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| Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan |
Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan. Moving almost 30 KMs away from Mansehra City, there’s the first special place to see and enjoy and to take the 1st stay of the tour. At a distance of 72 km from Abbottabad, Balakot is the gateway to Kaghan Valley. It takes about one and half hours to reach Balakot from Abbottabad, passing through the busy town of Mansehra. The journey between Mansehra and Balakot is a charming experience. The black top road winds through beautiful hills and the thick forest of Batrasi. Views from Batrasi towards Kaghan Valley are spectacular. Balakot is a small town located on the bank of Kunhar River yet has tremendous historical significance. This is very beautiful area. The river named as KUNHAR and plays the most important role in the beauty of this area. This area is full of pine trees. When traveling to BALAKOT you will find a lot of beautiful things to see, very attractive things to enjoy. You can also go to the place named as BATRASSI, which is in way of BALKOT but you will have to change your way a little to get there.
Balakot History
A famous battle was fought here between Sikh Ary and Muslim freedom fighters in 1831. It is here that Hazrat Syed Ahmed Shaheed and Hazrat Shah Ismail Shaheed sacrificed their lives there while fighting for the liberation movement. Balakot has faced more recent turmoil as well as, it was badly hit by the earthquake of 8th October. 2005. Almost all the houses, hotels and shops were destroyed in this devastating tragedy, but because of its strategic location, Balakot has once again become a leading trade centre in Kaghan Valley.
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| Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan |
NARAN Balakot
At 7,888 feet above sea level, Naran is the main centre of tourism in the Kaghan Valley. It is located 82 kilometers from Balakot. The town is situated on the bank of the Kunhar River at a point where the valley widens. The river is also quite smooth here and ideal for trout fishing and easy grade river rafting. With more than 100 hotels, Naran is without doubt the main base for most tourists. There is one simple bazaar where all the shops, restaurants and hotels are situated. Naran becomes alive only in summer starting in late May, when the snow melts and the road to Naran become passable. In winter, majority of the population decends to the warmer climates of Balakot and Mansehra. Most visitors stay in Naran for a few days while enjoying the various day excursions to Lake Saiful Muluk, Lalazar, Lake Lulusar and Babusar Pass. There are also several short walsks and treks around Naran. At the drive of 2 hours from Kaghan there lays a place named as NARAN, which is the place where the tourists’ ratio is very high due to its beautiful and attractive looks. The main thing which people enjoy here is the fish TROUT and another thing named as the LAKE SAIF-UL-MALUK.A great scene. Between the four mountains this lake lies. Its water is very cold and of the colour green and blue. So very much attractive. People enjoy staying here, due to its natural beauty and weather. Which is very cold. In the end, it needs a visit of at least 3 days.
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| Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan |
KAGHAN Balakot
Kaghan is the town which gives the valley its name. It is a permanent settlement and its located at a distance of 61 kilometers from Balakot. Kaghan has a hospital, post office, police station and a small bazaar where items of daily use are available in the shops. There are a few budget hotels and restaurants which provide accommodation and meals to visitors passing through, on their way to Naran Especially, during the early tourist season, when reaching Naran on normal vehicles is not possible, visitors leave their cars in Kaghan and hire jeeps for the onward journey to Naran. Local hotels offer parking facility to the tourists. There is also a hydro power station and a potato research station. Kaghan offers several short hikes for those who have some time to spend here.This area is also an example of what the natural beauty is. It is at the drive of 5 to 6 hours from Showgran. But you don’t get bore while driving to Kaghan because there are a lot of things to enjoy in the way. The river Kunhar moves along side the road, as you will be moving up it will be going down. When reached Kaghan, you will find a lot of attractive things. This area has special arrangements for the tourists at the cheap rates, Hotels and Restaurants are available. One thing you will obviously enjoy is the TROUT FISH, which is also available in Balakot and Naran. Well this place is also as so very much attractive that needs a visit.
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| Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan |
SHOWGRAN Balakot
At the drive of 2 hours after moving from Balakot, another most attractive and the main point for tourists is SHOWGRAN. This area is very brilliant and beautiful, Shogran, one of the most beautiful plateaus in the valley, is situated 34 kilometers from Balakot via kewai. To reach this quaint place, take a side road on the right after passing through kewal. From here it is a sleep of kilometers to shogran. The road is metalled and normal cars and vans can easily make the drive. Surrounded by thick pine forests and with an altitude of 7747 feet, the summer climate of Shogran is very mild and pleasant. One of the nice places to visit is Shogran’s Forest Rest House. From the rolling grassy lawns of the rest house, one can become immersed breathtaking panoramic views of snow covered mountains. Kaghan Valley’s highest peaks, such as Musa Ka Musalla Makra and Malika Parbat are visible from here. For those wishing to stay the night or have a meal, there are a number of small and medium size hotels in Shogran.
Intresting things
But when you get to Showgran you will not find anything much interesting except hotels and restaurants, but the real beauty is up there on SIRREE PAYE. You will have to get a jeep on rent to get there, if you are not an experienced driver then don’t take the risk of driving yourself because it is not good to drive in yourself. At the top of SIRREE, there are a lot of things to enjoy the main attracting thing is a little lake at the top. This is naturally made with the water of rain and snow. In the end, this place needs a visit.
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| Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan |
Sari paya Balakot
A wonderful excursion from Shogran is a visit to Sari and Paya. A rugged eight kilometer road climbs 230 feet through thick pine forest to the top of Paya ride, a lush green meadow with spectacular view of malika Parbat. One can also see varieties of wild alpine flowers on the rolling grassy slopes of pays. Visitors can then hike up Makra (Spider) Mountain, which is 12743 feet from sea level. From Paya, trekkers must climb around 2000 feet to reach the top of Makra, on the border between North West Frontier Provinces Kaghan Valley and Azad Kashmir’s Neelum valley. This mountain climb is recommended only for those who have previous experience in high altitude hiking, are familiar with the mountain wilderness safety rules and are properly equipped. Sari is a small lake on the way to Paya. One can stop here for a while for rest and refreshment. This place also has a small forest, a rest house and some tea stalls. Travelers’ enjoy sipping hot tea from one of the stalls while speaking in the majestic views of snow covered mountains reflected in the lake.
Paras
Back on the main road to Naran, 6 kilometers further north of Kewai is the small town of Paras. The main bazaar consists of some shops and road side restaurants and is worth stopping to have a cup of tea or simple lunch. Public transport usually makes a tea stop here while going to Naran. There are also orchards of apple and apricot in the nearby village.
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| Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan |
Sharan
Paras are the starting point a detour to Sharan which is at a distance of 16 kilometers from Paras and is accessible only by jeeps. This place is famous for its lush green meadows and thick pine forest. This area is not on the main tourist route but is ideal for nature and adventure lovers. From here one can go on an exciting two to three-day trekking and camping trip to the top of Musa ka Musalla Mountain and onwards to the Siran Valley. There is a forest rest house and a youth hostel at Sharan to provide accommodation facilities to the adventurous travelers. To stay at these facilities you need booking in advance from respective departments. This place is also ideal for camping.
Shinu
A little ahead of Paras, Shinu is a place which has trout hatchery. This is one of the oldest hatcheries of NWFP Fisheries Department. It is from this hatchery that brown trout and rainbow trout are stocked in the upper Kunhar River, Lake Saiful muluk, Lulusar and Dudupat Sar.
If you want to have a closer look at this beautiful fish you can make a short stop at Shinu hatchery which is located right on the road along the river bank.
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| Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan |
Jared and Mahandari
The next two settlements on the main road of Naran are jared and Mahandri. Jared used to befamous because of its furniture and handicrafts of walnut wood. The NWFP government operates a handicrafts development centre here. Some private shops also sell traditional style carved furniture and handmade decoration items. Mahandri is 46 kilometers from Balakot. The Manoer Nala joins river Kunhar at this place. It is a starting point for trekking route to Kuch Gali and Manoor Peak. (See trekking section for more details in Annexure-IV) Mahandri has a small bazaar with shops selling items of daily use, in addition to some restaurants and two budget hotels.
Khanian
Khanian is a small but attractive, peaceful village on the right bank of the Kunhar. It is the starting point for a trip to Kamal Ban Forest and Dana Meadows. A ten kilometer jeep track winds up the hillside to picturesque Dana Meadows which are located at an altitude of 10,000 feet with a view of a number of snow covered peaks over 15,000 feet. It takes an hour to reach there by jeep, and about three hours on foot.
Another jeep track to the south from Khanian climbs up the ridge to the Kaal Ban Forest. The forest rest house at kamal Ban is at an altitude of 6500 feet and was built in 1924, being one of the oldest in the area. It also offers a beautiful view of surrounding mountains. The Pine Park Hotel chain operates a small but comfortable hotel at Khanian. Some other budget hotels are also located on the main road.
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| Lake Saiful Malook Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan |
Lake Saiful Muluk
No trip to Kaghan Valley is completed without a visit to the legendry Lake Saiful Muluk. The lake is named after prince Saiful Muluk, who fell in love with a fairy from the mountains.
At 10,500 feet, Lake Saiful Muluk the summit of Malika Parbat (Queen of the Mountains). The highest peak in Kaghan Valley, the majestic Malika Parbat has a height of 5291 meters. Words cannot describe the beauty and serenity of the setting and picture postcards do no justice. The crystalline waters of Lake Saiful Muluk reflecting the surrounding snow peaked mountain is an image that must be seen in person.
There are several ways to reach the lake. Along the side of the valley to the east of Naran, a 10 kilometer track leads through a picturesque valley. A jeep can be rented in the bazaar and driven up in the one hour, or the more adventurous can walk to a small glacier about 3 km up an hire a pony for about Rs. 200/- one way. Walking the entire way is also an option, and takes about three hours for the 8 km trek. This option is only for those who are fit enough to climb about 3000 feet in eight kilometers. |There are several good trekking opportunities from Lake Saiful Muluk. See trekking section for more details.
Lulusar Lake
Lulusar Lake is located in the Kaghan Valley at an elevation of 11,190 feet. In Shina word “Lulu” means Red and “Sar” means Lake and in Pashto the word “Sar” means “top”. The Lulusar is also a group of mountain peaks and the highest peak in it has a height of 11,200 feet above sea level. It is a popular tourist’s attraction site. Lulusar Lake is the key headwaters of the Kunhar River. It flows southwest through the whole length of Kaghan Valley and the Naran Valley, passing Jalkhand, Kaghan, Jared, Paras and Balakot until its convergence with the River Jhelum. The lake is much larger than other lakes in the Kaghan Valley, and has mirror-like water reflecting the adjoining snowcapped Lulusar Mountains, creating a natural tourist attraction. In the summer many domestic and international visitors make the lake and Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park a destination.
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| Anso Jheel Balakot Tehsil Mansehra District Hazara Division KPK Province of Pakistan |
Lalazar
Lalazar is an extremely picturesque pasture at an elevation of 3200m. It is linked to Naran by a 21 kilometers jeep track via Batakundi. Lalazar is the scenic spot with thick forests of pine and fir. The grassy mountain slopes are full of wild flowers. A rest house and twovery basic hotels provide food and drinks to visitors from Naran. Limited accommodation facilities are also available here. Adventures may prefer to camp at Lalazar as a base to ready themselves for the treak to Lake Saiful Muluk via Hans Gali.
What Not to Do
Do not Photograph bridges and military installations,
Do not swim in the rivers
Do not Travel without your passport and other travel documents in the Northern Areas.
Do not Photograph local women without his permission
Do not Drive on mountain roads at night.
Balakot is located at 34°33′N 73°21′ECoordinates: 34°33′N 73°21′E about thirty-eight kilometres north-east of the city of Mansehra, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is a historical town, a famous tourist destination of the region and the gateway to Kaghan valley of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan. The river Kunhar, originating from Lulusar lake, runs through the city and merges with Jhelum River just outside Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir. Patlang is also a Village of balakot It is 3 km far from Balakot By Muhammad Mubashar Za man Of mondhar attershisha Mansehra……
Pakistan Web Online
Balakot is really nice and beautiful place in northern areas of Pakistan I never visited but people ask this is heaven in earth
Nice..
saif ul malook weather
Wow…
abbottabad to naran distance
Awesome….
islamabad to naran distance
Azaming…
jheel saif ul malook weather
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