This is my first post on PakWheels so please bear with me. Next post will be on Swat and hopefully a better one.
Its about family trip in 2013 comprising Islamabad, Murree, Nathiagalli and Kaghan. I will feature details of Kaghan part of trip as it may help ambitious travelers. We stayed in Kaghan from 28th July to 3 August 2013.
I want to thank PakWheelers because I went through several blogs and it helped me in a great deal to plan the trip. Big thanks to everyone specially @asifcae, @xoofi, @ranasherdil
Day 1 - Shogran
From Isb moved to Abottabad via Bus. Then rented car till Kiwai (Kiwai is just a jeep stand, nothing else). From Kiwai, took jeep to Shogran. The 30 odd minutes climb to Shogran hill top is steep and kinda dangerous, thankfully paid 1400 to jeep. However, people do underestimate this steep ride and many bring their own cars atop Shogran. I wont call it a car track specially if you are not experienced. It is suggested to use a 4WD specially in rainy season. There was an accident in June 2013, a family died due to car slipping in the hill (due to driver's negligence, you may check web). Shogran hotel cost 3500 (it was kinda difficult to find a good hotel due to crowd). Only Ufone and Telenor works in Shogran, so had to buy a sim as well.
Day 2 - Siri Paye
Went to siri paye via jeep, cost 3000 for 5 hour trip. From Shogran takes 30 mins to reach Siri, the path is a bumpy jeep track. From Siri to Paye takes 40 mins odd and the track is more bumpy and rough. Loved the Siri lake, it's the most under rated of places in Pakistan. Couldnt see whole of Paye as family member was sick so avoided the 2 KM walk to Paye Lake. Paye is an eye catching mountain top, one of best I have seen. See it to believe it.
Day 3- Naran
The road from Kiwai/ Balakot to Naran is motorway, literally. You can bring your car, has some bad patches but nothing worrisome.
Moved to Naran via rented car around 2 hour drive. On way there was a trout farm, was good experience to see around it. Naran hotel cost 4500 however cheaper hotels were available without hot water.
There is no electricity in Naran, all is generated privately. Its awful at end of our leaders that heavenly places like Kalam and Naran have been kept in this state.
Day 4 - Saif ul Mulook
Rented jeep to saiful mulook. Takes 40 mins odd to reach lake from Naran bazar. Did boating at lake. The road to saif ul mulook is safe and road pavement work was going on so it should be in a much better position now.
Day-5 Jal Khad Lulu Sar
Rented jeep for whole day for 5000 to see Jal khad, Lalazar and Lulusar. Road from naran to lulu sar was great, some bad patches. Wanted to go beyond lulusar to babusar top but I had read on blogs that mugging/ snatching incidents happen near babusar, so dismissed the plan. The road to Jal khad has too many eye catching scenes on the way, so much that I wanted to stop the jeep every 10 minutes to take snap.
On return went to Lalazar, which is a hill top. It's a very narrow road to Lalazar and to be honest I was scared the whole way going and on return. Besides, Karachi ites are used to 150 KPH on highways but not used to 20 KPH on a steep narrow mountain path. Lalazar path is not for the weakhearted.
This trip taught me things that I had never known ...... (and made me unlearn what I already knew). My memoirs include :
- mountain people are the most hospitable beings on earth
- you can drink from running fountains as its more pure than bottled mineral water
- there are places in Pakistan where you have to wear sweaters on the warmest day of year (and shiver with cold) like Shogran and Naran at night
- if you feel that you are misaligned wrt religion or are misguided... go to a mountain top and look down. You will find Allah.
-the best scenaries of Kaghan are at the end of trail where most people dont go (we ventured and all those tired photos at the end of album..)
- Kaghan and beyond, the food will taste great no matter how ordinary it is
- mountain trips are huge fun .... so much that you forget that you suffer from "heightphobia".
- once you are at Saif ul Mulook .... you want to believe "the story"
The prince Saif of Persia dreamt of a fairy in Kaghan so he rode to this valley and waited for 12 years for the fairy to descend. One night when the fairy finally came, he stole her clothes and returned to her on promise of getting her affection. And then the evil Ogre of the lake found the two and he smashed the glaciers to flood the lake. The prince and fairy hid in a cave, escaped the flood and lived happily ever after.
400 Rupees for the story, you read it for free 
I took some thousand odd pictures but attaching only 15 due to site's constraint. Anyhow will try to attach more later.
Kids playing on shogran top
While passing lalazar
On top of lalazar
Such streams and fountains are abundant in naran, melting glaciers
moving to jalkhad, beautiful view with river flowing along the road
Jal khad's pinnacle
Piyala lake at jal khad ..... the symmetry is amazing
Lulusar lake's panorama shot
Lulu sar lake and me
Leaving Jal khad , grains and peas' crops all around
Saiful mulook lake
The rather unseen other side of Saiful mulook lake, after crossing it via boat
Siri top
Siri lake
Kaghan Valley at a glance
