When it comes to Pakistan, the country is blessed with exceptional and mesmerizing landscapes, stunning rivers, vast and wide desserts, calm lakes, tranquil waterfalls, exotic icy glaciers, and some breathtaking awe-inspiring sceneries. There is no doubt that the country is sanctified with every sort of natural beauty.
Being a tourist, if you are thinking to explore the heavenly beauty on Earth, the northern areas of Pakistan offer matchless beauty and divine solitude. There are majestic mountains in Gilgit, glaring golden peak trek at Hunza, glorious clouds touching the ground at Sri Paye, ravishing lake Saif-ul-Mulook at Kaghan valley, entrancing Fairy Meadows at the base of Nanga Parbat giving a feel of pure heaven and many more. These mesmerizing abundant natural beauties make Pakistan a top tourist destination and sightseers from all over the world love to visit it.
Recently, Forbes Magazine has ranked Pakistan among the top 10 coolest places to visit in 2019. This ranking not just solely depends upon the breathtaking beauty the country holds, but also because of the foreign tourists and international bloggers who are visiting the country every year. They have termed the northern areas of Pakistan as the heaven on Earth place. Due to tremendous optimistic and positive messages conveyed regarding Pakistan by the international bloggers and foreign visitors, the negative image of Pakistan has finally cleared.
There were questions such as ‘why to travel to Pakistan?’ or ‘is it even safe to go to Pakistan’ has been resolved now and many bloggers have termed the country as safe spot surrounded with incredible people. In this blog, we are going to cover some enthralling tourist’s spots Pakistan offers and what exceptional value every spot holds within. We will cover the top 10 exotic locations one must visit when they travel to Pakistan.
Spot 1: Chitral
When talking about the most favorite tourist destination in Pakistan, Chitral always tops the charts. At Chitral, there are many options to explore such as Tirich Mir; which is one of the highest mountain peaks in the Hindu Kush Mountain range. There are several majestic mountains and lush green meadows that exclusively defines the spectacular landscape of Chitral valley.
There are many hotels and resorts in the valley that are offering mesmerizing views of the cliff. Garam Chashma is a spot where every tourist enjoys the most. The universal truth is that the water from Chashma is always cold but what makes Garam Chashma incredible is that it is a hot spring that has miraculous healing properties in it as well. Barmoghlasht is a well-known resort in Chitral. In the summers, sightseers love paragliding whereas in winters they prefer skiing. The two spots namely Koghazi and Goleen are referred to as paradise on Earth due to their immense beauty. These locations are just 14 kilometers away from Chitral.
You can find many trees that are bearing fresh fruits, unbelievable awe-inspiring green meadows and exceptional landscapes in Chitral that makes it a top priority when it comes to traveling to northern areas of Pakistan.
Spot 2: Neelum Valley
Nearly 240 kilometers long, the picturesque and scenic Neelum Valley is situated at the north and the northeast side of Muzaffarabad. It runs parallel to the beautiful Kaghan Valley that goes up to the Kel. It is separated from Kaghan Valley by snow-covered peaks and blue water.
Neelum Valley is a perfect spot for trekking with friends and family. The Ratti Gali Lake in Dowarian is not just a mesmerizing lake, but the attractive and quaint piece of heaven. Jagran Nallah is an exotic and bewitching place that joins Neelum Valley and allows trout fishing. There are Kundal Shahi and Kutton that is 155 kilometers and 16 kilometers away from Neelum River, which is also fascinating to visit.
At Neelum Valley, the tourist's witnesses amazing scenic beauty, exclusive panoramic view, on both sides of the river there are towering hills, lush green flourishing forest, high altitude massive lakes and mesmerizing surroundings that make the dream of beauty truth.
Spot 3: Hunza
A mountainous valley in the locality of Gilgit is an area now under Pakistan named as Hunza. It is the most famous tourist destination simply due to its classic beauty and natural exquisiteness. It is commonly known as if there can be any heaven on Earth than Hunza Valley is that.
The Hunza Valley is amid Himalayan and the Karakoram Range that is almost 100 kilometer from Gilgit. There are many ravishing spots to visit in Hunza such as the historic Baltit Fort that is in the UNESCO world heritage tentative list. The Borith Lake has some spectacular view, specifically in winter season when many ducks, as well as the birds, migrate from other warm regions of Pakistan. There is the second highest peak in the world, K-2 which is perfect for trekking expeditions.
Hunza is also famous for its ravishing eateries that offer the traditional Sharbat, diram-fete, muleda, davdo and many other exotic ones. Hunza is not just beautiful to travel and enjoy the heavenly beauty but also mesmerizing to visit with loved ones. It is a favorite spot especially for newly married couples to enjoy their golden period of married life in the warmth of incomparable nature’s beauty.
Spot 4: Swat
Swat is the district in the Malakand Division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It is famous for its remarkable natural beauty and scenic landscapes. In 2007 the land of pure beauty was seized by Taliban and the district lost its tourists importance. After the war against terrorism in Swat by the Army commandos in 2009, the land got free from illegal occupants and once again opened for tourists all over the world.
There are many reasons to visit Swat when you come to Pakistan. It offers astonishing views of the river of Swat, inspiring Malamjabba ski resort, Mingora, Kalam, Saidu Sharif and Bahrain. All those tourists who are history aficionado than Swat is a perfect spot with great historic and architectural value. There is a recreational area named Fizagat Park that is not just beautiful but also has breathtaking views. Marghazar that is just a few miles away from Saidu Sharif is a stunning white marble palace also known as Sufed Mahal.
The famous Malala Yousafzai was also from the beautiful valley of Swat. Swat holds utmost beauty awarded by Almighty and it is a perfect spot to enjoy some memorable moments with friends, family and your loved one.
Spot 5: Kaghan Valley
A beautiful valley that is always ready to cast a magical spell on its spectators, Kaghan Valley is an alpine-climate valley that is found in the district of Mansehra in KP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) province of Pakistan. The mesmerizing valley extends to nearly 155 kilometers along with ravishing pine forest, tremendous mountain streams, and lush green meadows, making it an awe-inspiring spot for tourists from all over the country.
Naran and Balakot are part of this wonderful valley. Through Kaghan Valley, Kunhar River flows adding more splendor and magnificence to the scenic area. Tourists visiting Kaghan Valley will never miss the opportunity to see Lake Saif-ul-Mulook that is an enchanting lake surrounded by greenery never seen before. The pointed peak, Malika Parbat can also be seen as a reflection in the beautiful crystal clear lake. A quaint green pasture named as Lalazar has thick dark forests of pine and fir with wild flowers growing all over the mountain slopes.
Kaghan Valley is a paradise that came on Earth. It offers splendid scenic views and ravishing landscapes that are gorgeous to watch. The famous Jheel Saif-ul-Mulook and the Lalazar are some of the most picturesque places of Pakistan to visit, especially at the time of spring.
Spot 6: Gilgit – Baltistan
The northernmost territory of Pakistan is known as Gilgit and Baltistan which is surrounded by marvelous and majestic tall mountain peaks. It borders with Azad Kashmir to the south, whereas borders Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the west, Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan to the north side and Xinjiang region of China to the eastern side. It is beautiful just the way Kashmir is; as Kashmir is truly a place which can be compared to the beauty of Heaven above the sky.
The all-time famous Yasin Valley, Naltar and Rakaposhi are part of amazing Gilgit and Baltistan and are part of the bucket list of every tourist visiting the place. This region as known as one of the enchanting places of Pakistan that is not just beautiful but when you are there you feel like being in a paradise of solitude and eternal beauty. The green meadows are found at the base of Nanga Parbat and for hiking the sturdy Nanga Parbat, the tourist’s takes around 4 to 5 hours continuous hiking to reach the top of it.
Spot 7: Kalash Valley
Located at the district of Chitral, Kalash Valley is one of the awe-inspiring and ravishingly beautiful tourism spots in Pakistan. Moving towards the north from Kalash Valley, you can get access to the Central Asian states such as Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The scenic valley is surrounded by the Hindu Kush mountainous range.
Kalash Valley comprises of three different and attractive valleys namely Rumbur, Bumburet, and Birir. The largest and the most famous valley is Bumburet, to which you can reach by a road from Ayun located in the Kunar Valley. On the north side of Bumburet is Rumbur that is a side valley of the largest one. The third valley is Birir that is on the south side of Bumburet in the Kalash Valley.
At the valley, you can find many temples and other historically important places that hold a significant position in the pages of history. Kalash holds different culture and customs as compared to the ones being followed all over Pakistan. Bahuk is a beautiful sacred lake that is a popular and most visited tourist spot in the valley. The lake is associated with a belief by Kalash tribesman that the souls of their ancestors visit there.
Spot 8: Shandur Pass
The exotic Shandur Pass is located amid district of Chitral of KP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and the district of Ghizer of Gilgit and Baltistan. You can find this heavenly peaceful area between Gilgit and Hunza. Shandur Pass is sometimes also called ‘Roof of the World’, the reason behind this name is that it is a flat plateau at the extreme top.
The foreign sightseers love to visit Shandur Pass especially in the month of July, due to the annual ‘Shandur Polo Festival’ organized by the Ministry of Tourism of Gilgit and Baltistan. The Shandur Pass is famous for a variety of reasons such as it has the world’s highest polo ground that is around 3738 meters above the sea level. It also has the most beautiful lake that you will find in Pakistan, spectators claim that the lake of Shandur Pass is extremely beautiful in the moonlight giving a feel of exquisiteness.
The top of Shandur Pass is totally flat with attractive snow-capped mountains along with the calm sky-colored lake. As a tourist guide, we really recommend you to carry your camera with you and capture every single moment as you travel around the mesmerizing area.
Spot 9: Rawalakot
The capital of Poonch district in Azad Kashmir, Rawalakot is a beautiful spot for tourists all over the world. It is also referred to as ‘Valley of Pearls’ because in the summers the almond trees blossom giving an overall impression of pearls being scattered on the ground.
A famous hilltop area of Rawalakot is Tolipir which is at 2 hours’ drive from Rawalakot. For honeymoon tours, this pristine beauty place along with mesmerizing landscapes make it an ideal spot for young couples.
Spot 10: Shogran & Siri Paye
Shogran and Siri Paye are two tourists spots located in the Kaghan Valley, which are somewhat underrated as compared to other places in Pakistan. Shogran is a hill station that has plenty of resorts as well as hotels for accommodation of the tourists. Whereas, Siri Paye is a high mountain lake surrounded by undulating clouds, nearly 8 kilometers away from Shogran.
Both these places are not just beautiful but also offers exotic landscapes, lush green meadow, and iconic scenic view to cherish every moment of life with delight and happiness.
This is the list of most beautiful places that as a tourist you ought to visit. Update your bucket list right away and experience the heavenly experience right on Earth in Pakistan. At ilaan.com we keep on posting tourists guide for you to know more about exceptional places all over Pakistan. Stay tuned for latest updates.
