It seems like almost everyone has gone to or is planning on going to places like Paris, Rome, Tokyo or the Mexican Riviera. While those popular travel spots certainly have their place, if you’d rather be a little bit different and enjoy a real off-the-beaten-track adventure, you’ll find lots to love about these fantastic yet underrated international vacation destinations. Kaghan Valey is one of them.
Kaghan Valley is a scenic wonderland. Kaghan is a jewel among the many beautiful valleys in the Mansehra District of Hazara in the North West Frontier Province (Khyber Pakhtoon Khuah) of Pakistan. The valley extends 160 km, rising from an elevation of 2,134 feet (650 m) to its highest point, the Babusar Pass, at 13,690 feet (4,170 m).
Kaghan valley is named after the town of Kaghan rather than for the Kunhar River which flows through the length of the valley. This valley has most popular summer holiday spots for both Pakistanis as well as foreigners. If you love hiking, trekking or fishing, then Kaghan Valley is like heaven.
Lofty peaks crown the mountains ranges on either side like turrets, ranging in height from 12,000 to 17,000 ft and more, with the eastern range higher than the western. The bed of valley slopes up from 3,000 ft at Balakot, which, as it were, the gateway of the valley, to 12,000 ft at Gittidas beyond which the valley crosses at Babusar Pass 14,000 ft.