Winter is coming !!!!!

The title may seem shady but whenever I feel winter coming I can’t seem to get rid of wandering thoughts of “Queen of Hills”. It is none other than Murree. One of our classmates invited us for stay at Murree but we could not make it that time. Around middle of December we took our turn to finally visit. While visiting I caught all the feels, form dense jungles of pine and oak to green landscape, form tall trees with chirping birds to open skies where clouds lie, site of monkeys gathered nearby road and tourist either feeding them or running away from them. Site was just the beginning to a serene journey. We planned on for staying one day in Murree and there are many route to Murree, it only took us one hour and so to get there via Islamabad-Murree Expressway, all credit to fast diving of our friend. Besides that you can also take Islamabad-Murree Road and Old Murree Road.

Gloria Jean's Coffees, Express

About Murree:

The name Murree came from “Marhi” meaning “High Place”, there is belief that it was named after Virgin Mary. Murree is the most visited hill spot and largest resort area in Glayat area in Pakistan. You can access it by road easily. Murree covers area of seven kilometer that lies between Pindi point and Kashmir point.

 

Birdseye view of Murree

Murree was built by British colonial government, in east lies River Jehlum that separates it from Azazd Kashmir,in southwest lies the capital while in southeast is tehsil of Rawalpindi. North of Murree lies Abbottabad. Alongside of Murree is part of KPK like Nathiagali, Ayubia, Dunga Gali and Changla Gali.

At a Glance:

Our first destination on arrival on around 9 o’clock was Mall Road. The road was full of hustle and bustle even then, it was scattered with hotels, restaurants and shops for people to buy attractive sovereign. Some people were having breakfast while few were walking around seems to heading back to their hotels after spending the early part of the morning wandering around the road. We decided to explore it on our way back cause it has this beautiful bazar just few steps below.

Mall Road during day

Moving ahead we walked 15 minutes to Pindi Point, the excitement to take chairlift was to the roofs. The scenery below was out of the world as it was middle of December all you can see was snowy peaked valleys and pale zigzag lines of pine.

 

Chairlift at Pindi Point

The chairlift ride took us to Bansara Gali , there we visited Bansara Gali Wildlife Park. The park was crowded with children, not only there was zoo featuring wild animals as such deer, brown tiger, black bear and more, there was also paly area which seemly was main attraction for little ones.

Bansara Gali

Wildlife Park

Form there we made our way back down through bacha gari and continue to walk Kashmir Point, it took us around good fifteen minutes along the way we passed by Cadet college Murree. The spot is the highest point it also has various shops and a food courts. The view from the spot looked over Kashmir Mountains. It seems quieter than the other places we had visited.

Kashmir Mountain's view from Kashmir Point

Kashmir Point

After that we decided to take our turn to New Murree “Patriata” it has the most wonderful chairlift ride, it almost cost us Rs.200 a car and cable to reach Patriata Hills, we were told it was 7km long. Upon arrival after breathtaking ride at hills we walked in direction where most of the people were walking which took us to the highest point on Patraita Hill, we decided to stop and settle cause of all the wet cold around us. The view from the top was not only of Kashmir Hills but also Murree Hills everything was covered in white and it was unspeakable sight and the area seemed so pure and angelic due to all the snow. It seemed like hours would not be enough for all the wonderful view around at top for our minds to capture.

View from Patriata

View from Patriata

We took chairlift back to Murree, it was dark by the time we arrived, around 5pm at Mall Road. I must say evening is in fact the best time to enjoy Mall Road. The hotels, restaurants and shops were all lighted up, some shops have fairy lights hanging in them.

Mall Road at Night

We walked around for quite a while. After a while we got tired and sat down by of the shops heard a passerby talking about visiting other places like Neelam Lake, Nathiagal and Aubyia amongst other, we were tempted to visit as well but we were tired and it was getting late so we decided to save it for our next trip, as we made our way back through Islamabad-Murree Road it took us around half an hour and so to away from this angelic land.

On my way back all my thoughts was all but occupied with planning of getting back again to Queen of Hills and to its wonders, I felt serenity at the same time all the rush of being at heights and having a lot yet to see at hand in Murree, had me tied up in knots. For me it was enough to have me hooked to this place not only I would like to other places but the same places again, renaissance would be worth it for sure. Here are some other suggestions to push you over the edge.

River Neelam

It’s basically a picnic spot. People enjoy having lunch at bank of the river with cold wind blowing and cool water passing by in river, is the best thing in summers.

Nathiagali

Most well gali is Nathiagali.35kms away from Murree. On clear day you can see the heights of Nanaga Parbat. Best thing about this spot is its beauty and mountains surrounding it. You could see Kashmir and Kohistan Mountains on one side and Muskhpuri Mountains above it.

Aubyia

It is second to Nathiagalia best spot in area of Galliat. The area has wide mountain forest and four resort spread over 26kms. It has area declared as Aubyia National Park, an old summer resort namely Khnaspur is part of Aubyia. There is a lot to see in Aubyia and it can whole day to visit all four resorts.

Trinity church

The Holy Trinity Church was established in 1857 it is still open for the followers. The church is center of attention aside from obvious reasons is due to its architecture.

Sindh House

Just a few steps ahead on the same road is Sindh House and Punjab House, there are for the assistance of provincial government for stays and meetings 

Murree Brewery

The Brewery is located at Ghora Gali in Galiyat area of Murree. It was founded by Dyer in 1860. You can see the haunted remains of brewery and there are some shops also having vintage products from the brewery as well.

I have to come think that Murree has a lot more to offer than just sightseeing. It is place where you go to celebrate and retreat. It is place where you create memories. For me it was the place that took me out from depths of despair and took me to the heights of paradise, all I know that, Queen of Hills in fact is now Queen of my Heart.

Natural Museum on Earth, True Wonder !!!!

There are obvious choices one can have to visit before the onset of weekend like Murree, Taxila and the surroundings of Salt range. Our friends decided to do something that can be done in a day, after lazy debate one of us suggested to visit Khewra Salt mines alongside Khatas Raj. Eventually we decided only to go for Salt mines as some of were doubtful about it. It took us good two and half hours before we reached Khewra via Motorway-lilah-khewra route around ten.

History:

Slat mines are the Pakistan’s largest and world’s second largest mines. In the lore we have been told when Alexander the great visited Asia in 320BC, he stopped his army at this spot and found his horse licking rocks which led to the discovery of the rock salt.

Slat trading has been around since Mughal era it fooled Sikh regime, lastly British took over the mines in around 1849, and tour guide told us that Engineer named Dr. Warth made the min tunnel which was further developed for the extraction.

Evidence of salt trading dates back to the Mughal era, then followed by the Sikh regime. The British took over the mines in 1849. Dr Warth, a British mining engineer created the main tunnel in 1872. Then the area was further developed and more efficient means of salt extraction was initiated.

Slat reserves are 99% pure. The mines have 19 stories, eight above the ground and ten below it and tunnels length amount to 25 miles.

At a Glance:

The visiting times are around 9am to 5pm and visit can be done on day of the week even on Sunday besides Eid Holidays. It was scary for me at first to just to go in dark tunnel as I was never been to the one before, so there were two options for us either to walk or take the mini trolley trains, we decided to take the train, these trolley train seems old but was working just fine.

 It felt like heaven inside the tunnel as we have been outside and it actually felt like July, as we were enjoying the cold breeze of the tunnel we reached our destination.

The first, that we saw, was that this beautiful Mosque that was made out of salt as the salt bricks used have been of different color form transparent to light pink they were glowing beautifully due to the light setups inside it mosque seems to having a halo of light around it when seen from far. 

We find our way to Pul-e-sarat (salt bridge) , bridge was narrow walkway over 100ft- deep salt water pool, pool seemed to have been reflecting light almost creating rainbow in salt water later guide told us the water was crystal clear and all the colors reflections were due to slat at the bottom. The bridge was so narrow that tourist were being anxious about passing moreover guide introduced it such way that was to be alert about.

After passing that difficult passage way we made it alive to the Dead Ponds, they are basically slat ponds highly saturated and found if you just fall into them you cannot drown just like dead sea but we were allowed to touch the water as it was highly corrosive, so guess you cannot drown but you still might get hurt if you decided to go for it.

We decided to pay the guide so that we can visit other tombs and that is where the history was, it seems that there were few rooms established for the purpose of office during the British Regime, other than Hindu Temple, Church and Vintage train engine was still great to see.

Then, we came across Sheesh Mahal “The Palace of Mirrors” it was the discovery of the shiny slat that seemed to twinkling but there was no mirrors there though. On our way back we came across miniature salt models of Minar-e-Pakistan, Mall road of Murree and Great Wall of China.

On our way out guide told us about the underground wards that were built on trial basis for treatment of patience of respiratory diseases also there was setup of Asthma Resort for Halotherpy . One of the amazing features were the small local restaurants and refreshment centers with actual sitting area we find it very amazing and I think they were a blessing for the who just walked  into mine via tunnel it’s like around a mile into the tunnel for the actual show to begin. Anyhow, we were done we decided take a breather at this place just outside named Khewra Salt mines Tourist Resort. 

After visiting Khewra we intend to visit neighboring mines in the future, having visited we would recommend you to visit if your plan includes something different, if it’s still not convincing here is souvenir to push over the edge.

 

Now a thing like that is hard to miss. Hope to see you on same tunnels one day.