------------------------------- a Complete Tour Story -------------------------------
Kashmir has always been a majestic matchless beauty to us from our childhood .... it has always been portrayed as a Traveler's Dream to visit and evidence this Valley with full of God Gifted Beauty and Blessings........... so we decided to test the myth that , " Kashmir jannat nazeer hai " (Kashmir is Heaven alike) and we concluded that Yes Kashmir is Truly a Heaven on Earth.
After going through many threads on Kashmir here on PW and clicking on may be going on many Kashmir tours on FB, Made a plan to check out Kashmir this time... As we are a group of 7 chaddi dost from school and had a wonderful successful Kaghan tour on our credits so just after a year of our first ever tour , one of a buddy raised the idea that why not a tour this year too so we planned and executed Tour de Kashmir .. in the days when Dharna fever raising .. and we had to face it too ( details in the thread )
Unfortunately , we all seven could not make this trip too , i am the only one who has been in last tour otherwise all the members are those who could not travel last time and those who have been to Kaghan in last trip could not make Kashmir possible ......so i am the most traveled guy in my Gang hehehe with 2 tours in my hands alhumdulillah
Tour Summary
Day 1 - Friday
Left Karachi @ 4 pm by Karakoram Express in Economy class
delighted to see Train on Time yes exactly on time.
Day 2 - Saturday
Reached Faislabad @ 9 am
and got off from the Train here in FSD rather than Lahore as rumor of Lahore closure(due to dharna) coming to us,
Took room in Rizq hotel (1700 rs - 2 beds and 2 mattresses )
After an uncertain and full of rest day in Faislabad , luckily found a way to move ahead
Took Daewo to Pindi @ 12.30 in the night (750 rs each)
Day 3 - Sunday
Faislabad and Pindi started to getting closed as no one can enter or leave the city due to Tahir ul Qadri dharna,
Eventually , Reached Pindi @ 5 am , had breakfast early in the morning around 6 am,
And Started Hi-ace Journey from Faizabad Adda, Pindi towards Muzaffarabad, (280 rs each)
Reached MZD @ 10 am,
After some tea snacks , took another Hi-ace journey towards Sharda @ 11:30 am (350 rs each)
Reached Sharda @ 6 pm and Took a room (hotel ka naam yaad nahe) around 7 pm (800 rs - 4 mattresses)
And settled in Sharda for the worst night of the tour (detail in the thread)
Day 4 - Monday
Woke up early morning @ 6 am,
Started exploring Shardah at 7 am, Visited Shardah ancient university and fort, school , college , and at last had breakfast.
Hire jeep for 3 days at 14 K till Taubatt,
Left Sharda at 1.30 pm ,
Reached Taubatt at 6 pm,
After buhat searching took Al-Syed Shabistan Hotel around 7 pm (1500 rs - 2 beds and 2 mattresses )
Day 5 - Tuesday
Had a mazey ka nashat after roaming in hotel surroundings,
Left Taubatt for Kel at 11 am, reached there @ 2 .30 pm. Trek to Arang Kel start frm 3.40 pm & end at 5.40 pm,
Took room in Musk Deer Resort (1200 rs - 4 mattresses) ,
Baaqi night in the room due to thakan and sardi.
Day 6 - Wednesday
Had a roaming session around the Hotel,
Return Trek to Kel started @ 11.30 am,
Reached to Kel @ 1.20 pm.
Return journey started at 1.30 towards Sharda frm Kel,
Reached back to Sharda @ 2.30 pm, (forgive me if i miscalculated the distance )
Due to no option for travelling ahead ,
Had to take room in Zoom Guest House (1200 rs - 2 beds and 2 mattresses) for another night stay in Sharda
Day 7 - Thursday
Left sharda for MZD @ 7.30 am,
Took 2 hrs to reach keran, 2.5 to athmuqam, and 6 to MZD , (forgive me here too for same )
No sign of further transportation as Imran Khan coming to Islamabad,
Had to take room in Sangam Hotel, (3000 rs - 2 beds and 2 mattresses)
Day 8 - Friday
No sign for roads opening , moved here and there in MZD , watched films and had mazey ki neend in AC room,
We were in a continuous communication with tha bus addey wala so got a gud news in late night
Got a Daewo alike bus which is going to Lahore with out entering in Pindi,
Journey started late around 10 - 11 pm
Day 9 - Saturday
Reached Lahore in the morning around 9 - 10 am on Yaadgaar chouk
Went to a Friend's relative to collect return tickets
After Halwa pouri , decided not to wasted money in room for 5-6 hours as the train timing was 7 pm
Had a walk and tour of Minar-e-Pakistan, Badshahi Masjid, Shahi Fort and surroundings with heavy bags on our naazuk shoulders
Reached station before time but train was 2 hours late.
Train to Karachi started moving around 9 pm
Day 10 - Sunday
Unluckily got 4 irritating passengers (married lady with her younger brother with two little kids)... un ki chaaayy payyyy chaaayy payyyy ne saari raat soune na diya yar
After successfully coming out from all the dharnaas in country , we stuck in our own city, due to a rally for Phalestine .......main shahra e faisal was blocked and we entered in our homes around 10 pm , 3 hours after reaching Karachi Cantt station ;(
Tour Dates and Duration
8 Aug to 17 Aug 2014 - 9 Days
Total Expense
Estimated: 68,000 / 4 = 17,000 per head
Actual: 58,000 / 4 = 14,500 per head
Cameras Used
3 sony cybershots and 1 huawei ascend Mobile
For complete pictures , u can visit my FB Album: https://www.facebook.com/muhammadtariq.umer/media_set?set=a.10152705777482526&type=3
Special Credits & Thanks
This trip has come to a successful end due to always available help and wonderful threads of two buddies @usmanshafqat , @shaddy890
Happy Team
from L to R: Zia , Ahsan , Tariq (me) and Osama.
and Lovely Locations
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and in case if you are interested ... here is Kaghan Tour
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations/241369-karachi-kaghan-trip-remember