Next up: Naran-Kaghan

It was the first week of July and we were all super excited to be going to Shandur for the polo festival. We had been preparing for days. We had reserved seats on a C-130 to take us there. The flight was scheduled for Saturday. Unfortunately, the plane departed from Islamabad on Friday due to bad weather forecast on Saturday, but nobody informed us. Saturday morning came and we were all set to leave for the airport when we received the news. We got disheartened but our luggage was packed and we were yearning to travel. Therefore, we shoved our luggage into our car and decided to travel to the Naran-Kaghan region instead.

We started our journey at 11am and made our first stop at Abbottabad for lunch at Usmania restaurant, which never disappoints. After satisfying our hunger, we moved on towards Shinkiari and passed Mansehra on the way. Mansehra was almost an hour away from Abbottabad and it took us another hour or so to reach Shinkiari.

 We stayed the night in Shinkiari at an army mess. Shinkiari was a small and peaceful place, very close to nature.

We were relaxed the next morning and ready to travel again. We crossed Balakot and almost 30 minutes ahead, got caught up in a landslide. It took heavy machinery almost 2 hours to open the road for traffic. A long queue of cars had formed. It took us another 30 minutes to get out of traffic but we were finally through. As soon as we got out, we realized that we had a punctured tyre. A local told us to go back to Balakot and get it fixed because we were not going to find any shop ahead that fixed tubeless tires. So we headed back to Balakot to get it fixed. We were almost 4 hours behind schedule by then. After getting the tyre fixed, we headed towards Shogran.

The road to Shogran is very steep. Most cars cannot even make the climb to the top. Night had fallen when we got there. It had started raining as well, and we were exhausted. We went into our hotel rooms and slept. We woke up in the morning to the sound of rainfall and thunder. We were starving so we ordered breakfast. The weather had ruined our whole plan to visit Siri Paye. Siri Paye is an amazing spot with lots of hills, plains and greenery, so there was no point going there in fog and rain.

 The rain came to a halt in the afternoon so we left our rooms to explore Shogran. It was a very touristy place with lots of people everywhere. The Government rest house there is particularly famous because of its huge gardens and scenic location. We stayed the following night in Shogran as well.

The next morning we were up early to head to Naran. We came back down the steep road and joined the main road. We stopped for lunch in Kaghan at a restaurant on the river.

 The food was delicious. We got back in our car and went straight to the bazaar of Naran city.

 Luckily, we found a new hotel of which we became the very first guests. It was clean and affordable, what more could we ask? There was no internet though. Anyways we dumped our luggage in our rooms and walked out to see what the bazaar had to offer. There were all sorts of shops from clothes and souvenirs to everyday commodities. We also came across a very large chicken that weighed almost 10kgs! We had dinner from one of the restaurants, did some souvenir shopping and went back to the hotel to sleep.  

The following afternoon, we went to a local restaurant known for its trout fish. It was the first time we were having trout, which is a very delicate fish that swims against the flow of the water. It tasted sublime. Around two in the afternoon, we got on the road to head to our destination for the day: Lake Saif ul Mulook. It is a lake situated between mountains at a height of 10,500ft. The road that leads up to the lake is quite rough and the only access is through jeeps.

 We hired a jeep to take us there. It was a constant ascend and we came across two glaciers as well. Encountering glaciers in the middle of June is itself quite something.

When we reached the lake, we were left in awe by the beauty of it. It had snowcapped mountains surrounding it, and it had bright teal water itself. It was stunning.

 We went sledding on the snowy mountains, which was a lot of fun considering it was summer season. We also came across a guide who briefed us about the history of the lake and the myth that it has fairies which come out at night. We got intrigued and decided to spend the night there. Therefore, we rented a tent and camped for the night. It was a full moon night and the lake looked gorgeous in the moonlight. We did not see any fairies though.

We woke up early the next morning and came back to Naran. We changed clothes and freshened up, and headed towards this place called Jhalkad. We did not make it to Jhalkad but the Naran-Jhalkad road is one of the best drives I have ever had. The road is full of ever-changing scenery. You get to see snow-capped mountains, lush green mountains, waterfalls and even water crossings on the road. It was an amazing experience.

We were out of time and decided to return back to Islamabad the next day, even though there was a lot more to see that we wanted to but it just wasn’t possible in that trip.

Far far away in a Paradise

Azad Kashmir “Heaven on Earth” and “Switzerland of East” is known for its mesmerizing sceneries, tranquil waterfalls, flowering meadows, snow caped mountains and clear pure lakes. Each valley and district of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) is awe-inspiring and deserves to be appreciated for its natural beauty. When we decided to visit AJK we had to visit more than one place we find it unjust for rest of the Kashmir. We decided to visit Muzaffarabad piece of paradise for the sake of our own peace.

 Muzaffarabad

About Muzaffarabad:

It was named after the name of Sultan Raja Muzaffar Khan, Muzaffarabad was claimed to be capital of AJK after 1948 war. It’s a place full of trekking trails, monuments, farms and parks. The winters are frosty with snowfall while during summers the weather is mostly pleasant. The best time of the year to visit Muzaffarabad is around autumn when the skies are clear. Muzaffarabad is famous for its Kashmiri shawls, handicrafts and dry fruits. Two main dialects that seemed to use by residents are Kashmiri and Punjabi. 

Muzaffarabad

Birdseye view of  Muzaffarabad

How to get Muzaffarabad:

There are two routes that can take you to Muzaffarabad. It is best to leave early around 6.30- 7.00am in the morning so you reach there around brunch. We reached over destination via Murree Expressway to Kohala Bridge and from Kohala Bridge at AJK to Muzaffarabad, it took around maximum four and half hours to reach there. Other way is thorough Abbottabad to Muzaffarabad via Ghari Habibullah. The first thing you see when you get there is range of options available for stay and main market that has anything that you can name, fares were reasonable ranging from 3000-4500Rs/- per night.

Places to Visit:

Muzaffarabad lies at the bank of Jhelum and Neelum rivers. Both make up the valleys above and across the rivers. The best advice we can give you is that you have the accurate knowledge of the city when visiting however navigation around city is not that difficult. Some of the must see places are Red Fort, Pirchanasi, Machiara Natinal Park, Shaheed Gali and Patika.

Red Fort:

There are two forts Black and Red Fort. Black Fort lies just above the junction of rivers. It’s under authority of army and prohibited for visits. Although Red Fort is mostly visited by tourists. Fort is surrounded by Neelum River from three sides and is called Kishan Ganga. View of the banks can be seen from the terraces. Fort has great architecture but time and many rules has taken their toll on the structure, still it stands for its glory and historical importance. Red fort is commonly known as Ratta Qila amongst locals.

View from Red Fort

Inside Red Fort

Pirchanasi:

Here lies the great Shrine of Pir Shah Hussain Bukhari, followers can be seen taking pilgrimage to pay regards. It is located in east of Muzaffarabad and has been an important tourist spot not only for its beautiful Shrine and religious importance but also for great panoramic views of the valley below. Most tourist avail this spot for trekking and hiking. People hike up to the top of the hill and set camps. 

Pirchanasi

Shrine of Pir Shah Hussain Bukhari

Machiara National Park:

It can be accessed via Patika and is part of Lower Neelam Valley. Park has variety of birds inhabiting broadleaf forest in their natural habitat. We were told that the endangered species of the forest is Westren Tragon Pheasant. It a kind of place where you go to get lost in nature.

View from Machiara National Park

 

Hotels at Machiara National Park

Patika:

The most famous picnic point in Muzaffarabad is Patika, it is doorway to Neelum valley. It has small zoo and hotel named Marco Polo Hotel where you can enjoy traditional Kashmiri cuisines.

Patika Lake

Shaheed Gali:

In the west of Muzaffarabad lies in west it’s also a best spot for trekking. People trek from Shaheed Gali to Siri Kot Meadows. It’s also a best spot to stay as there are many resort that can be seen.

 

Shaheed Gali

View at Shaheed Gali

Chikaar:

It is summer station few kilometers away from Muzaffarabad. The best aspect of this place is provides not only best views but also range of private hotels for tourist to send the night. Zalzal Lake is seen at the side of chikaar, it came in to being form land sliding during an earthquake.

View from Chikaar Gali

Zalzal Lake view from Chikaar

Langarpura:

Some years back due to landslip a lake was outstretched from almost 10kms from Muzaffarabad called Subri Lake. You can take boats out in the lake and also there is Angler’s Hut which makes this place a perfect picnic spot. Tourists can be seen sitting by bank of the lake camping and feasting while enjoying the tranquil lake. 

Resort at Langarpura

Subri Lake

Restaurants:

The traditional meal includes Chicken Karhi and Kashmiri Nan accompanied by Kashmiri Pink Tea. Our best suggestion for best food places to visit in Muzaffarabad are Usaman Kebab, unique chapli kebab, rotis and quick service is what mad this famous, long ques are the advocate of its quality and taste. Visit to Pakistan Hotel, its best representation of chai with bakarkhanis gets the best of you. What it better than the ice cream when its summer, visit Four Seasons Ice Cream to complete your trip.

Our trip to Muzaffarabad was limited, we stated our journey around 6am and reached there like around 11 o’clock, our destination was Pirchansi. The sight was heavenly we settled for a bit after a while the place began to crowd as compared to when we have arrived. We began our hike to top of the hill the weather was pleasant as it was around mid-October though it was windy but not so chilly. We reached at the Shrine of Pir Shah. The shrine was sight for the eye and view from here was out of the world. Spending some time at the shrine we continued our journey to the top. This was our most recent trip to Muzaffarabad..

It is every Pakistani dream to visit Azad Kashmir, it was mine the same, I was lucky enough to get to be part of such experience but there still a lot for me and my friends to explore not only in Muzaffarabad but other valleys of Azad Kashmir. My thoughts on the way back from every visit to Muzaffarabad was nothing but of serenity, it made me realize not matter where I will be I can always find my way to my paradise. 

Exploring Karachi

After seeing the north of Pakistan, the five of us decided to head south. We hopped on the next train to Karachi and started our journey. We had a blast during the train ride; we played chess, cards, ate and drank many different things from our stops along the way. The views from the train changed so drastically as we moved on. At first it was all rivers and greenery along the way and then we entered the last 5 hours of so of our journey, the whole terrain changed. Everything became dry, hot and sandy. It looked like a view you would expect to see on mars. It seemed we were heading towards a desert and not a breezy city with an ocean. There was not a living soul to be seen for miles, not even plants. It was a very weird experience. The only sign of human life we saw were a few wind-turbines in the distance.

The journey was long and tiring, but we made it to Karachi from Islamabad after 25 hours. We cleared our bills with the waiters and got off the train. It was January but the city was quite hot at noon, more than we had expected.

Our transport was waiting to take us to our residence so we dumped our luggage in the van and got on. It was then that we encountered the infamous traffic of Karachi. It was mad and exhausting. It took us almost two hours to get to our apartment, even though it was not that far. We were sleepy and exhausted when we got there, so we decided to take a little nap. Our residence for the next few days was an 11^th floor apartment in Karsaz, with a killer view.

It was our first day so we were not inclined towards heading out. A friend of ours from Karachi got us food from Burns road, which was delicious. We were starving and dug in. Our sweet tooth however was satisfied by heading out to the nearby Kaybees for their amazing ice cream. The ice cream was served in a bowl of biscuit, which you could eat afterwards.

The next day we were recharged to explore around this massive city. Our first stop was Dolmen mall for some shopping and exploring around. When we got there, we were told that it was family day and guys were not allowed inside. After a long and constant persuasion, the guards finally let us “tourists” in. The mall was very modern. Much better than the malls in Islamabad.

 We looked around, tried the haunted house, had some food and were on our way to sea view. It was breezy and cool. We stayed there for a while and left for the port where a huge boat was waiting for us to take us deep sea fishing.

We were taken on a boat outside the city. We had come a long way from that the Karachi skyline looked like needles in the distance.

It was quite beautiful. We got to see some submarines as well. Unfortunately though, we failed to catch any fish because of the strong waves.

It was almost sunset when we reached back at the dock. We were starving and decided to go to boat basin. There was a long queue of waiters standing outside restaurants to get us to come in. Our friend from Karachi was with us so he took us to one of his favorites.

After feeding our hunger, we were all craving some chocolate shake. Our friend suggested that we visit port grand because it has many places that offer chocolate shakes, and that it looks mesmerizing at night. Port Grand was beautiful and posh. It was the kind of place that rich people visit. There was even a ticket to get inside. You could listen to live music playing in different corners, people walking along the sea and having dinner. We all got chocolate shakes from one of the local shops and enjoyed the waves of the sea in the distance that shone because of the moonlight.

The next morning we skipped breakfast and decided to treat ourselves at lunch from Burns road. So there we were to try all its specialties. We started with the famous dum-kebab, and moved on to dhaga kababs, which were simply out of this world.

We were stuffed but then we came across the fact that Karachi Eat Festival was going on. We went straight to the festival to try everything, and everything we tried was better tasting than the previous one. There were stalls of countless eateries. I wish we could have tried them all but we only had so much time, money and capacities.

By then, Kaybees had become our go-to place for getting our sugar-fix. Therefore, we headed there for some more ice cream.

At night, we went to Saddar for some watch shopping. Our friend also took us to Khadda market for some shopping. Unsrprisingly we were all-hungry again and went to the nearest restaurant, which was KBC. As I was entering the restaurant, I saw a waited bringing a massive zinger burger for someone. I had decided in the moment what I was going to get.

After having dinner, we roamed around the streets of Karachi till late after mid-night. The next morning we woke up late. We were told to get ready because we were going to spend the day at Manora beach. Our driver dropped us off at the port again. We got on a navy boat to head towards Manora Island. It took us almost an hour to get there. We went to our rooms and got changed for the beach.

Manora was hands-down the best beach I have been to in Pakistan. It was clean and there were no people except for us. We spent 4 hours just swimming and making sandcastles. The water was so clean that you could see crabs walking 6 feet deep. It was beautiful.

The ocean had taken all our energy and we resorted towards food to get it back. We were served biryani on the Island and we savored every spoon.

The sun was close to setting when we got back on the boat to head to Karachi. I had been wanting to see the sun set on the ocean, and that wish was fulfilled that day.

The following day was our last in Karachi. We were not in the mood to travel much so we went to Arena Karachi and the maritime museum, which were nearby. It hardly took us 5 minutes to get there.

There was also a shooting range there. We fired some guns and went skeet shooting.

After that, I tried ice skating for the first time in my life. Needless to say, all I did was slip and fall. It was still a lot of fun.

At night, we headed to Do Darya Karachi for an amazing ocean-side dinner. We had barbecue at the Kinara restaurant and some amazing green tea after that. The ambience of the restaurant was gorgeous. It was right on the ocean and you could see sea gulls just sitting on the water, floating on the waves. It was beautiful.

It was our last day in Karachi so we spent the night exploring the city. We visited defense, the do darya area and all other places worth seeing. The next morning, we headed straight to the airport because our flight back to Islamabad was scheduled for noon.