Saiful Muluk Lake

 

The Saiful Muluk Lake is situated at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley near Naran. It is in the north east of Mansehra District of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. Saiful Muluk Lake is sited at an elevation of 10,578 meters (3,224 feet) above sea level it is among one of the uppermost lakes in Pakistan.
The lake is reachable by a 14 kilometers road from Naran throughout the summer season. On foot, the trek from Naran to the Saiful Muluk Lake takes about 1-2 hours. The stream is crystal clear with a slight green tone. The clearness of the stream comes from the various glaciers all around the lofty basin which nourish the lake. The climate here is fair during day time while the temperature falls to negative degrees at nighttime.
A fairy tale called Saiful Muluk, written by the famous Sufi saint Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, is related with the Saiful Muluk Lake. It is the tale of prince of Persia who fell in love with a fairy princess at the lake. The impact of the lake prettiness is of such degree that natives believe that fairies come down to the lake in full moon.
The Guardian ranked the Lake Saiful Muluk as the 5th Greatest Tourist Spot in Pakistan. Mansehra District has had a prosperous tourism industry in the past because of its numerous mountain ranges and the Saiful Muluk Lake.

Kaghan Valley

In the NWFP's Hazara district south of Diamir is the 160km-long Kaghan Valley formed by the Kunhar River. The region is renowned for its pine forests, alpine lakes and vast meadows nestled among 4000-5000m peaks. The highest peak in the Kaghan Valley is Malika Parbat (5290m). Peaks in this area are rarely visited by climbers making it an ideal location for those looking to undertake smaller ascents. Spot's such as Chitta Katha Lake are popular with Punjabis however and those looking for tranquillity in such spots should avoid visiting at weekends or during the main summer months.

At the valley's head is the Babusar Pass (4175m) which drops down to the small town of Chilas. The pass marks the NWFP's border with the Northern area. This is an rugged, alternative way to travel between the Northern Areas and Islamabad/Rawalpindi. There is no public transport north of the village of Naran and a Jeep must be hired to cross the pass. The Babusar pass regularly blocks, particular after heavy rainfall. There are also a number of good treks in the region, some of which cross in to the AJK province and back.

Malika Parbat

SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL

SHANDUR POLO FESTIVAL

The Highest Polo Field of the World

Polo is known as the King of the games. Gilgit is the home of this spirited game where the British rediscovered and promoted it. Today polo is played in Gilgit and Chitral enthusiastically in its original trilling form. For the last few years, a polo tournament is organized between the traditional rival polo teams of Gilgit Region and Chitral at the high plateau of Shandur Pass (3734 m) every year in summer. This week long festival coupled with folk music and dance at the height of 3700 meters in the back drop of Hindukush mountains, is an event not to be missed.

Itinerary: 

Day-1 Arrival at Rawalpindi. 

Day-2 Fly to Gilgit. 

Day-3 Sightseeing of Gilgit. 

Day-4 Jeep to Phander Lake. 

Day-5 Jeep to Shandur Pass. 

Day-6-9 Participate in the thrilling Polo games, dancing and singing festival.

Day-10-11 Back to Gilgit or drive onward to Chitral. 

Day-12 Transfer to Rawalpindi. 

Day-13 Embark home bond flight