Once again I have let the time slip by without updating my blog, and I plan to apologize to all of my readers. Sorry Mom, grandma, and Viviana. Now then. It didnt take us long after arriving in Chile to realize that we were going to have to search for new ways to save money in order to keep to our budget. The ideas we came up with were: couchsurfing, camping, hitchhiking, and leeching off of my parents during their visit.
We jumped right in with couchsurfing (see www.couchsurfing.org if you are unfamiliar) our first two nights in Santiago. Our host Felipe lived in a nice neighborhood right downtown and opened up his home, heart, and refrigerator to us as soon as we arrived. The second night he held a birthday party at his house and we passed the evening putting back beers and talking about Chilean culture and South Park. The next day I battled through my hangover to greet my folks, who I hadnt seen since March. After a short nap we quickly began the second installment of the new money saving scheme, leeching off the ´rents. They put us up in nice hostal in a historic home downtown and we soon found ourselves eating seafood, proscioutto, and other long forgotten delicacies on the rooftop terrace. The second night was new years eve so around 10PM we headed down to Calle la Moneda to join the celebration. There were thousands of people all giddy to share their drinks, confetti, and few words of english with the visiting gringo family. The night culminated with a massive fireworks display and live music, all right in front of the building where Salvador Allende spent his last living hours decades before. Around 2AM we wobbled back to the hotel, munching on churros and street pizza, ready to get some sleep for our first visit to the coast.
One of the overarching themes of my parents visit was a series of relaxation filled evenings in beautiful places. In Valparaiso this took place in the form of grilled chicken and wine on the balcony of a hostel with an outstanding view of the bay. During the day we walked the colorful graffiti filled streets and rode the funiculars to Pablo Nerudas house. After two days we reminded ourselves that the true grandeur of the anorexic country lay further down, and we began the trip south.
Using Puerto Montt as a base we rented a car and did our own unique tour of the island of Chiloé and the lakes district. Chiloé is a paradoxical land where brand new cars drive by ox carts, bright green parrots fly over penguin colonies, and when the Johnsons visit, manufactured instant pasta boils on wood burning stoves. The first day we bought some artesenal cheese and hopped on a small launch to go see the local penguin colonies. We watch the tuxedo-clad waterfowl hop along the rocks and also spotted some sea otters and red-footed cormorants along the way. That night we rented a rather homey little cabaña and took our tranquil evenings to the next level with barbecued steak and pisco sours. The second day on the island we cruised down the coast to the Parque Nacional Chiloé, where we hiked through the unique Tepual forest before retiring to camp out on a nearby farm. Here we had the first clash of traveling styles as we attempted to cook dinner for the four of us on my homemade camping stove, before realizing we lacked plates, silverware, and bowls. As I cursed at my malfunctioning bum stove the woman who owned the farm came out repeating ´no tiene futuro´ (this has no future) before forcing us to move inside and prepare the meal on her wood burning stove like civilized beings. The following morning we loaded up and drove back to the ferry, bidding farewell to the culturally curious little island in the pacific.
As we drove out to the lake district we passed by a beach absolutely packed with people to the point where barely a grain of sand shone through the mass of flesh, umbrellas and beer coolers. Shaking our heads we sped on past until we found our own little spot 10 feet from a virtually abandoned beach. That first evening we swam in Lake Llanique and visited a nearby thundering waterfall, as well as a massive ash flow that trailed down from a volcanic peak into the pristine waters of Lake Todos los Santos. That night we perfected the barbecue. The thick steaks were grilled to perfection, there were hot peppers stuffed with local cheese, lots of Royal Guard beer, and in this part of the world the sun lights the sky until 10:30PM, finally parting the way for an overwhelming blanket of stars. The next day we awoke refreshed and decided to drive south a bit in search of some remote natural hot springs on the bank of Rio Cochamó. Swatting the occasional pesky horse fly along the way, we paid a local to take us down the stunningly graceful river to a little rocky outcrop, from where it was only a short walk to the springs. By the time we arrived we already knew we were done for. The one or two horseflies had turned into a hideous swirling cloud, and the more we tried to battle them off the more came in to attack. Already in our swimsuits we scalded our skin trying to leap into the boiling hot springs, and were forced to evade the insects by laying down in the shallows of the frigid and fast flowing river instead. After 10 minutes of this we were more than ready to leave. On our way back to the cabin we saw the true magnitude of the problem. Every construction worker, schoolgirl, and gas station attendant was swatting and squirming trying to the protect themselves, with one exception; everyone on the overly crowded beach we had turned down was taking their sun in peace at the one area that was routinely dusted with insecticide.
After the lakes district Viviana and I caught another 22 hours bus further south, meeting up with my flown-in folks in Coyhaique. From there we rented a 4x4 truck and set off on a journey along the Carretera Austral, a gravel road nestled in the bottom of a lush evergreen valley overflowing with ferocious waterfalls, looming glaciers, and precipitous cliffs. We spent the first night dreaming deeply in a beautiful cabaña made from hand carved cedar logs and powered by a small scale hydroelectric generator. Awoken by the sound of a small gnome-like Chilean woman warming up the woodburning stove, we packed up and set off to see the Ventisquero Colgante (Hanging Glacier). A 6km hike took us close enough to watch large chunks of ice fall from the face of the glacier and tumble down a powerful waterful pouring from a crack in the ice. On the way out of the park we threw a couple hitchhikers in the truck and ambled up to the small hamlet of Puyuhuapi, situated on an idylic fjord. From there we sank still deeper into our relaxed state with the help of a couple of thermal baths. The first was only accessible from the water, so Viviana and I rented some kayaks and made the 1 1/2 hours paddle out to the clandestine springs, given away only by the steam rising from the side of the fjord. While we played in the warm water we watched a group of dolphins swim by not more than 25ft away. These springs were amazing, but the water still wasn´t quite hot enough for us, so later that evening the four of us went over to some more developed springs on the opposite bank of the fjord where we sipped beers and alternated between the three stone pools until we nearly passed out from the heat.
Thermal baths have a reputation for cleansing the body, and apparently our brains had been washed pretty thoroughly. After consulting the map we decided to go to the famous Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina. It was only a few hours drive away, so we caught the bus down to catch a ferry that would bring us the rest of the distance. When we arrived we found that the ferry was completely full, and no amount of haggling or bribing would get us on. Enraged we returned to a coffee shop to search for an alternate route. That´s when we realized that our goal, the town of Perito Moreno, is actually no where near the Perito Moreno glacier. Nor is the national park of Perito Moreno. No, obviously the Perito Moreno glacier is in Los Glaciares National Park, several days further south. It turns out that Chileans and Argentineans have a little bit of a grudge against eachother, and have no interest in helping tourists find anything that is not in their own country. Feeling thoroughly defeated we searched for a hostal in the barren windswept town of Puerto Ibanez. Viviana and I split up for the search while my parents cracked open some bottles of wine and arranged a ride back up north with the owner of the cafe. When we reconvened Viviana said she had found a reasonably priced hostal, but that the owner was a little off. This turned out to be the understatement of the year. We arrived at the hostal and an old woman slowly hobbled over to help us. We asked if we could see the room and she said no, because she didnt have her slippers on. She was gracious enough to allow us to see the room, as long as we committed to staying in it first... So we played the game and she put on her little granny clogs and inched up the stairs. When we arrived at the room she informed us that we were only allowed to use one of the beds in the room, even though there were two of us staying in each room. After trying to make sense of the situation over a few beers and taking in one of the most spectacular and surreal sunsets we had ever seen, we finally laid our heads down to rest. The next morning we packed up our stuff and started down the stairs. Our ride had told us he wouldnt wait, and we didnt want to stay in the town one minute longer than we had to waiting for a bus. Anyone who knows my parents would probably describe them as very laid back people, rarely losing their cool. When they got to the door that morning and found that the old woman had locked us in, that calm demeanor quickly transformed into a wild fury. After fiddling with the lock and emitting a few choice expletives, my mom began banging on the door that led to the interior of the house and screaming out English words that surely had the family and the old woman thinking the house was on fire. Meanwhile my dad was prying at a window, seeing if he could jimmy it open and toss the bags out (perhaps he was also convinced there was a fire). The kicker came when the old woman slowly shuffled across the room braving the hailstorm of Spanish and English words berating her to open the damn door, all while wearing a painfully content and unchanging smirk on her face as she crossed. When she reached the door she gave the knob a slight turn, showing us all that it clearly had never been locked in the first place, and bid us farewell. We left in an odd sort of hysterical laughter and caught our ride back to town.
The last few days we spent relaxing along the carretera, until finally it was time to say our farewells. All in all we had a great time, and Viviana and I really appreciated a break from our dirty dog traveling style with some good food and comfortable beds. Since then, however, we have abandoned all creature comforts as we explore more of southern Patagonia. With the initial success of the money saving plan we have begun implementing the last two elements, hitchhiking and camping. Yet as you already know, this blog has gotten way too long, so I will save the last couple weeks, which I have named ´The Grunge Trail´ for the next post. Although internet is scarce and pricey around here, I promise to do my best to get this one up sooner.
On a side note, these computers wont read my DVD with my photos on it, so unfortunately I havent been able to add any photos to the post. If it works later I will add some, so maybe check back to this post when I post the next one.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Pearl Continental Lahore
The Pearl Continental Hotel Lahore Is Situated On Shahrah-e-quaid-e-azam, The Mall, Opposite The Governor House. It Is Only 7km From Lahore International Airport, 6km From The Main Railway Station And 1.5 Km From The Main Business Centre. The Accommodations Comprise Of 485 Rooms Varying From Presidential Suites To Standard Rooms. The Hotel Boasts A Varity Of Dining Possibilities Meeting Facilities As Well As Health And Recrteational Facilities.
Sheraton Karachi Hotel
Hotel Description
407 rooms, 9 floors
Located in the heart of Karachi, the Business Capital of the country, Sheraton Karachi Hotel is the only internationally managed five-star hotel in Pakistan, managed by the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. The hotel is at a walkable distance from the citys main attractions, business districts, shopping centers and clubs and is ideally positioned for business travelers, offering wireless connectivity in the Lobby area. The hotel offers extensive multi-purpose banqueting space accommodating upto 3000 guests, be it a conference, seminar, meeting, wedding reception or a corporate dinner, our professional event planners & coordinators take care of the fine details & arrangements.
The hotel has recently concluded a multi million dollar refurbishment of 48 well appointed & tastefully furnished rooms at the Sheraton Hotel, which offers a one-of-its kind hotel accommodation in the country. Al-Suite accommodation of the hotel are currently undergoing renovation. The hotel is home to four specialty restaurants where the guests are spoilt for choice between Lebanese, Italian, Japanese, Chinese & Pakistani cuisine & a 24- hour caf Fanoos. The guests have 24-hour access to state-of-art equipped health club, swimming pool, flood-lit tennis court, jogging track, 24-hour functional Business Center and a large shopping arcade. The hotel ensures stringent security measures in compliance with international security and safety standards, since guest comfort and safety is a matter of supreme priority.
Located in the heart of Karachi, the Business Capital of the country, Sheraton Karachi Hotel is the only internationally managed five-star hotel in Pakistan, managed by the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. The hotel is at a walkable distance from the citys main attractions, business districts, shopping centers and clubs and is ideally positioned for business travelers, offering wireless connectivity in the Lobby area. The hotel offers extensive multi-purpose banqueting space accommodating upto 3000 guests, be it a conference, seminar, meeting, wedding reception or a corporate dinner, our professional event planners & coordinators take care of the fine details & arrangements.
The hotel has recently concluded a multi million dollar refurbishment of 48 well appointed & tastefully furnished rooms at the Sheraton Hotel, which offers a one-of-its kind hotel accommodation in the country. Al-Suite accommodation of the hotel are currently undergoing renovation. The hotel is home to four specialty restaurants where the guests are spoilt for choice between Lebanese, Italian, Japanese, Chinese & Pakistani cuisine & a 24- hour caf Fanoos. The guests have 24-hour access to state-of-art equipped health club, swimming pool, flood-lit tennis court, jogging track, 24-hour functional Business Center and a large shopping arcade. The hotel ensures stringent security measures in compliance with international security and safety standards, since guest comfort and safety is a matter of supreme priority.
Serena Hotel Faisalabad
 | Serena Hotel Faisalabad PakistanSerena Hotel, P.O. Box 433 Club Road Faisalabad, Pakistan |
Location Serena hotel faisalabad is conveniently located very close to the business district surrounded by lush green gardens on the tranquil Club Road. Serena is the heartbeat of the city. The sprawling building is spread out on seven acres of landscaped gardens, which captures the intricacies.A well-known landmark of the city, Faisalabad Serena Hotel is easily accessible from all parts of the town. Faisalabad has excellent air, road and railway connections with all the major cities in the country.The intensely indigenous character of Faisalabad is evident in the décor of the guestrooms that forms a wonderful blend of functionality, comfort and aesthetics. The Hotel has 144 beautifully appointed rooms and suites - all equipped with central air-conditioning/heating with individual controls, colour cable TV, radio, music, direct International telephone lines, Internet connections, mini fridge and private bathrooms. |
Amazing Margalla Hotel Islamabad
THE Capital Development Authority is out to give Islamabad a new face. Judging by the number of commercial, infrastructural, housing, and sport and recreational projects in the pipeline, the capital city will have a brand new image once these projects are completed within the next few years.
The most exciting commercial project is the multi-storey multi-purpose tower in Blue Area, whose construction process is scheduled to begin this year. With its futuristic eye-catching architectural design (which seems to symbolise the rolling Margalla hills and peaks), the yet-to-be-constructed building is already being dubbed as an icon that would promote and symbolise Islamabad in the same way that the now famous yacht sail design of the Burj Al-Arab, the first seven-star hotel in the world, is recognized around the world as a symbol of Dubai.
Incidentally, this would-be icon of Islamabad has been designed by the same international firm that conceptualised the Burj Al-Arab. The 30-storey building will comprise a 350-bedroom world-class hotel with a panoramic restaurant at the top capturing the views of the capital city and its mountainous skyline, a shopping mall and more than 300 service apartments. The building is said to be designed to sustain earthquakes up to 9.5 on the Richter Scale.
Four more top class hotels are also in the pipeline, viz., Sheraton Hotel in F-5, the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Le Meridian Hotel in the Convention Centre area, and the Al-Faysal Hotel in G-6.
Apart from these hotels, a string of government and private high-rise buildings will also be coming up soon. These include the Islamabad Stock Exchange Tower, the Telecom Tower and the State Life Tower (all three in Blue Area and under construction), Nadra headquarters in G-10 and CDA headquarters in G-8. Other private sector buildings include the Warid Plaza in Blue Area, Fortune Plaza in G-8/F-8, Telenor Plaza (completed) and Ammar Shopping Mall (near completion), the last two located in Jinnah Supermarket.
The tragic Margalla Towers episode notwithstanding, Islamabad’s skyline is poised to be dominated by many more multi- storey residential buildings, concentrated particularly in F-11 sector. Some of the residential buildings that are coming up or already up include Al-Rizwan Towers, Al-Mustafa Towers Valley Apartments, Crystal Courts, Park Avenue, Al-Safa Heights, Millennium Heights and Abu Dhabi Heights.
Never has Islamabad seen so much developmental activity since its establishment. Several major infrastructural projects have already been completed in the past two years. These involve mostly road construction, e.g., widening of Islamabad Highway into six lanes, dualization of Margalla Road, construction of 2nd Avenue linking Murree Road with Quaid-i-Azam University, and the extension of Constitution Avenue connecting it with Margalla Road in F-5.
The new-uniformed Islamabad Traffic Police plus the new blue-and-white-coloured road and street signs are already giving the capital a fresh new look. The standardized and improved signs are more useful for road users. For example, in the residential sectors the new street signs now indicate access to other street numbers or that the street is a no-through road. Many street signs also indicate the house numbers located in particular streets.
Many more ambitious road projects are underway or being planned. These include the Zero Point flyover, the three underpasses at Jinnah Avenue, the service road in sectors I-14 and I-15, the dualization of all service roads around each sector, Tarnol Interchange, Tarnol-Fateh Jang Road dualization, the Kashmir Highway extension (Motorway to the proposed new airport), Islamabad-Murree dual carriageway, the Ring Road project connecting Rawat to I-14, and the Pirwadhai-Faizabad Highway (the last four are under construction).
In addition to these infrastructural and commercial projects, a number of sports and recreational projects are also being executed or planned, the most prominent of which are the redevelopment of F-9 Fatima Jinnah Park, Rawal Dam area and Argentina Park; the establishment of a cultural complex at Shakarparian Hills and an Art and Craft Tourist Village at Saidpur; and the completion of the National Art Gallery. Meanwhile, some redevelopment of Pir Sohawa Point and Daman-e-Koh on the Margalla Hills as well as of Jinnah Supermarket, F-6 Supermarket and Melody Food Park have already taken place.
The road to development has not been a completely smooth-sailing one for CDA, which has been facing resistance in some of its road widening projects. CDA has tried to tackle this resistance by offering alternative places for affected stakeholders. For example, resistance to the widening of 7th and 9th Avenues by the three affected cricket clubs/grounds and a weekly bazaar have been resolved by persuading them to relocate to other nearby grounds which CDA would help to develop and equip with the latest facilities.
Resistance to the widening of a service road in the South Mauve Area from G-8 to G-10 sector also appears to have been resolved as work on widening the road has started recently. Some 38 government offices located along this road (including the Pakistan Post Headquarters, PTCL Headquarters, FIA Headquarters, KRL Hospital, the National Highway Authority and the National Police Foundation) had opposed the widening project because it would affect their car parking facilities across the road opposite their buildings.
However, two prominent development projects which have come under heavy fire, especially from environmentalists, are the Mini Golf Valley project in F-7 and the half-kilometre Margalla Tunnel through the Margalla Hills, which is supposed to link the federal capital with Haripur in NWFP expanding Islamabad in the north. The former project was terminated by a Supreme Court ruling against it two months ago.
While it is easier to develop from scratch on undeveloped grounds, it has been much more difficult to redesign and uplift old and cluttered developed areas, a process known in some countries as urban renewal or urban redevelopment. For example, CDA’s proposal to redevelop the existing Blue Area and give it a facelift has met with resistance from commercial plaza owners who are reluctant to renovate their buildings.
Moreover, CDA’s proposal of banning unwieldy and congested car parking in front of the shops and offices and its plan of establishing five multi-storey parking plazas for Blue Area visitors who will then have to pay for parking, have not exactly been met with enthusiasm either.
Similarly, CDA’s efforts to spruce up the old Aabpara Market, the first market to be established in the capital, by cleaning up encroachments, etc., have not been very successful.
Nevertheless, capital residents are watching the transformation of their city with pride. They are looking forward to the completion of the above mentioned and other mega projects like the new Islamabad International Airport and the new industrial estate at Chakri. To top it all, the capital will also be having the new GHQ in E-sector!
In fact, many feel that development is not progressing fast enough. For example, what is stalling projects such as the Zero Point flyover, the three underpasses on Jinnah Avenue and the dualization of the road from Pirwadhai to Faizabad?
Development, however, is not all concrete and stone. Development also means ensuring the provision of uninterrupted supply of essential utilities like clean water, gas and electricity to all residents of the Federal Capital Territory irrespective of sectors or zones. Annual water rationing and electricity loadshedding/cut-offs are no-nos in any modern city.
Finally, development also means the provision of affordable and qualitative healthcare and housing, as well as the provision of an efficient and reliable public transport service - something which is very much lacking in Islamabad. Marriott Hotel Islamabad
The five-star international Islamabad Marriott Hotel is located at the foot steps of the famous Margalla Hills and is within close proximity to Rawal Lake, the town centre, President & Prime Minister Houses, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Senate, Parliament House, Foreign Missions, World Bank, Government Offices, corporate sector, Print and Electronic media offices etc. The Hotel is a favourite rendezvous of politicians, diplomats, businessmen and movers and shakers of the country. Owing to the perfect location of the hotel, it hardly takes half an hour to commute between the Hotel, the Islamabad International Airport and the places of interests.
Pearl Continental Bhurban Hotel (Murree)
The Pearl Continental Bhurban, usually shortened to PC Bhurban, is a member of Pearl Continental Hotel chain in Pakistan. It is located in the town of Bhurban in Murree, which is famous for its scenic beauty. This place is a popular summer resort for the residents of Islamabad and nearby cities. In August 2008 the Punjab government levied a toll on vehicles entering the hotel, this has angered tourists who have harangued the toll collectors. Local politicians have opposed the imposition of the toll including the Nazims of Rawat, Numbal and Phagwari.
Location
PC Bhurban is located at approximately 13 km from Murree Hills and two hours' drive from Islamabad.Bhurban Accord
This place received much media coverage, locally and internationally, when on March 8, 2008 a political agreement was signed by the two political parties Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) here. According to the Bhurban Accord, also known as the Murree Declaration, the two political parties decided to restore the judiciary to pre-Nov 3 position.Tourism in Pakistan
Tourism in Pakistan has been stated as being the tourism industry's next big thing. Pakistan with it's diverse cultures, people and landscapes has attracted 0.7 million tourists to the country. Almost double to that of a decade ago.
The country's attraction range from the ruin of civilization such as Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and Taxila, to the Himalayan hill stations, which attract those interested in winter sports. Pakistan is home to several mountain peaks over 7000m, which attracts adventurers and mountaineers from around the world, especially K2. The north part of Pakistan has many old fortresses, ancient architecture and the Hunza and Chitral valley, home to small pre-Islamic Animist Kalasha community claiming descent from Alexander the Great. The romances of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is timeless and legend. Punjab province has the site of Alexander's battle on the Jhelum River and the historic city Lahore, Pakistan's cultural capital, with many examples of Mughal architecture such as Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Gardens, Tomb of Jahangir and the Lahore Fort. Before the Global economic crisis Pakistan received more than 500,000 tourists annually.
In October 2006, just one year after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, The Guardian released what it described as "The top five tourist sites in Pakistan" in order to help the country's tourism industry. The five sites included Taxila, Lahore, The Karakoram Highway, Karimabad and Lake Saiful Muluk. To promote Pakistan's unique and various cultural heritage, the Prime Minister launched the "Visit Pakistan" marketing campaign in 2007. This campaign involved various events throughout the year including fairs and religious festivals, regional sporting events, various arts and craft shows, folk festivals and several openings of historical museums.
In 2009, The World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked Pakistan as one of the top 25% tourist destinations for its World Heritage sites. Ranging from mangroves in the South, to the 5,000-year-old cities of the Indus Valley Civilization which included Mohenjo-daro and Harappa.
Historical building of Multan
The Multan Fort, a Pakistani military installation, was a landmark of Indian defence and architecture. It was built near the city of Multan, in Punjab province, on a hillock separated from the city by the Ravi River. The fort was destroyed by British forces during the British occupation of India.
The fort was notable both for its effectiveness as a defence installation and for its architecture. Contemporary reports put the walls of the fort at 40 to 70 feet (21 m) high and 6,800 feet (2 km) in circumference. The fort's 46 bastions included two flanking towers at each of the four gates (the De, Sikki, Hareri and Khizri Gates). A ditch 25 feet (7.6 m) deep and 40 feet (12 m) wide and an 18-foot (5.5 m) glacis protected the fort from intruders.
Within the fort stood a citadel flanked by 30 towers, enclosing mosques, a Hindu temple and a Khan's palace. The citadel was severely damaged by the battering it got from the guns of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1818.
The Fort was originally known as Katochgarh and is attributed to have been built by the Katoch Dynasty.
Jinnah International Airport
Jinnah International Airport (IATA: KHI, ICAO:OPKC) (previously Quaid-e-Azam International Airport قاۂد اعظم بین الاقوامی ہواگاہ) is Pakistan's largest international and domestic airport. It is located in Karachi, Sindh, and its passenger terminal is also commonly known as the جناح ٹرمینل Jinnah Terminal. The airport is named after Crown attorney/statesman Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan and its first Governor General, who was popularly known as the Quaid-e-Azam ("Great Leader").
The airport provides primary hub for the flag carrier,Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Shaheen Air International, and Airblue as well as many other private airlines. The airport is equipped with aircraft engineering and overhauling facilities including the Ispahani Hangar for wide-body aircraft.
Port Muhammad Bin Qasim
The Port Muhammad Bin Qasim (Urdu: بندر گاہ محمد بن قاسم), also known as Port Qasim, is a seaport in Karachi, Pakistan on the coastline of the Arabian Sea. It is Pakistan's second busiest port, handling about 35% of the nation's cargo (17 million tons per annum). Port Qasim and Karachi Port, the busiest port of country, together handle more than 90% of all external trade of Pakistan.
The port encompasses a total area of 12,000 acres wherein many industrial zones operate. In addition to thePakistan Steel Mills (PSM) and KESC Bin Qasim Power Plant, around 80% of the Pakistan's automotive industry is located at Port Qasim. The port also provides direct waterfront access to two major nearby industrial areas, Export Processing Zone (Landhi) and Korangi Industrial Area. Approximately 60% of country's export and import is originated from these areas. Port Qasim is managed by Port Qasim Authority, a semi-autonomous government body.
Minar-e-Pakistan (Lahore)
Minar-e-Pakistan is a tall minaret in Iqbal Park Lahore, built in commemoration of the Pakistan Resolution. The minaret reflects a blend of Mughal and modernarchitecture, and is constructed on the site where on March 23, 1940, seven years before the formation of Pakistan, the Muslim League passed the Pakistan Resolution (Qarardad-e-Pakistan), demanding the creation of Pakistan. This was the first official declaration to establish a separate homeland for the Muslims living in the South Asia. Pakistan now celebrates this day as a national holiday each year.
The monument attracts visitors from all over Pakistan, as well as the inhabitants of the Walled City of Lahore. The large public space around the monument is commonly used for political and public meetings, whereas Iqbal Park area is popular among kite-flyers
Khewra Mines
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The main centre of mining is Khewra in the Salt Range where the world's largest salt mines are located. Khewra salt mines are 154 kms away from Rawalpindi. The route is Mandra-Dudyal-Chakwal-Bhaun-Choa Saidan Shah-Khewra. A longer route is through Kallar Kahar-Katas. The nearest hotel accommodation is at TDCP resort Kallar Kahar. For permit to visit the mines and to book the accommodation at the PMDC Rest House at Khewra, you may contact their office in Islamabad at Plot No.13, H-9 (Manager Salt Tel: 250928-30) through PTDC Tourist Information Centres in Rawalpindi or Islamabad, at least 4 days in advance. |
Jinnah Garden Lahore
Jinnah Garden Lahore that is situated on 141 acres (0.57 km2) at this time, earlier it was in 176 acres (0.71 km2), but the land was given to Lahore zoo, botanical garden govt. college university Lahore and to roads alongside the garden. Now it is almost the plant area except roads building is 121 acres (0.49 km2). It is most beautiful and well managed botanical garden in Pakistan.
It has almost 150 varieties of trees, 140 types of shrubs, 50 types of creepers, 30 palms, almost 100 succulent and about same indoor along with almost all varieties of annual flowers. The garden has a good name in Chrysanthemum shows, it was the first institute that started growing chrysanthemum and maximum no of varieties for it. It has 3 nurseries, 4 hilloaks in it.
Murree Sightings
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| They are a series of wonderful Hill-resorts on the ridge between Murree and Abbottabad and are more attractive than other cities. Murree is a very popular hill station about 50 km north of the capital Islamabad while Abbottabad is a city in NWFP province with a very British atmosphere. However, between them is a wonderful road which has been fully repaired from being the "highway to hell" to being an excellent 2 lane road and protection on the sides. The main tourist stay on this road is the town of Nathia Gali and the resort of Ayubia. Nathia Gali is known as the City of Fog for it can get very foggy here. The usual definition of fog doesn't stand here. Fog means visibility reduced to 1 km here fog mean visibility reduced to a few feet. Also, this area receives the highest rainfall in Pakistan and it always seems to be raining here (which is very good). But the main beauty of this area isn't high mountains, it's the greenery. Lush green hills and mountains with wonderful pine trees. The wild life of this area is pretty good. There is no place in this area where you won't find monkeys, real free monkeys. They are everywhere, in your hotel lobby windows, in the open barbecue, on the road; just everywhere you cannot miss them. The area is just brilliant with good hotels and all facilities. By the way, it can get pretty cool out here even in the summers so bring something warm. |
The Faisal Mosque (Islamabad)
The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is the largest mosque in Pakistan and South Asia and the sixth largest mosque in the world. It was the largest mosque in the world from 1986 to 1993 when overtaken in size by the completion of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. Subsequent expansions of the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca and the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina, Saudi Arabia during the 1990s relegated Faisal Mosque to fourth place in terms of size.
Faisal Mosque is conceived as the National Mosque of Pakistan. It has a covered area of 5,000 m2(54,000 sq ft) and has a capacity to accommodate approximately 300,000 worshippers (100,000 in its main prayer hall, courtyard and porticoes and another 200,000 in its adjoining grounds). Although its covered main prayer hall is smaller than that of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca (the world's third largest mosque), Faisal Mosque has the third largest capacity of accommodating worshippers in its adjoining grounds after the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca, the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina.. Each of the Mosque's four minarets are 80 m (260 ft) high (the tallest minarets in South Asia) and measure 10 x 10 m in circumference.
The Faisal Mosque is named after the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, who supported and financed the project.
Gilgit Valley
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At an elevation of 1,454 metres lies the Gilgit Valley. The quaint little town of Gilgit has spectacular scenic beauty. The peak tourist season is from April to October though you can visit the valley round the year. The maximum temperature in May is 33 C and the minimum 16 C and in September, maximum 28 C and minimum 11 C.
The bridge over the fast flowing Gilgit River, at the end of its traditional bazaar, is the largest suspension bridge in Asia (182 metres long and 2 metres wide) permitting enough room for one jeep at a time to cross. Kargah Buddha: Located on a rock near Kargah Nullah (ravine), 10 km. from Gilgit town is a beautiful rock engraving of Buddha from 7th century A.D. Monument of Taj Mughal: A victory monument of Taj Mughal, built 700 years ago, is 30 km. jeep drive from Gilgit town. Sher Qilla: It is 38 km. from Gilgit - Trekking route links with Naltar valley. Trout fishing can be enjoyed in Sher Qilla Nullah and a small lake. Singal: About 61 km from Gilgit - Trekking route links with Chilas and Kohistan valley. Gahkuch: Headquarter of Ghizer District - Ideal place for trekking, good fishing sports and duck shooting in season. It is the gateway to Iskoman Valley. Government rest house and private hotels are available (73 km from Gilgit). Archaeological sites in village and a near by village Hatoon. Naltar Valley: Two hours jeep drive from Gilgit link rod. Government Rest house, Private hotels and a Ski slope, lush green Alpine forest with small lakes and glaciers, trout fishing in lake. Trekking routes link with Iskoman, Chalt and Punial valley. | |
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Tomb of Allama Muhammad Iqbal
The Tomb of Allama Muhammad Iqbal is a simple but impressive structure located in Lahore, Pakistanin the Hazuri Bagh lawn between the Badshahi Mosque and the Lahore Fort where both the grand structures (the Mosque and the Fort) face each other. Official guard is maintained by Pakistan Rangers. The architecture reflects a combination of Afghan and Moorish styles and is entirely constructed of red sandstone.[2] Hundreds of visitors come to the mausoleum every day to pay their respects to thepoet-philosopher.
He was one of the major inspirations behind the Pakistan Movement, and is revered in Pakistan asMuffakir-e-Pakistan (The Thinker of Pakistan) orShair-e-Mashriq (The Poet of the East).[4] Iqbal died on April 21, 1938 in Lahore at the age of 60. Since the independence of Pakistan, an academy named after him (Iqbal Academy) has been established to promote and disseminate his poetical and philosophical messages and teachings. As another tribute, the recently renovated Lahore airport has also been named after him as Allama Iqbal International Airport
Structure
The rectangular structure of the mausoleum has two gates at the eastern and southern side respectively, inlaid with marble. The grave is built of white marble. The tombstone is made of lapis lazuli and inscribed with Quranic verses in calligraphy. The tombstone was a gift from the people ofAfghanistan. On the inside walls, six couplets of a ghazal are carved from Iqbal's peotical work Zabur-e-Ajam (Persian Psalms). Outside, there is a small garden, distributed into small plots. The mausoleum was designed by Hyderabad Deccan’s then Chief Architect, Nawab Zain Yar Jang Bahadur and took thirteen years to build at a cost of about one hundred thousand (Rs.100,000)Pakistani rupees. The major reason for delay was the stoppage of red-stone from Jaipur in post-independence India.
Skardu
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Skardu, capital of Baltistan is perched 2,438 metres above sea level in the backdrop of the great peaks of the Karakorams. Balti people are a mixture of Tibetan and Caucasian stock and speak Balti, an ancient form of Tibetan. Due to the similarity of its culture, lifestyle and architecture with Tibet, Baltistan is also known as the "Tibet-e-Khurd" (Little Tibet). It borders on the Chinese province of Xinjiang and Indian-occupied Kashmir. The tourist season is from April to October. The maximum temperature is 27 C and minimum (October) 8 C. Apart from its incomparable cluster of mountain peaks and glaciers Baltistan's five valleys - Shigar, Skardu, Khaplu, Rondu and Kharmang are noted for their luscious peaches, apricots, apples and pears. Skardu is linked to the national capital, Islamabad by PIA, which operates one flight daily. The air journey is full of thrills and would itself be regarded as the highlight of the visit. After following the same air route, which connects Gilgit to Islamabad/Rawalpindi, the plane turns right and flies over the gorge of the Indus River. Enormous rock faces rise on either side or at times it seems as if the wing tips of the plane would almost scrape against them. They never do. Baltistan is known as the "Tibet-e-Khurd", or Little Tibet since its life-style reflects that of the Roof of the World and the Land of Lamas. It borders on the Chinese province of Xinjiang and Indian-occupied Kashmir. The tourist season is from April to October. The maximum temperature is 27 C and minimum (October) 8 C. Apart from its incomparable cluster of mountain peaks and glaciers Baltistan's five valleys, - Shigar, Skardu, Khaplu, Rondu and Kharmang are noted for their luscious peaches, apricots, apples and pears. |
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Garam Chashma (Hot Springs)
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| Elevation: 1859 meters (6,100) feet). Distance:45 km, (28 miles) north-west of Chitral. By jeep: hours. This un-spoilt enchanting valley of orchards, verdant fields and snow clad peaks is renowned for its boiling sulphur springs which are famous for healing effect on skin diseases, gout, rheumatism and chronic headaches. For the convenience of tourists “humans” (baths) have been constructed near the springs. Foreign tourists are requested to pay a toll tax of Rs.5.00 per person. BIRMOGHALASHT Elevation: 2743 meters (9,000 feet). Distance: 15 km (9 miles). Worth visiting is the fairy-tale summer palace of the Ex-Ruler perched at a height of 2743 meters (9,000) feet. It offers awe-inspiring views of Trichmir and Panoramic vistas of valleys below. The fort is approachable on foot only. WHAT TO DO Chitral is the dream-come true for lovers of mountaineering, trekking, hiking, camping, fishing and shooting. There are no facilities for hiring sports gear: tourist are advised to bring their own. MOUNTAINEERING The majestic Hindu Kush reigns supreme over the valley. The highest peak is the famous Trichmir, which soars 7700 meters (25,264 feet) high, and is a challenge to mountaineers. There are a number of other exciting peaks too-Isltornal, Banizom, Saraghar, Naushaq, Ghocharsor, Phal, Daspar and Don rising from 6096 meters to 7315 meters (20,000 to 24,000 feet). Only experienced mountaineering. In order to avoid disappointment, foreign tourists are advised to apply well in advance for permission from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad. TREKKING AND HIKING Trekking and hiking are visitor’s favourite pastime. You can take your pick-You can either go by Jeep or Walk. CAMPING There are no regular camping sites, but tourists are always welcome by the hospitable locals to camp for short durations on their lands and lawns. Before camping, tourists are requested to please get the owner’s prior permission. FISHING The rivers in Chitral are teeming with fish, especially the Lotkuh River that is famous for trout. There are also trout hatcheries in Chitral and Bumburet. Angling is allowed during the season only i.e from April to September. Fishing permits are required, please contact the Fisheries Department. FLORA and FAUNA The hills in the south are covered with pine, ‘deodar’ and fir forests, while the valleys are rich in mulberries, apricots, apples pears, grapes, pomegranates and melons. There are also Chinar and walnut trees in this area. Big game including the world renowned snow leopard (panthers) markhor, deer, ibex, urial, wolves, black bear and many more are found in the mountains, which are protected by the wildlife branch of the Forest Department. Among the famous birds are Chikor, ram Chikor and murgh Zarreen. SHOOTING There is an abundance of wildlife. In order to curb extinction, limited shooting is allowed during the specified season. Shooting of world famous snow leopard (panther), Murgh Zarreen (golden peasant) and musk deer is banned. Chitral Gol (stream) has been declared a wild life sanctuary and therefore no shooting is allowed in the area. Permits for limited shooting are required, please contact: District Forest Officer, Chitral. HOW TO GET THERE BY AIR P.I.A. operates daily flights (subject to weather conditions) between Peshawar and Chitral. The flying time is 50 minutes and the fare is Rs 120.00 for one way. Peshawar can be reached by air, rail and road form all the major cities of Pakistan. For enquiries in Chitral, please contact the PIA Booking office, Main Bazaar, Chitral. BY ROAD Chitral is accessible from Peshawar by the 365.1/4 km (227) miles) long partly metalled and partly gravel-top jeep-able road, which goes via Malakand, Director and the 3118 meters (10,230 feet) high Lowari Pass which is open during the summer months only, i.e from June to the end of October and may even close earlier due to an early snowfall. Chitral can also be reached from Gilgit via 3810 meters (12,500 feet) high Shandur Pass. Permits are required, please contact Deputy Commissioner, Chitral, Tel: 1. Some distance are given below: Distances Driving time Peshawar-Chitral 3651/4 km. By jeep-12 hours. (via Malakand-Director- (227 miles) Lowari Pass) 15 hours by jeep 250 km. Gilgit-Chitral 406km. (155 miles) from Gilgit to (252 miles) Shandur + 5 hours on horse- back or on foot. 40 ¼ km.(25 miles) from Shandur to Mastuj+7 hours by jeep 116 km (72 miiles from Mastuj to Chitral. COMMUNICATIONS Telegraph, Telephone and Postal service Telegraph, telephone and postal services contact Chitral with the rest of Pakistan. WHERE TO STAY There are two modest hotels, namely Chitral Mountain Inn and Trichmir View Hotel and a PTDC Motel in Chitral. The average room rent ranges between Rs. 100-400. in Chitral, Dorsh , Gahiret, Ayun, Brire, Bumburet and Garam Chashma, the rest-houses are furnished and equipped with crockery, cutlery and cooking facilities. Tourists are advised to carry their own supply of canned foods and other provisions. The ‘chowkidar’ (watchman) will do the cooking on payment. Visitors must also have there is no electricity except in Chitral and Dorsh. The remaining of the rest-houses are unfurnished and visitors must carry in addition to the above, their own sleeping bags or folding beds. To avoid disappointment it is advisable to reserve accommodation well in advance. WHAT TO EAT Pakistani and continental dishes are served in the hotels in Chitral. These are plenty of fruits, especially from June to October, apricots, plums, mulberries, apples, figs, pears, watermelons and pomegranates etc. WHAT TO BUY Chitral is famous for its soft hand-woven woolen material known as ‘Shu”, which is available in white black, gray and neutral colours. The best variety is made in Mogh in Lotkuh. The price ranges from Rs.20.00 to Rs. 60.00 per meter. Intricately embroidered woolen gowns known as ‘chughas’ are also very popular. Visitor’s favourite bargains also include colorful woolen rugs, exquisite embroidered household linen, bags, belts, eatch straps, shirt collars, musical instruments such as sitars, antique weapons, string bows and precious gems. |
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The Bagh Ibne Qasim (clifton.karachi)
The Bagh Ibne Qasim (Urdu: باغ ابنِ قاسم ) is located in Clifton,Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Inaugurated by President Pervez Musharraf on February 27, 2007, Pakistan's biggest park constructed under Clifton Beach Development Project on 130 acres (0.53 km2) of land. The old Toyland Theme Parkhas been done away with and this park replaces it. The park cost PKR 600 million and has been completed in 300 working days. More than 10 million people visited the park per year. Is also the largest family park in South Asia.
Prior to the initiation of construction on Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim, 73 acres (300,000 m2) of land was freed from the grip of land grabbers. The entire Clifton beach, and the area now covered under the park. In June 2005, Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan took it upon himself to restore this major historical entertainment area to its original splendor. City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal also played a part in gifting the Jehangir Kothari Parade back to the people of Karachi.
For entertainment purposes of visitors, the park has a turtle pond, in addition to which it also has 24 state-of-the-art washrooms. In order to create an element of originality, the park also has 20 stone canopies. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of unique rose saplings have been planted throughout the park. The park will also feature fast food outlets able to accommodate 500 persons at a time. This park has various murals of dinosaurs that are extremely huge and add to the excitement on the faces of the visitors that come from various parts of Pakistan. This park overlooks the 90 meter fountain of kpt and thus adds to the beauty of the Clifton area.
Sports
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The favourite sport in Gilgit is polo which local folks claim originated here. It's more rugged, free-style version than the sedate variety known in the plains. The polo tournament held from 1st November to 7th November is a festive occasion and draws a large number of visitors. Angling The streams and lakes of Gilgit are full of trout. These are at Kargah Nullah (10 km, from Gilgit), Singal (61 km), Gakuch (73 km), and Phandar (117 km from Gilgit). Permits for fishing are issued by the Assistant Director, Fisheries, Government of Pakistan, Gilgit. Trekking & Hiking Trekking and hiking in the rugged mountains and verdant valleys of Gilgit are allowed only in the "open zone" which extends unto 16 km. short of the cease-fire on the Kashmir border and unto 50 km short of the Afghan border. Guides are available from PTDC Motel, Gilgit. Please check for latest rules and list of treks from the Ministry of Tourism in Islamabad. Mountaineering Around Gilgit are towering mountain peaks, waiting to be scaled. Permits for mountaineering are issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad. |
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Kalash Valley
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Elevation: 1670-2309 meters (5,476-7,576 feet). Distance: 32-36km. (20-22 miles) south of Chitral. By jeep: 2 ½ hours These are a group of three small valleys: Brir, Bumburet and Rambur. Brir lies at the southern most tip of Chitral at a distance of 34 km (21 miles) and is easily accessible by jeep-able road via Ayun. It is especially ideal for those not used to trekking. Bumburet, the largest and the most picturesque valley of the Kafir Kalash, is 36 km.(22 miles) from Chitral and is connected by a jeep-able road. Rambur is 32 km (20 miles) from Chitral, the road is jeep-able. Foreign tourists require permits for visiting the Kalash valleys. Permits are issued free of cost by the Deputy Commissioner, Chitral, Tel: 1. Foreign visitors have to pay a toll tax of Rs.10 per person while Re. 1.00 per person is charged from domestic tourists. These valleys have an alpine climate. The people inhabiting these valleys are the primitive pagan tribes of Pakistan, who are known as Kafir Kalash, which means the wearers of the black robes. Their origin is cloaked in controversy. A legend says that soldiers from the legions of the Macedonian conqueror, Alexander, settled in Chitral and are the progenitors of the Kalash. They live in small villages built on the hillsides near the banks of streams. Their houses are constructed of rough-hewn logs and are double storeyed because of the steepness of the slopes. Kalash are very lively people and are famous for their lively religious festivals namely: Chilimjusht (spring), Phool (September) and Chowas (from 21st December for a week). The Kalash love music and their instruments are drums and flutes. Their colorful dances impart a feeling of peace, joy and contentment. If you join them in their dance, they interpret it as a sign friendship and will open their hearts to you and reveal some of their mysteries, their joys and sorrows. You depart with a sense of poignancy and nostalgia for these beautiful children of nature and nagging fear that all the sweetness and innocence may soon be swept away forever by the power and intolerance that often hide themselves under the banner of progress. |
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Tourism of chakwal
Chakwal has landscape features including the canyons in Thirchak-Mahal and the yellow beds of muster"Surson". There are many man-made and natural lakes around the city in Kallar Kahar, Dhok Talian, Kot Rajgan, Khai, Khokar Zer ,Dharabi and the most beautiful village with all the modern facilities is called KHAJULA.
The Jhangar valley, Bisharat is situated on the road coming from Choa Saidan Shah facing West to East about 8 km in length between the villages of Kotli and Ara at 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level. The weather during the summer is very pleasant and the hills are full of green bushes and olive trees[citation needed]. An interesting place of this valley is the Picnic Point of Chehl Abdal”[citation needed] hill top which is at 3,500 feet (1,100 m) above sea level. On the top of this hill is a shrine called Chehl-Abdal. Many people from local villages and from all parts of the country often visit the shrine and offer sacrifices. From the Chehl Abdal hill top one can see the great Punjab plains. To the north are the Margla hills and to the south one can see the Jhelum River. On the East & West side one can see the beautiful greenery of adjoining hills with rain forests consisting of thick jungle trees and bushes. Alexander the Great passed through this area (old Nandana Fort) near Ara on his way to fight Raja Porus on the banks of the Jhelum River in 326 BC.
Another well-known tourist place in the area is Kalar Kahar for which Zahir uddin Baber said “Kaller Kahar is a child of Kashmir[citation needed]. Kalar Kahar is 2,500 feet (760 m) above sea level and Chehl Abdal is 3,500 feet (1,100 m) above sea level.
Larri pathan is another beautiful place in Chakwal. One faction of the Kakka Zai Pathans migrated from Afghanistan and settled in a village called Lari Pathan[citation needed].
The famous temple-fort of Katas Raj is nearby also Chakwal has a well connected road network including a road to Jhelum and Lahore via the Sohawa road, a road to Pind Dadan Khan via the Choa Siaden Shah road, a road to Sargodha via Bhon and Khushab, a road to Rawalpindi via Mandra and to Mianwali via the Talagang Road.
It is connected to the GT road between Peshawar and Lahore via Sohawa and Mandra, the Indus Highway via Mianwali, and M2 Motorway via Kallar Kahar and Balkassar exits. The travelling distances and time has reduced considerably to Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, and Faislabad since the commissioning of the M2 Motorway
The Changa Manga forest (Lahore)
The Changa Manga is a planted forest and a wildlife center in Lahore District, Punjab, Pakistan.
Forestry
The entering route to the forest is located the with a road from the N-5 Highway near Bhai Pheru.[1] It covers an area of 4,860 hectares (12,000 acres)[2] and is one of the largest man-made forests on the planet. The planting and irrigation of it took place in the 19th century in the era of the British Raj due to the need for timber for the Indian railway network. Most trees belong to the species of Dalbergia sissoo (sheesham), Acacia nilotica (kikar) or Morus alba (mulberry).
Wildlife center
The Changa Manga forest is a hot spot concerning wildlife in Punjab. Wildlife within the borders of the plantation include a small remaining population of Nilgai, hog deer, wild boar and possibly axis deer. Jackal and Asiatic wild cat can be found in Changa Manga as well. Changa Manga also serves as a wildlife breeding center.
Changa Manga plantation is also an important place for restocking projects of Asiatic vultures in Pakistan. A Gyps Vulture Restoration Program was started in 2006 by WWF-Pakistan to conserve and breed endangered species of Gyps, especially Gyps bengalensis.
Recreation center
Parts of the forest have now been developed into a park with a rail road which gives the visitor a 25 km ride on a miniature train through the forest. There is also a lake called Lunar Lake where boating is possible. The forest park has good recreational facilities and a good quality hotel.
Trekking Tours To Pakistan – Where Mountains Meet
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Stretching north from the Arabian Sea, the plains of Pakistan culminate into the lush valleys of Dir, Swat and Kaghan. Beyond them, lie the great northern valleys of Chitral, Gilgit, Hunza and Baltistan. Separating the two river systems which drain from these valleys is the Hindu Raj range, a chain of mountains which forms one of the sharpest cultural boundaries in the world: the cultural line between Central and Northern Asia. Still further north, the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges shape the western extension of the Himalayas.  Tough and sparsely populated, Pakistan’s northern valleys exhibit the diversity one would expect of a boundary area. In the east, Baltistan shows an affinity with Tibet; in fact, its language is a dialect of archaic Tibetan and many remnants of Tibetan culture can still be observed, In the Gilgit region, Shina is the dominant language. Gilgit’s most prominent contribution to the area seems to be the Gilgiti cap worn throughout most of northern Pakistan. To the north, legendary Hunza confirms its reputation as one of the world’s great mountain communities. Its Language – Burushaki – seems unrelated to any other and its origins remain a mystery. Like Chitral to the west, Hunza manifests its age-old-contact with Central Asia, the consequence of lying abreast of the Caravan routes that spread south from the all-important passes. Within the borders of Chitral are the Kafir valleys of Birir, Rambur and Bomburet. In a nation that is almost entirely Muslim, the Kafir are unique; they are Pagans (Kafir means infidel) with their own very original beliefs, customs and art forms. The land of these northern valleys is best described as mountainous. During winter, heavy snow separate the valleys from the rest of the world for six months. In the summer, temperatures over 100 degrees are common. In Skardu, one is immediately struck by the juxtaposition of sand dunes and show-capped peak. Trekking in Pakistan Pakistan is a paradise for trekkers. Most of the trekking routes lies in the northern mountains of the Hindukush, the Karakorams and the Himalayas. For most of the treks, trekking season is between May to October. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of Pakistan, has defined trekking as walking below 6000 m. It has designated three zones for trekking; open, restricted and closed. Foreigners may trek anywhere in open zone without a permit or services of a licensed mountain guide. For trekking in restricted zone, foreigners must pay a fee of US$ 20 per person per trek to obtain a trekking permit from the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of Pakistan Islamabad. It also requires to hire a licensed mountain guide; buy a personal accident insurance policy for the guide and the porters and to attend mandatory briefing and de-briefing at the Ministry of Tourism, on the beginning and end of the trekking trip. No trekking is allowed in closed zones which are the areas near Pak-Afghan border and near the Line of Control with Indian-held Kashmir. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Following regions/treks are located in open zone; | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Following regions/treks are located in restricted zone; | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| For a list of treks in open and restricted zones, and to have a copy of latest trekking rules & regulations, please write to the Public Relation Officer, Ministry of Tourism, Government of Pakistan (Operation Section) 1st Floor, Green Trust Towers, Blue Area, Jinnah Avenue, Islamabad. Tel: +92-51-9205768 Fax: +92-51-9201696. Email: deputychief@tourism.gov.pk | |||||||||||||||||||||
| TREKKING RULES & REGULATIONS | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING FOR PERMISSION . Trekking means the act of traveling on foot to a maximum height of six thousand meters (6000 M) with the purpose of sight-seeing and recreation at various natural and cultural sites in places where means of modern transport are either not available or are purposely not used. 2. Issue of permits to trekking parties shall be regulated as follows: - a) Treks situated in the Open Areas: Foreigners are allowed to trek in the Open Zone without permit and guide etc. b) Specified treks in the Restricted Areas: i) Specified trekking routes in Restricted Areas (comprising of districts of Chitral, Gilgit and Skardu) ii) A trekking party desirous of walking on the restricted routes would be required to submit application on prescribed form (Annex “A”) in duplicate, along-with two photographs each. iii) The trekking party will be required to hire an approved guide. Such guides are also available with the tour operators approved by the Ministry of Tourism. iv) The travel-cum-trekking agency is required to make sure that the guide and the porters accompanying a party have properly been insured for the sum specified by the Government of Pakistan and that other instructions issued by the Government in this regard from time to time are strictly adhered to. v) All trekkers shall be required to register their particulars at the check posts to be set up at important junctions. vi) Permits for these treks would be issued by the Tourism Division within 24 hours of receipt of complete applications. c) Unspecified treks in “Restricted Areas” i) Applications for treks other than specified shall be submitted to the Tourism Division on prescribed form in duplicate. ii) Permission of rejection for undertaking these treks would be communicated within 15 days of receipt of complete application in the Tourism Division. iii) Parties so permitted shall be accompanied by a Registered trekking guide/Liaison Officer to be detailed by the Government of Pakistan. iv) The trekking permit issued by Tourism Wing will be valid for 30 days. II. CANCELLATION 3. Government reserves the right to cancel the permission issued in favour of any party/trekker at any time without assigning any reason. 4. In case, however, a party postpones/cancels its visit, it shall so inform the Tourism Division by the quickest possible means. III. BRIEF / DE-BRIEFING 5. The leader of party using treks in restricted area shall, on arrival in Rawalpindi/Islamabad, inform the Officer concerned in Tourism Division of their arrival. The said Officer would furnish him relevant information on matters like insurance, purchase of rations etc., arrangement about special weather forecast by Radio Pakistan and other miscellaneous matters. After completing these formalities, the leader shall take from the said Officer a date for formal briefing. For this purpose he shall give a minimum notice of 24 hours excluding Fridays, Saturday and Holidays. This preparatory work may necessitate a stay of about 4-6 days in Rawalpindi/Islamabad. 6. On return from the mountains the leader of the party shall forthwith inform the concerned Officer in the Tourism Division and obtain a date for debriefing by giving him a minimum notice of 24 hours. IV. FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES OF LIAISON OFFICER/MOUNTAIN GUIDE: 7. A party shall include in the expedition, as it member, at least one Liaison Officer/Mountain Guide to be detailed by the Government of Pakistan, travel cum trekking agency as the case may be. 8. A party shall for the transport of L.O./M.G. from Rawalpindi/Islamabad to mountains and back to Rawalpindi/Islamabad from the date he reports to a leader till the date a party is debriefed or returned to Rawalpindi/Islamabad. 9. A party shall normally accommodate a L.O./M.G. in Rawalpindi/Islamabad in the premises where it stays. In this case he shall use the same accommodation as other members. 10. In case a party is not in a position to accommodate a L.O./M/G. in the premises, a L.O./M.G. shall stay in a transit camp/hotel or any other suitable place and charge a party $ 10/- per day for accommodation and $ 10/- per day for food. 11. While in Gilgit, Skardu and Chitral, a L.O./M.G. shall stay with a party in the premises in which it is staying. In this case he shall share food, accommodation and transport with the party. 12. While in the mountains it may be difficult for a L.O./M.G. to live on the party’s food. If he so chooses he may have independent arrangements for food. In that case a party shall purchase for the L.O./M.G. such items of food and rations as he may indicate. 13. Total amount of money to be expended on these items shall not exceed $ 10/- per day. In this case a L.O./M.G. shall also be provided with the services of a porter-cum-cook so that he may not face any difficulty in preparing his food. Daily wages to the said porter-cum-cook shall be paid by the party. 14. In no case a party shall advance money for the purchase of rations etc. to a L.O./M.G. Instead, it shall depute a member to go to the market with a L.O./M.G. and purchase for him the identified items by making payment to the shopkeepers. 15. For the purpose of para-12 above, a L.O./M.G. shall indicate in advance, the approximate number of days for which he would be having independent arrangements in the mountains so that a party may arrange for items of rations. 16. The question of provision of food/accommodation for M.G. would be settled by the party with the sponsoring agency on mutually agreed terms. 17. A L.O./M.G. shall carry his personal equipment like any other member of the party. 18. A L.O./M.G. shall be consulted on matters such as adopting of non-traditional routes by the party, objectives, pitching of tents near the villages and on local customs in his capacity as representative of the Government of Pakistan. Leader of the party shall, however, not be bound to accept the advice of L.O./M.G. 19. In case, however, a L.O./M.G. feels strongly that non-acceptance of his advice would jeopardize the security of the country or would create law and order problems, he shall ask the leader to give him a note, in writing indicating. Therein, reasons for dis-agreement with his advice. He shall keep this not with him and take action in accordance with paragraphs 20 and 21 below. 20. If a L.O./M.G. thinks that danger to the security of the country would increase if activities of the party are not checked, he shall inform the nearest Police Station, by the quickest possible means and obtain police assistance in stopping the party from carrying out its mission. 21. On return to the district headquarters from the mountains, a L.O./M.G. shall lodge a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner, specifying therein, exact violation of the terms and conditions, or any other rule etc. he shall also send its copy to the Ministry of Tourism. 22. A L.O./M.G. shall extend maximum assistance to a party in making its mission a success. He shall not handle any cash nor undertake any financial transactions on behalf of a leader/party. 23. A L.O./M.G. shall act as an interpreter from the starting place of the trekking party till its return to district headquarters. He shall also help solve problems of a party on its trek to his best judgment and secretion and assist the team. 24. A L.O./M.G. shall maintain discipline among the porters and shall avoid the situation of ill-will or dispute among them. 25. A L.O./M.G. shall in the event of dispute or undesirable incident arising between any member of the party, porters and locals shall try to settle the depute by his own efforts. 26. If, however, he feels that the situation is beyond his control he shall seek help from the nearest Police Station etc. 27. A L.O./M.G. shall also inform by the quickest means the nearest Police Station any incident of the death or disability of any member of the party or a porter etc. He shall also inform the nearest Police Station about the commission of any serious crime, along-with a report to be sent to the Deputy Commissioner and Tourism Division. V. KIT AND EQUIPMENT(I) For Liaison Officer/Mountain Guide: 28. A party shall provide to a L.O./M.G. free of cost necessary equipment in order to enable him to perform his duties without any risk to his person. 29. Kit/equipment for L.O./M.G. shall be brought according to his measurements, which shall be sent with the permission letter. 30. The question of supply of kit/equipment to M.G. would be settled between party and the sponsoring agency. (ii) For Porters: 31. A party shall also provide to porters standard kit/equipment, free of cost. (iii) General: 32. Kit/equipment for porters shall be handed over to them in the presence of L.O./M.G. prior to the start of ascent. 33. No party shall be allowed to proceed to its destination if the kit/equipment provided by it to L.O./M.G. porters is found incomplete or sub-standard in quality. Before leaving Rawalpindi/Islamabad, a L.O./M.G. shall satisfy himself that the kit/equipment is complete and of required standard, 34. A party shall be at liberty to ask for the return of the kit/equipment given free of cost to L.O./M.G. and porters after completing its mission. VI. IMPORT/EXPORT OF EQUIPMENT 35. Equipment, non-consumable and consumable stores imported by a party into Pakistan shall be subject to the following conditions: - (a) Equipment and non-consumable stores: - Shall be allowed temporary entry free of customs duty and sales tax subject to an undertaking being furnished by a leader of the party to the effect that the equipment etc. will be re-exported out of Pakistan on completion of the mission and that no part of it shall be sold or otherwise disposed of in Pakistan, failing which customs duty and sales tax leviable thereon shall be paid. (b) Consumable stores and medicines: - Will be allowed exemption from customs duty and sales tax subject to the said undertaking being furnished by the leader of the trekking party to the effect that they shall be used for the purpose for which they have been imported and shall not be sold or otherwise disposed of in Pakistan failing which customs duty and sales leviable thereon shall be paid. the un-consumable portion will be re-exported out of Pakistan on completion of the mission. The above conditions shall not apply when donation of consumable and non-consumable stores and medicines etc, is made in Pakistan with the prior permission of the government. 36. A party stall send to Tourism Division in three copies the said undertaking along-with three copies of the list of all the equipment non-consumable stores and consumable stores. Cost price of all the items shall also be shown on the said lists. Tourism Division shall return on copy to the party after affixing signatures/seal. Another copy shall be sent to the customs authorities at the point of entry who shall clear the equipment when it arrives with the party. 37. If some equipment is to be sent to Pakistan in advance, Tourism Division shall be so informed. In that case one copy of the under taking along-with its enclosures, shall be handed over to a clearing and forwarding agent to be sent to the customs authorities at the point of entry. 38. After clearance of the equipment a clearing/forwarding agent shall have to arrange for its transport, stores and protection till it is handed over to the party on arrival. He shall also pay local octroi duty, if any. He shall be advised to contact a representative of Tourism Division in case of difficulty. VII. WAGES OF PORTERS AND TRANSPORT CHARGES 39. Rates of wages for hiring porters and the charges for hiring animal and mechanical transport shall be fixed by the Government and circulated to all concerned. 40. Payment of wages to porters shall be made in the following manner: - (a) Porters engaged for 7 days or less shall be paid 50% of the daily wages for the said period on the day they are engaged. The remaining 50% shall be paid on the day they are discharged. (b) Porters engaged for a period of more than 7 days shall be paid 50% of the daily wages for a week on the day they are engaged. The other half shall be paid at the end of the said week. Thereafter payment shall be made on weekly basis. In case a period falls short of a week then full payment shall be made for the said period on the day they are discharged. 41. In addition to daily wages, a party shall provide to a porter free rations money in lieu of rations, as fixed by the Government, from the day he is engaged till the day he is discharge. 42. Similarly, because of forced halts on bad weather days a party shall pay to a porter full daily wages and rations or rations money in lieu thereof. Decision of a leader about ‘march’ on such days shall be final. If the leader dis-agrees with the advice of L. O. /M. G. feels that the weather is too bad to march, he will ask the leader to that the party. If the leader dis-agrees with the advice of L. O. /M. G., he shall give him in writing the reasons for his disagreement. VIII. INSURANCE43. A L. O. /M. G shall be covered by an insurance of Rs. 100,000/- (Rupees one thousand) only. In case of partial disablement the amount of compensation shall be proportionate to the percentage of disablement as declared by the competent authority. 44. A porter shall be insured for a sum of Rs.50, 000/-(Rupees fifty thousand) only. In case of partial disablement, the amount of compensation shall be proportionate to the percentage of disablement as declared by aw Civil Surgeon. 45. Insurance cover, shall be provided by the trekking party through a Pakistani company and the Tourism Division shall help a party in getting this facility in Pakistan, if so requested. IX. MEDICAL TREATMENT 46. A party, shall be accompanied by a qualified physician/surgeon who shall also pay due professional attention to L. O. /M. G and porters. 47. If, however, a party comprises of 5 or less than 5 persons and is not in a position to brig a physician/surgeon as its member, then the said party shall bring a qualified first-aid specialist as one of its members. 48. A L. O. /M. G and porters shall become entitled to free medical treatment from the party’s surgeon/physician from the date they report to a party till the date their services are no longer required. 49. In case of sickness/injury of a L. O. /M. G. detailed by Pakistan Army, Travel Agency leader of a party shall immediately inform the nearest Army Formation/Deputy Commissioner. 50. In case a L. O. /M. G is so sick as to be unable to walk he shall be transported to the nearest jeepable point by engaging porters. From there he shall be sent to a hospital of his entitlement in a jeep. Payment for this transportation shall be made by the party. 51. If in the opinion of the leader/physician/Surgeon the sickness/injury is likely to aggravate if the L. O. /M. G is transported by porters/jeep to the nearest hospital then the Deputy Commissioner of the area shall be contacted to arrange for a helicopter for evacuation of Liaison Officer/Mountain Guide. A party shall pay charges of helicopter used for this evacuation. 52. If in the opinion of a physician/surgeon evacuation of a sick/injured porter from the mountains to a hospital in a District headquarters like Gilgit, Skardu or Chitral is necessary then the party shall pay for his evacuation by a helicopter of other means. the decision of the leader about evacuation etc. shall be final. In case a L. O. /M. G feels that a porter is very sick and is not being evacuated, he shall ask the leader to arrange for his evacuation. If the leader dis-agrees with the advice of L. O. /M. G he shall give in writing the reasons for such dis-agreement. The said statement would also need to be countersigned by the expedition doctor/First –aid specialist. 53. During sickness/Injury in the mountains and hospitalization, a party shall pay half of the daily wages to a porter till the date he leaves the district headquarters for Rawalpindi/Islamabad. 54. Medical facilities including surgical operations etc. are generally provided free of cost in Pakistani hospitals. Should sickness/injuries to L. O. /M. G Porters entail some expenditure, a party shall pay for the same. X. PHOTOGRAPHY (i) Aerial Photography: 55. Aerial photography of mountains/speaks enroute to Northern Areas and Chitral is allowed after seeking permission from Captain of an aircraft. (ii) Still photography 56. Party shall not photograph the following objects during its stay in Pakistan: - a) Any Army, Navy and Air force installations (b) Any equipment of Armed Forces, such as ships/establishments guns, tanks, vehicles, aircrafts and arms etc. (c) Any Pakistan Aerodromes or its connected building and installations. (d) Any tribal lady/ladies. (iii) Making of Commercial film including T. V: 57. Subject to above a party visiting the zone (i.e. 10 mile belt and 30 mile belt of Pakistan border with foreign countries) may take photographs/make films under the direct supervision of a L. O. /M. G. 58. For this purpose, a party shall identify one member of its team as the photographer for making of a film of academic interest. If, however, a party wants to include the team some professional photographers for making of a commercial film in addition to making of a professional film, the professional photographer (s) in that case shall be accompanied by an additional L. O. /M. G. under the same terms and Conditions as for the L. O. /M. G. Under this arrangement, professional photographers shall not be allowed to break into separate units. 59. Export of such films out of Pakistan shall be allowed only after the L. O. /M. G. has certified that defence installation and prohibited areas/places were not photographed. 60. A L. O. /M. G. shall inform a party of the objects which are allowed to be photographed/filmed. If he is convinced that key/defence installations are being photographed, he shall forbid the photographer from taking such photographs or making of such films. If a photographer does not comply with his advice, the matter shall be reported to the police who shall proceed against such photographer under Official Secrets Act, 1923. 61. Still photographs, commercial films and films of academic interest taken/made in the rest of Pakistan shall be subject only to restrictions mentioned at paras 59 and 60. 62. Permission to photography is subject to the conditions that a party shall supply to the Government of Pakistan, free of cost, and freight, one copy/print of a film of academic interest/commercial film made and one set of photographs taken. XI. ACCIDENTS: 63. In case of accident/death of a member of a party, the leader shall notify the L. O. /M. G. who shall report the matter to the nearest police station and get in touch with Deputy Commissioner of the area for any assistance that may be felt necessary. 64. If any assistance from the Pakistan Army is needed, the L. O. /M. G. shall so inform the Deputy Commissioner who shall arrange such assistance. 65. If a helicopter is needed, a Deputy Commissioner shall arrange for the same on payment basis, but the party will have to a bear the expenses. 66. In case of death of member, a L. O. /M. G. shall obtain necessary death certificate from the local Deputy Commissioner before leaving the area. 67. In case of accident/death of a low/high altitude porter, action shall be taken on the above lines. In addition, a L. O. /M. G. shall obtain from the Civil Surgeon concerned a certificate of his/their disablement/death for insurance purposes. 68. In case of injury/death of L. O. /M. G. the leader shall inform the Deputy Commissioner of the area who, in turn, shall inform the army authorities/Tourism Division. XII. FOREIGN EXCHANGE 69. A party shall invariable encash foreign exchange from an authorised bank/money changer. For this purpose a certificate about the amount of foreign exchange tendered shall be obtained from the said bank/authorised money changer. There are no restrictions on the import of foreign exchange instruments either personally or by post or otherwise. This applies only to foreign currency notes and coins. 70. Any person maintaining an account expressed in a foreign currency and held under any permission, general or otherwise granted by the State Bank of Pakistan to take or send to Pakistan, cheques or drafts drawn on such account. 71. Any person, other than a person to whom foreign exchange issued for travelling purpose only, to send out of Pakistan foreign exchange issued to him by an authorised agent. 72. Any person to take out of Pakistan without limit any foreign currency. XIII. OBSERVANCE OF SECURITY 73. A party shall confine its activities only to the trekking. 74. A party shall not indulge in any activity that might offend the religious sentiments and social moral usages and customs of the local people. 75. A party shall not at any stage operate in more than one area. 76. A party shall not split into small groups while in the mountains. In case of emergency only a L. O./ M. G. has the authority to allow splitting of a party. 77. A party shall not deviate from the specified route except in an emergency and with the permission of the L. O. /M. G. 78. Maps etc. if applied for and issued to a party, shall be returned to the Government of Pakistan through L. O. /M. G. before an expedition departs from Pakistan. A nominal amount of non-refundable money may also need to be deposited with the Government for use of these maps. 79. Duplicate copies of topographical data collected during mountain climbing etc. shall be handed over to L. O. /M. G. 80. Export out of Pakistan of data/specimen/collections without the prior permission of the Government of Pakistan is prohibited. 81. A leader shall also provide a set of all such specimens to the government of Pakistan. XIV. TREKKING FEE 82. Trekking fee would be charged from parties @ US $ 5-/- per person per trek debitable in head of account No. “1391- Fees, Fines and Forfeitures” for accounting of the receipt relating to Royalty/Trekking fee realized from Mountaineering and Trekking Party. XV. MISCELLANEOUS 83. Leader and members of a party shall be responsible for the safety of the life of a L.O./M.G. They shall also ensure that members of the party extend to him due courtesies. 84. A party shall engage porters through local administration. 85. A party shall carry a maximum weight of 25 kilos. He shall walk in a day the distance from one traditional halt to another. The decision of L.O./M.G. about a traditional halt shall be final. 86. A porter shall sign an undertaking of good behaviour. One copy of the said undertaking shall be deposited with a representative of local administration. Another copy shall be handed over to the leader. The third copy shall be provided to the porter. 87. A party shall try to follow the date of arrival as fixed by the Government in order to avoid pressure on local transport and accommodation in the “take off “ area. 88. As soon as the party gets the permission letter it shall immediately inform the nearest PIA Office or an office of any other airline for reservation of seats and booking of equipment from Rawalpindi to Northern Areas/Chitral by giving the following information: - i) Number of persons. ii) Total weight to the flown iii) Probable dates of flights from Rawalpindi to Northern Areas/Chitral. Copy of this communication shall also be sent to Tourism Division. 89. Flights to Northern Areas and Chitral are subject to weather conditions and as such PIA or any other airline may not be able to given firm dates of bookings. In such cases, a party would need to request the PIA/any other airline to pass on the above information to Officer Incharge, Northern Areas, PIA Offices, Shahrah-e-Quaid Azam, Rawalpindi. 90. A party shall come prepared to stay for a period of 2-3 weeks in Rawalpindi and Northern Areas/Chitral, respectively, in case the weather suddenly turns bad. 91. A party may, however, travel by road from Rawalpindi to Northern Areas/Chitral and back. 92. A party shall have to register itself with the Foreigners Registration Office in the Office of Senior Superintendent of Police, at Rawalpindi before leaving for mountains. Similarly a party shall inform the said Foreigners Registration Officer before leaving Rawalpindi/Islamabad on departure from Pakistan. 93. To obviate language difficulty, a party coming from non-English speaking country, shall invariably include in its party an English speaking member. 94. A party shall leave a camping site clean by appropriate disposal of all bio-degradable material and bring back to Skardu/Gilgit/Chitral or any other nearest major town the non-biodegradable like plastics and empty-tins etc. On return, a L.O./M.G. shall furnish a certificate that the condition has been fully complied with by the party. 95. A party or its porters shall not damage the forest or animal wealth of the area. On return, a L.O/M.G. shall furnish a certificate that the condition has also been fully complied with by the party. 96. A party shall not serve for bidden items like pork etc. to L.O./M.G./Porters. 97. In case of breach of these rules, a party or all the members of such a party and the sponsors of such a party shall be dis-qualified for any future trekking in Pakistan for a maximum period of 5-years. In addition to this they may also be proceeded against under the relevant law. |
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