I haven't been everywhere but it's on my list...

 This is a tale of a small country located in South of Asia. 
​Pakistan is the place where I found life, where I found love and most of all! I found freedom. Its a land known for miraculous beauty, largest man made forest, breath taking salt mines and home to valleys where time stops.

CUISINES

LANDSCAPE

FESTIVALS

WHAT IS THE BEST TOURIST SPOT IN NORTHERN AREAS OF PAKISTAN?

TRAVEL  //  JANUARY 30
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With no exaggeration at all, this was surprisingly the best tour I ever had in my lifetime. Pakistan is indeed blessed with some of the most incredible tourist attractions in the world.
This was a long awaited trip that my university friends and I planned to Gilgit as we were catching up at Bundu Khan restaurant in Lahore. I met them after being away for one year in United Kingdom for Masters and wanted to pile as much memories as I can with them.
Sitting at Bundu Khan at 7:00 PM  on a Friday evening, we googled best tour package with Al-Ahad tours & Travels for 10 days. We were a group of six friends with savings of 60,000 PKR to spend.
There were 20 fellow travelers in this package including a tourist guide who was committing to guide us through the entire journey.
Everyone was wearing sneakers and backpacks that were full of snacks, water bottles, first aid kits and what not!
Vroom! The wagon got all geared up and the adventure to northern areas of Pakistan began.
After 2h 33 mins the wagon stopped at Bhera for everyone to freshen up and grab meals for rest of the journey. We took selfies and updated our snap-chats and Instagram to share exciting moments with others.
​After a long journey of 15 hours, we finally reached our destination. We ran to our rooms booked at Serena Hotel, Gilgit.
Next day we headed off to Hunza valley which is one of the top tourist attraction in Gilgit, Baltistan. While we were on the bus, our tourist guide breathlessly exclaimed, "you will see that, Hunza is heaven on earth!".
Well, it seemed a bit exaggerated. I had seen pictures of the valley but of course everything is Photoshop nowadays.
Woah! As we landed on the site, it was indeed a out of the world. The jaw-dropping landscape of Hunza valley and breathtaking calm waters make you believe that Gilgit is certainly a reflection of Jannat(Heaven).
Gushing water in the midst of snow wrapped mountain peaks. Incredible!
​Another personal favorite and one of the most incredible tourist sites that we encountered was Altit fort which is an ancient monument.
We hired a wagon and after 2 hours 11 mins we reached this cultural tour site. As magical as it was, it was no surprise to see foreign tourists clicking photos of artifacts lying in the chambers of the fort.
However, it was a sheer moment of disappointment when we came across heaps of garbage and plastic bags hanging on trees amidst valley of Hunza.
BAM! And the bubble of heaven was popped just like that by the brutal pin of irresponsible tourist behavior.
Our tour guide mournfully responded," Ye kachra bhi logon ki taraf sy laanat hai is jannat mai", which means that 'This garbage is the curse of tourists to this heaven on earth'.
I was disgruntled with fellow tourists to pollute the innocence of nature. It was my first trip to northern areas of Pakistan and it was extremely hard to digest the sheer audacity of visitors.
It was our last day in Gilgit and as I sat back in the wagon, I silently stared out the window wondering the scary future that these places may behold if humans continue to litter around in complete disregard of climate change.
 It is ruining the natural habitat of wildlife, destroying lush vegetation and snatching away the future of planet earth and creatures that inhabit it, including humans.
​Aah!!!!
I wanted to scream out the window to lighten my heavy heart and posted the last click of my day with the caption, "Alas! Gilgit is melting beauty".
After 2 hours of regretful sighing, I managed to wrap up my emotions and started scrolling through hundreds of amazing memories captured in my camera.
While scrolling I came across all the places we visited including Hunza valley, Altit fort, Baltit fort, Deosai national park, Karkoram highway and Attabad fort.
And I pondered that if anyone had to visit Gilgit on a low budget then Hunza valley and Altit fort are the two best tourist spots that every tourist must experience.
Below are the pictures of my favorite spots that I recommend are a must visit for you!​

3 Top pakistani street foods every tourist must try!

cuisines & travel  //  February, 2020

Who wouldn't love spicy food garnished with mint and parsley?

We Pakistani's have been using spices since era of subcontinent. There are almost 40 different spices that are commonly used in Pakistani cuisine. I have been a traveler since my college days in 2011. 

I enjoy long drives and love eating at 'Dhabaa's' along the way. Dhabaa's are small food spots where food is served simply and woven beds are placed for drivers to rest. We have four provinces each with unique foods, language and culture. Still there are few street foods that you will find in markets, drive ways, restaurants and bus stops. I have been to northern areas of Pakistan and these 3 street foods that I am listing down are available everywhere!
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• Pakora’s are a hi-tea must in Pakistani cuisine. Although, its originally an Indian fried dish, its enjoyed in entire Pakistan. Its vegetable mixed with dough, deep fried served with mint and green chili chutney (Sauce of mint and green chili). They are available in marketplaces, stalls on street side and enjoyed mostly with evening Chai (Tea). You can have a 1 kg  Pakoras ( at PKR 200). If you are trying it for the first time then I would recommend to buy a half plate at PKR 50 to try. ​
• Bun Kebab is a traditional Pakistani street food that is relished in all corners of country. It originated from Karachi, which is Pakistan's largest city. How should I explain what it is? Hmm, its like a Desi Burger. This typically consists of bun filled with shami kebab, onions, tomatoes, cucumber and mint sauce (raita). 

• Halwa Puri is said to have originated from indian subcontinent, mainly in Punjab. The dish consists of poori bread with chana masala, along with halwa. Halwa poori has developed into a traditional breakfast consisting of a deep fried bread (poori), served with halwa and curries mixed of chickpeas (known locally as 'choley') and potato. Traditional mango pickle and onion pickle are also served along with fresh yogurt. It would cost you for PKR 100 but may be overpriced at some places.                                                                           I hope you enjoyed reading about these most common street foods as much as I enjoyed devouring them. Even more though, I hope that this list inspires you to travel yourself to Pakistan, and discover the long list of foods and share it with us in the community section. 

       Until then, happy eating!         
       Khuda Hafiz

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ABOUT ME

Hello! 
If you love travelling and exploring unique places then you will feel right at home here. I completed my baccalaureate in Pakistan. Currently, I am half way my Masters course in University of Reading,UK. As I reminisce about the life I spent in Pakistan, I am overflowed with emotions that I cannot contain by myself. So I decided to channel the life changing experiences in this blog and equip you with loads of travel tips to Pakistan. Lets explore it together!