Beautiful Pakistan: All you need to know about an exquisite trip from Karachi to Nathiagali

Has the heat of the Karachi summer and the COVID-19 lockdown gotten to you? Are you looking for that perfect respite away from the hot, dry weather and into the serene mountains of Nathiagali? Well, a trip to the mountainous area should be on your agenda. Pronto.

We followed a senior journalist’s trip from Karachi to Nathiagali. When you’re on a trip, it is necessary to know which route to take, where to rest and have a splendid meal before you hit the road and the sights to take in before you reach the destination.

So apparently, the only thing the gentleman relied upon his expedition was Google Maps. He chose to drive first from Karachi to Multan and stay at the renowned Avari Express in Multan.

The drive from Karachi to Multan took him 10-11 hours. According to him, the Sukkur-Multan highway is similar to one of the best highways in the world.

The quicker way to get around to Nathiagali from Multan is to take the newly constructed Hazara Expressway. The added advantage? You get to the place quicker whilst taking nature in its full glory. Behold, the sights along the drive.

One needs to drive for eight hours on the Hazara motorway before he/she arrives at Nathiagali.

When one gets to Nathiagali, one of the best places to go for a walk, especially with the cool winter, is the pipeline track. The long track features a lot of signboards pointing out the wild nature and informing tourists about the various kinds of species of birds and animals in the area.

Also, vendors selling piping hot cups of tea, Kashmiri chai and coffee helps one make the most of the walk.

On the pipeline walk, the journalist also came across a large lizard – looking like a monitor – the leopard he was told about when one arrived at the higher reaches of the forest in summer.

The views from the top of Mushkpuri Peak (9,210 feet). If one were to look east, he/she could see the Jhelum River winding its way from Indian Occupied Kashmir – on left are the mountains of Neelam and Leepa Valleys of AJK & Indian Occupied Kashmir is on right.

Next on, he decided to visit the Katha Samandar Lake near Nathiagali. A man made lake, it offers a variety of entertainments from food to other activities such as rafting for those who visit the area.

That’s all, folks. Beautiful Pakistan has a lot of variety to offer if you want to go on an adventurous trip.