Kaghan Naran

 By Farhan Umer ;

Naran Kaghan

In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's Mansehra district are the tourist sites of Naran and Kaghan. The phrases "Naran Valley" and "Kaghan Valley," which lie next to one another, were originally combined to form the phrase "Naran Kaghan." Physically speaking, Naran is a tourist destination located at an elevation of 2,409 meters inside the larger Kaghan Valley (7,904 ft.). With relation to the landmass of Kaghan Valley, it is situated roughly 23 kilometers (14.3 miles) farther north. Kaghan is situated between 650m (2,134 ft.) and 4,170 m above sea level, 99 kilometers (61.6 miles) from Mansehra city (13,690 ft.).

Table of Contents

·         Kaghan / Naran Valley From Islamabad

·         Islamabad to Kaghan Route Map Summary

·         Major Stops Between Islamabad and Naran / Kaghan

·        Best Time to Visit Naran / Kaghan

·        Places to Visit & Tourist Attractions in Naran / Kaghan

 

Kaghan/Naran Valley from Islamabad

A little more than 5 hours would be needed to drive the 261 kilometers (162 miles) between Islamabad and Kaghan. Islamabad and Naran Valley are separated by a total of 283 km (196 miles), which includes the 261 km (162 miles) between Islamabad and Kaghan plus the additional 23 km (14.3 miles) that must be travelled in 35 minutes to get to Naran. From Islamabad to Kaghan, this distance is largely travelled on high-speed motorways with basic road and service infrastructure, which makes the journey quite safe and enjoyable.

Islamabad to Kaghan Route Map Summary

Route Name	To – From	Distance	Travel Time
M1 (Islamabad to Peshawar Motorway)	Islamabad to M1 (Motorway)	21 km (13 miles)	23 minutes
M1 (Islamabad to Peshawar Motorway)	M1 to M15 (Hazara Motorway)	56 Km (35 miles)	23 minutes
M15 (Hazara Motorway)	M15 to N15 (National Highway 15)	112 km (7.5 miles)	1 hour 30 minutes
N15 – (National Highway 15) – Mansehra to Kaghan Road	N15 Mansehra to Kaghan Valley	88 km (55 miles)	2 hours 45 minutes
N15 – (National Highway 15) – Kaghan to Naran Road	N15 Kaghan to Naran Valley	23 km (14.3 miles)	35 minutes

These travel times can change when visiting Naran Kaghan during popular holidays and tourist seasons (winter as well as summer). If you are travelling during a busy time of the day or in bad weather, you might want to think about allowing more time.

Major stops Between Islamabad and Naran / Kaghan

The following significant towns and cities, in addition to the various usual services and rest areas on the M1 and M15 Motorways, may be suitable locations for eating, resting, and shopping, receiving medical assistance, or spending an extended amount of time while on your trip to Naran Kaghan.

Major Stop

·        Haripur

·        Havelian

·        Abbottabad

·        Mansehra

·        Balakot

·        Kaghan

·        Naran

Best Time to Visit Naran / Kaghan

The summer months are the greatest season to visit Naran because there is less chance of snowfall and clogged roads, but the city is still reachable during the summer. The temperature can rise to 20 degrees centigrade in the summer and fall considerably below freezing during the winter due to heavy snowfall.

Places to Visit & Tourist Attractions in Naran / Kaghan

Shogran 

Shogran, a hill station 30 kilometers from Balakot, is renowned for its rich vegetation, pine forests, and panoramic vistas. Summertime Shogran temperature stays around 18 degrees Celsius. The best lodging options in Shogran are provided by Pine Park Shogran.

SIRI PAYE

Siri Paye is a lush, cloud-covered area with entrancing views of snow-capped mountains. You must stop at Siri Paye Meadows and Siri Lake on your trip to Shogran. Although the road from Shogran to Siri Paye is not in great shape, this location is worth visiting.

Kaghan 

You might not find any attractions in Kaghan on your visit of the Naran Kaghan Valley. There is a tiny market along Naran Road, but it is not particularly fascinating. Although Lalazaar is a well-known tourist destination, families are not at all advised to visit.

Naran 

A little village 120 kilometers from Mansehra welcomes you with a massive glacier as you approach it. The valley is situated along the Kunhar River and the lake's stream. Every year, between mid-June and mid-November, the oldest tourist destination in Pakistan receives close to 1 lac visitors. The PTDC Naran, Rose Valley Naran, De Manche Naran, Farhan Hotel, Pine Park Naran, and Naran City Hotel are the major hotels in Naran.

Saif ul Malook Lake

8 kilometers from the northernmost point of Kaghan Valley is where Saif ul Malook Lake may be found. One of the highest lakes in Pakistan is thought to be Saif ul Malook. Saif ul Malook Lake is best visited between May and July. At Saif ul Malook, visitors can go cycling, boating, camping, and horseback riding.

River Kunhar originates from Saif ul Malook. Around 7 hours and 40 minutes, a car can take you from Islamabad to Saif ul Malook. Saif ul Malook is located 290 kilometers from Islamabad. Saif ul Malook is a 45-minute drive from Naran. A magnificent alpine lake, Saif ul Malook Lake is located 3,224 meters above sea level.

Babusar Pass

At a height of 4,173 meters (13,691 feet), Babusar Pass, often referred to as Babusar Top, is a well-known mountain pass and a top tourist destination. The highest pass in the Kaghan Valley is Babusar Pass. Because of the lush surroundings and snow-covered roads in the winter, June and July are the best months to visit Babusar Pass.

You may drive from Islamabad to Babusar Pass in 8 hours and 30 minutes. Babusar Pass is 350 kilometers away from Islamabad. On the Karakoram Highway, Babusar Pass connects the Kaghan Valley with Chilas through Thak Nala (KKH). Babusar Pass may be reached by driving in one hour and thirty minutes from Naran.

Lulusar Lake

Kaghan Valley's Lulusar Lake is a lovely lake. Lulusar Lake must be visited by tourists that visit Babusar Top. You may simply drive two hours to Lulusar Lake from Naran Bazaar. The alluring Lulusar Lake is situated between the Bassal and Babusar summits on the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road, more than 11,000 feet above sea level.

There are calm meadows around Lulusar Lake. You may drive from Islamabad to Lulusar Lake in 7 hours and 45 minutes. Lulusar Lake is 50 kilometres from Naran and 328 kilometres from Islamabad.

 Ansoo Lake

Kaghan Valley is home to Ansoo Lake, also known as Ansoo Jheel. Malika Parbat Ansoo Lake got its name because of the way the lake looks like a tear. The ideal months to visit Ansoo Lake are July and August.

With the exception of July and August, the lake is covered with snow. Ansoo Lake is a beautiful location to shoot great pictures.

A true gift from nature is Ansoo Lake. Saif-ul-Malook to Ansoo Lake requires a round-trip journey of seven to nine hours. Tourists can enjoy a beautiful and spectacular view from Ansoo Lake.

Batakundi

A spectacular location, Batakundi is about 15 minutes by car from Naran. Around Batakundi, there are numerous opulent inns and resorts, including Keran Resort, Wadi Resort, Sharda Resort, Kaghan Huts, Green Village Resort, and Arcadian Peridot Naran. Tourists are attracted by the stunning waterfall nearby Batakundi.

You may go by automobile from Islamabad to Batakundi in 7 hours. 290 kilometres separate Batakundi from Islamabad. The mountains that surround Batakundi make it appear stunning. The biggest draw for tourists in Naran Kaghan is Batakundi. It is recommended that anyone visiting Naran Kaghan also go to Batakundi.

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Peshawar; The City of Flower

 By Farhan Umer ;

A VISIT TO A PESHAWAR

Peshawar

With a population of more than 2.3 million, Peshawar ranks sixth in terms of population in Pakistan. It is near the international border with Afghanistan in the northwest of the nation. It serves as the largest city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and serves as the province's capital. The second-largest ethnic group in the nation, Pashtuns, makes up the majority of the population in Peshawar. Peshawar, one of the oldest cities in South Asia, is located in the Valley of Peshawar, a large region to the east of the famed Khyber Pass. Peshawar's recorded history stretches back to at least 539 BCE. Peshawar is one of the nation's oldest cities still inhabited today.

The region that includes modern-day Peshawar is referenced in Vedic texts; it served as the Kushan Empire's capital under Kanishka's rule and was the location of the Kanishka Stupa, one of the largest structures in ancient times. Before several Muslim empires arrived, Peshawar was ruled by the Hephthalites, then the Hindu Shahis. Prior to joining the Durrani Empire in 1747, the city was a significant Mughal commerce hub. It then served as the Durrani winter capital from 1776 until the city was taken over by the Sikh Empire in 1823.The city was taken over by the East India Company in 1849, and after that it came under the control of the British Raj. This rule persisted until 1947, when Pakistan gained independence after the division of British India. Peshawar is also known as 'The City of Flowers'

ETYMOLOGY

The [reconstructed] Sanskrit word "Purushapura" (Sanskrit: Purushapura, meaning "City of Men" or "City of Purusha") may have inspired the city's current name, "Peshawar", Akbar, the Mughal emperor, gave it the new name after rejecting the meaning of its previous name, Parashawar. Purush, a Hindu raja (king) whose name means "city" in Sanskrit, may have served as the city's first ruler. The Buddhist kings that dominated the region throughout its oldest recorded period spoke Sanskrit, which was written in the Kharosthi script. The Sanskrit word for "City of Flowers" may also have inspired the city's name.

Possibly referring to Peshawar is the name Pushpapura that was discovered in an old Kharosthi inscription.

By the middle of the tenth century, the city had acquired the name Parashwar, according to the Arab historian and geographer Al-Masudi. Al-Biruni stated that the name was both Purushavar and Purshawar. By the time of Emperor Akbar, the city had adopted the name Peshawar. Some claim that the city's new name was inspired by the Persian for "frontier town," or more precisely, "forth city," however transcription errors and linguistic changes could also be to blame. According to one explanation, the name of the city comes from the Persian word "Pesh Awardan," which means "place of first arrival" or "border city," because Peshawar was the first city reached after passing over the Khyber Pass.

The following are the famous places of Peshawar are,

CHOWK YADGAAR

You soon arrive at the main square, chowk Yadgaar, which has historically served as the location of political gatherings. Here, the two approaches from the old city converge. Only in this area of the ancient city may cars be parked safely.

THE OLD CITY

The Old City of Peshawar is the main attraction. It is crowded with bullock carts, motorcycles, Tongas, rickshaws, and a wonderful parade of diverse individuals, all shouting at the top of their lungs.

MOSQUE OF MOHABAT KHAN

Muhabat Khan, who served as Peshawar's twice-elected governor under the Mughal Emperors Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, constructed the city's only significant existing Mughal mosque in 1670. In 1898 AD, a fire nearly destroyed the mosque. The prayer chamber's inside has been ornately adorned with calligraphy and flower design.

BALA HISAAR FORT

On both of Peshawar's eastern approaches is the massive Bala Hisaar Fort. When arriving from Rawalpindi or the Khyber, it is apparent. As its name suggests, it is a large frowning building, and a visitor passing beneath the shadow of its imposing battlements and walls cannot not but be impressed. It was initially constructed in 1526–1530 by Babar, the first Mughal, but was later restored in its current design in the 1830s by Hari Singh Nalva, a Sikh governor of Peshawar, under the direction of French engineers. Currently, it is home to government offices.

THE PESHAWAR MUSEUM

In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's ancient capital city of Peshawar, there is a museum called the Peshawar Museum. 14,101 artifacts total, including Gandhara sculptures, coins, manuscripts and copies of the Quran, inscriptions, weaponry, costumes, jewelry, Kalash effigies, paintings from the Mughal era and later periods, domestic items, and local and Persian handicrafts are currently on display in the museum.

UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR

In the Pakistani city of Peshawar, there is a public institution known as the University of Peshawar (abbreviated UOP). The first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan, founded the institution in October 1950.

THE QISSA KHWANI BAZAAR

The Qissa Khwani Bazaar, often known as the "Market of Story-tellers," is located in Peshawar, Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region. Bamboo, sweets, faluda, and silver kitchenware are a few of the enterprises at Qissa Khwani Bazaar. There are also a variety of book publishing houses there.

KHYBER PASS

A mountain crossing that connects Pakistan and Afghanistan is called the Khyber Pass. It has historically served as both a vital commerce route connecting Central Asia and South Asia and a vital military outpost. The Khyber Pass crosses the northern portion of the Safed Koh Mountains in Landi Kotal, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) inside Pakistan. Pakistan's most vibrant city is Peshawar. Peshawar is a fantastic destination because of the amazing places I've just discussed. It's crucial to see the Peshawar sights that are particular to this city when you travel there.

 Reference Links:

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