Trip to Gilgit Baltistan

Our trip to Hunza started form Islamabad, so we took a coaster that took us to the Gilgit Baltistan. There were 3 stops in the middle. The coaster departed at 8 pm and that is good because you can spend your time travel time sleeping and won’t feel the tiredness of long journey. Though views were interesting but long travel time just make it monotonous. In whole tour I was like when will reach our destination. You won't find hygienic bathrooms on the way so keep your own detergents and toilet roll for the way. Also, if you're going with a lot of people its best to get your own transport like a bus/van/coaster so that you don't have to worry about the transport there. Car renting is extremely expensive there. We luckily got a car to take us to Skardu since it was already going there but in 5000 PKR! but the usual cost only starts around 15000 PKR(too expensive). And when we wanted to come back no one quoted less than 20,000 PKR which is why we took public transport back from Skardu which cost us only 650 PKR each. For our way back, we went by air since we really didn't want to travel another 16 hours after an exhausting trip. Going was fine but we predict ourselves to be exhausted by the end and didn't think we could have done our way back comfortably by road.

Following were the discovered destinations in whole trip:

• Pine Hut, Gilgit
•  NLI mess, in Bunji Gilgit 
• Shangrila Lake
• Skardu Sukh naala/valley
• Karimabad, 
• Hunza Attabad Lake, Hunza 
• Altit Fort, Hunza 
• Kha Basi Cafe

Minimarg is Now Wide-open for Tourists By Government Of Pakistan

Government of Pakistan has certain to allow domestic and foreign travellers to visit Minimarg valley of Astore district. Now Afterwards June 15 ,2019 tourists can stopover at the Minimarg and adore the most beautiful part of Gilgit-Baltistan. After Independence of Pakistan, this is for the first time that Minimarg valley will welcome travelers both domestic and global.

I had merely just heard about Minimarg, a beautiful town near to the Indian borderline. It’s around 35 km from Chilam post. First you had to get approval from Army, as 80 brigades is placed at Minimarg. We needed reference of at least captain rank officer who can call at Chilam post to move forward. Thanks to this government this tension has been resolved.

A stunning lake, Rainbow lake is situated close to Domel that is a village in the very distant Minimarg valley in Astor District. Time stops at Rainbow Lake. I consider this is the greatest I can label the fascinating beauty of this lake. Rainbow Lake is small in size however do not lack in beauty. It is nourished by fresh water small streams from neighboring mountains. Rainbow Lake is gifted with crystal pure water that change shades from greenish-blue color to lime throughout different periods of daytime. The lake holds big sized brown Trout fish and is famous among the trout fishermen.

Yet, Rainbow Lake and Minimarg Valley is very hard to reach. Minimarg Valley can merely be come within reach through 14,500 foot great Burzil Pass. It remains blocked due to dense snow fall that remains there around 7-8 months in a year. Possible times to go Minimarg are June, July and August.

Quick Suggestions:

As we share boarder with India so we have to be watchful. Allowing without reference is fine but do have standard identity card check and entry exit evidence of tourists.

There are no sound rooms available apart from Army guest houses. Not everyone appreciates camping. So I suggest to balance between Mother Nature and constructions, there must be decent class camps built-in for tourist.

Don't leave plastic waste there. Avoid littering and abolishing the region by cutting out branches, as it all destroys the beauty of wildlife. We have to practice it like it is made of glass, be careful with nature and leave it as we see it.

The Excuses Everyone Listen while making Plans With Friends

Just for Fun

Everyone like to visit to the new places but there are few boring souls that are not interested to go on any trip and I am blessed with such friends. I always see many of the stories of the friendship goals and travel squads, but my friends did not give me any chance to upload such a story with such captions. Now I am going towards the out of the box excuses that most of the time I listen, when I am trying to make some plans:

My family will not allow me:

”In short abba ni maany gy” most of the time this is the biggest weapon for the friends who are not interested to make any plans always destroyed it by saying this. Even they don’t talk about the plan with their parents and make them agree that friends are forcing me to go with them, but this is not the case with my friends. They are the astrologists, they already know that their parents will not allow them, so they don’t even discuss once. LOL

I Have no Money:

When my friends little grows up the excuses was getting more lame, I will not go because I have no money like we are going Dubai for picnic. If I argue that ask your parents that friends are going on a trip and I also want to join them, but no they always say that I do not like to ask my parents about money but when they have to fuel up, printing notes or any other thing then they will ask their parents that give me money you bough me a car and support me to get admission in university. LMAO

One Who can’t Wake up Early:

The out of the box excuse that I have listened while making a plan for a one-day trip. We friends decided to leave early at 7 and will reach home at 10 everyone agrees but there is a one who is saying that I can’t wake up early, make some plan at night like we have to take torch with us to see the beautiful landscapes. 

Legends:

There are also some other categories of friends who always trying to say no for a plan but not openly just taking the shoulders of other to fire the bullet like if he is not going then I am also not going. Will discuss in some other blogs.

Suggestion:

Time Flies but memories last for ever. Try to avail opportunity to grab as much memories as you can!

PART 3: First Nightly Stopover Beside The Fairy Land ‘NARAN’

Jheel Saif Ul Malook

It’s always tough to bring beauty into words, still expressing my best. After having lovely breakfast in Kunhar river we packed our luggage back into the trunk. Almost after 8 hours from Islamabad we were in Naran Bazar. Without wasting time we took stove and things to make tea from car and rent a jeep for Jheel Saif Ul Malook. After some quarrel the jeep was hired for Rs.2500. One of most treacherous roads I have experienced was from Naran Bazar to Jheel Saif ul Malook. There are two main well known hazardous jeep tracks in the way to china boarder from Islamabad where true skills of 4*4 jeeps can be experienced. One is Raikot to Fairy Medows and the other is to Jheel Saif Ul Malook from Naran Bazar. Traitorous great altitude, uneven narrow mountain roads and local driving techniques will makes you sit pretty attentive. On left hand the mountains and the other side the straight steep slopes will make the blood pump hard. The drivers know where to keep the speed and where to stop to give way to the approaching jeeps from another side. It’s a true talent gain from their experience. 

After 45 minutes of bumpy road when we reached an altitude of 3,224 meters and 10,578 feet above sea level and saw the blue sparkler clear and freezing water in a bowl shape lake, fenced by massive glaciers it took away our all travelling wooziness and it appeared all worthy. The spellbinding view of clouds touching the mountains and cold breeze along fog crossing us is magical experience. We had to hike around 5 minutes down from jeep stop to lake where we can find small stalls of food items. 
I do recommend you to experience egg Pakoras and a cup of tea with it. We sat there for hour and enjoyed the mesmerising view. we came across a person who told us the very famous story of that place. As the story was love triangle between prince of Egypt Saif-ul-Malook, the gorgeous fairy known as Badi-ul-Jamaal and the Safaid Diyo (white giant). There is a lake around hour tracking from jheel Saiful Malook known as Ansu jheel which is said to be created out by the tears of white giant in loss of fairy. Rent of horse was Rs.500 per horse and the guide was hired for Rs.500. We planned to camp in Jheel Saif Ul Malook but due to security we were not allowed to camp around. We came back to Naran Bazar and visited local shops there. 

The Next Morning at Kunhar River

After some time we camped near Kunhar river and cooked food by our self. Played cards at night and enjoyed the lovely dinner with friends. We tie a shopper of mangoes and dip it in Cold Kunhar River and in no time the mangoes were chilled and tasted delicious. We slept in camp with the peaceful sound of river.

Exceptional day Trip to Khanpur Dam

Khanpur dam is located on the Haro River near Potowar Plateau in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. About 40 km drive from the capital city Islamabad. The dam supplies drinking water to Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It is 167 feet (51 m) high and has a water storing capacity of 110,000 acre feet.

I went there with my college group. It was my first visit over there. Then i started visiting that place again and again with my family, friends and cousins because it is a very beautiful, peaceful, mind refreshing place, including a lot of water sports.

I and my friends did cliff diving there.  We went to a cliff in a boat that charged around Rs1500. We were provided with life jackets in the boat. I was the first one, who jumped off the cliff. Some of my friends where scared, but it is worth trying. When i jumped off the cliff, i feel the cool wind blowing all over my body, and in two seconds I was in the water but that two seconds seems like if the time was stopped for me. We were wearing life jackets, that makes you came on top of the water quickly as u dive in deep. Life jackets help swim easily and we did this again and again, we jumped and then climb back to the cliff for another jump. I did this four to five times, and every time i did, it was fun. Then we went for a boat ride. It took around 40 min of boating to cover the whole lake. The feeling while sitting on the boat was quite fun because the boat was fully decorated with lights and flowers, we sang a lot of songs while being on the boat. The sunset and view of lake was breath taking from the boat, as we get more close to the water and mountains. We touched the cold water while sitting on the boat.

A trip to Khanpur dam must be on your book-list, if you haven't done it yet, then what are you waiting for? Get a group of friends and family together and be prepared for a memorable trip.