Wednesday, 26 February 2014

10 Best Natural Places to Visit in Pakistan
1. Neelum Valley
10 Best Natural Places to Visit in Pakistan 
Neelam Valley is a 144 km long bow-shaped valley in Azad Kashmir Region. The Valley is situated at the North & North-East of Muzaffarabad (The Capital of Azad Kashmir). Running through the Lesser Himalaya, the Neelam River valley has excellent scenic beauty, panoramic views, towering hills on both sides of the noisy Neelum river, lush green forests, enchanting streams and attractive surroundings make the valley a dream come true.
Neelum valley is one of most attractive place for tourists due to its famous lush greenery, springs, streams,lakes and hilly and slopy mountains. Some of its famous places like Athmuqam, Kutton Jagran, Karen, Neelum, Ratti Galli, Baboon, Noori top, Sharda, Sharda Fort, Sharda University (The Oldest University of Sub-Continent) Kel, Surgon, Halmet, Taobut and many more.
2. Hunza Valley
hunza Valley 
The Hunza Valley is a mountainous valley in the Gilgit–Baltistan region , It was formerly a princely state. The Hunza valley is situated north/west of the Hunza River, at an elevation of around 2,500 metres. The Valley has three Regions – Upper Hunza (Gojal); Center Hunza and Lower Hunza.
Hunza valley is the most beautiful place to visit and have many places to see. Some of these beautiful places are. Rakaposhi Base Camp; Diran Base Camp; Hoper Glacier; Passue and Gulmit; Khunjrab Pass; Atta Abad lake and Nagar valley.
3. Swat Valley
swat valley
Swat is a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the upper valley of the Swat River, which rises in the Hindu Kush range.
Swat Valley, Mini Switzerland of Pakistan has many attraction for visiting such as Mahodand Valley & Lake, Natural Ushu Valley & Ushu Forest, Malam Jabba (Famous ski resort in Swat Valley), Madyan, Swat & Kalam Vallies, Bonir, Der and many other naturaly beautiful sites.
4. Kalash Valley
Kalash Valley Traditions 
Kalash Valley is one of the major tourist attractions in Pakistan. This is situated in the Chitral district of Pakistan. This valley has a historic background but its history has controversies. Kelash is actually a very old greek civilization. The people beloning to this civilization are called ‘The Kelash’. Belongs to old tribes and have their own religion and culture. This valley has a unique and amazing culture. The People here live in small villages which they built on the hill sides. These villages are at the banks of the streams and rivers. People construct their homes with rough shaped logs. People of Kalash are cheerful, they celebrates many festivals like Uchal Festival, Phoo Festival and Chomos Festival. There are many attractive sites for visting.
5. Kaghan Valley
kaghan valley 
The Kaghan Valley is a beautiful valley in the north-east of Mansehra District . It attracts many tourists from not only Pakistan but also from the whole world. Laying in lower Himalayan mountains range, the Kaghan valley, famous for its bewitching splendor and natural beauty, is one of the most charming tourist resorts in scenic Hazara division. There are many beautiful and attractive spots like Shogran, Jared, Naran,Lake Saiful Muluk, Lake Dudipat Sar, Lake Lulu Sar, Babusar Pass and much more to do.
6. Murree Hills
Murree Hills 
This is a summer hill station, summer resort and is sitated in Murree, the subdivision of Rawalpindi District and includes the Murree Hills. Murree was the summer capital of the British Raj in the Punjab Province. People from all over the Pakistan wish to go there in summer to enjoy its beauty and in winter season for astonishing experience of snowfall. Bhurban and New Murree (Patriata) are amain tourist centre. One of the most favorite tourist point of Murree is Galliat, it has fascinating greenery and scenic beauty that attracts tourist belonging different regions of Asia. Most Popular Picnic Points of Murree Hills are Dunga Gali , Muskpuri Hill , Nathia Gali, Bara Gali and Mall Road.
7. Shandur Pas
shandur Pas 
Shandur – The Highest Polo Ground on Earth, is a bout 3738 meter an above sea level and lies midway between Chitral and Gilgit. Each summer a hug event called the Shandur polo festival is organized here, which is a big source of attraction for the tourists. Different come against each other in this freestyle contest. The pass is generally unpopulated and passing through its snow covered slopes in winters is an exceptionally difficult adventure. The polo ground is about 168 Km from the main town Chitral and accessible by jeep. The road is closed during winter due to heavy snow.
8. Rawalakot
Banjosa lake Rawalakot 
Rawalakot is a town in Azad Kashmir, and is the district headquarter of Poonch Division. It is in a beautiful valley surrounded by hills, which is located 80 km away from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Rawalakot is a summer visiting point The winters in Rawalakot are cold and chilly. There are many attraction for vistors like Banjosa; Toli Pir; Poonch River; Tatta Pani; Banjosoa Lake; Sudhngalli and many more.
9. Ziarat
ziarat residency Queta 
Ziarat is the capital of Ziarat District, Balochistan, Pakistan. Ziarat is a famous holiday resort of Balochistan and nearly every trip from Karachi to Quetta stops at Ziarat. Ziarat was the summer residence of the chief commissioner of Baluchistan, and sanatorium for the European troops at Quetta. There is a good water supply, and the hills around are well-wooded and picturesque. A visit to Quetta is incomplete without a trip to Ziarat. Ziarat is a hill station in the Sibi district of the province of Baluchistan. It remains quite cool during summer and receives enough snowfall during the winter.
10. Jehlum Valley
Jehlum Valley 
This is an ideal valley of Azad Kshmir region for both the domestic and international tourists. The curling river Jhelum passes through from East to West between the high green mountains of this valley. This valley has a most beautiful valley “Leepa Valley” . This is the most fascinating & loveliest valley in Azad Kashmir. Its lush green rice fields in summer and typical wooden Kashmiri houses present a wonderful view to the people visiting the area. Walnut, Apple, Cherry and honey of Leepa are very popular and in great demand. There are many visting sites like Peerchanasi, Chikar, Chinary, Leepa, Chakothi, Ghari Dopatta, Chokothi Cham-fall and Zilzaal Lake. 

TOP 25 PLACES TO VISIT IN PAKISTAN





Switch off the television! Get distracted from the news channels. Forget about what Geo news tell you. See the real Pakistan!
Pakistan is not only about politicians fighting, people protesting for the ever increasing inflation, shortage of resources, electricity short fall… Pakistan is about beauty, aesthetics and an unlimited number of beautiful places. From hottest deserts to the coolest mountain peaks, greenest jungles to rocky roads, this country has it all…
The motive to introduce these places through Listedium is to change the perspective of the people who think Pakistan is a dangerous place to live in. When I was coming back to Pakistan from Spain, I invited my professor to visit Pakistan someday. And what he replied was that he’s scared to come to Pakistan. Although, I tried my best to entice him by telling the Euro to Pakistani Rupee conversion rate and the fact that he’ll find things much cheaper here. But even then, he was scared and too reluctant to visit. So may be, this is also one such attempt to show people what Pakistan is all about. =)

25)      Khyber Pass


Khyber pass is a passage connecting Pakistan and Afghanistan. Its starting point is Peshawar, Pakistan and it ends up opening in Kabul, Afghanistan.  Cutting through the Hindukush mountains, this passage is of main importance because of trading purposes.

24)  Jinnah Mausoleum

Jinnah Mausoleum or Mazar e Quaid is a memorial and resting place for the founder of Pakistan,  Quaid e Azam (Father of the Nation) Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The mausoleum was fully consutrcted in 1960s and is situated in Karachi. After every 20 minutes there is a ceremonial position shift of the honor guard, and every 4 hours changing of the guard. This is a must see if you are into military formalities. The mausoleum houses a museum too, where different artifacts such as bedroom furniture, guns, swords, pens, etc are found.

23)  Minar e Pakistan (Minaret of Pakistan)


Minar e Pakistan is a historical landmark that was built as a memorial for the Pakistan Resolution in 1968 in Lahore. The tall minaret stands to represent a mix of Mughal and modern architecture. This minaret is housed with an elevator to take the visitors up the 62 meter heighted tower. Views of the city Lahore can also be seen from the top.

22)  Port Fountain


Karachi has the third tallest fountain in the world. Situated next to the Oyster Rocks, Karachi harbor, this fountain raises water upto 620 ft.

21) Shah jahan Mosque


Shah Jahan Mosque is situated in Thatta and is considered as a master piece of Mughal architecture. The mosque was built in 1647 AD on the orders of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor. The mosque has 93 domes and 33 arches and no minarets.
The mosque has been designed with Turkish art work with beautiful mosaic tiles and floor work. The mosque is a worth visiting place in order to realize the design aesthetics of the Mughal Emperors.

20) Wagha Border


Wagha Border is the border between India and Pakistan connecting Lahore, Pakistan with Amritsar, India. This place is known for the Wagha Border Ceremony and should be visited before sunset as the ceremony starts at that time.

19) Karachi beach


Karachi is not only about tall buildings, market places, buzzing traffic horns… The densely populated city Karachi is blessed with a range of beach spots where people can go and enjoy a calm holiday. These places are an oasis of serenity amidst the bustling city.
Although these beaches have been well polluted by the industrial waste but still there are some virgin spots where people can enjoy and have a sense of calm. Some of the well known beach spots in Karachi are: Seaview, Cape Monze, Clifton Beach, French Beach, Gadani, Hawke’s Bay, Manora Island, Paradise Point and Sandspit Beach.

18) Makli Graveyard


Makli necropolis is one of the largest in the world. The graveyard is situated a few kilometers away from Thatta. It is believed to be the resting place of over 125,000 rulers and saints. This is one of the sites in the World Heritage list.
The major attractions of the site are the unique engraved inscriptions on the graves. It is one of the most stunning archaeological sites in Pakistan, covering an area of approximately 15 square kilometers.

17) Ziarat


Ziarat is the capital of Ziarat district in Balochistan. It is a very good family resort place and offers a number of tourist attractions such as the Juniper forest, Jinnah’s Ziarat residency and a small dam. Ziarat is famous for the variety of fruits mainly cherries and apples. A must visit place in summers as the weather becomes really pleasant.

16) Gwadar Bay


The newly constructed city Gwadar has the most speckles beaches in Pakistan. Attempts are underway to develop the city so that a large number of tourists are attracted. Gwadar bay is a haven for the beach lovers around.

15) Mohen jo daro


Mohen jo daro is a sindhi phrase that means Mound of the Dead. It is situated around 30 Kilometers from the city of Larkana. The site was discovered in 1922. It is an archeological site which has the honor of being one of the 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Southern Asia. It is believed that Mohen Jo Daro was constructed back in 2600 BC and was one of the major urban sites in that period.
http://www.mohenjodaro.net  is a website containing all the necessary information.

14) Badshahi Mosque


Situated in the city of Lahore, Badhshahi Mosque was built in 1673. Badshahi mosque has had the honor of being the world’s largest Mosque from 1673 to 1986. Badshahi mosque has not made it to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites but has been included in the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
This extravagant structure stands firm in the hustling and bustling city of Lahore. This site provides the visitors with a sense of calmness and tranquility. The view of the mosque can be enjoyed from the surrounding restaurants.

13) Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort, also called “Shahi Qila” is a fort in the historical city of Lahore. The Fort is connected with the Badshahi mosque through Alamgiri Gate. The fort was built during the reign of Akbar in 1605. The design of the fort is a pristine depiction of the Muslim architecture. It also contains Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Naulakha Pavillion, Diwan e KhaasDiwan e Aam and many other places to visit inside the fort.

12) Mall Road


Mall road, Murree is a haven for all the shopping maniacs. From jewellery to bags, clothes to shoes, everything is available in a very low price. You’ll find the cheapest stuff here. Good bargainers can bargain upto half of the original price. A must visit place if you have to buy gifts for family and friends.

11) Hanna Lake


Hanna Lake is an alluring picnic place, situated near the city of Quetta. The lake has a vast variety of eye catching sights. The lake’s water is turquoise in color which gives a good contrast with the mountainous range around. You can take a boat ride or sit in the lake side restaurant and sip chai and enjoy the scenery.
A must visit place if you go to Quetta. This is the one of the biggest and most accessible tourist place in Balochistan.

10) Rani Kot Fort


Although neglected, Rani Kot holds the title for being the largest fort of the world, with a circumference of about 26 Kilometers. It is situated 90 kilometers from Hyderabad. It is a nomination for the World Heritage site list. The history for the site is unknown.
9) Khewra Salt Mine

World’s second largest salt mine, located in Khewra. It is a major tourist attraction with around 250,000 tourists visiting the place every year. There’s a train that takes the visitors inside the mine. Inside the salt mine, there are a number of replicas made with salt bricks of major tourist attractions in Pakistan such as the Badhshahi Mosque, Minar e Pakistan, Mall road of Murree etc.

8) Port Grand


Port grand is a newly constructed complex that has integrated together food, fun, sightseeing and shopping. This complex is situated in the biggest port city of Pakistan, Karachi. The complex depicts an overall atmosphere of modernism along with serenity. Port grand has been a blessing for the people of city of lights; Karachi. Port grand has been dedicated to building an open eco-friendly environment, with special focus on regeneration.

7) Hingol National Park


The largest national park in Pakistan, located in the Makran coast in Balochistan. This national park covers part of the three districts of Balochistan namely: Gwadar, Lasbela and Awaran. Balochistan has a number of mud volcanoes and this park has a few of them.  This park also covers a large area where the Hingol river can be seen and thus this park supports a significant diversity of bird and fish. Hingol National Park is known to support at least 35 species of mammals, 65 species of amphibians and reptiles and 185 species of birds. Some 250 plant species were recorded in the initial surveys including 7 yet undescribed species. [source: Wikipedia]

6) Pir Sohawa


Pir Sohawa is the most visited place in Islamabad. It is located at an elevation of 5000 ft. It is located in a picturesque valley giving an excellent sight of the capital city. The place has a number of restaurants, where visitors can enjoy the food and the view along. This place will provide the visitors a view of the urban city on one side and as they turn their head on the other side, they’ll have a scenic view of the jungles and trees on Margalla hills.

5) Attabad Lake


Also known as the Hunza Lake, situated in the Hunza Valley was created as a result of the landslides in January 2010.  It is one of the biggest artificially created lakes of Pakistan.

4) Gorakh Hill Station


Gorakh is a hill station situation in the Dadu district in the province of Sindh. Situated at a height of 1,734 meters, is the only hill station in the province of Sindh. This is a hill station which is being developed at the moment. Though visits are possible but there is a need of proper hotels / motels in the area. This is the only place where it snows in winters.

3) Muzaffarabad

Muzaffarabad is the capital of Azad Kashmir. The city lies in the North of Pakistan. Apart from the promising sceneries and beautiful valleys, the city is home to two historical forts: the Red Fort (also known as the Chak Fort) and the Black Fort.
People from the South visit Muzaffarabad in summers to escape away from the heat and enjoy the pleasant weather.

2) Lake Saif ul Malook


Lake Saif Ul Malook is quoted as “Heaven on Earth” by the people who visit this magical place. It is located in the Kaghan Valley near the city of Naran. It is known to be one of the highest situated lakes in Pakistan.
Visitors can reach the place by jeeps in summer season, however due to intense snow falls in winters; this place can only be reached through 3-4 hours of trekking.

1) Concordia


The most beautiful place on Earth, Concordia, heart of the Karakoram range in Pakistan. Concordia is home to four of the world’s fourteen ‘Eight-Thousanders’. It is the best place for mountain hikers. The place is considered to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The sight provides breathtaking views of a number of notable peaks of Pakistan, such as the Godwin Austin, Gasherburn I, Broad Peak and others.

Thursday, 2 January 2014

Naran Valley Pakistan

Naran valley is the most beautiful & picturesque valley. That's why it is called virtual paradise, unbelievably in pristine state and still unspoiled by the human. You'll find the Himalayan peaks hidden with clouds or snow, somewhere you'll find the beautiful fairy tale lakes, which will attract you toward them, and you might decide not to leave this at any cost. Where Kaghan is full of scenic beauty there it is full of thrill and excitement for the mountaineers and treks.
Naran Valley is a 155 kms long scenic wonderland. Lofty peaks crown the mountains ranges on either side like turrets, ranging in height from 12,000 to 17,000 ft and more, with the eastern range higher than the western. The bed of valley slopes up from 3,000 ft at Balakot, which, as it were, the gateway of the valley, to 12,000 ft at Gittdas beyond which the valley crosses at Babusar Pass 14,000 ft. The first ten miles or so are largely barren, but when the valley raises to about 5,000 ft forests of pine and fir appear, densely overgrown with a variety of plants, which has won for Kaghan the epithets of 'the botanists paradise'. The forests continue till about Naran 8,000 ft.
Road goes along the river Kunhar, meandering now to one side and now to the other. But keeping most to the bed of the valley and never too far above the bank of the stream except in the very first state.
The Naran Valley is accessible by road from Abbottabad. From Abbottabad, 72 km drive to Balakot, the gateway to Kaghan valley. Here you have to switch over to jeeps for your drive 100 km to Kaghan Valley.
Balakot
Kaghan valley starts from Balakot, which is famous for the Mausoleum of two Muslim warriors Syed Ahmed Shaheed Brelvi and Shah Ismail who laid their lives fighting against Sikhs in the 18th century. Balakot is situated at the foot of the mountains that goes thousands of feet above. The toy huts, which are amazingly perched on their slopes. On other side is the Kunhar River, which accompanies you all along your journey. The river is muddy in the plains but as you go towards the mountains it becomes clearer. The road to Kaghan is frightening because on your left are the deep slopes to the river and on your right are the lofty mountains.
Naran
Naran is the middle point of Kaghan Valley and it is a place where you defiantly want to spend few days of your leisure. This is the place of out-door pleasure. Here you'll depart from the river Kunhar and on both sides of road there are vast fields. Don't look here and there the melody you are hearing is provided by the river Kunhar who is with you on same level. If you like climbing this is a place for you because there are mountains all around you. You can explore the scenic and pictorials landscape and valleys by climbing up hiking. If you like fishing get your fishing license we have trout and mahasheer for you fishing here for tourist is must.
Sharan:
Known for its Silence. Home to the echo of Owls, this is Sharan, The trek starts from Paras, which is accessible by drive on Balakot - Naran Road, about seven kilometers from Kewai towards Naran, one can take a trek across the river Kunhar to Sharan (7700 feets from the sea level). It is about 16 kilometers from Paras. The most spectacular thing about Sharan is walnut trees. So many walnuts to eat and jungle to explore. From Early night till four in morning you can hear owls.. and after that some sparrow starts to sing till the sunlight.Sharan is a thick forest and isolated from the outside world. A wonderful place to get out of this world.
Shogran:
Shogran is a serene resort in the Kaghan Valley. Unlike Naran, Shogran has less hotels and a much smaller bazaar. However, this is where its appeal lies. Around Shogran the area is heavily forested and you can see across the valley. Shogran is much cooler than the plains in Pakistan as it is a much higher altitude. The only form of public transport between Kawai and Shogran are jeeps. The journey takes about 45 minutes and climb up the road though luxurious pine forest. Look out of the windows of the jeep and you will see some spectacular views of the valley across and below.
Shogran is a haven for wildlife sadly much of it rare now such as leopard, lack bear, wolf, wild cats, musk deer, goral, pheasants, eagles and many smaller birds belonging to the thrush, warbler, tit, woodpecker families too. Shogran is a village situated on a green plateau in the Naran Valley, northern Pakistan at a height of 2,362 meters above sea level. The village was affected by the earthquake of 2005 when some building were damaged.[1] It is only 10 km from Kiwai village and 4 km from Balakot. The road from Islamabad to Kiwai is metalled and measures 212 km. From Shogran, you can ride a jeep or horse or hike to several picturesque places like Siri, Paye and Makra Peak. Hotels and motels are easily available at affordable costs. The local people are friendly and helpful.
Siri:
Siri Shogran village is situated on a green plateau in northern Pakistan at a height of 2,362 meters above sea level. It is only 07 km from village Kiwai or 27 km from Balakot. The road from Islamabad to Kiwai is metalled and measures 212 km. From Shogran, you can ride a jeep or horse or hike to several picturesque places like Siri. There is a lake also.
Paye:
Payee Shogran village is situated on a green plateau in northern Pakistan at a height of 2,362 meters above sea level. It is only 10 km from village Kiwai or 34 km from Balakot. The road from Islamabad to Kiwai is metalled and measures 212 km. From Shogran, you can ride a jeep or horse or hike to several picturesque places like Siri, Paye and Makra Peak. Hotels and motels are easily available at affordable costs. The local people are friendly and helpful.
Malkandi Forest:
8 miles on the western slopes of Kaghan is Kamalban, a heavily populated forest of black bears and leopards, which do incalculable harm to the crops and young trees. Killing a bear is a big game and you'll get reward for shooting down a bear from forest officer as well as from the peasants. Besides these you'll be able to find Muskdeer, thar and goral, Chikore and Himalayan pheasants all over the valley. And if you'll go a little higher you'll be able to find red bear, snow leopard and ibex and occasionally a snow partridge or Ram Chikore or Murgh-I-Zarrin.
BattaKundi and Lalazar:
16 Kilometers from Naran is the Battakundi another enjoyable spot and is the turning point for Lalazar connected via jeepable road which a plateau of rare scenic beauty.
Babusar Pass: Babusar pass is the end of the Kaghan valley is blocked by the mountains but the Babusar pass is the gate between Kaghan and Gilgit valley at the altitude of 13600 feet. From here you can have the glimpse of the naked mountain Naga Parbat with a towering height of 26,660 feet. Road at Babusar Pass is remained closed, because of snowbound, from October to June, also restricted during monsoon season.
Manoor Valley:
Manoor Valley is a beautiful remote valley in the Kaghan area. It is accessible via a jeep road from Mahundari. There is a forest department rest house in the Manoor Valley called Manoor Bangla.It is a beautiful rest house in absolute wilderness. It can be booked in advanced from Forest department office at Mansehra to remain on the safe side. However you can always pitch your camp there or get a room (depending upon the availability) from the chacha (bungalow keeper).
Baisal:
Baisal is a small village and starting point for many treks to Naran areas.If you follow stream of Purbinar, you will reach Dudipat Sar Lake. While if you move on, you will reach saral. If we follow from Baisal to Babusar Pass then there is Lulusar Lake. Baisal is a small stony village.
Babusar Pass:
Babusar Pass is at a distance of 80 km from Naran. It is on the way to the pass that the Kaghan valley's scenery becomes most dramatic. Battakundi is at a distance of 16 km from Naran and provides access to Lalazar Plateau, lake Dodiputsar and lake Lulusar which is the biggest natural lake in Hazara and the source of Kunhar river. From Babusar Top mighty Nanga Parbat (8126 m) can be seen on a clear day. It is located at an altitude of 4146 m (14,000 ft). From here, the whole panorama lies spread out before the visitor. On a clear day the great Nanga Parbat (26,660 ft) can also be seen from here.
Lakes in Naran:
Saiful-Malook Lake:
Five mile away another 3000 feet above the Naran is Fairy Tale Lake Saiful Maluk the lake is accessible by jeep or by tracking because there is a mere trek to reach the lake. It is almost impossible to describe the beauty of this lake, which is like mirror at the altitude of 3200 meters. The Queen of the Mountains is standing in the east and looking her image in the mirror of Lake Saiful Maluk. You can spend few days here to monitor the guards of lake, which are towering peaks and spread all around the lake.
Aansoo Lake:
Elevation : 4000m
People who have just heard about this lake and never came across any of its picture, get disappointed to see its size. It is however the path that leads to it is attractive rather than the lake itself. Aannsoo means ‘tear’ and is called so because of its shape which looks very much like a tear drop from the top. It can be accessed via Saif ul Mulook or Manoor valley. It takes 3-4 hrs of walk to reach it from lake Saif ul Mulook including a tough ascend just before it. From Manoor, it can be accessed via Manoor gali and Kuch gali which is described in another post of mine here.
Lulusar Lake:
48 kilometers away from Naran, on Naran-Babusar road is Lulu Sar Lake which is wreathed in blue and gold wild flowers, and is the main source of river Kunhar. Near Gittidas is the 11,000 feet high Lulusar Lake out of which river Kunhar issues anew with redoubled strength to flow down the valley first as placid blue stream and then a roaring torrent until it joins the Jhelum. Lulusar has very enchanting beauty and its view remains in the mind of tourist for a long time. The is surrounded by snowcapped hills whose purple and white forms are reflected in the green-blue waters of the silent lake, making it one of the most beautiful spots in the valley. From Gittidas the road goes on through the Babusar Pass into Gilgit. This road is one of the highest in the world.
Lulusar is a lake near the Naran Valley in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The word "sar" means "top or peak" in Pashto. Actually Lulusar is the name of the mountains that contain the lake. So, it is the lake of Lulusar. It is located at N35.0804 E73.9266, at a height of 11,200 ft (3,410 m) from sea level.
The lake is the main source of the Kunhar, which flows through the entire Kaghan Valley through Jalkhand, Naran Valley, Kaghan, Jared, Paras and Balakot until it joins the Jhelum River. The lake is 48 kilometers away from Naran, on the Naran-Babusar road. Lulusar marks the historic place where 55 participants of the 1857 war of independence were arrested.
The lake is much bigger in size as compared to other lakes around the valley, and is surrounded by snowcapped hills, making it a natural tourist attraction. From Gittidas, the Naran-Babusar road, one of the highest in the world, goes through the Babusar Pass to Gilgit. In the summer, when the water reflects its surroundings like a mirror, a large number of both domestic and international visitors make the lake a destination stop.
Dudipat Sar:
Elevation : 3900m
Dudipat lake is the crown of all lakes of Kaghan valley. The fact that it cannot be accessed through any vehicle has so far kept it in with its original charm and matchless beauty. The trek to Dudipat starts from Besal which is at a distance of around 55 kms from Naran and is accessible through jeeps. From there the trek remains mainly along with the Purbi Nar (Nar is ‘Nala’ in local language) and takes around 6-8 hours. Best months to visit this lake are July and August. Isobel Shaw’s book mentions that one can view Nanga Parbat and other snowy peaks from the pass and further top of the hill towards northeast after 2-3 hrs of climb.
Saral Lake:
Elevation : 3500m
From Dudipat, a trek of 5-6 hours can take you to Saral Lake. From Saral, one can come back to Naran or can try descending into the Neelum valley. A trek of 6-8 hours from Besal can take one to Noori Nar top from where jeeps can be taken for Sharda in Neelum Valley.
Rati Gali Lake:
On the way to Jalkhad(Near Baisal) to Sharda, there is a top called as Nori Nar Top. from a day trek from Nori Nar Top on right side is Rati Gali. Secondly, you can move from Barawai in two days to Rati Gali. There are two beautiful lakes there. A night at Lake will be a dream night
Siri Lake:
Siri Lake is a small lake in Siri, shogran valley. It is on the path way to Paye.