Daily Times

It is quite a befitting escape to travel towards Pakistan’s northern areas when summers befall harder in lower parts of the country. For many who need travel as a necessary spiritual rejuvenation, a footloose rendition further becomes hard to escape. Tranquil northern destinations hence remain magnetising a bulge of travelers not only from all parts of the Pakistan but from other countries too. People irrespective of their gender and age are seen taking up long and tough travels in recent years. It could be fairly established that enhanced travel and lodging services have had encouraged more travelers from within the country and that are increasing in a higher proportion every summer too. This is obviously a positive omen for a large nation like us to see tourism economy growing.

It is also exciting to witness people hooking up to a fast popularising sport instead of them having resided in some unhealthy escapes. However, travel to places that include trekking and hiking need more than emulating imaginary gain of tranquility out there by procuring [outsourced] travel and lodging services only.

Tranquil northern destinations of Pakistan continue to attract travelers not only from all parts of the country but from other countries as well. People irrespective of their gender and age have been seen taking up long and tough travels in recent years

While returning from a brief trip to Fairy Meadows last week, it became an ostensible disposition amongst us small group of friends that most of the people who were taking up this much sought-after yatra were hardly aware of their hard waged destination, the terrain and its most likely circumstantial needs, let alone the orientation of the terrain. Most of the visitors looked banking upon their financial affordability alone and hence taking non-calculated risks in a bid to overstate their courage. People that we came across during the trip were mostly blank in perceiving what may come next. Most of the people during the trekking that is required to access Fairy Meadows were found absolutely unaware of the hardships that are integral to reach there. It was further disturbing to see that people who hardly had a minimum physical fitness level required to undertake the sizable hike were not only themselves among the aspirant tourists but also carrying infants, toddlers and kids. Chaos, physical suffering and emotional disruption hence remained prevalent amongst people instead of spiritual rumination that they would have wished for.

It shouldn’t be inferred from this prelude that hard pressing word of caution equates discouraging. On the contrary, all this implies however a more serious attention that the business of touring mountains desires. This calls for a choice between two sides of a thin line that separates courage from incalculable risking. Attention to a few details will not revoke you from taking up the spree but will make it more memorable.

Most of the people who were on their maiden trips were absolutely blank about the terrain, let alone the place where they were going to be based on. People would shock us on the way by questioning in exhaustion that would the terrain be remaining such bumpy all the way or was it going to be any flatter ahead … and that too while losing breath just during the prelude hiking steps. To those who have any ambitions of taking up a de tour to Fairy Meadows should know that the place where you would be finally based on is Nanga Parbat’s foothill. One could reach Fairy Meadows from Islamabad in two days including various legs of tough and long journey. First day that spans over 15 hours long road drive will take you to Raikot Bridge while crossing Abbottabad, Mansehra, Balakot, Naran, Babu-sar pass and finally Chilas. This is indeed a physically and mentally testing journey full of traffic jams, road inundation, hilly zig-zag patches and likely land slide road blockages. Be ready for all these on fullest show if you plan to take up this travel in summer following rainy months. Alternatively, a flight to Gilgit and then approaching Raikot Bridge from there could help you significantly reduce the road travel. In case of road travel all the way, it is highly recommended to have an overnight stay at Chilas or Raikot, which will help you catch up lost energies. From Raikot Bridge, it is acutely ridge-sided jeep track in three exasperating patches that would require you to not only demonstrate a strong liver but also physical resilience. The jeeps that would require you to shift thrice during consecutive narrow track rallies will eventually take you to Tatto village from where the trekking begins.

The trekking that is full of varying experiences will last on average four hours. You should expect narrow sandy tracks full of animal dunk that not only stink but also pose serious hazard in case of casual injury if inflicted. These animals are used for transporting people who couldn’t hike and the luggage that people bring unnecessarily or necessarily in plenty. This part of the problem is not only ugliest but also avoidable. If we could carry ourselves and only essentially limited luggage to reach to Fairy Meadows, we could surely minimize the animal traffic in turn help us avoid both the hazard and stink. Otherwise, we will have to continue experiencing this unless access to Fairy Meadows becomes too stinky to attract tourists and that wouldn’t be later than sooner.

The hike, otherwise, invokes a serene semblance full of varying views of splashing streams whilst crossing through to the Juniper forests. The track is mostly gradual until it eventually assails up the ridge to take you to the camping destination. Having a rainy spell during our hike, we realized that it is crucially important to select a weather that should be out of monsoon spell for two main reasons. One that the monsoon weather keeps on dragging heavy clouds that let veiling the serenity of magnificent mountain peaks especially the Nanga Parbat most of the times with greater chances of having a naked sight. Secondly, a 10 minutes rain spell in that terrain could pose serious health and life threats to you that could be unaffordable but yet avoidable. Rain coat hence is a must to carry item that we observed that many people didn’t consider and thus suffered immensely.

The writer is a citizen’s voice

Published in Daily Times, May 12^th 2018.