Total members: 6
Cost per head: 10k (this could have been less, but we spent some more on snacks, sheesha etc.)
Day 0: Lahore to Abbotabad:
- We were invited by a friend from abbotabad who was to join us but couldn't.
- We tool niazi from Lahore which took 6 hours till abbotabad. We stayed at his house for the night.
Day 1: Abbotabad to Siri
- Woke up went for camping related shopping in abbotabad.
- Took a toyota dala and left for balakot. Price: Rs. 2200
- Booked a jeep from balakot for 3 days with driver's daily wage: Rs. 2800 and fuel to be paid by us accordingly. (we ended up paying him Rs. 3000 as he was a nice person and we had a fun trip). Total fuel by the end of trip came out to be around 10k.
- 6 pm: left for paye.
- Due to rain, jeep track was all muddy and slippery and our jeep broke halfway from shogran to siri. The sun had already set, so the jeep driver asked us if we could camp at siri instead of paye so that he could go down and get the jeep fixed from kiwai. We said ok, so hiked the remaining part to siri during night for about one hour. He had asked a local from there to accompany us, and he did.
- Reached siri at around 9 pm and camped for the night.
Day 2: Paye to Naran (Rafting)
- Woke up early and had breakfast. Jeep driver was already there so he took us to see paye. After spending some time at paye, we left for naran.
- Upon reaching naran, we went for rafting. They have this arrangement on the Naran-Jalkhad road 3-4 km from naran.
- Rafting: 700 per head. The experience was too good. It was evening time and the river current was fast enough to give us real adventure experience.
- We left for saif ul malook the same day. Original plan was to camp at saif ul malook so that we could leave for ansoo lake early. But we were told that we weren't allowed to go there after 5 and can't camp on the lake due to security issues (some robbery recently at the lake)
- Camped at Naran.
- got sheesha on rent from naran bazar, had it beside the kunhar with light rain, and made the most of our last night of trip!
Day 3: Naran - Saif ul makook - Ansoo lake trek - Naran
- Left early for the lake.
- Got a guide and left for the trek.
- Throughout the morning, and the most part of trek, it was raining. It took 2.5 hrs till Malika Parbat base camp.
- Beyond that point, rain increased and there was ascend which was full of mud. Falling, slipping, We somehow managed to go up the first peak.
- After the first peak, the guide told us it was very dangerous for us due to the mud trek bad weather ahead.
- Many groups were returning from there as well, some were returning from a little ahead who also said that going beyond was pointless as it was all muddy.
- So after some discussion among the group, we decided to go back.
- Original plan was to go to lalazar and camp there. but jeep driver claimed that due to rain, the track may not be suitable to drive up there. Also, all of us had clothes wet due to the trek, so it was decided to camp at naran and take some rest.
Naran - Babusar top - lulusar lake - Balakot - Mansehra - Pindi - Lahore
- This was the last day, so we (again) left early for Babusar top.
- it takes 3 hours from naran to babusar.
- spent some time at the top, and started the journey back.
- stopeed for some time at lulusar lake
- we were at balakot by 5 pm
- left for mansehra on a carrie dabba (bolan)
- plan was to take something to lahore directly, but due to rush, didn't find seats so took a coaster to pindi
- got a faisal movers of 1:30 am and reached lahore by early morning.
Pictures following...