NATHIAGALI
The scenic valleys in Northern Khyber Pakthunkhwa have attracted an influx of tourists and adventure sports enthusiasts during Eidul Fitr vacations where they are enjoying water sports, trekking and traditional trout fish in a pleasant weather.
Nathiagali, Ayubia, Dongagali, Bagnotar and Khanspor in Abbottabad, Saiful Mulk lake, Naran and Kaghan valleys in Manshera, Kalam, Bahrain and Malam Jabba in Swat and Kumrat Dir Upper are flooded with domestic tourists during Eid holidays.
Nathiagali-a famous hilly resort in Abbottabad district located on Murree-Abbottabad Road has witnessed influx of domestic tourists where all hotels from Charpai to five stars, motels to private rooms, make-shift inns to private rooms were jam-packed with tourists mostly arrived from plains districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa and Punjab to spend Eid vacations in its pleasant weather after the yesterday’s heavy rains.
The KP Culture and Tourism Authority’s rest houses, hotels, motels and guest houses have received record booking orders from tourists this year compared to last year. Eco-tourists and mountaineers visited the nearby Ayubia tourist resort to enjoy a free ride on a chairlift amid great fun and laughter.
The hide and seek between sun and clouds with moderate to erratic rainfalls over snow-clad mountains peaks of Mukshpuri and Miranjani in Ayubia on western Himalayan hills and calmness of Nathiagali take tourists into a lap of serene.
Ayubia-Nathiagali, Dongagali-Ayubia and Mukshpuri Top are the most frequented sites where local guides and horse riders are seen moving around to make a quick buck. A substantial number of tourists along with families have been seen on fast moving swings and Ayubia chairlift amid thrill and excitement.
“Chairlift ride at Ayubia takes tourists to a new height of thrill and excitement,’” said tourist, Ehtisham Khan, (26) a tourist from Pabbi Nowshera while talking to APP at Ayubia on Thursday.
He said the natural beauty of nearby Khanspur, Dongagali and Bagnotar valleys have left a lasting imprint on the minds of visitors and picnickers. He said weather of Nathiagali was very pleasant and people can come here to enjoy its natural beauty, cool breeze and lush green valleys besides trout fish.
“Prior to Nathiagali, I visited Malam Jabba Swat on the first day of Eid where floating clouds mesmerize the tourists.” He said high charges of hotels and high prices of daily use commodities needed to be checked by the district administration and proper arrangements should be made for car parking at tourists places.
Likewise, tourists also thronged to Naran and Kaghan valleys in Manshera where owners of hotels, plazas, restaurants and houses earned great profits during Eid days. The local people have vacated extra rooms of their houses for tourists, mountaineers, trekkers and eco-tourists to earn profits.
Many tourists have installed tents at Kaghan, Naran, Ayubia, Khanuspor, Bharagali, Dongagali and Thandyani. Tourists having low income have brought their own beds by staying under an open sky to enjoy pleasant weather in Naran and Kaghan valleys, Saif-ul-Malook lake, Lalazar Babusar, Noori and Purbi Valleys where they enjoyed waterfalls, horse ridding and boating besides trout fish of River Kunhar in a pleasant weather.
In Kaghan-Naran, several communications uplift projects including parks, highways, widening of links roads/streets, beautification of tourist places were completed that added beauty to these picturesque valleys and provided better communication facilities to tourists.
Besides tourism police, the local police and officials of district administration and Galiyat Development Authority are assisting visitors in case of any emergency situation.
The district administration Mansehra, Abbottabad and Swat have established facilitation and guidance centers for tourists. Tourists were directed to get travel advisory from the tourist receptions at toll plaza Manshera, Abbottabad and Swat or see it online on KP Culture and Tourism Authority before restarting their journey or extending stays at Kaghan, Naran, Nathia Gali and Kalam.
Unscrupulous business elements in hotels and restaurants industries are fully exploiting the situation by fleecing tourists due to shortage of accommodation at Nathiagali, Naran, Kaghan, Swat and adjoining scenic resorts.
Riaz Khan, a tourist told APP said that no hill station carries more natural and mountainous beauty in the world than Nathia Gali and Kalam where tourists are being heavily charged these days.
He said Rs 5000 to Rs 10,000 per room was being charged for per night stay from families by private hotel owners in Nathia Gali, Kaghan-Narran and Kalam and demanded strict action against profiteers during Eid holidays.
Riaz said such high charges by private hotels could negatively impact the total intake of tourists to scenic sites of Nathiagali, Ayubia, Dongali, Harnoi, Bagnotar and Thandiani.
He appreciated Manshera and Abbottabad traffic police for making proper arrangements for smooth flow of traffic during Eid days and efforts of GDA Abbottabad and Swat traffic police for making foolproof arrangements for facilitation of tourists.
KP Tourism and Culture Authority officials told APP on Thursday that camping pods at Bamborat Kalash Valley in Chitral, Shaheed Sir, Allai Battagram, Mahban and Malka in Buner district were constructed to provide better and inexpensive accommodation to tourists.
He said 10 new tourists sites had been identified where new camping pods at Jarogo waterfall, Solatar and Kalam in Swat, Lashkargaz Broghal and Solarspot in Chitral, Kumrat in Dir Upper, Alpuri in Shangla, Samana Top in Hangu, Larum Top and Bin Shahi in Dir Lower would be setup
Three new ski resorts in Kaghan, Chitral and Swat would be established to attract foreign tourists and adventure sports lovers. Four new hill stations including two in Kaghan, one each in Chitral and Abbottabad would be developed to reduce visitors load on existing tourist destinations including Kalam, Nathiagali and Kaghan.
He said Naran and Kaghan climate was most suitable for tulip gardening that would soon begin in the area where growers are likely to earn Rs 60,000 from one kanal produce. He said the Battakundi-Lalazar chairlift project was also under consideration.
