 632 meters are the highest mountains of the valley. Athmuqam is the capital of the Neelum valley. It has been administratively divided into tow sub-districts: Athmuqam and Sharda. From muzarafarabad, a tarred road comfortably leads to travel on the rocky and curvy jeep track, which can take you to the region of beauty far to describe. The valleys name comes from the color of the river Sapphire. Over 350 villages are established along its banks. Some of them are; Kundal, Shahi, Kutton, Jadran, Shalkhala, Kutha, Peran, Dodnial, Kel, Helmet and the last situated Taobat. There is simplicity to life in the valley.

There is greenery till the reach of an eye punctuated with pomegranate trees that lined up the road and proudly held out their red petals. Against their green backdrop, the red petals seemed more than seductive. One can’t resist to steal them from the trees but the very moment, Jon Elia intrudes by saying

Dekh lo Phool, Phool torro mat.

The flowers continue to dance around as one travels around the valley. And amuses them to notice how contentedly the river flows serving the natural border between India and Pakistan oblivion to their animosity. The blue waters and scenic beauty of the lake gravitate tourists with such a pull that they would battle mountains, rivers and the hardships of trekking of arriving at this spot. The site of flowing waters is worth all the troubles. Eyes just stray to see the reflection of God.

The houses are built on the steep mountain slopes in a way that the roof is partly stuck into the mountain. It allows animals to walk easily on the rooftop.  The hotel provided to tourist are adding more glaze to the ever-growing beauty. They could sit in the balcony t watch the hustle and bustle of the valley as the sunset. The fields enclosed with wooden planks having a large number of dandelions blossoming. The rays from the setting sun fired up the edges of the dandelions. The smoke rising the chimneys painted red. The scene makes the soul fly up to the sky to reach its real designer.

With tourism to the Neelum valley, comes new wealth, new opportunities and new sources of income. In the last two years, the boost in tourism is the living manifestation to the thought.  Everyone wants is peace and the words of Walt Whiteman best describes it;

‘’Give me odorous at sunrise and a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed’’.