Dear Friends, I want to share my tour of the Northern Areas. My brother and I planned the trip during Ramazan. The participants were Me, wife, three kids and brother, his wife and two kids. We planned to travel in a single vehicle, my Pajero MK1 1990. A roof rack with ladder was fabricated and fitted (without proper paint due to shortage of time).
The plan was to spend Jummatul Wida and Eid day at Murree, where the rest of the family was already staying for Ramazan.
We started the journey on July 16 around midnight from Lahore via GT Road. Had Sehri at a roadside restaurant and reached Murree early in the morning. Spent Jummatul Wida and Eid days at Murree and began the actual tour early morning on second day of Eid.
DAY 1: Murree to Battakundi via Muzzaffarabad - Garhi Habibullah - Balakot (Stay at Battakundi)
DAY 2: Battakundi to Karimabad Hunza via Babusar - Chillas - Raikot - Jaglot - etc (Stay at Karimabad)
DAY 3: Visited Hooper Glacier (Nagar) Baltit Fort and Eagle's Nest (Stay at Karimabad)
DAY 4: Left for Upper Hunza via Atta Abad lake - Gulmit - Pasu. Checked in at Pasu then left for Khunjrab, came back and stayed at Pasu.
DAY 5: Left Passu for Minapin (Nagar) Stayed at Minapin
DAY 6: Left Minapin for Skardu via Gilgit Skardu Road. Stay at Skardu
DAY 7: Stayed at Skardu, visited Upper Kachura and surrounding areas. Rested
DAY 8: Left Skardu early morning. Reached Deosai and crossed Deosai. Reached and stayed at Astore.
DAY 9: Left Astore and reached Abbottabad via Babusar - Naran road.
DAY10: Left Abbottabad and reached Lahore
The trip was very well planned and equally well executed Alhamdulillah. All boarding / lodging was pre-booked. Most reservations were done via Jovago.com, which turned out to be a great experience.
The vehicle performed beyond my expectations. There was not a single event of break down or trouble.
I will post pictures from time to time. Feedback, questions are welcome.
Saquib Dogar