Road Trip: Islamabad-Ghizer Valley-Shandur Top Oct15-20, 2016 Via Babusar Top-Gilgit

[anwarriaz1]

Very nice, Zabardast

[aamir567]

Excellent thread
Thanx for sharing

[dr_baloch]

Very nice, Zabardast

Thank you so much. Friends like you are always a source of support and encouragement

[dr_baloch]

Excellent thread
Thanx for sharing

Welcome. I am indeed grateful for your comments

[dr_baloch]

awesome ..i was at babursir top on 27th of sep ...i thought by oct it will be snowing

looks like it was all clear

do share more pics

Sure, I shall share some more pix. Thank you for your comments. Once, before our visit, Babusar was closed due to snow. Then clear weather for several days made it clear. One week after our crossing it back on 20th Oct, it was closed again and now it seems that it will remain closed till May next year. I also postponed my program twice due to weather and due to snow at Babusar.

[thetigerzzz]

Yes, wonderful place to visit

zabardast DR SB

[dr_baloch]

More Pix

A view of Khalti Lake from PTDC Gupis

A view of Ghizer valley in beautiful Autumn colors from PTDC Gupis

A view of PTDC Gupis

The beautiful lobby of PTDC Gupis

I hope it is not difficult to distinguish between Markhor and me

Vehicle check-up and engine warming on the morning of Day-4 (Oct.18) before leaving for Shandur Top

Day-4, at Ghizer river on the way from Gupis to Phander

At Ghizer river on the way from Gupis to Phander

A view of Phander Lake at the footstep of PTDC Phander

At Phander Lake

Day-4, Near Handrap, on way to Shandur Top

Day-4, at Phander, on way to Shandur Top

Day-5, A view-point at a height, on way from Gahkuch to Gilgit

Day-5 (Oct 19), Main bazar, Gahkuch, on way back to Gilgit

Shandur Top, The lake, Polo-ground, security barracks, and other buildings can be seen

[dr_baloch]

zabardast DR SB

Thank you so much. I feel happy to be a part of Pak Wheelers' family

[umarxe]

Great stuff janab.
Enjoyed to read the details of your wonderful journey. And the thing I most enjoyed in details of your tour is visiting Gupis bazar again and again and mingling with locals.

(the real essence of traveling).

And also you told about the night you spent in chilas like meeting with locals and knowing several things. I know well what did you mean. It value a lot for a person like me. Sirf pahaar, jheelain aur rivers nai dekhne hoteen.

I have traveled a lot with locals in public transport while sitting on bus roofs etc. A lot lot lot of memories of interaction with locals. Once seeking for shelter badly when we faced extreme hailing on our way back from Ganga Choti to Sudhan Gali tu aik canvas ki jhompri mai pnaah li, they were nomadic, there was only a women with her kids and no male was around but khatoon ko hm pr ters a gya and she allowed us to get in and I will never forget the time we spent there while sitting around the fire. We were wet from head to toe and shivering badly.
Ya phir domail Bala (Shountar) mai wahan k bzurg Master Zaman ne buri trah jhaara after our successful attempt of Chitta Katha in a single day, bs thapper marne ki kser reh gai thi. He was actually against our plan and tried hard to stop us due to lot of snow and due to the death of 3 trekkers attempting the same few days earlier. We deceived him that we will not go byond and will just see Nangi Maali mountain and will return back but hm ne wada khilafi ki aur lake se ho kr hardly could descend back. Khair Jb khoob daant lia tu glay lga kr mubarakbad di unhon ne.
Aik bar Sharda se multa (a small village of 12, 15 houses on backside of Sharda) gy tu they (locals) got really excited k pehli bar koi bahir ka bnda hmare gaon aaya hai.
Bohat si memories hain sir, bs chor dain ap. Many many occasions of chit-chat with locals while sitting on some hay bundle or aalu ki bori on roof of the bus.
More the area is remote, more the purity, hospitality and welcoming the natives are.
I know very well what do you mean by "the real essence of traveling"

Actually I was out of touch from last one week due to some reason so couldn't notice this thread earlier. Thank you for sparing time to share the things in such a great detail. Really helpful, motivating and tempting for potential travellers.

[umarxe]

[SIZE=6]
the superb behaviour and hospitality of local Ghizer people. Ordinary people, even the shephard boys or girls with their washed and cleaned faces were wrapped in clean dresses. Their houses and bazars are much cleaner than rest of Pakistan. They are educated and civilized people. No body overcharged us anywhere. Same was the situation when I visited Hunza (many years back) and Astore ( two years back).

Very true, that's the first thing one notice in Gilgit Baltistan, specially in Hunza and Ghizer. During my trip to ghizer, we stopped at Gahkuch bazar to buy some food items and we were amazed to see very neat and clean bazar. Really clean. Looks like a model bazar just to present to visitors. I looked around when I needed to throw some garbage and found a public bin in first sight.
Hunza mai bhi aisa hi hai from Gilgit to Khunjrab, specially Karimabad is a step ahead.
Also no overcharging at all which is a norm in Murree Kaghan etc.
Educated and civilized people. Dill khush ho jata hai wahan ja kr.

[dr_baloch]

duplicate post

[dr_baloch]

duplicate post

[dr_baloch]

Great stuff janab.
Enjoyed to read the details of your wonderful journey. And the thing I most enjoyed in details of your tour is visiting Gupis bazar again and again and mingling with locals.

And also you told about the night you spent in chilas like meeting with locals and knowing several things. I know well what did you mean. It value a lot for a person like me. Sirf pahaar, jheelain aur rivers nai dekhne hoteen.

I have traveled a lot with locals in public transport while sitting on bus roofs etc. A lot lot lot of memories of interaction with locals. Once seeking for shelter badly when we faced extreme hailing on our way back from Ganga Choti to Sudhan Gali tu aik canvas ki jhompri mai pnaah li, they were nomadic, there was only a women with her kids and no male was around but khatoon ko hm pr ters a gya and she allowed us to get in and I will never forget the time we spent there while sitting around the fire. We were wet from head to toe and shivering badly.
Ya phir domail Bala (Shountar) mai wahan k bzurg Master Zaman ne buri trah jhaara after our successful attempt of Chitta Katha in a single day, bs thapper marne ki kser reh gai thi. He was actually against our plan and tried hard to stop us due to lot of snow and due to the death of 3 trekkers attempting the same few days earlier. We deceived him that we will not go byond and will just see Nangi Maali mountain and will return back but hm ne wada khilafi ki aur lake se ho kr hardly could descend back. Khair Jb khoob daant lia tu glay lga kr mubarakbad di unhon ne.
Aik bar Sharda se multa (a small village of 12, 15 houses on backside of Sharda) gy tu they (locals) got really excited k pehli bar koi bahir ka bnda hmare gaon aaya hai.
Bohat si memories hain sir, bs chor dain ap. Many many occasions of chit-chat with locals while sitting on some hay bundle or aalu ki bori on roof of the bus.
More the area is remote, more the purity, hospitality and welcoming the natives are.
I know very well what do you mean by "the real essence of traveling"

Actually I was out of touch from last one week due to some reason so couldn't notice this thread earlier. Thank you for sparing time to share the things in such a great detail. Really helpful, motivating and tempting for potential travellers.

Umar bhai, I always enjoy your posts and reading your memories in this post was yet another joyful experience that reminded me of my youth (little money and countless ambitions in travelling). When I used to travel by public transport (sometimes on roof-top also, as you mentioned) and had the habit of gossiping with people around me and gulping as much local (folk) knowledge as possible. From religious believes to ethnic composition, weather, land topography, crops & fruits, social fabric, financial opportunities and so on. I am still, and shall always be, in the learning process. I am glad that you got my point exactly the way I intended. Another thing that I want to share with you and brother Pak Wheelers. I have been driving since my teens and I have no "Ustaad" in driving. All my driving skills came from watching (rather peering) and gaining knowledge by gossiping with other drivers. Especially, the public transport drivers. These people are an ocean of knowledge. Books, nature, and people, to me, are sources of knowledge. I am a Ph.D. my self and confess that no one needs a Ph.D. (or any degree) to be wise, generous and a good teacher. So my request to all: please always remain in the process of gaining knowledge and wisdom whenever and whereever it comes from. May Lord bless us all.

[dr_baloch]

Very true, that's the first thing one notice in Gilgit Baltistan, specially in Hunza and Ghizer. During my trip to ghizer, we stopped at Gahkuch bazar to buy some food items and we were amazed to see very neat and clean bazar. Really clean. Looks like a model bazar just to present to visitors. I looked around when I needed to throw some garbage and found a public bin in first sight.
Hunza mai bhi aisa hi hai from Gilgit to Khunjrab, specially Karimabad is a step ahead.
Also no overcharging at all which is a norm in Murree Kaghan etc.
Educated and civilized people. Dill khush ho jata hai wahan ja kr.

That's right, "dil khush ho jajat ha, aisy jaga dekh kar aur aisay logon say mil kar".
These experiences also help us to be "raazi bar raza", kind, generous and useful to others.
Another memory on "raazi bar raza" that I didn't share in my main post. At Babusar top when we faced stuck-gear problem, we didn't panic. Just had trust in Lord and He was kind and generous as always been. Instead of getting frustrated and scolding the fate, we enjoyed that time also. After, it was over and we left Chilas for Gilgit. We were of the view that, by this discomfort and manageable mishap, the Lord has saved us and our vehicle from some severely harmful disaster. And, the Lord wanted to give those two mechanics "RIZQ" (Rs.7000 to be exact) from our hands so He did that. These thoughts made us even happier and more satisfied.

[afnan.lunatic]

Sir good to see you here.. sir u hv also 4x4 power in your writing descriptions thread parh k maza aa gya and really beautiful area to explore.. now it's off season to north but south is also beautiful.. we visited south last year and it's really worth visiting.. here is the link.. hv a look and make plan
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations-hiking-trekking/267680-tour-bahawalpur-cholistan-desert-uch-shareef-multan

[dr_baloch]

Sir good to see you here.. sir u hv also 4x4 power in your writing descriptions thread parh k maza aa gya and really beautiful area to explore.. now it's off season to north but south is also beautiful.. we visited south last year and it's really worth visiting.. here is the link.. hv a look and make plan
https://www.pakwheels.com/forums/road-trips-vacations-hiking-trekking/267680-tour-bahawalpur-cholistan-desert-uch-shareef-multan

Thank you so much.
I shall see this thread also.
Just for info, this year, in February, I and my wife went by road to see south Punjab, interior Sindh and Karachi. Our route was, Islamabad, KCP (night-stay), 18 Hazari, Head-Tremu, Khanewal, Multan. After visiting Multan city and shrines of the famous saints, headed for Bahawalpur(night-stay), sight-seeing in Bahawalpur, visit of Fort Drawar, visit of Uch shareef and its shrines, straight to Sakkar(night-stay), Fort Kot Diji, 6000 years old ancient ruins of Kot Diji, Hydrabad- National highway- Kinchhar Lake, Thatta, Shahjahani Mosque, Makli graveyard, Bhanbhore site, Karachi. 4 nights in Karachi, saw almost everything in and around Karachi, Then back to Hydrabad via Super highway, then turned to Dadu, Manchhar Lake, shrine of Shahbaz Qalandar, Sehwan shareef, detail visit of Mohenjodaro, Gambat, Khairpur, Sadiqabad(night-stay), Bahawalpur, Khanewal, Head Tremu, KCP, Islamabad. It was a long awaited trip and we enjoyed a lot.