A.A. PWer Friends !!!
Chitral plan got delayed for 3rd straight year and this time due to floods. Allah knows better what is best for us
So, the plan was diverted to Astore Valley and Baltistan and what a great decision it was
I had marked few areas beyond Rattu for future explores and i had enough days to include one of these adventures in this tour ......... So, i chose Riat Valley with a trek to the biggest lake in this area.
We left Lahore on night of 12th August with heavy forecast of rains in mind for next 3 days. And Alhamdulillah ........ the trip went smooth and Allah Almighty had special mercy upon us when it came to rainy patches. We were extremely lucky at various occasions to have finished our tasks in dry patches in between rainy hours.
Group Members
This time the group was quite big with 12 members and 2 jeep drivers.
People who joined me for the first time:
- Fahad Zahed
- Arslan Mehmood
- Usman Mehmood
- Abdullah Sharif
- Wali Mohammed
- Hussam Waris
Old timers
- Mussab Hussain Ahmed
- Hassan Ghumman
- Ahmed Iqbal
- Hafiz Abdulmoiz (@badmashpappu)
- Mubeen Amjad
and me
- Mobeen Mazhar (@aesiege)
Cameras Used:
- Canon 550D (me)
- Canon 550D (Hussam)
- Nikon D90 (Hassan)
- Panasonic FZ35 (Mussab)
- And a range of P&S and smartphones
Budget:
Final per head cost for 9 days home to home was Rs.26,500. But this included lavish meals and pur takalluf stays at PTDC Rama and Shangri La Resorts
Another major factor was jeep rent + fuel cost and a separately hired hiace for Jaglot-Pindi journey.
Daywise Itinerary
13 Aug 2013: >>Starts from Page 7<<
Our departure from Lahore was through Daewoo at 11 p.m on 12 Aug night. We met rain near Islamabad and then it continued for next 4-5 hrs. Reached Abbottabad around 6: 30 a.m. as we were already late due to rain. Chotey Hafiz sahib joined us in Abbottabad. We hired a Bolan after struggle of 1 hr in rain and used one shuttle service of Daewoo to reach Mansehra. One jeep was not there and that guy never came. So, after rain we had to go through the trouble of arranging a second jeep during rain with Eid holidays rush all around us. We hired taxis and reached Balakot in hope of finding a jeep there. After lots of struggle and drama, arranged second jeep around 4 p.m. and left Balakot. Way through Babusar was closed and rainy weather was very unpredictable so we decided to use KKH. Departed through Jabba Pass and joined KKH near Shinkiari. Reached Besham around 9 p.m. and did our night stay there.
14 Aug 2013: >>Starts from Page 11<<
It rained the whole night and nallah coming from Shangla Valley was getting ferocious in the morning. Newcomers declared that flood had come
We did breakfast in Besham and left for Astore around 8 a.m. The drive was slow as it rained continuously till Dasu. Also, this part of KKH was in bad shape so it took us around 4 hrs to reach Dasu. Next stop was Samar nallah and it took us 1 hr 45 min to get there. We reached Chilas around 4:30 p.m. and had a break there for some jeep work only. Once jeep was ready, we departed immediately for Astore. Crossed Astore bridge at 7:15 p.m. and reached Astore around 9:30 p.m. Then inquired about the route of Rama Meadows and reached PTDC Rama around 10 p.m. Night stay at PTDC Rama.
15 Aug 2013: >>Starts from Page 24<<
Woke up a bit late due to tiring journey of 14 hrs yesterday. Left for Rama Lake at 9 a.m. and came back to PTDC Rama at 1 p.m. Then went down to Astore bazar and did our lunch in Madina Green Palace Hotel. Afterwards, departed for Trashing around 4:15 p.m. We reached last jeepable point of Trashing around 6 p.m. and immediately started the Trashing glacier ridge trek. After this short trek and some beautiful shots there, we came back and camped in lawn of Nanga Parbat Hotel, Trashing.
16 Aug 2013: >>Starts from Page 36<<
Left Trashing around 9 a.m. for Riat Valley. Reached Rattu and went on wrong way to Rattu Cantt. Then came back and started our adventure ride on correct way. Stopped at Darla Bala Lake at 12:30 p.m. It is a beautiful reflection lake on way to Riat Valley on roadside. Resumed journey at 1 p.m. and reached Riat Village at 2:30 p.m. We tried but could not arrange porters or mules so had no choice but to camp at Riat Village. Night stay in outskirts of Riat Village.
17 Aug 2013: >>Starts from Page 42<<
My initial plan was to divide this 8 km trek in 2 days so that newcomers can easily do it. But since no tourist had come before to this area so there was no concept of porters and only bakarwals had mules/donkeys etc. who were roaming at highlands. So, i changed the plan to full day trek after discussing with team and locals. We only took necessary stuff for day trek and left our camps at Riat Village. It was raining in the morning so started the trek at 6:45 a.m. once rain stopped. Reached base camp of Riat Lake at 11 a.m. Then started the final climb and reached Riat Lake at 12:40 p.m. We stayed there for only 1 hr 15 min and started return journey at 2 p.m. which was our prefixed cut-off return time for the day and had already been communicated to whole group that whatever the place, we will return at 2 p.m. It took us 4 hrs to return to campsite. Since, we were already late and it was raining again so we decided to camp at Riat Village for another night.
Riat Lake Trek Information: Page 42 - post 822 and 824
18 Aug 2013: >>Starts from Page 49<<
As per original plan, we had to camp at Sheosar Lake today. But group was very tired so i decided to make it a rest day. We left Riat Village 11 a.m. and reached Astore in 3 hr 30 min. We took rooms in Madina Green Palace Hotel and took the remaining day off.
19 Aug 2013: >>Starts from Page 50<<
One of our group members left for Lahore through Mahfooz Coach and 11 of us left Astore at 6 a.m. It was yet another rainy day and morning was wet. We reached Chillum around 8:30 a.m. and tried to arrange permission for Minimarg. But Minimarg could not be reached till 10 a.m. so we decided to continue to Deosai Plains. We did some hiking at Sheosar Lake and then completed the route till Bara Pani at 2:45 p.m. We had our lunch break at Bara Pani and then met 2nd torrential rain of the tour at Bara Pani till Skardu road. We left Bara Pani at 4 p.m. and reached Skardu bazar at 6:30 p.m. We met our contact person there for stay arrangement in Shangri La Resorts. Afterwards, we left for Shangri La at 8 p.m. and reached there in 45 min. Night stay at Shangri La Resorts, Skardu.
20 Aug 2013: >>Starts from Page 60<<
We left Shangri La at 8 a.m. and target was to reach Jaglot. I kept one jeep with me and settlement was done with 2nd jeep and it went home. The group hired a hiace straight for Pindi from Jaglot and i said them goodbye there. There is no direct private vehicle available for Skardu-Mansehra/Pindi journey and even the transporters changed hiace twice to complete this journey of Jaglot to Pindi but it is their headache and they made the next vehicle ready within the time group took the break.
While, i left for Karimabad, Hunza after lunch in Jaglot. The journey started at 3 p.m. and the next part of Grand Trip 2013 will be covered in a separate thread dedicated to Rush Lake
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/221100-20-26-aug-2013-night-hunza-rush-lake-trek-return-batogah-top-kaghan
Riat Lake
0002 - Riat Lake, Upper Astore Valley, Pakistan by Mobeen Mazhar, on Flickr
I hope you will like this travelogue
Best Regards
Mobeen Mazhar