Pakistan is one of the top destinations in the world to explore. It is known as the “Land of Peaks” and the epic sceneries of the Northern Pakistan are totally phenomenal. It is true that access to some of the remote areas is not too good because of the poor road conditions and lack of resources. But, this isn’t an excuse to deny from seeing the most spectacular sceneries that you could ever in any other place in the world will get a chance to see. If you are really after some jaw dropping valleys and mountains to witness, then read on; we have prepared a list of some for you of most beautiful valleys in Pakistan.
Rawalakot:
Rawalakot is fabulous locality in the Pakistan administered area of Azad Kashmir. If you are looking for a magnificent tour of Pakistan then this is the place that you can never afford to miss. The great thing is that the place is just about 3-4 hours drive from Islamabad and the road links aren’t bad either. If we talk about the specific spots in the area then the places to visit here includes the Toli Pir and Banjosa which are the highlight of the area. The best thing about Banjosa is its beautiful lake which is surrounded by thick and dense forest. Toli Pir offers some fantastic opportunities for the visitors which includes outstanding views of the valley and then the activities like trekking, hiking, paragliding, rock climbing are enjoyed here a lot. The best time to visit the place is in summers or between April till September. If you want to make the most of your time then make sure to pack some meat for having a lovely Barbecue there in the evening.
Swat Valley:
Swat Valley is the highlight of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is also famously known as the “Switzerland of Pakistan” which is absolutely not exaggerating to say as the place has got that level of natural beauty. It was the words of Queen Elizabeth actually who stated this place as the Switzerland of Pakistan when she visited the place a few decades ago. People from all over the country and even from different parts of the world come to this area for witnessing some of the most delightful sceneries. The Swat River flows at a furious speed which is also a treat to watch. It is a big valley but the most notable places of this area includes Miandem, Malam Jabba, Kalam, Bahrain, Ghabral, Pari Lake and the beautiful Daral Lake. The tourists have a lot of things to do in the area such as hiking, trekking and paragliding etc. Malam Jabba is the place to visit in winters where excellent facilities are available for the skiing buffs. Other than this thing, you can visit the Swat Valley in the summers which is the best season.
Neelum Valley:
It is hard to capture the awesomeness of the Neelum Valley into words. You really need to see the place to believe it. It is a bow shaped valley spanning nearly 144 km in the Azad Kashmir region. It is located in the North East of Muzaffarabad, which is the capital of Azad Kashmir. The place has awesome scenic beauty with towering hills, noisy River Neelum and the excellent panoramic views. The enchanting streams and the lush green forests of the area create a great magical spell for the visitors. The place is about 6 hours drive from the capital city, Islamabad. The weather here is awesome in summer which is the best time to visit the place. It snows heavily here during the winter season. Some top places to sea in the area includes the Halmet, Sharda Fort, Baboon, Kutton, Jagran, Karen, Surgon, Kel and many more areas. You need to spare at least 3 to 4 days in order to explore the length and breadth of the Neelum Valley, which would actually be a trip of your lifetime.
Hunza Valley:
There would hardly be anybody in this world who wouldn’t fell in love with this place. This valley is surrounded with some huge mountains which is the best thing about the place. It is situated in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan and you will see several local and foreign tourists who especially come here for climbing some of the top peaks of the world. The major peaks in this area include the Rakaposhi, Diran Peak, Passu Peak, Ghenta Peak and the Ultar Sar etc. Apart from this, some other fantastic spots in the valley include the famous Attabad Lake, Karimabad, Nasirabad and the Duikar Valley. It gets intensely cold here during the winters with some really heavy snowfall. The road links with other parts of the country are usually disconnected during the peak winter season. So, it is the summer time or middle of the year which is regarded as the best time to visit the place. It is guaranteed that the trip will create long lasting memories for you which you will cherish all your life.
Shandur:
Shandur attracts thousands of visitors if not millions every year to witness the traditional and much interesting Polo Tournament. Shandur is known to have the highest polo ground of the world and the Polo tournament in the area started in 1936 and it is still organized annually. During, the Polo season, the valley offers a lot of exciting options for the tourists where the folk musical performances by locals are enjoyed by both the locals and the foreign tourists. The best way to enjoy here in Shandur is to do camping and you will totally be mesmerized with the brilliant alps that you will witness all through the day. It is a beautiful region but not much population. It presents its visitors with excellent view of the snow peaks in winters and in summer it becomes even more striking and appealing. The place is not too far from Chitral which is another beautiful place. Chitral is connected with Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through air links. So reaching Shandur is not as such a big deal. However, the road links between Shandur and Chitral are not that good but still it is worth going for the place.
Kalash Valley:
is one of the most picturesque and attractive valley of Pakistan. It has some finest sceneries, awesome forests and amazing Kalash river. The Greek civilized tribe Kalasha is a very unique tribe with traditional culture that mesmerizes everyone who visit this place. The visitors especially those from outside of Pakistan love to get along with the friendly people of the tribe and enjoy a lot their traditional dance which in itself is a great thing to witness. The Kalash Valley on its sides is surrounded by the Acholgah and the Rumbur valleys which are also considered as the ‘must see’ places. Apart from this, the Mumuret valley is also very popular. This fascinating and charming valley could only be accessed by road through the area of Ayun in the Kunar Valley using the local transportation. The wooden bridges over the fast flowing rivers is really a treat to cross and such wooden bridges, you can witness in a number of areas.
Kaghan Valley:
Kaghan Valley is probably one of the most visited tourist places of Pakistan which is situated in the Northern side of the Mansehra District. It is mainly because of the immense beauty of the area and the road links are absolutely marvelous. It lay in the lower Himalayan range and the place is world famous for its bewitching splendor. You really need to spare some good 4 to 5 days for exploring the entire area. The famous Saiful Malook Lake is situated here near Naran which is the most famous lake of Pakistan. The lake is worthy of spending a whole day and so many things could be done in the area such as rock climbing, horse riding, hiking and trekking etc. Unfortunately, there are no water sports at this lake due to some safety reasons. Apart from this, some other famous tourist spots in the valley are Shogran, Lulu Sar Lake, Babu Sar Pass and Jared etc. All these places are not very closely located so be sure to plan your tour before travelling to the Kaghan Valley. Like many other Northern hill stations of Pakistan, the best time to visit Kaghan Valley is from April/ May till September.
Murree Hills:
Murree is a very famous tourist spot which is just about 50 km from the capital city of Islamabad. The road links are fantastic and the tourist facilities in Murree are the best that you can ever witness in any other tourist spot in Pakistan. The place is located in the North Eastern side of the Rawalpindi and Islamabad twin cities. The sudden climatic change within minutes is something that everyone in Pakistan loves to witness particularly in the gust of hot summer afternoons. The Mall road Murree offers great shopping facilities for the tourists and the restaurants there are awesome too. You can enjoy all sorts of cuisines in this area. The other places connected to Murree which you must think about visiting include the Nathia Gali, Bara Gali, Dunga Gali, New Murree and Mushkpuri Hill etc. Murree is situated at a height of 7000 feet and Nathia Gali is the highest point in the range which is at 9000 feet.
Jhelum Valley:
Jhelum Valley (not to be confused with Jhelum city located in District Jhelum) is part of Azad Kashmir which is an excellent place to explore both for the local and international tourists. The long River Jhelum passes from the East side to the West between the beautiful lush green mountains of the valley. The Leepa Valley is an eye catching spot of the area which is a must see place. You will completely be spell bound with the traditional Kashmiri style wooden houses that you will see in the valley. Further, the rice fields are also famous which are picturesque to say the least. The soil of the area is rich for cultivation where the eatables like apple, walnut, honey and cherry are in huge demand. Apart from this some other worth visiting areas of the Jhelum Valley include the Chikar, Peerchanasi, Chakothi, Leepa, Zilzaal Lake and the Ghari Dopatta. The place is easily approachable from Islamabad with a 3 hours drive. The weather here in the summer sometimes could get a bit hot due to its lower elevation but still it is a fantastic place to visit.
Ziarat:
Almost all the places discussed above are in the Northern Pakistan but Ziarat is completely on a different side of Pakistan. It is part of Balochistan which could be accessed by road through the city of Quetta in just 3 hours. The road links between Ziarat and Quetta use to be very poor but they are getting good with time, just to facilitate the locals and as well as the tourists. It is a very famous tourist spot which is usually an ultimate destination for most of the people living in entire Balochistan and even from Karachi and Hyderabad which are giant cities located in Sindh. The chief commissioner of Balochistan and the Sanatorium European troops in Quetta. Quetta is a worth visiting city but your trip would be incomplete of Balochistan if you miss to see the Ziarat area. In summer, the weather is excellent here and in winters you can expect some serious snowfall in the region.
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