Mansehra Things to Do

Dist. Mansehra is a wonderful area natural beauity wise, Mansehra city is very small but have extra ordinary surroundings. This is situated in between the High Mountains. All of you might have heard about Naran, Kaghan, Lala Zar, Shogran, Balakot etc, but there are also other places which deserves visit. Kund Bangla, Darband, Siri, Siran Valley, Pakhal Valley, Konsh valley. All these areas are also very good to visit.
SHOGRAN:
When going to Shogran, don't forget to go Batrasi, which is just in way of it. Enjoy the naturally cut pines over the mountains, next to it there is Ghari Habib-ullah, which is also a great place to see.
KAGHAN:
We just cross by Kaghan and see nothing, next time when you plan to visit Naran, just give Kaghan Town, two days, get a hotel and ask the locals to let you tell about the Lakes there in Kaghan, as these lakes are nameless and are off road, you will have to walk for almost 6 hours to go and come back. Don't worry, just put a few packs of cigrates in your pocket and start moving along with few friends. Move up and up with the chains of cigrates, and you will enjoy that.

Don;t miss to eat TROUT FISH. Its the most famous dist of Naran and Dist. Mansehra.

I will very soon add more information and pictures here, so that you can come here and don't miss out the spots.
If you are willing to contact me for more information then please let me know at info@apnamansehra.com and I will be there to help you throughout.

The natural scenery and climate of Mansehra has a great attraction for the tourists. Low and bare hills that fringe the level tracts have attraction of their own, panoramic view of widespread plain and invigorating fresh air in all seasons and the higher hills with pine covered slopes, the snow capped peaks of Kaghan, Bhogarmang, Konsh, Allai and the regions beyond the mountains are torrents and water-falls. The peaceful lakes of Kaghan, the villages perched on almost inaccessible heights and the green valleys are appealing to the lovers of beauty.
These lovers of beauty rejoice when they walk on mountain crests and see the mists sweeping up. They can listen to the roars of water from behind the great grey curtain, and look at the torrent at their feet tumbling over the rocks down gully and glen. The stillness of the dawn, of noon and of evening as well as the winds pure and austere are really most enchanting for the lovers of beauty

There are a number of important and historical places in Mansehra. Kaghan is famous for its pleasant climate in summer when tourists come to watch its beautiful views. Then comes Balakot which has a great significance in the history of Hazara with special reference of Syed Ahmed Shaheed’s movement. The other well-known villages and towns are Mansehra, Baffa, Shinkiari, Dhodial, Battal, Bhogarmang, Phulra (chief village of the former Phulra state), Oghi, Shergarh (the summer headquarters of the former Nawab of Amb), Darband (former centre of Amb state), Gulibagh (capital of former Pakhli Sarkar), Ichrian, Ghari, Habibullah, Jabori, Chutter, Dadar, Khaki and Kaladhaka.

Mansehra district sprawling over an area of 4579 sq. km. had been traditionally the home of variety and plenty from faunistic point of view. The expansion in agricultural activities has affected the natural habitats of the area.
The fresh water fauna is directly or indirectly dependent on the local rainfall, natural springs, and mostly the Kunhar and Siran rivers. The Kunhar river abounds in trout fish, a hot favourite for amateur fishing zeal. A trout fish hatchery has been established at Shinu (Kaghan) to supplement the fish numbers. China corp. gold fish, mullah, chukar and eel are found in the Siran. For the former two a hatchery has been established in Ichrian while the latter are commonly found in the rivers and nallahs. Reptiles like the lizards and snakes are the master creepers and runners among the terrestrial fauna. In avian fauna are included several species of herons, teals, doves, cuckoos, bee eaters, wood peckers, larks, shrikes, bulbuls, finches and wagtails are widely dispersed in gardens, cultivated fields, streams and hill slopes. Swallows, parrots, mainas, pigeon, sparrows, hoopoe, kingfishers and crows are also found, while western horned tragopan, imperial monal pheasant, and kokla pheasant are found only in hilly areas, whereas black and grey partridges as well as quails are also common. The birds of prey are shikra, sparrow hawk, owl and several species of vulture.Mansehra still has varied mammalian fauna.The rhesus monkeys and the common lungur are dwelling in large numbers. Among the carnivores, lion and cheetah became extinct while the snow leopard and leopard are endangered species. The snow leopard moves up and down the mountains with its favourite prey like markhor. The other animals found in Mansehra are wolf, red fox, black and brown bears, jackal, leopard, leopard cat, Himalayan lynx, mongoose, musk deer, grey goral and ibex. The pet animals are camel, buffalo, cow, horse, donkey, sheep and goat.

The flora of Mansehra is a very interesting study. Due to the diversity of local topography and climate, particularly of rainfall, the flora varies from place to place. Tree species are well represented by the deciduous and evergreen types. The commonest broad leaved trees are walnut, asanthus, traikun, eucalyptus, acacia, chestnut, birth-cherry, yew, barmi, peshor, wild olive, ash, plane tree, alder, Persian lilac, elm, mulberry, and many species of willow and poplar Birch and occasionally juniper are found in the higher parts. Among the conifers there are pine, deodar, blue pine spruce and silver fir. The best known forests of pine in Mansehra, are the forest of Batrasi, Jaba, Dadar and Paraziarat. Deodar and blue pine grow in stony slopes like fir and spruce.The general vegetation is of the shrub type which includes the shrubs or medium size trees. The common shrubs and herbs of the area are sanatha, grund, phulah, wild indigo, valerian, peony, sorrel, timar, phitni, hawthorn, oleaster, wayfaring, barberry, bamble, kamila and others. In the upper area as the snow melts by the approach of the spring followed by summer, the whole area gives the appearance of a vast flower bed, dominated by the number of annual and perennial herbs.
Apple, apricot, plum, fig, pear, wild pear, mango, orange, damson, litchi, and persimmon are worth mentioning fruit trees of the area. Sunflower, rose, jasmine, jasmine-zambak, narcissus, tulip, lily, dog violet, brush flax, iris and must-rose are included in the flora of Mansehra.

There are three beautiful lakes in Mansehra district. These are encircled by snow clad peaks of the mountain range in the Kaghan valley. The names of these lakes are Lulusar, Dudupatsar and Saiful Maluk Sar. The former two lie near Babusar top while the latter one near Naran. The word “sar” is used with the name of each lake meaning lake. In the summer when the water of these lake reflects like a mirror a large number of visitors from different areas of the country come to watch the enchanting views of these lakes. With Saiful Maluk Sar a legend of mythical fairy Badri Jamal and Prince Saiful Maluk is associated while Lulu Sar is the reminiscent of those 55 participants of 1857 war of independence who had been arrested near Lulu Sar.

Siran and Kunhar (Nain Sukh?) are well known rivers of the district. The Siran issues from Panjool and flows through the western plain of Pakhli. Two canals have been taken out from the Siran river, the upper Siran canal at Dharial and lower Siran canal at Shinkiari. From Pakhli the Siran runs into the Tanawal hills and joins the Indus at Tarbela in the north west. Its total course is between 70 to 80 miles, and it irrigates 6,273 acres of land.

The Kunhar bursts out from the lake Lulusar at the head of Kaghan valley and after a turbulent courses of 110 miles falls in the river Jehlum at Pattan. Since the land upon its bank is little level therefore, its water is not used for irrigation purposes. Some other notable bourn and nullahs which flow in district Mansehra are Pootkattha (Mansehra), Nadi Unhar (Shergarh), Butkus (joins the Siran near Icharian) and Ichar.

The mountain ranges which enter Mansehra district from Kashmir are the offshoots of the great Himalayan system. In Kaghan valley the mountain system is the highest of the area including the Babusar top. This range flanks the right bank of the Kunhar, contains a peak (Malika-e-Parbat) of over 17,000 feet (19), the highest in the district. On the mountains the grasslands are also found where Gujars and other nomads migrate during summer for grazing their sheep, goats and other animals. On the northern side there are mountains which are the extension of the same mountain system as that of Kaghan mountains. This range diverges from the eastern side at Musa-ka-Musalla a peak (13,378 feet) (20), which skirt the northern end of the Bhogarmang and Konsh valleys, and sends down a spur to divide the two. Here also, like Kaghan, thick forests are found especially on the higher slopes. Due to extensive exploitation only in unapproachable areas the thick forests are found.