Kaghan

Visit Kaghan Valley

Kaghan Valley: Beautiful view of Rajwal Bala

The Kaghan Valley is a valley in the north-east of Mansehra District of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. It attracts many tourists from around the country. The inhabitants were affected by the earthquake disaster on 8 October 2005.

The Kaghan valley is named after the town of Kaghan rather than for the Kunhar River which flows through the length of the valley. The valley extends 155 km, rising from an elevation of 2,134 feet (650 m) to its highest point, the Babusar Pass, at 13,690 feet (4,170 m). Popular languages are Hindko and Gojri, while Urdu, Pakistan’s national language is also familiar among the locals. The region is Alpine in geography and climate, with forests and meadows dominating the landscape below peaks that reach over 17,000 feet.

Tourism

The Kaghan Valley’s remote mountains, dales, lakes, waterfalls, streams, and glaciers remain in a pristine state, with some within Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park. The valley is a prime destination during summer, from May through September. In May the temperature ranges between a maximum of 11 °C (52 °F) and a minimum of 3 °C (37 °F).

From the middle of July to the end of September the Naran-Babusar road beyond Naran Valley is open through Kagan Valley and over Babusar Pass. Access is restricted during the monsoon and winter seasons. The Kaghan area can be reached by roads via the towns of Balakot, Abbottabad, and Mansehra on the Karakoram Highway. In Balakot, one may find buses and other transports to reach Naran Village and the valley.

The road from Balakot ascends along the Kunhar River through beautiful forests and the villages of Paras, Shinu, Jared and Mahandri. The valley narrows along this part and the views are intimate scenery until ascending the pass when the surrounding peaks come into expansive view. One locale surrounded by peaks and forests and famous for its view is Shogran village, east of the main Kunhar River. The scenic Payee Lake, and Malika Parbat, Siri Payee, and Makra Peaks are nearby.

Lakes

Kaghan Valley is home to many a tourist attractions, especially its lakes. There are more than a dozen big and small lakes in the valley, but three are more popular among the tourists: Saiful Muluk Lake, Dudipatsar Lake and Lulusar Lake.

Dudipatsar Lake

Saiful Muluk, named in a folktale—the Qissa Saiful Muluk—about a romance between a Persia prince and a fairy princess. In the folktale. The lake is mentioned as the meeting site of the lovers in the folktale. lake Saiful Muluk is 10,578 feet (3,224 m) above the sea level, it is one of the highest and most beautiful lakes in Pakistan. The water of this over a mile in diameter oval shaped lake is spectacularly clear with a slight green tone.

Fishing

Trout Fish

Fishing is the chief sport in Kaghan. Brown Trout and Mahasher are stocked in pure silvery waters in the upper parts of the valley. The Kunhar river trout is considered to be the best throughout the sub-continent. Fishing licenses are issued by the ‘Fisheries Department at Naran’ or by the ‘Trout Hatchery’ at Shinu. Apart from this there are some other private trout fish farms at Kawai (also spelled as Kiwai) and Kahania.

Catching trout fish in the Kunhar river

A man shown fresh trout fish after catching from the Kunhar river

A boy shows trout fish in his hand.