Dear Travel Gurus,
Please help me out here. I need your experienced advice to guide me through this trip of 10-11 days which has been planned as follows:
28th July: Lahore (7 am) - Balakot (5 pm), estimated travel time: 10 hours, hotel stay: De-Manchi hotel
29th July: Balakot (7 am) - Rama Meadows (3 pm), estimated travel time: 8 hours, hotel stay: PTDC
30th July: Day would be spent exploring Rama Meadows
31st July: Rama Meadows (8am) - Minimarg (1 pm), estimated travel time: 5 hours, stay: Army guest house Minimarg (i.e. if arrangement is made). We shall travel to Chillam on our cars and park them there. From here we shall be taking jeeps to Minimarg and rainbow lake. The idea is to explore Minimarg and rainbow lake in this one day.
1st August : Minimarg (7 am) - Kachura Lake Skardu via Deosai (3 pm), estimated travel time: 8 hours, hotel stay: army guest house at lower kachura lake (if arrangement is made, other options by you gurus are also welcome). We shall be collecting our cars from Chillam on our way back from Minimarg and would travel to kachura lake through deosai plains on our personal vehicles instead of jeeps. I have heard the road condition is not that bad, but i may be wrong.
1st Aug - 4th Aug: we shall be staying at army kachura guest house and would try to explore all the worth seeing sights in skardu.
5th Aug : would try to book shangrilla resort ( again lower kachura lake) for one day since my family thinks that we should atleast try this place once based upon all the hype surrounding it. Although i am reluctant since i have been told my many that the army guest house's lodging is far better.
6th Aug: Lower Kachura Lake (7am) - Chilas (3:00 pm), estimated travel time: 8 hours, stay : nexus canopy hotel. This trip shall be made through Jaglot to Skardu road.
7th Aug: Chilas (7am) - abbotabad (4pm), estimated travel time: 9 hours, stay: de manchi hotel
8th Aug: Abbotabad (9am) - Lahore (3 am), estimated travel time: 6 hours.
Some important aspects of this planned trip:
*Since this is the first time i am going to these areas therefore i have no idea regarding travel time and have only assumed the same on the basis of information i have gathered.
*I shall be travelling with my family (wife & daughter aged 6) along with my in laws (Mother in law, Father in law & sister in law). I hope this trip would not be too excruciating.
*All the trip shall be made on our own cars except for the patch of Chillam to Minimarg. I have Toyota Aqua and my in laws would be having Toyota Corolla Xli. We shall be accompanied by our drivers as well. Both of our drivers are experienced.
* The most important question is that would both of our cars be able to make it to skardu through deosai plains. I have just bought my car (Aqua) a few days back and don't want to cause any serious damage to it.
I shall be highly grateful if you guys can give my plan a sanity check and let me know if i need to make any changes. My family and I are really excited for this trip and your precious input would be appreciated.
Regards,
Asim
