HAZARA REGION
The region of Hazara is like a door to heaven, opening
up to visitors a world re
plete
with natural beauty. It was a favourite gateway from
the plains into Kashmir during Mughal, Durrani and Sikh
rules. It is a large area some 10,000 sq. km. The world
famous Karakoram Highway starts from Havelian, a town
in this region at a distance of 101 km from Islamabad.
The mighty "Lion River" Indus or Abasin flows
through the entire length of Hazara. It is strategically
located between the Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir, Punjab
and the rest of the KPK "North West Frontier Province". Hill
stations collectively known as the Gallis and the Kaghan
valley are the best known parts of Hazara. Pakistani
and foreign tourists throng its cool and serene valleys
during sizzling summer.
plete
with natural beauty. It was a favourite gateway from
the plains into Kashmir during Mughal, Durrani and Sikh
rules. It is a large area some 10,000 sq. km. The world
famous Karakoram Highway starts from Havelian, a town
in this region at a distance of 101 km from Islamabad.
The mighty "Lion River" Indus or Abasin flows
through the entire length of Hazara. It is strategically
located between the Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir, Punjab
and the rest of the KPK "North West Frontier Province". Hill
stations collectively known as the Gallis and the Kaghan
valley are the best known parts of Hazara. Pakistani
and foreign tourists throng its cool and serene valleys
during sizzling summer.
Abbottabad
is named after its founder James Abbot, Hazara's first
British Deputy Commissioner. It is at a distance of
121 km from Islamabad via Hasan Abdal. It is 1220 meters
above sea level and is situated at the crossroads of
most of the areas of tourist interest in Pakistan like
Nathiagali, Murree, Thandiani, Kaghan valley, Swat valley,
Skardu, Gilgit and Khunjrab. Taxila, one of the most
important archaeological treasures of the subcontinent
is not very far from here. There are two hills towering
above Abbottabad, Shimla Peak and Sarban Peak. There
are very fine panoramic views of the town and its surroundings
from Shimla Peak. The famous Pakistan Military Academy
is on the hill to the north-east side of the town. Shimla
Park located on a nearby hill with a pine forest is
well worth a visit. Abbottabad has still a very British
air with its European style bungalows, the club, the
church and the cemetery.
Nathiagali
clad in pine, walnut, oak and maple trees, is the prettiest
hill resort in the Galiyat region. It can be approached
both from Murree and Abbottabad. It is 34 km from Abbottabad
as well as from Murree. Nathiagali is 2501 meters above
sea level and is surrounded by lush green lofty mountains.
The British tried to create a little England here with
its small timbered churches, parks, bungalows and the
Governor's House. Breathtaking landscapes, spring water
and fresh air make it one of the most peaceful hill
stations in Pakistan.
Mansehra is named after Man Singh, its Governor General
under Ranjit Singh. This town is at a distance of 24
km to the north of Abbottabad. It has a very lively
bazaar. The major tourist attraction of Mansehra are
the three granite boulders on which edicts of Ashoka
the Great have been inscribed. This great Mauryan king
ruled this area in the 3rd century BC. After his conversion
to Buddhism he tried to dictate a new morality based
on piety, moderation, tolerance and respect for life.
Out
of the numerous beautiful valleys of Hazara, Kaghan
is the most attractive of all. A holiday retreat with
alluring scenic beauty, the Kaghan valley is about 160
km long and between two to four thousand meters above
sea level at various places. Towering peaks of Himalayan
Range, glaciers, water falls and crystal clear water
of the lakes are still in a pristine state and make
the valley an unspoiled paradise. Kunhar river with
plenty of trout fish flows through the valley and has
the villages of Balakot, Kaghan, Naran on its banks.
The nomads take their flocks of cattle to the high pastures
of the Kaghan valley in spring and bring them down again
in autumn. Their women are colourfully dressed.
Balakot is the gateway to Kaghan valley. Balakot itself
is 72 km from Abbottabad. This beautiful small town
is located on the banks of Kunhar river. Journey from
Abbottabad to Balakot is a charming experience. The
road passes through beautiful green hills and thick
forests. The views are spectacular especially between
Attarshisha and Garhi Habibullah. A famous battle was
fought here between the Sikh Army and Mujahideen in
1831. The Mujahideen leaders, Hazrat Syed Ahmed Shaheed
and Hazrat Shah Ismail Shaheed lie buried here along
with other martyrs.
Shogran,
one of, the most beautiful plateaus in the whole area
is situated at a distance of 33 km from Balakot via
Kawai. From there a jeep track leads to this tranquil
summer retreat of superb climate and spectacular views.
The air is impregnated with the scent of flowers and
the pine forest around. It is at an altitude of 2326
m and mighty peaks of Himalayan Ranges such as Musa
ka Masalla (4419 m) and Malika Parbat (5290 m) are visible
from here.
About
86 km from Balakot lies Naran, the main attraction of
the Kaghan valley. This town is situated on the banks
of Kunhar river at an altitude of 2498 m at a point
where the valley widens. The river is wider and quieter
here. There is a very good view downstream, with some
tree-covered islands in the foreground. It is a starting
point for lake Salful Muluk, Battakundi, Lalazar Plateau,
lake Lulusar and Babusar Pass. Outstanding attraction
of Naran is its air of peace and serenity.
It is situated at a distance of 10 km from Naran at
an altitude of 3500 m. It provides an excellent view
of the 5290 m high Malika Parbat (Queen of the Mountains).
The lake and its surroundings have a touch of unreal
about them and are breathtakingly lovely. There is a
charming legend about a prince called Saiful Muluk who
fell in love with a fairy of the lake. The lake is named
after the prince. The best way to reach the lake is
to walk but you may also take a pony or a jeep.
The
area has a reich history, covering thousands of yers.
Alexander the Great traveled through the region in 327
BC. The famous Gandhara Buddhist Civilization later
flourished in the valleys of Swat and Dir, There are
many stupas and Buddhist settlements in the region.
The Famous Chinese travllers Huein Tsang and Fa Hien
came here for learning and a great Buddhist missionary
Padma Sambhava, belonging to Swat traveled to Tibet
to spread Buddhism.
About three kilometres from Barikot, one gets a glance
of a magnificent Buddhist stupa on the right side. This
stupa is perhaps the only one, whose dome is complete.
The period of its construction is estimated between
third and fourth centuries AD. Just about one and a
half km away from this stupa, one can see large figures
of Buddha carved on the rock.
Mingora
has been an important trading centre for the last 2000
years. The bazaars are interesting to explore for semi
precious stones, hand-woven and embroiled clothes, shawls,
bedsheets, woodwork, tribal jewelry and antiques of
different kinds. The hills having the world famous "Emerald
Mines" are located to the north of the town.
Madyan
is a tourist resort on the banks of Swat river. It is
1312 m above sea level. The town is famous for handicraft,
embroidery and antique shops. A trout hatchery is also
located here. Many beautiful side valleys can be approached
from here. The distance of Madyan is 56 km from Saidu
Sharif.
Chitral
is the "Jewel of the Hindukush" guarded by
the majestic Trichmir Peak. The famous town of Chitral
is situated about 322 km from Peshawar. It is also connected
to Peshawar by air. The whole area is mountainous, having
green valleys and the towering Trichmir Peak (7700 meters)
of the Hindukush. The Chitral Fort is one of the famous
monuments of the town. There is also a palace inside
the fort and a beautiful mosque outside the fort. All
the foreign visitors to Chitral must register with the
police on their arrival. Chitral is about 322KM (10
hours jeepable journey) from Peshawar. Daily two flights
are available from Peshawar to Chitral. 
Joshi
or Chilimjusht (14th and 15th May) This festival is
held in spring, when girls pick first flowers of the
year. The days are marked by dancing, visiting each
other and exchanging flowers, milk and milk products.
Phool 20th to 21st December) The festival
is to mark the reaping of grapes and walnuts harvests.
(Subject to weather conditions).
It is the capital of the Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa is a frontier town and
quite different from any other city in Pakistan. It
has a modern university, first-class hotels, international
banks and one of the best Museums in Pakistan. The Bala
Hisar Fort overlooks the mass of narrow streets in the
old town and the elegant Mughal Mosque. One the other
side of the railway is the cantonment, its wide treelined
streets bordered by gracious administrative buildings
and spacious bungalows in large gardens.
This
place is famous for its specialized bazaars as well
as its name is said to have come from the old caravans
passing by this place and narrating their journeys to
those present and other caravans.
Mardan,
60 km north-east of Peshawar is famous as the birth
place of the Guides the Queen's Own Guide Corpos, an
elite British regiment of North-West Frontier soldier-spies
founded in the 1840s. The town itself has little to
offer but it acts as a base point for seeing a concentration
of Buddhist and other ancient sites of Gandhara civilization.
By
far the best and most complete of all Gandhara ruins
are those of the 7th century AD. Bushiest monastery,
spectacularly placed on a rocky hill 15 km north-west
of Mardan. It was excavated (and stripped of statuary
and friezes) from 1907 to 1913, and later reconstructed.
From the top of the hill behind the monastery on e can
see down across the plains as far as Peshawar on one
side, and up to the Malakand Pass and the hills of the
Swat on the other Surrounding the monastery on the ridge
above it to the south, and on the spurs to the east
and west, are the ruins of private houses, some of which
are three storey high. Federal Archeology department
is the administrative authority for the operation &
maintenance of the old relics. It is also on UNESCO
list and is a National Heritage.
Shahbaz
Garhi is located 13 km east of Mardan on the road to
Swabi. Sown a dirt track to the right, a few meters,
are the famous Ashokan inscriptions, carved in two rocks
on a hill about 300 meters to the left. The Ashokan
inscriptions date from the 3rd century BC and are the
oldest surviving writings of any historical significance
in the Subcontinent.
This site has been selected for a restaurant presently
under construction by the corporation within the protected
area of the Wild Life Park there.
D. I. Khan is the getaway to Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa for the tourists entering
Pakistan from Balochistan and Punjab. Majority of the
tourists entering from the western border on motorbike
follow this route to Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa . Most of them however just
pass through D.I. Khan. There are two ancient sites,
one is on Chashma Road know as "Kafir Kot"
just 1 km towards left near Bilot Head Works, and the
other is Rehman Dheri, which is about 25 km on the Bannu
Road, very few people know about it.