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Tourist Guide for Islamabad

For a traveler to Islamabad, the city has an excellent infrastructure and some of the wonderful places to visit. Islamabad is located at the base of the Margalla Hills, which offer wonderful opportunity for trekking and hiking. Islamabad is planned in such a way that there are a number of spots for walking, trekking and jogging.
Islamabad is a complete destination that offers tourists beautiful gardens, wonderful monuments, exquisite handicrafts, great dining options to enjoy Pakistani cuisine, colourful bazaars and most important of all is the Pakistani hospitality. Unmatched in scale and warmth, Pakistani hospitality is what touches you on your tour to Pakistan.
Lok Virsa, which is the National Cultural Center and Museum, is an exciting place to get a glimpse of the Pakistani handicraft items. For shopping enthusiasts, Islamabad has many bazaars. You can rummage through an assortment of items at Jinnah Super, Aabpara or Blue Area bazaar. The other places worth checking out are Shakar-Parian hilltop, the Rawal Lake and Pir Suhawah hilltop. A leisurely stroll through the Jasmine Garden is a soothing experience in Islamabad. Those interested in the wonders of the past can head to Faisal Mosque, an architectural masterpiece. For the sporty kind, Islamabad has bowling alleys, golf courses and football and cricket fields.
Lok Virsa, which is the National Cultural Center and Museum, is an exciting place to get a glimpse of the Pakistani handicraft items. For shopping enthusiasts, Islamabad has many bazaars. You can rummage through an assortment of items at Jinnah Super, Aabpara or Blue Area bazaar. The other places worth checking out are Shakar-Parian hilltop, the Rawal Lake and Pir Suhawah hilltop. A leisurely stroll through the Jasmine Garden is a soothing experience in Islamabad. Those interested in the wonders of the past can head to Faisal Mosque, an architectural masterpiece. For the sporty kind, Islamabad has bowling alleys, golf courses and football and cricket fields.
Rose and Jasmine Garden
This 20,360 sq. meters rose garden is famous for its roses. It has 250 different varieties of roses as well as a dozen types of Jasmines. Flower shows are occasionally held here, particularly during spring. Nearby is the Tourist Camping Site.

Shakarparian Hills
Shakarparian hills are situated near Zero Point, at a height of 609 meters. Its terraced garden offers pleasant and sweeping vistas of Margallah and Murree hills, Rawal Lake, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Snack Bar facilities are available.

Daman-e-Koh
Daman-e-Koh offers panoramic view of Islamabad. Snack bar facilities are available at PTDC's Daman-e-Koh Restaurant. The place is ideal for afternoon and evening outing with family and friends.

Murghzar Mini Zoo and Children's Park
Murghzar Mini zoo is located at the foot of Daman-e-Koh viewpoint. A Japanese style children's park have also been established near the Zoo. This Park is a gift to Pakistani children from the children of Japan.

Fatima Jinnah Park
The entire sector of F-9 is being developed as an attractive urban park, which will have a profusion of lakes, rock gardens, aquariums, fountains etc. It has been named after Miss Fatima Jinnah, sister of the founder of Pakistan.

Chattar Bagh (Park)
Nestling at the base of Murree hills at a distance of 15 km on Islamabad-Murree road, TDCP Chattar Bagh recreational facility provides a quiet break from the hustle and bustle of the twin cities. Scenic walks, gently flowing stream, waterfall and the surrounding hillside are a perfect attraction. The resort has a restaurant, barbecue and two air-conditioned tourist cottages. The Children's Park and playground are spread over an area of 12.5 acres.

Islamabad Sports Complex
A Sports Complex comprising Liaquat Gymnasium for indoor games and Jinnah Stadium for outdoor games has been built with the Chinese assistance. It is located on Shahrah-e-Kashmir near Aabpara. Regular national and international sports events are held in the Complex. For details, please contact Pakistan Sports Board, Islamabad Sports Complex, Shahrah-e-Kashmir, Islamabad.

Naran is the middle point of Kaghan Valley and it is a place where you defiantly want to spend few days of your leisure. This is the place of out-door pleasure. Here you'll depart from the river Kunhar and on both sides of road there are vast fields. Don't look here and there the melody you are hearing is provided by the river Kunhar who is with you on same level. If you like climbing this is a place for you because there are mountains all around you. You can explore the scenic and picturious landscape and valley's by climbing up hiking. If you like fishing get your fishing license we have trout and mahasheer for you fishing here for tourist is must.

Malakandi Forest:
8 miles on the western slopes of Kaghan valley is Kamalban,a heavily populated forest of black bears & leopards,which do incalculabe harm to he crops & young trees...but forget all about it & enjoy the nature at its best...

Lalazar:
Lalazar Plateau another pleasant 1/2-day jeep excursion from Naran is up to the Lalazar Plateau. A jeep track climbs up the plateau from battakundi, some 16 km N of Naran. Located at 3,200m, this beautiful, meadow is awash with colourful alpine flowers in spring and summer, and set amongst the cool pine forests. A footpath leads from Lalazar Plateau down to lake Saiful Malik, taking 5-6 hrs.

Lalusar lake:
At the extreme northern end of the Kaghan Valley about 50 km from Naran on the Naran-Babusar road is Lalusar Lake, surrounded by clusters of wild flowers in a carpet of blue and gold. This is the source of the Kunhar River, which winds through the length of the valley. Lake Lalusar offers a splendid opportunity for fishing in dark blue waters surrounded by high mountains. The serene beauty and peace, which permeates the Kaghan Valley, makes this an ideal spot for relaxation and reflection.

Battakundi:
A small & beautiful village about 16 Km from Naran is the turning pint for Lalazarconnected via jeepable road with plateu of rare scenic beauty.

Babusar Pass:
The summit of Babusar Pass (4148m) is reached after traversing 70 Km of narrow, winding road from Naran. Once the pass is attained, a fantastic panorama of eternally frozen peaks and windswept valleys lies before the visitor. Nanga Parbat (8125m) magnificent in her gleaming gown of snow can be seen on a clear day. Babusar Pass, gateway to the mountain passes linking Gilgit to the Kaghan Valley is only open from July to September, the remainder of the year it is buried under many tons of snow.

In May 2001, we decided on a trip to the Kaghan Valley, one of the most picturesque vales of Pakistan, which boasts deep forests, lush green meadows, and high alpine lakes, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Kaghan Valley starts from Balakot and extends 160 km, ending at Babusar Pass (which is at 4,175 meters).

Lovely Lakes & Meadows:
If you love hiking, trekking or fishing, then Kaghan Valley is like heaven. There are many lakes and meadows high up in the mountains waiting for you. Some of them are: Lake Lulusar, Lake Dodipatsar, Danna Meadows, Sharan, Sri, Paya, Makra Peak, Malika Parbat and Musa Ka Musalla (Prayer Mat of Moses).

Neelum Valey

About 240 kilometers long picturesque Neelum Valley is situated to the North & North East of Muzaffarabad. Running parallel to the Kaghan Valley, it is separated from it by snow covered peaks, some over 5000 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. Places of interest in Neelum Valley are; Kundal Shahi, Kutton, Salkhala, Athmaqam, Karen, Dowarian, Sharda & Kel.

Jehlum Valley

The curling river flows through from East to West between the high green mountains of this valley and joins the river Neelum at Domel near Muzaffarabad. A 59 Km long metalled road runs along the river Jhelum from Muzaffarabad to Chakothi, close to line of control (LOC). Places of interest in Jehlum Valley include: Garhi Dopatta, Chinari, Chakothi, Chikkar, Loon Bagia, Dungian & Danna.

Bagh & Kotli

District Bagh, is rich in variegated natural beauty. Bagh, Dheerkot, Sudhan gali, Hanse Chowki, Neela Butt, Las Danna, Mahmood Gali, Suddhan Gali, Kahuta, Havaily and Ganga Choti are the main attractions. Kotli is located at a distance of 141 kms from Rawalpindi/ Islamabad via Sehnsa, Holar and Kahuta. It is linked with Mirpur by two metalloid roads, one via Rajdhani (90 kms) and the other via Charhoi. It is also directly linked with Rawalakot via Trarkhal (82 kms). Places of interest are; Teenda, Hajiabad, Khoiratta, Fatehpur, Karela Majhan etc.

Mirpur & Bhimber

It is situated at an elevation of 459 m. It is linked with G.T. Road at Dina, a small town about 15 kms short of Jhelum city. The construction of MangIa Dam converted the old Mirpur town into a big artificial lake and affected a population of about 50,000. But it paved the way for existing new Mirpur town situated on the bank of MangIa Lake. The city is well planned and buildings are mostly of modem design. Mirpur has developed into an industrial city very rapidly. Places of interest around Mirpur are; Mangla Dam, Ramkot Fort etc. Bhimber was mentioned by Mughal Emperor, "Jahangir" in his book "Tuzh-e-Jahangiri". It falls on the route that was followed by the Mughals for their frequent visits to the Kashmir Valley. Bhimber town is located at a distance of 50 kms from Mirpur and 166 kms from Rawalpindi. Places of interest are; Baghsar, Jandi Chontra etc.

About Northern Areas

The Northern Area is the most spectacular and fascinating region of Pakistan. It is here that the world's three famous mountain ranges meet - the Himalayas, the Karakorams and the Hindukush. The whole Northern Pakistan has come to be known as a paradise for mountaineers, climbers, trekkers, hikers and anglers of the most famous “Trout fish”.

In the northern regions of Pakistan, at a stone's throw from the Amu Darya, is” Bam-e-Dunya” (the roof of the world). This was the name given to the great Pamir plateau, apex of six of the mightiest mountain ranges of the world.

The historic Karakoram pass 5,575 metres, an ancient trading route between Kashmir and Xinjiang, gives its name to the range west of it that forms the watershed between the Indus and the Central Asian deserts. The eastern boundary of the Karakoram is the upper Shyok River from where it extends over 322 km. westwards to the Karumbar river and the Hindukush range. To the north the Shaksgam tributary of the Yarkand River and south by the Indus bound the Karakoram. Here, the Nanga Parbat 8,126 metres massif is the western anchor of the great Himalayan range which stretches in an arc 24,124 km. east to Burma, a boundary and barrier, "the razor's edge" which for centuries has determined the destiny of the Indian sub-continent.

Such is the setting of Karakoram Range, this remnant of a primeval ice age, "the third pole," with extensive glacier systems and the greatest concentration of lofty mountains in the world. Some of the largest glaciers outside sub-polar regions flow in the Karakorams. For its sheer mountain grandeur and breath-taking panorama of beauty, few places can match the superb landscape through which the Karakoram Highway snakes. A fantastic and unforgettable spectacle is the passage of the Highway along the Baltura glacier, rated among the worlds seventh largest.

The Khunjerab Pass, which the Highway crosses, and the nearby Mintaka Pass lie astride the fabulous ancient Silk Route that led from Europe to Asia and over which history's most famous tourists once travelled. These include the Venetian trader Marco Polo after who has been made the wild Marco Polo sheep in the thirteenth century, the Chinese Monk Fe Hien in the fourth century and the Arab historian, Al-Beruni in the eleventh century.

The Siachin glacier is 75 km, the Hispar, (52 km) joints the Biafo at the Hispar La 5,154 metres to form an ice corridor, 116 km. long.The Batura too is 58 km. in length. But the most outstanding of these rivers of ice is the Baltoro (62 km). This mighty glacier fed by some 30 tributaries constitutes a surface area of 1,219 sq. km. Of the fourteen over 8,000 m peaks on earth, four occupy an amphitheatre at the head of Baltoro. There are K-2 (8,611) second only to Everest, Broad Peak (8,047 metres) Gasherbrum-I (8,068 metres), Gasherbrum-II (8,035 metres).

Seen from a distance, the Baltoro appears smooth and beautiful but in fact it is a chaotic tumbling mass of rock and ice, troughs and hillocks and the debris of centuries.
It is a unique remote corner of earth. For here, in a frozen wilderness a crag, cornices and crevasses, raise towering spires of granite, great snowy peaks with fluted icy ridges and pinnacles that pierce the sky.In the Lesser Karakorams there are equally great peaks such as Rakaposhi (7,788 metres), the dominant giant in Hunza valley. Its north face is fantastic precipice - 5,791 metres of plunging snow and ice.

There are scores of over 7,000 m peaks in the Karakoram Range and hundreds of nameless summits below 6,000 metres, mere points on the map. The shapes, forms, sizes, colours provide tremendous contrast, which defy description. K-2, the undisputed monarch of the sky, Broad Peak, massive and ugly, Muztagh Tower, deceptively, sheer. Gasherbrum-II, the "Egyptian Pyramid" that even Cheops would have preferred for a tomb, Chogolisa, the "Bride Peak", in whose eternal embrace lies Hermann Buhi, the first man to climb Nanga Parbat. The Cathedrals of the Baltoro with their great knife-edge ridges, the sky cleaving monoliths of the Trango Towers and most beautiful of all - the Peak of Perfection - Paiyu, (6,600 metres) first climbed by a Pakistani expedition in 1977.