GILGIT: MOUNTAINEERS PARADISE.

GILGIT:

BEAUTIFUL GILGIT VALLEY

If you have been to gilgit ,you would not think of going anywhere else on vacation. Whether its hiking, trekking or mountain climbing, Gilgit is just the place for you.

Gilgit is a beautiful valley surrounded by the worlds mightiest mountain ranges- the Karakorams, the Hindukush and the Himalayas…Some of the worlds greatest glaciers out side the polar region are located in Gilgit Baltistan along with the 2^nd highest peak the K2….now give me one reason why not to call it the mountaineers heaven?

FACTS ABOUT GILGIT:

Gilgit has seen many empires come and go among which the Russians, the Chinese and the Britishers left their marks in the culture and heritage of Gilgit.

VIEW OF K2

The Karakorams and Himalayas offer great experience for dauntless adventure lovers such as cyclists and mountainclimbers. One may pass through breadthtaking scenic beauty at one place and find rocky mountains with barren land running miles and miles on the other.

The karakoram high way(KKH) which leads to gilgit is the worlds highest high way going all the way from china to Pakistan and across the Himalayas.

Gilgit is the name of both the district and the capital of the district.

Buddhism was once the religion of the region, now the religion followed is Islam.

The prevalent season in gilgit is winter, which lasts for about 8 to 9 months a year rainfall is scanty and very short summers are too hot and can the temperature can reach upto a 40 degree. Due to such extreme in weather, landslides are very common.

WAYS TO TRAVEL:

ROAD WAY TO GILGIT

Although one can travel by car or bus or other road vehicles but one has to be very adventurous, dauntless and patient to go through a journey of 14 to 24 hours by road. One would rather prefer to travel by air from the fedral capital Islamabad which takes hardly 45 to 50 minutes.

DESTINATIONS IN GILGIT:

CARVED BUDDHA FIGURES

Enjoy the scenic beauty ,the lush green carpeted mountains, the water falls, the bridges Naltar valley, Nagar valley, Shigar city, Skardu city, Haramosh peak in Karakoram range, Deosai national park, Rama lake, Phunder village, Yasin and Kargah valley.

NALTAR VALLEY

Gilgit is full of historic places that one can visit. Buddhism was a religion once followed and its traces can still be seen in the form of various monuments and symbols associated with the life of Buddha. A Buddha sculpture is carved out of stone at almost 10 km from Gilgit.

At 30 km from Gilgit stands the victory monument, the 700 years old Taj Mughal .

You can also go for fishing and trekking in various places.

SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL:

SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL

If you plan to go to Gilgit, make sure your timings match with the Shandur polo festival held on one of the worlds high altitude polo field between chitral and Gilgit. The tournament lasts for 3 days and you can not only enjoy the match but can also do photography, camping. The best part is that you can watch the match FOR FREE:D

SHOPPING IN GILGIT:

SEMI PRECIOUS STONE

While in Gilgit make sure you buy some of the handicrafts, the pashmina shawls, old musical instruments, the leather goods and the semi precious stones all at a very reasonable rate..all other things of basic daily needs are easily available and you can buy the mountaineering equipment as well.

MY RECOMMENDATION:

So if you are seeking for adventure, you are full of energy, you are not afraid to climb to mighty mountains, you love nAature and you want to watch a polo match GILGIT is THE PLACE for you.

MUZAFFARABAD, AZAD KASHMIR: HEAVEN ON EARTH

MUZAFFARABAD(AZAD KASHMIR)

MUZAFFARABAD ( مظفر آباد) AZAD KASHMIR:

Since we were little kids, we were always told that if you want a glimpse of heaven on earth you should visit Kashmir, that fairies live in the valley of Kashmir and that Kashmir is an integral part of Pakistan and its people are our people.

Kashmir sure is a heaven on earth and the capital of this heaven is Muzaffarabad.

SOME FACTS ABOUT MUZAFFARABAD:

The name Muzaffarabad means Muzaffar’s town. Who is this Muzaffar ? well Muzaffarabad was named after a muslim ruler of Khandan-e-Bomba,(family of Bombay or Mumbai) Sultan Raja Muzaffar Khan.(well they were among the ruler families of the subcontinent and definitely could afford to name a town after them:P) later on after the 1948-49 war , Muzaffarabad was made the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir .

On its western side it is connected to Khyber Pakhunkhwa(previously known as N.W.F.P) in Pakistan, while on the Indian side by the Kupwara and Baramulla districts and to the north is present the Neelum district of Azad Kashmir.

The city is now a blend of variety of cultures, languages, new and old buildings, river Neelum and Jhelum and the local religion followed is Islam.

WAYS TO TRAVEL TO MUZAFFARABAD:

BY AIR:

The airport is not found functional mostly but flights were scheduled from Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Gwadar, Sialkot and Karachi via PIA, Air Blue, Shaheen Air International. Lets hope they start the flights again soon.

BY ROAD:

By road(my most preferred) it takes approximately 3 hours to Muzaffarabad from Islamabad(the federal capital) Via Murree is the quickest route about 45 min (talk about enjoying two places on one vacation :D) from where you take a 2 hr drive and entre Kohala and pass through a bridge i.e Kohala Bridge and another 30 min to reach Muzaffarabad.

But this 3 hrs will pass like anything once you get immersed in the beauty of the surroundings and listen to your favourite songs along the way.

WHERE TO GO IN MUZAFFARABAD:

There are various places on can visit in muzaffarabd.Apart from all the lush green carpeted mountains and neelum river flowing in the area ,there are some buildings one should visit, the crowded and full of life bazars where one can find traditional to contemporary things, the hiking tracks,fish hatcheries ,zoo’s,the bridges,lakes and what not.

Some of places which are a must visit include:

MUZAFFARABAD FORTS:

RED FORT, MUZAFFARABAD

Now there are two forts on each side of the river Neelum, the Red and the Black Fort. I got the chance of visiting the Red fort and I couldn’t help noticing that it was rotting:S. which is sad not only because it is a historical building but it is so magnificent and has wonderful view of the Neelum river. It has these little cells(which were so dark and gloomy,,brrr) and a guide is there to show you around and take pictures for you tooJ

The Muzaffarabad fort’s construction was completed in 1946 by Sultan Muzaffar. Many rulers came and left leaving the fort abandoned in the end. It is now open for public and is a tourist attraction indeed.

PIR CHINASSI:

PIR CHINASSI

If you are a nature lover Pir Chinassi is just the place for you. The climate is wonderful, the mountains are covered with green valvet and the scenery is breadth taking. It is located eastwards of Muzaffarabad and is famous for hiking, trekking and camping activities.

SHAHEED GALI:

Another place famous for its scenic beauty is Shaheed Gali. It is located westwards of Muzaffarabad at almost 16 km and is at an altitude of 1640 meters. Once you are in Shaheed Gali you should take the chance and visit “Sri Kot” which is a trek of 4 km. tourists rest house is also available to refresh yourself and get something to eat.

PATTIKA:

If you are a fishing person and you want to enjoy fishing in Kashmir you should definitely go to Pattika. It is a gateway to Neelum valley and has a tourist resort as well, also you can take your young ones to the mini zoo. I am sure they will love it.

CHEHLA BRIDGE

You should also make plans and visit:

CHEHLA BRIDGE:

SUBRI (LANGARPURA)LAKE :

CHIKKRA:

You can indulge in different activites like hiking, trekkin, camping at the foothill regions of the valvet green pleatues ,you can also do picnics at the banks of river Neelum but make sure you find a spot where the water flow is smooth as the water is very fast flowing and rough in the river. Enjoy the scenic beauty and wonderful climate.

WHAT TO SHOP IN MUZAFFARABAD:

HAND MADE SHAWL

CARPET WEAVING

The hand woven carpets and Kashmiri shawls are famous all around the world. The wonderful designs, colors and the quality of the material is of international standards.

Handicrafts: Carpets, silk woolen clothing, woolen shawls, wood carving, Papier Mashie, rugs.

KASHMIRI OR PINK TEA

Other products and fruits: mushrooms, honey, walnuts, apples, cherry, medicinal herbs & plants, resin, Deodar, Kail, Chir, Fir, Maple and Ash Timbers etc.

One of the must have or taste rather is the Kashmiri tea or pink tea. It has a wonderful color, taste and is filled with nuts. A cozy treat for your taste buds in the wonderful climate

2005 KASHMIR EARTHQUAKE:

CENTRE POINT OF KASHMIR EARTHQUAKE

On 8^th October 2005 a terriable earthquake shook not only Kashmir but all of Pakistan and people lost their lives their, loved ones, their homes and valuables.

Approximately 80,000 people were killed in the Pakistan premises and the magnitude of the earthquake was 7.6….and once you see the mountain which was the epicenter of the earthquake you are stunned ….and you instantly beg Allah for forgiveness and pray for the killed souls to rest in peace..it is so mind jolting to see that huge mountain teared in literally a half …on half standing while the other half came on the ground with everything beneath it….Indeed Allah is Almighty…is all you have on your mind.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS:

BEAUTIFUL VALLEY OF KASHMIR

A visit to Muzaffarabad ,Azad Kashmir Pakistan is a must with your family and friends, you will love the people and the place and you will want to go there again and again .

THE QUEEN OF HILLS - "MURREE"

Murree covered in snow blanket

MURREE (مری):

The first place in mind when you start thinking about the beauty of Pakistan is the most famous tourist resort Murree. It is synonymous to holidays, summer resorts, green hills, pine trees. It is a place that has something to offer to every age group in any season be it the green fresh summers or snow covered winters, captivating mountain views, sunsets or the roaming clouds. One can never get tired of going to Murree and enjoy its beauty.

SOME FACTS ABOUT MURREE:

Although a popular belief is that the place is named after the virgin marry, the name is actually derived from ‘marhi’ meaning a “high place” probably because of the high mountains and hills.

Beauty along the way

One of the largest resort town in Galyat area Murree is located in the northeast of the federal capital Islamabad at a distance of about 30 km. The Islamabad-Kohala high way will take you to the queen of hills.

Situated on the southern slopes of Himalayas, the highest altitude of Murree is 2,300m(7,500ft).

The Governor of Punjab ,Sir Henry Lawrence founded Murree as a sanatorium for the British troops in 1851.

WAYS TO TRAVEL TO MURREE:

The easiest and most beautiful way to reach to Murree is via road but then again you don’t have any other choice since there is no airport nor any station in Murree. But you don’t want to miss the scenic beauty on the roadside anyway.

Roadside Murree in winter

Taxis and busses will take you to Murree in an hour or so but you should prefer to travel via your own vehicle so that you can stop anywhere you want to along the way, have a cup of tea or bhutta (the corn) which is YUMMY:D and take lotssssss of photographs to make your trip a memorable one.

Now you have two options to or two road ways to reach Murree. One is the old Islamabad –Murree road, which will take one hour approx to take you to Murree..i.e if you don’t stop along the way. The other is 4-lane Islamabad-Murree Express way which is a 45 min drive.

Now there is a third route from Islamabad which is via Nilore and Simli Dam and this alternate route joins at Lower Topa.

Whichever route you choose you will have beauty everywhere all along the way. The choice is yours.

WHERE TO GO IN MURREE:

PC Bhurban

Now when in Murree you don’t need to go to specific locations to enjoy yourself. Where ever you look, you will find green mountains, flowers, snow(depending on season) and hustle bustle everywhere but still there are some spots which are tourists favorite and once you are there you should definitely visit them.

One of the most famous places is the Mall road, It is famous for the NEWLY WEDDED couples walking together hand in hand and the youngsters teasing them ( I myself did both the things :D) and what else yes you can shop and eat a variety of things from dasi food to KFC everything is available.

Now you can also go to see Kashmir point from where you can view the mountains of Kashmir and the Pindi point.

If you want to enjoy cable cars and chairlifts (another favourite of the youngsters) you can go to Patriata and Ayubia, where you can also enjoy in parks for kids, games such as balloon shooting and restaurants offering both Pakistani and fast food.

Once in Murree, you can extend your vacations and plan day trips to other places like Nathia gali, Kalabagh, Muzaffarabad, Bhurban (PC), Ghora gali, Jhika gali etc.

An American journalist wrote, that,

"Everything and anything can happen in Murree. Romance is in the atmosphere; intrigue is in the air. The roads to this happy holiday's resort embrace both the heaven and earth. In Murree it is easy to fall in love".

Some of the walking and hiking tracks that you can enjoy are:

Ayubia- Changla Gali( we always use this track to go to Ayubia, it is awesome)

Dungagali- Muskhpuri.

Mushkpuri-Nathiagali.

Nathiagali-Miranjani top.

If you follow all those tracks, you are sure to hear from your friends that you have lost some ponds over your vacation :D, but you will find all these tracks are worth the effort you put in on covering them.

FLORA AND FAUNA OF MUREE:

Pine Trees

Many wild animals are found, you are sure to hear stories of leopards, wolves, foxes and even monkey coming in human inhibited areas and causing trouble( I have although never seen anything like it :P) its all peaceful there but hearing the stories is fun and might give you goose bumps in the already cold nights.

As far as the plants are concerned, Pine trees are found almost everywhere in Murree, the air is filled with the refreshing scent of pine,… cherries, raspberries and strawberries dwell locally and it is fun to eat them off from plants by yourself as you walk and enjoy.

SOUVENIRS:

Murree has a variety of handicraft shops selling curios for the tourist to remind them of their visit to this hill station. Traditional colorful clothing items , head wear, carved walking sticks, jewelery items and leather goods are abundantly available and are a must buy for every tourist.

MY RECOMMENDATION:

I would say Murree is a must visit tourist destinations where we have all domestics sorted out. We can see nature, get comfortable hotel, eat all kinds of food and do hiking etc. Weather visiting from others cities of Pakistan or from another country, your first stop to enjoy your holidays to the fullest should be none other than Murree, the Queen of Hills.