Ensuring visibility in network traffic

EVER FACED a problem in retrieving data after the system recovers from a crash? If a company has robust Network Management in place, there are little chances of losing data. Similarly, recklessness towards network and information that flows across a network cannot only impede the speed of the work, but also can affect the progress of a business.
In addition to this, the apathetic behaviour of a network is exasperating for the users connected to the network, but what it is that actually causes the network to become passive and torpid?
Network Traffic
What happens when one is stuck in bumper to bumper traffic while going back to home from office? The vehicles move at a snail’s pace and it takes a lot of time for the person to reach his destination. The same situation occurs along with some other glitches when there is an information/data overload on the network. The data or information that travels across network in the form of packets constitutes network traffic, which is the major reason behind unresponsive network.
Rather, it is a weakness of network monitoring that raises visibility issues, but why it is important to ensure visibility and what can be done to achieve visibility?
Steps to Ensuring Visibility
There are three ways by which greater visibility can be created: accessing network traffic; monitoring of activities; data analysis. To ensure visibility in the network traffic, it is important to have access to data or packets that are being sent and received across network. By having access to data, it is possible to identify and distinguish data that is flowing with no commotion and the data, which is causing upheavals, but what are the ways to access data and are they all risk-free and reliable?
TAP and SPAN have been found as the two main methods of accessing data, TAP being more reliable. Initially, SPAN is inexpensive, but it becomes costly when packets drop in the mid-way before reaching the monitoring tool. This situation further aggravates that problem and makes it impossible to troubleshoot. SPAN almost fails in case of amplified internal traffic. TAP, however, allows continuous visibility in the network and rate of disruptions is lowest.
Access to data just helps in seeing and keeping an eye on the type and number of data flowing through and across the network. It doesn’t help one in knowing how the bandwidth is being used and who is guzzling more of it. Nevertheless, if the data and activities are monitored, it becomes easy to find this out. Moreover, it allows one todetermine if users are using file sharing programmes and one can also detect the presence of Trojan that is clandestinely passing on the information in the background. However, selecting a most appropriate network monitoring tool is the job of network administrator. Monitoring of data leads to capturing and analysis of data, but what if analysis of all captured data is not required?
Monitoring actually helps in filtering the data. Once it is filtered, it becomes easy to analyze data that requires analysis.  The analysis helps in identifying the underlying causes behind less visibility and network issues and leads to solutions.
The communication in the form of packets travels from user to server via router and the server then responds back to the user through router. The problems creating visibility issues can be solved either through replacing servers or increasing bandwidth i.e. the speed of the network. Bandwidth seems a skimpy hitch yet it is not that is why many companies, quite frequently, are found switching to fastest and most reliable internet connections. Actually, the process of flow of packets is affected by the speed of the type of connectivity. Simply putting ISDN cannot work in a large enterprise as it engages telephone lines and its speed ranges between few Kpbs. DSL is a better option as it doesn’t employ telephone lines, but wireless connection is the most in concept these days. It allows always-on connection, but in order to have access to it, it is must to be within a network coverage area geographically.
What does visibility yield?
Achieving visibility implies achieving cost savings and return on investment. The presence of malicious software, error counts, and identification of which protocols are using greatest bandwidth are valuable information gained through network monitoring. In short, monitoring helps in uncovering problems in network and allows provision of more network resources to the users connected to the network, thus yielding savings and more return.
A business relying on network needs to have a simple yet robust network. In the present times, where every company is making efforts to protect and safeguard their systems and information, it is important to ensure enhanced visibility in the network traffic. Even a small negligence can lead to serious repercussions such as data loss, slow processing, silent transmission and leak of the information, and business failure, which no firm wants.

Factors to consider before buying a Solar PV system

OWING TO the unprecedented level of power shortage being faced throughout the major cities and villages of Pakistan, a substantial demand of quick and reliable power solutions for household and industrial application has been observed. People have now started understanding that quick fixes in the form of UPS (Uninterrupted power supplies) and petrol/diesel generators are not a long term and sustainable solution to the impending power crisis, which is here to stay.
In scenarios such as these solar PV systems have shown great acceptability amongst the masses, not only because solar PV systems can be quickly installed on demand but can also be designed to be a dependable source of power. Pakistan is amongst the few countries which are blessed with tremendous solar resource potential year out, and thus solar PV systems can be a commercially viable alternative for a number of applications. However, unfortunately seeing this exponential growth in the off grid solar PV market a significant number of “easy money” oriented opportunists and make shift companies have started to sell these solar PV systems without taking into account the numerous engineering design factors and design practices that have to be brought under consideration before such an installation is actually made. The current situation is pretty clear; traders are selling solar PV system equipment like vegetables. The lack of knowledge and awareness amongst the customers result in bad deals (system failures or equipment failures) which in turn damage a prospective solar market and the possibility of wide spread applicability of solar energy.
This article’s objective is to educate solar PV customers of the factors that have to be brought into perspective before any solar PV system is bought. Overlooking these factors would otherwise make the PV system vulnerable to performance failures and which could also possibly lead to the damage of system components. The major components of an off grid solar PV system includes the photovoltaic module, charge controller, inverter and the batteries.
A solar PV module is the most sophisticated component of the complete system, designing a solar system energized by PV modules requires the thorough study of the performance behavior of a solar module in outdoor conditions. PV module manufacturers rate their panels at standard testing conditions based on the IEC 61215 (Crystalline) and IEC 61646 (Thin Films). PV Module performance or output in outdoor conditions is strongly linked with three important factors which are irradiance, cell temperature, air mass. Other factors which also influence PV module outputs are wind speed, shading, dust accumulation, module inclination and humidity, all of these factors contribute to the net wattage produced by the module.
With so many varying conditions worldwide a generalization was essential to compare different PV panel manufacturers, and this is where the standard testing conditions (STC) were introduced. STC specifies the irradiance to be 1000W/m2, cell temperature to be 25C and air mass to be 1.5. This means that when STC prevails the panel will produce its rated output; however, in actuality such conditions are rarely ever reached. Pakistan is a country where there are generally high ambient temperatures which result in higher cell temperatures and thus resulting in a reduced output. The solar irradiance also generally varies from 100W/m2 to 1000W/m2 throughout the day. Thus knowing the actual output of the PV panel under all the stated conditions is crucial for designing a reliable solar PV system. Amateur designers of solar PV systems tend to make a lot of generalization while designing, like for e.g. assuming the amount of sunshine hours in which STC conditions are assumed. This leads to the systems which are likely to fail under the deviating conditions. All contingencies like the variability of environmental conditions and their influence on all the components must be taken into account.
Batteries are another component which requires a careful study and understanding before it can be deployed with any system. The batteries which should be used should have the capacity of undergoing deep cycle discharges that is the depth of discharge is higher compared to conventional car batteries. There are a range of different batteries which can be used each having its own advantages and disadvantages and must be selected while keeping the application in perspective. Ambient temperature and the time of discharge also determine the batteries charge holding capacity and must be considered in the design of a reliable solar PV system. The number of cycles (i.e. life of battery) that the battery is capable of withstanding under the anticipated environmental conditions and also based on the applications must be communicated with the customer. The life of the battery must be accurately determined as this is one component which has to be replaced at least 3 to 4 times within the life of the PV system thus represents a recurring cost.  Mediocre PV system designers fail to understand that cutting corners while selecting batteries is detrimental to the economics of a Solar PV system.
The charge controller and inverters is considered as the heart and brain of the solar PV system, sizing both components adequately based on a number of factors is crucial for the long reliable life of the PV system. The charge controller can only be sized once the max and min current/voltage output from the PV array is determined and the inverter can only be sized once the load wattage dynamics are understood. Detailed understanding of the PV performance is necessary to size the right charge controller.
Companies in Pakistan currently selling solar PV systems are designing these systems without any regard to the technicalities associated with executing such a task, most are primarily traders willing to get the most out of the sustainable energy hype. The end result is that people end up accusing the technology for not being able to cater their power demands. This makes the renewable energy market even more challenging to work in. Thus people should be aware whether the solar solution provider they go to is capable of providing a solution which incorporates all the above factors. The government should also take appropriate steps to ensure people get the necessary training and awareness.

Tsunami foresight Normative science perspectives

 
SINCE THE day humans came to being and started thinking about new techniques to survive on earth, the only planet we know has life, we humans have been doing foresight of some sort. We try to avoid the upcoming hazards in one way or another e.g. we try to keep ourselves safe from diseases, we try to keep ourselves healthy through stockpiling the food, we hoard luxuries by calling them necessities e.g. oil, gold, silicon etc. Humans are clever beings as they are observed to be the only ones manipulating the nature. They try to come up with sophisticated technologies to gear up their joy and security needs through different tactics of invention and innovation in addition to consensus with no regards to laws of nature. Often we hear this that we do we put on clothes, why do we do what our forefathers been doing for ages, why women take care of babies at home and men working outside, why do we give charity for the ones who suffer are only because of their wrong doings….
We humans have more tendency to think about the future for securing the things which we fear about and to giving ourselves liberty from fears and restrictions. Tsunamis are one of our fears which haunt us and we think how to take care of these which are completely unpredictable. The tendency to plan for secure future is motivating us to do foresight about these natural hazards though there is common belief that it can’t be controlled by humans but God. Still being the second to God on earth efforts are on to control and foresee the things we can’t see.
Tsunamis are earthquakes which are due to the movement of the tectonic plates deep down in earth’s crust. The movement is always for a reason but how to predict that now it is going to happen. Can we really foresight the future Tsunami or earthquake thus accordingly taking actions to avoid the damage? Do we have a technology in our mind which keeps track of these movements ultimately resulting into a simulation which results in a model demonstrating the damage which may occur due to it? Or is it just for the sake of taking actions to avoid all those actions which result in Tsunamis and earthquakes? The very common person will say that we need to overcome the damage by living a simple life, keeping away from sea, always living like a traveler so that damage, if occurs, should be minimum. Some would be there who will try to make their buildings like ships so that if it ever happens then some transformation of ship like homes may occur to save from damage by going under the ground or transforming into a vessel which is submarine like.
We have strong faith persons who believe that it is because of our deeds. We do good and the result is to have good. For bad ones, troubles and issues are always ready to happen just in a moment. These believers may have assumptions but science needs to come up with a reasoning for that. Do we have a bad impact on our environment due to a bad deed which somehow impacts our earth’s crust thus making the plates to move to at least generating a potential to make them move in near or far future? Is there a linkage between the deeds and our natural hazards? Can we come up with a research project that a common type of deed resulted into a disaster which was all natural and was out of control of human beings? May we not the study the deeds or common habits of a place where these natural disasters occur? Its all meta-physics which is based on spirits. Religions do have space for this but can science come up with a proof or a linkage between the two: Tsunamis’ Science & Normative Science.

Naltar valley

Naltar valley is very close to Gilgit and Hunza. It is 40 km (25 miles) from Gilgit and can be accessible by jeeps. Naltar is a forested (pine) village recognized for its flora and fauna and terrific mountain scenery. Now a days the communication is obtainable by the efforts of Pakistan army signal corps (SCO special communication organization). There are ski lifts under the ‘Ski Federation of Pakistan’. Transportation facility is there from Gilgit to Naltar but during a specific time after that one can arrange on his own.
In the Naltar valley there is a lake known as ‘Bashkiri Lake’. It is at a distance of 32 kilometers (20 miles) from Naltar Bala. This lake gives a breathtaking and amazing look both in the summer and as well as in winter. The road from village to “Lake” is nonmetallic and narrow along with a stream throughout this road coming from the mountains. A lot of attractive scenes are there along this road. In winter it is almost impossible to reach the lake through any vehicle due to the snow (10 to 15 feet high) on the road.

What is PageRank?

PageRank is a ranking system that previously was the foundation of the infamous search engine, Google. When search engines were first developed, they ranked all websites equally and would return results based only on the content and meta tags the pages contained. At the time, however, the PageRank system would revolutionize search engine rankings by including one key factor: a site's authority.
To determine how important, or authoritative, a site was Google chose several big sites, such as cnn.com, dmoz.org, and espn.com. These sites were clear authorities, and Google figured that if these websites chose to link to another site (let's say site B), then site B would receive a piece of that site's authority. If site B were to link to another site (how about C), then site C would also receive a piece of authority, though much smaller.
Using this system of passing authority, Google would then count up how much authority a site had and give it a PageRank from 0 to 10. The PageRank system has become more complicated since then, but this is how it all started.

What's my PageRank?

If you would like to see what PageRank your site has or other sites have, install Google's Toolbar. Google has made a small green bar that starts at 0 page rank (a blank bar) all the way up to 10 (a full green bar, which is 100% authoritative). It should be noted that the PageRank shown in the toolbar is an estimate released by Google, and it is only updated every 3 months or so.

Who Uses PageRank?

When PageRank first came out, only Google was using the technology, but as other search engines have seen how much it improved Google's accuracy, nearly every search engine has added the PageRank system in to be at least part of their algorithm. In the past, while many of the search engines were still working on adding PageRank to their search algorithm, some couldn't wait to make their own and instead signed deals with Google to have them power their results (Yahoo did this for quite some time).
Apart from search engines, SEOs (Search Engine Optimization specialists), link buyers, webmasters, marketers, and anyone interested in a site's value will often look to the Google PageRank when trying to quickly determine the importance of a site.

How Important is PageRank?

When Google was in its childhood, PageRank was the single most important factor for ranking well. However, as soon as the SEO community caught on to this, there was a great deal of people who found ways to artificially boost their clients' PageRank. Those sites became more authoritative than Google thought they should be. Since then, Google and other search engines have constantly refined how important PageRank is, and its importance has definitely declined through the years.
One tactic Google uses is to update Google Toolbar PageRank values four times a year instead of every week, making it difficult for SEOs to know a site's real PageRank. Another tactic is to prevent a site that has been known to sell links from passing any of its PageRank (authority) on to sites that it links to. However, Google can't use that tactic too much because then they run the risk of preventing good sites from being ranked as they should be.
This is a battle between Google and SEOs that will not be ending anytime soon!

Where do I Get PageRank for my Site?

Now we've come to the part where you actually have to do work! It's tough, but getting a high PageRank for your site should definitely be part of your longterm SEO strategy.
The only way to get PageRank is to get a link from a site that already has PageRank. This means that getting a ton of links from PageRank 0 sites will not help your score. However, a single link from a site with a PageRank 6 can immediately boost your site to a PageRank 5 if the site is trusted by Google and is not linking to a massive amount of other sites.
The process of increasing your PageRank is directly tied to link acquisition. Link acquisition is getting links from other sites, be it via natural or through link purchasing. We cover both of these topics in greater detail, and you should read each lesson to learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Final Thoughts: PageRank

Although not nearly as important as it used to be, PageRank can still be the deciding factor that bumps your site to the top of the search engines. Not only that, but it is also a good indicator of which sites you should spend your most time trying to get links from. Sites with a PageRank 0 are either being punished by Google, or just have an authority of zero, nada, zilch, bupkis, and generally not worth your time.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Keyword Research

Keyword Research

Before you can start optimizing your site for the search engines, you must first know which terms you want to target. A good start would be to choose 3 or 4 keywords you would like your website to rank well for. With these keywords in your mind you can then set a goal to rank in the top 10 results on Google for each of them (we refer to Google because if you can rank well there, you'll rank well on the other search engines). These keywords can be either broad or specific, but you'll want to study our list of pros and cons of each before choosing.

Broad Keywords

A broad keyword is one that many people search for, because they may only have a vague idea of what they're looking for. Broad keywords tend to be very short and aren't very specific (e.g. "shoes" or "sports"). These keywords are difficult to rank #1 for because so many other websites might have an article or two that mention shoes. However, if you can rank well for a broad keyword, you will be receiving a great deal of traffic.
Summary: Hard to rank for, but worth it in the long run. We recommend that beginners only choose a broad keyword if their industries are not very competitive.

Specific Keywords

A specific keyword is something that contains many adjectives or words that make the search very targeted. The people doing these types of searches know exactly what they want (e.g. "used black high heel shoes"). These keywords are much less competitive and are easier to rank for on search engines. The downside is that they receive a great deal less volume of searches per month. In terms of traffic, you will need to have several #1 rankings for specific keywords to equal one #1 ranking broad keyword.
Summary: Easier to rank for and it's highly targeted traffic. The only downside is that the number of visitors you will receive is relatively low.

Unique or Branded Keywords

These are the words that are specific to only your company. They are one of the most easiest ways to get traffic. However, some companies will release a new product, with a unique name, and then forget to optimize for that keyword on their website. Their SEO savvy competitors can then pick up the slack and take over the top rankings for these terms. If you have a popular brand or product, make sure that you have optimized for these freebie keywords.

Keyword Research Tools

Keyword research tools are 2 parts voodoo magic and 1 part hard statistic. This is partly due to Google not releasing actual numbers and partly due to overeager SEO Tool developers trying to sell their products. Because there is such a sizable uncertainty in all keyword research tools, it is best to use as many different sources as you can,. Even with multiple sources, you should only take the information you gather as a recommendation, rather than a fact.
Yahoo has been releasing their keyword search information for years, and many tools are based off of this specific data. We've collected a wide variety of helpful tools that will give you a general idea of which keywords you should target when making and optimizing your websites.

Picking a Short List

To put the optimizing tactics that we teach to good use, we recommend that you try to target no more than 2 or 3 keyword phrases per page. A common mistake by many SEO beginners is to stuff 500 different keywords on one page and wait for the #1 rankings to roll in. That might have worked 10 years ago, but the algorithms that search engines use these days are much more sophisticated and are not tricked by this. That's why it's best to start small, and be concise with the keywords that you choose. New sites in particular will find it nearly impossible to rank well for many keyword phrases upon first starting out.

 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for Beginners

You've finished your web design, uploaded your files, and set up your blog, but you're still not getting as many visitors as you hoped for. What gives? Chances are you haven't started working on one of the most important ways to market your site, Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

What SEO Is

Search Engine Optimization refers to the collection of techniques and practices that allow a site to get more traffic from search engines (Google, Yahoo, Microsoft). SEO can be divided into two main areas: off-page SEO (work that takes place separate from the website) and on-page SEO (website changes to make your website rank better). This tutorial will cover both areas in detail! Remember, a website is not fully optimized for search engines unless it employs both on and off-page SEO.

What SEO Is Not

SEO is not purchasing the number #1 sponsored link through Google Adwords and proclaiming that you have a #1 ranking on Google. Purchasing paid placements on search engines is a type of Search Engine Marketing (SEM), and is not covered in this tutorial.
SEO is not ranking #1 for your company's name. If you're reading this tutorial, you probably already know that ranking for popular terms is darn near impossible, but specific terms, such as a company name, is a freebie. The search engines usually are smart enough to award you that rank by default (unless you are being penalized).

Who Uses SEO

If a website is currently ranked #10 on Google for the search phrase, "how to make egg rolls," but wants to rise to #1, this websites needs to consider SEO. Because search engines have become more and more popular on the web, nearly anyone trying to get seen on the web can benefit from a little SEO loving.

Deosai Planes

The Deosai Planes

The Deosai Planes are not part of the Himalaya. They are a high altitude grassy plateau between the Himalaya and Karakoram located south and west of Skardu bordering Indian controlled Kashmir. Nowhere is lower than 4000m. The area is unihabited and only accessible for 4 months of the year between June and September. The region is protected under the 3630 sq km Deosai Plain National Park which is the second largest national park in the country after the Central Karakoram National Park. There is a significant brown bear population within its boundaries which and also support the endangered snow leopard and Indian wolf. Himalayan Ibex, golden marmots and snow trout are numerous. A jeep trail stretches from Skardu to the Astor valley. There is no public transport. A jeep from Gilgit to Skardu takes about 16 to 18 hours stopping overnight in Astor. Many people also walk or cycle the trail. Due to its rolling topography it is not a region noted for its mountaineering potential.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir

The Kashmir Valley

To the south and east of Diamir and the Kaghan Valley is the Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) province that extends along the Pakistani-Indian border encompassing the beautiul Pir Panjal range.

Azad Jammu & Kashmirs highest peak is Sirwali Peak (6326m). It is located at the extreme end of the extremely beautiful Shaunter valley. Beyond this mountain is the Astore and Diamer District of Northern Areas. The greenery ends here and Astore and Diamer are mostly dry districts because Nanga Parbat massif provides the rain shawdow for the Northern Areas and blocks the passage of Monsoonal rain in Northern Areas causing these vapurs to fall in Azad Kashmir resulting in lush green Shaunter valley.If we rightly follow this mounatin ridge it will ultimately take us to Nanga Parbat (8126m). Nanga Parbat is approximately 25 to 30 km air distance from this area. (Info with thanks from MountainLover)

Currrent situation regarding entry to Azad Jammu & Kashmir

For those considering a trip to Azad Jammu & Kashmir the areas of interest to climbers such as the Pir Panjal range are unfortunately off-limits due to the proximity to the line of control. Mountains further south are also off-limits. This is due to the 16km security zone that buffers disputed border.
Anyone planning to visit AJK needs to obtain a No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs & Northern Areas in Islamabad. To obtain this you must provide a letter explaining the areas you wish to visitand the dates of you visit. 2 passportport photos and photocopies of you passport and visa are also required. You may also be asked to provide an additional letter from your embassy or high commission to verify you are who you say you are. The process is likely to be long winded and in the end they may simply say no.

Sirwali Peak (6326m)

Hari Parbat Peak

Nameless Peaks around Sharda

 

All about Himalayas

A Magnificent Monument of Nature
Being the world's highest mountain chain, the Himalayas is characterized by its great height, complex geologic structure, snowcapped peaks, large valley glaciers, deep river gorges, and rich vegetation.
Himalayas is a magnificent monument on the Earth. It represents the awe-inspiring power, beauty, and grandeur of Nature. It constitutes the greatest attraction to adventurers, climbers and trekkers throughout the world.
Geography:
The Himalayas extend from west to east for about 2,500 km in a curve, from the Pamit Knot in the northwest to the valley of the Brahmaputra River in the east. And with a width of 100 - 400 km. The Himalayas range covering an area of 612,021 sq. km. 
It passes through Nepal, Indian (5 States: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim), China (Tibet), Bhutan and Pakistan. 
.Click to view larger map
The Himalayas are divided into several parallel ranges from south to north:
- Sub Himalayas. (With an average altitude of 900 - 1,200 meters.)
- Lower Himalayas. (With an average altitude of 3,700 meters.)
- Great Himalayas. (A single range rising above 6,000 meters with nine of the 14 highest peaks in the world, including Mt Everest.)
- Tibetan Himalayas. (Tibet Plateau, with an average altitude 4,000 - 4,5900 meters, well known as the Roof of the World.)
The Karakoram Range in the northwest is also sometimes considered as part of the Himalayas system.
History:

The Himalayas are relatively young folded mountains. According the Theory of Continental Drift, there were several phases in the genesis history of the Himalayas:
About 250 million years ago, there was a single super continent (Pangea) on Earth. It was surrounded by a large ocean.
About 200 million years ago, the super continent (Pangea) started to split into different land masses and moved apart. An extensive sea (Tethys) stretched along the latitudinal area presently occupied by the Himalayas.
The two land masses, the Eurasian (Angara) and the Indian sub-continent (Gondwana) moved closer and closer,  then the collision happened and uplifted the highest & youngest mountain ranges on the Earth.
There were several phases in the Himalayas building process:
Phase I - Upper Cretaceous Period. About 70 million years ago, when the Gondwana plate and Angara plate began to converge and collide. The sea-bed was folded and raised into longitudinal ridges and valleys.
Phase II - Upper Eocene Period. About 65 million years ago,  the collision was much more powerful. The Tethys bed was raised high enough to cause the final retreat of the sea and its sedimentary deposits were elevated into mountain ranges and intervening basins into large river valleys. The Great and Tibetan Himalayas were uplifted.
Phase III - Middle Miocene Period. About 25 million years ago, the Lower Himalayas were formed.
Phase IV - About 2 million years ago, the fourth Himalayan paroxysm occurred. Along with further elevation of the Himalayas ranges, compression forces squeezed and pushed southwards, The Sub Himalayas also raised and folded.
Phase V - Only 600,000 years ago, the final phase more or less determined the present geomorphic form of the Himalayan system.
However the India Plate continuously moving north at the rate of about 2 cm per year. The Himalayas are still geologically active and structurally unstable. For this reason, earthquakes are a frequent occurrence in the entire Himalayan region.
The Himalayas region is an important model for the study of geology and continents tectonics.

Ecosystem:

Himalayas have had profound influences on the climate, environment and population distribution etc on the Earth. An example is showing here - a scientific synergy acquired by Terra sensors in March 2000:

True color image draped over surface topography of the Earth	Himalayas (white) divided the Tibet (World's Roof) and the India sub-continent. The growth of dense vegetation (darker greens) in the true color image.	High concentration of water vapor, or humidity, appeared just south of the Himalayas.
The lush landscape attracts about a billion people reside there. indicated by the reds and yellows in this false-color image.	industries produce a thick layer of haze, or aerosol particles (brown),	High levels of carbon monoxide (reds and yellows,)  But these pollutants were not allowed to spread northward to the Tibetan Plateau.

The Himalayas range is the originate of numerous glaciers and many important rivers in Asia.
 
There is great variation in the Himalayan soils. The dark brown soils are well suited for growing fruit trees. The wet, deep, upland soils with high humus content are good for growing tea. Himalayan vegetation is based on altitude and rainfall and can be classified into four groups:

Tropical zone - Up to 1,000 - 1,200 m (3,280 to 3,940 ft) . Tropical ever green forests, Rose, chestnut, bamboo, alder, pine, laurel, and palm etc.
Subtropical zone - Up to 2,200 m (7,220 ft). Deciduous forest with sal, oak, and magnolia temperate forests of cedar, birch, hazel, maple, and spruce
Alpine zone - 2,200 to 2,700 m ( 7,220 to 8,860 ft ). With juniper, rhododendron, mosses, lichens etc
Several kinds of flowering plants are found from 2,700 to 3,600 m (8,860 - 11,800 ft). Alpine meadows are found up to  5,000 m (16,400 feet).

Elephants, bison, and rhinoceroses inhabit the forested lower slopes of the Outer Himalayas.
The snow leopard, brown bear, red panda, and
The black bear, languor monkey, clouded leopard, and goat antelope live in the foothills. Tibetan yak are living above the tree line--above 3,050 m (10,000 ft).
Endangered animal species, such as the rhinoceros, musk deer, and Kashmir stag, or hangul are now under protection.
There are catfish in most Himalayan streams, and butterflies are extremely varied and beautiful.
While one are enjoying the miracle of the Nature, one must not forget how to protect the vulnerable ecosystem of the Himalayas.

Major Peaks of the Himalayas:

Mt. Everest
The Himalayas is the world's highest mountain range comprising all top ten of the world's highest peaks. In fact, the Himalayas includes 14 peaks more than 8,000 meters high and some 200 more than 6000 meters.
Listed here are the panoramic sequence from East to West of over 7,000 meters major peaks in Himalayas :
NAMCHA BARWA  HIMAL
China (Tibet)
Namcha Barwa- 7,782m (25,531ft)
Jailabaili Feng - 7,151 (23,460ft)

THAR DESERT PACKAGES 2011~2012

Thar Desert one of unique Deserts of the world in addition the Kaaroonjher Mountain, Runn of Kutchh, ancient historical temples of Jeen era, centuries old worship and prayer places of Hindus and Muslims streams, fountains, dunes and forts.
Thar Desert spreads over 22000 square kilometer, is mostly desert except for a small portion of hills situated in Taluka Nagarparkar and small part of barrage terrains where livelihood of above one million people depends on rain fed agriculture and livestock rearing. While the local crops and wild foods of this desert are totally organic as the area is yet free from corporate farming.

Thari organic foods can also be arrange for our guests according to the requirements of  season. In this regards the menu includes of pure honey, butter, Desi Ghee, loaves of millet with vegetables of mushroom, Chibher, water and musk-melon, (gidro and chhanhio) amaranths (mariro), Raita etc
Thar Desert is also widely known for folk music and melody, its soil has given birth to renowned singers including Murad faqir, Mai Bhagi, Mohan Bhagat, Saroop Bhagat, Budho faqir, Hussain Faqir, Saluram Bhagat and others, their voices yet add to the beauty of this Desert.
Where to stay:
At Guest House situated in Mithi City, The location is clean, attractive and away from noisy atmosphere. The Guest House provides the facilities of quality lodging and boarding.
Guest House is also fully equipped with all basic facilities including Telephone, Standby Generator, Air Conditioned Rooms, TV, Computer, Internet, Transport facilities, Dry Cleaning and humble Guides for visit of Thar.
Note: Booking minimum 15-days before departure date.

Terms & conditions Apply *

DISCOVER AMAZING PAKISTAN

Word Pakistan means “The land of pure” where snowcapped peaks of Himalaya’s,  Karakoram's, Hindukash and Pamir ranges meet. A land where history and ancient civilization mystifies one’s heart, a land where spiritualism unveils its mystery at the shrines of Sufi Saints.

Amazing Pakistan

The Invincible 167 Million : 6th largest Nation of the World.
World's 9th Largest English Speaking Country

World 7th largest Pool of Scientists and Engineers

The Might : 7th Nuclear Power of the World (on May 28, 1998, became the 7th nuclear power of the world).

7th largest Standing Arm Force in the World

Air force :Air Commodore M.M. ALAM has a world record of shooting down 5 Indian planes in less than a Minute
The Roof Top of the World
The land of grand mountain ranges, a land that holds five (5) out of ten (10) most highest peaks in the world.

K2 the second highest mountain in the world.
Valleys of Kaghan, Swat, Kashmir, Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu, Chitral, Kalash, Phandar, Astore & Rama is said to be a places ” Where Time Stops and Fairy Treads“ and are the natural wonders of the world where poetic verses find their inspirations from the beauty and elegance of high peak mountains, lush green fields and the fragrant breeze singing across the poplar trees.

Some of the places which are not highlighted by the media but still due to their magnitude find their places on the World record books are
Aisa’s Highest Railway Station Kan Mehtarzai is located 2240 meters above sea level near Quetta.   Lalazar often termed as most beautiful place on earth
Nanga Parbat 9th Highest Peak in the World
What it would feel like to play a sport that is wild, challenging and manly at the top of the world surrounded by the drumbeats and the music of the reed instrument. Yes Shandur Polo tournament is played every year at World’s highest Polo ground at Shandur Pass, Northern Pakistan.
Karakoram Highway runs through the northern areas connecting Pakistan with China’s Xingjiang province is often described as ” Eighth Wonder of the World” due to the marvel of civil engineering as it has taken 15 years to complete by the Pakistan Army Engineers in collaboration with China. It’s been labeled as ” World’s highest paved international Road” under world’s toughest terrain.
Gawader: World's Largest Deep Sea Port
World’s Largest Deep Sea Port: Gwader “Gwa” means Air and “Dar” means door, and the word Gawadar means ” The door of the wind” is the world’s largest deep sea port lies in southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan. The design and construction of the port is carried out in collaboration with China and it has just started it’s operation.It’ s going to emerge as a world’s biggest skyline due to it’s capacity and infrastructure of handling bulk carriers. It has been declared as a Duty Free Port and Free Economic Zone by the Pakistani government that has increased the commercial worth manifolds. It has an immense geostrategic importance as it is the entrance to the Persian Gulf and is considered to be a substitute of Dubai Port
Khewra Salt Mines: Second Largest Salt Mine in the World
Khewra Salt Mine located in Khewra, Jehlum Punjab, Pakistan is the second largest Salt Mine in the world and is considered to be the oldest in the subcontinent. It was said that discovery of Salt mines were not done by Alexander or his army but by their horses as they started licking the stones when they stopped here for rest. Thousand of visitors each year visit Khewra Salt mines and get fascinated by the nature’s miracle in the heart of mountains.
Haleji Lake: Asia’s largest Bird Sanctuary
Pakistan is a land of serene beauty , a country with diverse wild life , fresh water lakes, a 1046 km coast lines. Some of the most unique species of birds are found in northern Pakistan with awe-inspiring natural wonders like Lake Saiful Maluk, Lake Shandur, Dudipatsar Lake, Kutwal lake, Zalzal lake and many more. But Haleji has it’s own significance as it is Asia’s largest waterfowl reserve. During winter thousands of birds of different species fly down to Haleji from Siberian colder areas Pakistan: The heavenly Shandur Lake
Thar Desert: One amongst the largest deserts in the World
Thar is a arid region in the north western part of Indian subcontinent, it lies mostly in Indian state of Rajasthan but it covers eastern Sindh province and the southeastern portion of Pakistan’s Punjab province. It is amongst one of the largest deserts in the world rich multifaceted culture, heritage, traditions, folk tales, dances and music. The poetic expression of Kafi written by Sufi poets of Sindh resonates in the cold nights as the Thari musicians start singing them on sorrowing rhythmic beats. In the night the granules of the sand lit up like stars as the moonlight walks on them.
The land of 5000 years oldest Civilization : Indus Valley and Mohenjo-DaroMoenjodaro is the province of Sindh, Pakistan and archeology trace back it exitence 5000 years ago. It provides an earliest instance of exemplary form of town planning and community organization and  found to be as one of the oldest cities known today. It is said to be the pilgrimage of ancient ruins. The splendor of Indus Valley civilization spread over a thousand mile from the high peak snowy mountains of Kashmir to the glittering sand dunes facing the Arabian Sea. One of the oldest known civilizations that flourished in the Indus river Basin embraced within its fold almost the entire country now known as Pakistan.
Tarbela Dam: The largest earth-filled dam in the world, 469 feet high and 2,264 feet thick at the base.

RaniKot

The Great Wall (Rani Kot) of Sindh, Pakistan also recognized as Deware Sindh is the world’s largest fort with a perimeter of about 26 km or 16 miles. It is located in the Kirthar Range about 30 km southwest of Sann, in Jamshoro District. It is approximately 90 km north of Hyderabad. It has an approximate diameter of 6 km. Its walls are on the average 6 meters high and are made of gypsum and lime cut sandstone and total circumference is about 20 km. It was initially constructed for bow and arrow warfare but later on expanded to withstand firearms.
Ranikot is the most supernatural wonder of Sindh. Viewable from five kilometers away its massive rolling walls twist and dip over the hills. Its walls, built with clad sandstone and toughened with 45 bastions along the outer wall, of which 7 are rectangular and the remaining are round. All modified throughout the ages to accommodate the use of gunpowder, this perhaps makes it the largest fort in the world.

How Was the Media Coverage on Ishq-e-Rasool Day?

Friday, September 21st, 2012, was marked as Ishq-e-Rasool day in Pakistan when government had announced a public holiday to show our love for the Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) and to protest against the anti-Islam movie, independently made by an American.
TV Channels largely (rather they only) showed the protests that went violent, involving protestors doing all kind of destruction.
Almost all major TV channels were running non-stop coverage of violent protests in (less than half a dozen sites in) Peshawar, Faizabad (Rawalpindi) and PIDC (Karachi).
No doubt the violence was there, in fact 17 deaths were confirmed in addition to an estimated loss of 75 billion during the protests on a single day.
But there were many peaceful protests too. Muslims and non-Muslims from every village, town and city of Pakistan protested by forming rallies on the day against anti-Islam video. But apparently media men were too busy in showing the violence in less than a half a dozen sites and completely ignoring thousands of other rallies that concluded peacefully.
Social media had sensed this soon and being an alternate media the pictures and coverage of peaceful protests and rallies started emerging on Facebook and Twitter.
Many of you would have already seen (if not participated in) those peaceful rallies on Facebook, especially those in which tens of thousands of Pakistani Muslims offered Asar prayer before Parliament House in Islamabad and in front of US Consulate in Lahore.
TV channels were showing the violent protests only. I mean that’s okay if they had shown those protests that went violent – but only showing non-stop violence with no mention of peaceful rallies at all?
I believe the conventional media (also dubbed as corrupt media) either forgot that there is a social media to keep a watch or they were so heavily funded that they had no other option but to show deaf ears to peaceful protests.
This coverage, that showed half picture by portraying Pakistani Muslims as violent, has already made an impression on west, which is headlining the day as deadly, violent and non-acceptable. For example, BBC has reported following in one of its stories:

Friday’s violence occurred in cities throughout Pakistan, with Karachi and Peshawar among the worst hit.

Before I ask you about your thoughts for the coverage, I was wondering if there was any hidden agenda involved in showing violent protests only? Was this coverage funded? Or this was just the un-intentional mistake of media for earning ratings and TRPs?
Just to let you know, US authorities confirmed that at least $70,000 were given to Pakistani TV channels for showing pro-American ADs.

Neelum Valley-Kashmir

Neelum Valley-Kashmir

Neelum is a beautiful valley containing about 370 small and large villages and near about two hundred thousand population. It starts from Chelhana and goes till Taobut 250 km long. It is named Neelum due to its river, curving like the snake with transparent sky colored water. Like any other population of the subcontinent it has the most heterogeneous population with variety of rituals, customs and traditions. The whole valley is full of beautiful and fascinating sceneries.

Neelum Valley is dipped in beauty Neelum valley about 252 km long and 3620 sq km curvature shaped with majestic pine, fir and deodar trees, lies north-south of Muzaffarabad. This ninety-mile long kingdom of vegetation is ripped apart by the indigo blue Neelum River which flows serpentine down hills to merge itself into the river Jhelum at Domail. Domail, the confluence of two mighty rivers, presents highly fascinating scene of youthful embrace. This heart-warning spectacle is most soothing to the eye. Neelum Valley is situated to the North & North East of Muzaffarabad and running parallel to the Kaghan Valley.

It is separated from it by snow covered peaks, some over 4000 meters above sea level. Excellent scenic beauty, panoramic view, towering hills on both sides of the noisy Neelum River, lush green forests, enchanting streams, high altitude lakes and attractive surroundings make the valley a dream come true. The swaying lush green forests, snow capped mountains, streams singing songs of joy, and fast flowing river Neelum, all go together to make it naturalist’s wonderland. The area is also ideal for mountain tourism. A part of Nanga Parbat gigantic falls in this area which is dominated by “Sarwaali Peak” (6326 meters) the highest mountain in Azad Kashmir. Moreover like Kaghan Valley it is famous for fishing and angling activities in Neelum river and Jagran Nullah which are stocked with trout fish. Its sole tourist attraction is a seventeen (17) century fort built by the town’s founder, a chief of the Chak tribe named Muzaffar Khan, to ward off the Mughal armies of Emperor Akbar. Neelum valley is an attractive place for tourists due to its famous lush greenery, springs, streams, lakes and hilly and sloppy mountains.

There are two approaches to the valley. One from the Kaghan Valley which is linked with it at two points, the Noori Top (Pass) and the Ratti Gali and many minor Passes. From Dawarrian it takes two days for hiking or riding and night stay at Dharian at 12,000 feet. The second approach is from Muzaffarabad. It is a distance of 55 miles which is jeep able in fair weather. The Neelum meets the Jhelum River at Domali (meeting of the two) on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad city. From Paticka forest one reaches Nosari, 24 miles ahead of Muzaffarabad. Next come Chelhana (height 3,200 feet), Qazi Nag, Barian, Salkhala, Jura, Kundalshahi, Authmuqam on this road.

Some of its famous places like Shounter Pass, Chita Khata, Ratti Gali, Baboon, Noori Top, Sharda, Kel, Surgon and many more are mentioned by famous tourists like Mustansar Hussain Tararr, Ibn-e-Batota etc. Tararr even wrote a travelogue, Ratti Gali after visiting this place.

Traveling during May to October from the scorching heat of plains to the high land basin of Neelum Valley is indeed an escape from hell inferno to the cold breezes of paradise. The temperature remains in between 65°F to 90° F during the summer. The upper portion of the area normally receives first snow fall in the month of October and at some times even during September.

The valley, starting from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir, is about 150 miles long. The first district of Neelum is Chelhana about 43 km from Muzaffarabad just after crossing the Nosari Bridge by the route of Neelum road. It lies on both sides of the river Neelum. The geographical features enhance the natural beauty of the Valley. Its elevation, a mere 2,000 feet at the start, gradually rises till it attains a respectable height of 8,000 feet. On both sides there are high mountains and peaks. Nearly all the forest wealth of Azad Kashmir is to be found in this part of the State.

Popular Attractions

The starting point of district Neelum about 43 km from Muzaffarabad just after crossing the Nosari Bridge by the route of Neelum road. It is famous for its marble mines, from where marble is transported to Muzaffarabad and cities of Pakistan.  Here is also a crossing point where people on both sides of LOC meet there relatives by crossing the bridge twice in a month. This meeting is possible after a long documentary process which is started with the consensus of both sides’ governments after the earth quack of 2005. On the opposite side of Chelhana is Tetwal under Indian occupation. Kerna the famous historical place is near Tetwal which is also told the capital city of ancient Kashmir by folks and even historians.

From here to Kundalshahi there are many small and large villages on the both sides of Neelum River, about 18 km forward is a link road Leswa bypass that leads to the top Chugali and many more beautiful mountains. Important stations in the way from Chelhana to Kundalshahi are Barian, Bandi, Leswa, Mirpura, Jura, Slampura and Chembher.

Jura Camp

About 60 kilometer from Muzaffarabad a small village consisting 3000 population, first main market after entering District Neelum, Jura is a village with scattered population on both side of river. It is the beginning point for Leswa bypass road and for mountain villages like Kutha Chugali and Chunj Top.  For scenic point of view Nakka, Baandi and Leswa are place worth to visit.

Kundalshahi

Kundalshahi is 74 km from Muzaffarabad and about 5 kilometers from Authmuqam, another midway station, and a small commercial centre. In Authmuqam and Kundalshahi almost all basic necessities are available in the local market. Being a commercial centre it is congested and over crowded. Jagran stream joins the Neelum river here which has a glass light clean water and a suitable habitation for trout fish. A small hydro electric power is installed on this stream in Kundalshahi which provide electricity to Kundalshahi and Authmuqam. From Kundalshahi a link road leads to Kutton, Jagran and other tops. At the end of Jagran hilly tops reflect amazing scenes and are worth to see. Kiyan Shareef is an adjacent village that has reputation as land of holy saints. And annually Urs ceremonies are celebrated which attracted a large number of devotees from Kashmir and from Pakistan. A Sherries is there for devotees.

Kutton and Jagran

The picturesque Kutton and Jagran are best to visit during April to October. Nestled in the lower part of Neelum valley, the picturesque “Jagran” is its inseparable part. Jagran Nullah (stream) is indispensable and plays pivotal role in the formation of its landscape beauty and charm which reveals the richness of the area. The area is 16 kilometers from Kundalshahi and is accessible by road. For the convenience of tourists, AJK tourism Department has constructed a rest house here. A mega hydro electric project is installed here that produce electricity to the state.  A long a beautiful series of Himalayas mountain starts from here to Kaghan, Skardu and Chillas.

In Jagran places like Kutton, Thunian, Ghansee and Pattlian Sar are worth-seeing and inviting everyone to visit and enjoy. Jagran is ideal for mountaineers and takers too. Here the mountains are ranging from 4000 feet to 1400 feet above sea level. The ever green forests are stretched in the far flung lush green plateaus with abundance of wildlife.

On the side lane of the impressive tourists resort the ever flowing greenish and surf gushing waters of Jagran Nullah add to its peculiar character. Jagran Nullah, rushing downwards all along the tall grooves of trees is almost small river. Surrounded by scintillating beauty under the shades of the majestic snow-clad mountains the river is freezing cold. The snowmelt of these sky heights named “Jagran Nullah” is also know for rout fishing attracting angles all over the seasons.

Salkhala

Not more than 3 kilometers from Kundalshahi across the river Neelum one can enjoy the lovely place Salkhala. A Trout hatchery has been established by the Azad Kashmir Fisheries Department. A reasonable accommodation facility is available here.

Kutha Peran and Meengal

About 8 km forward from Kundalshahi just before entering Authmuqam a jeep able road lead to this series of small villages.  Meengal and Kalkore about 1580 meter from sea level are the last villages of this series. A stream which is main source of water for cultivation for Authmuqam and for this village is flowing mid of the whole these village and falls in river Neelum at the place of Shahkot. Area is distinguishable for its rich scenic beauty, frequent waterfalls, typical life style, special cultivations and production of pottery.

Authmuqam

Authmuqam is situation at 10 kilometers from Kundalshahi is the Sub Divisional Headquarter of the area. It contains all the civic services to a certain extent like hospital, post office, bank, a telephone exchange and a few small bazaars. If you need anything then you must buy it from here because this is the last stop where you can find reasonable commodities in quantity as well as in quality. Apart from the fact that this valley town is very unique in its beauty with respect to the other places we had yet visited, it is also significant as it marks the beginning of control line with Indian Held Kashmir in Neelum. It is another important station and well populated city in the valley. Having an altitude of about 1371 meters above sea level is located at a distance of 80 Kms from Muzaffarabad is connected by Neelum road. It is named Authmuqam because it is 8th station from Muzaffarabad to upper valley. Most people are government employees, rest are in different fields. A large number of government and private institution is working here including one high standard private and two government colleges. From here upwards emerges typical Kashmiri living pattern with houses built of wooden logs, most of them double storied. Authmuqam in its geographical structure is a cup like valley with green hills on the four sides. Hiking tracks for surrounding mountains are traced by peoples and tourists.

Neelum (Karen)

At a distance of about 9 Kms from Authmuqam, Neelum opposite to the Karen village (Indian occupied Kashmir) having an altitude of 1524 meters above sea level is very popular among tourists. A tourist rest souse run by AJK tourism department is situated on the bank of River.  Due to its importance from tourism point of view, AJK tourism department is giving special attention to it. From Karen a link road leads to Neelum which is one of the most beautiful villages of Neelum Valley. A zoo and park is under construction, Neelum is also accessible via Karen By-pass starts from Authmuqam.

Nagdar

It is situated, about 25km from Authmuqam the district headquarter at attitude of about 1645 meters. Nagdar is famous for its scattered population on hilly grooves. It is famous for fine quality bean crop which is cultivated at a large land and supplies to the whole valley and out of the valley. Like Kutha Peran this whole series of village is situated on the both side of Nullah Nagdar and a lot of water mills are constructed on it for grinding Maize which is its major crop. Another thing is that most of people are attached with teaching profession.

Dawarrian

Dawarrian at a distance of 13 Km from Neelum at an altitude of 1615 meters is surrounded by mountains full of conifer trees. Over here a mule-track up to Ratti Gali Pass (4140 meters), about 30 Kms toward west congest the Neelum and Kaghan Valleys. The pride of valley is the large fresh water lake nestled in the mountains. Vast plain is surrounded by the small yet beautiful lake and gushing water.

Dodnial

This place is situated about 32 kilometers forward from Authmuqam at an altitude of about 1560 meters. It is also a beautiful place of the both side of Neelum river. Potatoes are the major production of this area. Most people are dependent on their own cultivated sources and a large number is also associated with government and private jobs.

Sharda

The most picturesque place in Neelum Valley is Sharda it is located at a distance of 136 kilometers from Muzaffarabad and 30 Km from Dawarrian. Sharda is one of the most beautiful places with its lush green planes, smooth flowing river which frozes in sever cold season and serves as passage for people of both sides of the river. This place from the point of view of tourists is so attractive and captivating that they get their money’s worth when they spend a few days here in their sojourn amidst nature. In Sharda one also finds ruins of an old place of learning. The presence of these ruins lends Sharda is a historical background providing special attraction for the people interested in archaeology and history. The most important site of Sharda is its haunted university remains which are said remains of a great university of the Asia in Buddhist era. This university was the center of knowledge for the people of China, East and Central Asia. It remained the attractive place for knowledge seeker for a long time that came by the route of Jammu instead of Muzaffarabad. But due to some unknown major accident this university lost its light and existence and vanished completely from the land and even from the history, alongside the university the remains of a fort.

Kel

This place is situated 90 km from Authmuqam and 19 kilometers journey from Sharda, which is at the height of 2097 meters above sea level. This is another picturesque place in the Neelum Valley. The Shounter Nullah joins river Neelum at this place and leads to Gilgit Agency over the Shounter (4420 meter above sea level). Buses run daily on this route in good weather. Kel is also a base camp of mountaineering activities up to Sarawaali Peak 6326 meters above sea level and “Sarawaali Glacier” which are said to be the highest peak and biggest glacier of Azad Kashmir. Rest Houses facilities are available. Form Kel a long track goes towards Nanga Parbat over the 4420 meters Shounter Gali.

Halmet

This village is situated 38 kilometers from Kel. From Kel to forward jeep able road is available for Halmet, the valley above the Kel is also called Grace valley with its harsh and frozen weather in winter season, people have a typical life style. A tourist rest house had been constructed a Halmet to provide accommodation facilities to the visitors. Halmet has fascinating beautiful scenes yet unexplored. Janwai, Phulawai, Sardari and Halmet are the most beautiful places around here.

Taobut

The last station of Neelum Valley is Taobut and end point of Pak beauty in Kashmir. It has a sever season and heavy snow in winter, and winter season continue  about 6 months starting from October to April end. Often there are no signs of path due to land sliding and flooded water streams. In summer it is a worth place for tourist to visit.

Trekking in Neelum Valley

Neelum Valley provides a variety of treks at varying altitudes durations, ranging from a day to a week via from Dawarrian or Sharda to Ratti Gali with duration of 3 days, reaching a maximum altitude of 4140 meters and the trek can be extended to the Kaghan Valley by crossing the Ratti Gali Pass. Near the pass one can see an ideal natural lake “Ratti Gali” at an altitude of 3832 meters and other five little lakes around them. A challenging trek of a week’s duration is from Kel to Astor via Shounter Gali, reaching a maximum altitude of 4260 meters.

The area is well connected by road; more than half of it from Muzaffarabad is black topped, while remaining is all weather (un-metalled), which is being metalled. A regular bus service up to Kel is available. However you can drive in your own car up to Dawarrian from there onwards you have to switch over to Jeeps for your drive.

Total Area: 3621 Sq. Km.   -   Total Population: 197000   -  Administrative Setup (2 Tehsils)   -   Authmuqam &   Sharda

Road Links

Via Rawalpindi Muzaffarabad

Rawalpindi-Muzaffarabad (137), Muzaffarabad-Authmuqam (85Kms), Muzaffarabad-Karen (93 Kms), Muzaffarabad-Sharda (136 Kms), Muzaffarabad-Kel (159 Kms), Kel-Taobut (250Kms)

Via Kaghan- Julkhad

Muzaffarabad -Kaghan (104 Kms), Naraan (128 Kms), Julkhad (173 Kms), Noori Nar Top (192 Kms), Sharda (228 Kms), Kel (251 Kms), Kel-Taobut (340Kms)

Tourism in Neelum Valley

Mountain based adventure Tourism

Common routes for hiking/ mountaineering are

Jagran Route: Kundalshahi – Jagran – Shakharan – Baboon – Ratti Gali.
Karen Route: Karen – Neelum – Nagdar – Karka – Khoree.
Dawarrian Route: Lawat – Dawarrian – Upper Dawarrian – Ratti Gali.
Goother Route: Authmuqam – Rawota  -  Goother – Shaheen.
Kaghan Route: Sharda – Ghumote- Kaghan – Chillas.
Astore Route:  Sharda – Surgon – Shounter.
Tao Butt Kamri Pass- Astore Route.
Arng Kel, Sharda and Narda Village.

Scenic Beauty (based on ECO Tourism)

Mirpura, Kutton, Jagran Valley, Authmuqam, Lower & Upper Neelum Area, Dawarrian, Baboon, Ratti Gali, Noori Nar, Surgun, Sharda, Kel, Arng Kel, Halmet, Taobut, Domail Bela and Shounter Valley Area

Cultural Heritage of Neelum Valley

Halmet – Tao Butt Area for unique architectural style of buildings
Shounter Valley for its unique dresses/ costumes
Neelum Valley for its unique culture/ traditions

Historical / Archaeological Assets

Ruins of Old Buddha University in Sharda
Sharda Fort
Kishan Ghaati near Sharda

Districts Neelum

Some of the tourist places of Neelum Valley are situated in the range of Line of Control, therefore sometimes it become difficult to visit these areas. So before visiting the valley, the visitors are required to get information.

3 Things Beginner SEO Specialists Should Be Good At

Whether you’re looking to do online marketing for a company in-house, hoping to snag a job with a leading internet marketing agency like SEO.com, or even looking to hire someone to do SEO for your business there are a few basic, yet important skills a successful SEO specialist should have to begin with. Here’s a look at three:

1. Exceptional Writing Skills

A bright future for someone looking into doing SEO will undoubtedly be tied to how well they can produce quality digital content. Today we focus more heavily on a blogging style, though with all types of content it really comes down to the ability to create original, authoritative and thought-provoking writing.
They say “content is king.” This saying couldn’t be truer in the SEO world as Google and other search engines are continually placing more and more importance in their algorithms on quality, authentic website content. In order for a website to rank well in search engine results, SEO teams should be providing this type of ongoing content in several forms such as:

• Blog posts
• Guest blog posts (writing for someone else’s blog)
• Blog commenting
• Google+ micro posts (content for Google+ posting, usually 2-3 paragraphs covering a certain topic, incorporating a few keywords)
• Facebook and other social media posts
• Website page copy

Beyond these types of content, beginner SEO specialists will also need to be capable of writing quality e-mails in order to reach out to blogs and news sites. Reaching out via email is a significant part of an internet marketer’s job and will help you make sure your winning content doesn’t go to waste. Simply put, the more solid your set of writing skills, the easier it is to market a website and build connections anywhere on the Internet.
In the past, SEO writers wrote with the search engines in mind as their audience. They used certain keyword phrases over and over in their writing in order to match the keywords people were using to search for websites. This is no longer how search marketers should write if they are looking to impress the search engines. The most searchable, well-ranking websites aim their content at real-life humans! Good news for all of you who write stuff you want to be read. The more useful, credible, interesting and shareable your writing is, the more success you’ll have with website rankings and ultimately in your career as a search marketer. Be sure to incorporate this advice whether you’re writing a spotlighted blog post or just commenting on someone else’s work. Be genuine and add true value.
Here are some blogs that I love to read and might give you ideas about what great content is:

• Seth Godin’s blog – short, yet powerful and original daily posts to a targeted audience
• http:/www.gereports.com/ – not just out there to make light bulbs, they host a wealth of interesting articles that tell gripping stories
• http://www.blogsouthwest.com/ – unique blend of honesty, humor and travel advice through blog posts, video and podcasts
• The infographic below is a starting point for someone looking to write in the SEO sense – mapping out four important writing characteristics that make for great content:

Infographic Source

2. Deep Social Media Knowledge

Another increasingly crucial skill companies and agencies look for is social media savvy. If you are already active and competent when it comes to the major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, you’ve got a good start. If not, don’t let social media intimidate you! Having a social strategy is now essential in building interactive relationships and trust with customers. Your personal network of connections will greatly benefit your company or agency as you create buzz among your own friends and acquaintances. Here at SEO.com, we leverage the social media connections of our employees to spread links to our infographics, blog posts, press releases and upcoming events.
The amount of love your website gets from the online world determines how much Google and Bing love you. Because search engines are placing more weight on how interactive, influential and fresh a website is, naturally they will be looking at social media activity. The more social signals a webpage is sending to search engines (“likes” on Facebook, “+1’s on Google+”, “pins” on Pinterest, customer reviews, etc.), the more likely on the search results page they will rank above competitors who aren’t staying active or engaging their audience when it comes to social media. For this reason, companies and SEO agencies look to recruit people who love and excel at creating buzz about products and services over social networks.
One platform to keep a close eye on is Google+. Many companies and websites are not currently including this network in their social media strategy, but as the platform continues to add users and innovate, an active Google+ business profile will play an important role in helping users share and discover brands and products. From a business perspective, Google+ is not only a place for customers to post and comment, but hosts and advertises event information, business locations and reviews, live video chat “Hangouts”, and attractive company photo layouts. Check out The Meatball Shop’s Google+ page for a visual of all of this. Become proficient on Google+ and tout this valuable knowledge when talking to recruiters.
Major social media platforms to master:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google+
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Pinterest
• StumbleUpon

3. Analytical Interpretation

If you’ve got a knack for web analytics, you’re in business, especially if you’re well-versed in Google Analytics (GA). The numbers behind the website and its traffic are a significant driving force behind marketing teams’ strategies and decisions as online marketing is eclipsing traditional marketing. Whether you are doing SEO in-house or at an internet marketing agency, reporting will be an essential part of every SEO campaign. When upper management is asking for measurable results from the marketing team, you will be their go-to person for this valuable data.
Not only do you want to measure website traffic as a whole, but marketers want to really drill down and see who is visiting their website, how they got there and what they’re viewing most.
Depending on your realm of job responsibilities, you’ll want to learn how to:

• Segregate by visitor demographics
• Gauge referral traffic
• Find out which digital channels account for the most conversions and revenue
• Monitor social media activity
• Determine the value of specific keywords
• Measure paid search and display advertising campaign success
• Manage Google Alerts if you are using Google Analytics

Although Google Analytics is not the only analytics tool out there, it is definitely the most popular. Thankfully, there are a number of good tutorials out there to help you learn GA quickly. If you’re like me, you may need some measurable motivation to become an expert. You can become formally certified by passing the Google Analytics Individual Qualification (GAIQ) test . Getting familiar with this tool leaves you with better chances of fitting into an organization’s online marketing team. TechCrunch reports that 55% of the top 10,000 websites use GA, and here is the breakdown of analytics tools used among the Fortune 500 according to e-nor.
There are many skills that help make a successful SEO specialist. After mastering writing, social media and analytics the technical skills should be easy to acquire with on-the-job training. Wondering more about what an SEO specialist does on a day-to-day basis? SEOMoz created a stellar comprehensive beginner’s guide here.
If after finishing this post you’re interested in becoming an SEO specialist with SEO.com, be sure to visit our job description page and fill out an application!

Read more: http://www.seo.com/blog/3-things-beginner-seo-specialists-should-be-good-at/#ixzz27MOqmod2

Increase Website Visibility Through Online Marketing

With more than 87 billion online searches every month and social media sites that rival populations of large countries, there’s unlimited opportunity. But to take advantage of this activity, it is vital to rank high in the search engines, leverage social media and pay per click advertising, and to make sure your website converts visitors into leads and sales. If you don’t understand how to successfully apply these strategies, then your customers will go to your competitors instead.
At SEO.com, we believe in results that deliver a significant increase in traffic and a Big ROI.
We form a strategic Internet marketing plans around organic search, pay per click advertising, social media marketing, search optimized web design, and conversion optimization. Then, we tenaciously go to work to dominate your online competition.
Start dominating today. Request a proposal from a top SEO company and let’s set up a chance for high search engine rankings, more customers and a big return on your investment.

What is SEO?

Search engine optimization is a method of getting your website to rank higher in search engines—such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. A search engine optimization campaign pairs on-site optimization with off-site tactics, which means you make changes to your site itself while building a portfolio of natural looking back links to increase your organic rankings. When Internet users search for your products or services, your website needs to be the first one they find. SEO helps the search engines recognize your relevance to specific keywords that people search for online. The search engine optimization process includes researching keywords, creating content, building links and making sure your website is visible in the search engines.

Google Adsense

Google AdSense is a program in which enterprises can display Google advertisements on Web sites and earn revenue from hits that generate traffic for the Google search engine s. Google AdSense represents businesses of all sizes worldwide in multiple languages. AdSense is a refinement and expansion of the concept behind banner -ad sharing arrangements that have been in use for years.

AdSense delivers targeted advertisements to participants' Web sites. Google search boxes can be placed on Web pages, generating text ads targeted to search results produced by visitors' search input. The Google algorithm s are designed to interpret context in such a way that irrelevant results are discarded and only those most likely to produce revenue are delivered.
Google reviews ads using language filters and professional linguists to prevent the display of inappropriate text or content and to ensure that all material conforms to professional editorial and ethical standards. Competitive advertisements can be blocked and default ads can be created or selected.

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