History
The history of the town goes back to 13th century and due to its exposed position between the mouths of the Harnai and Bolan passes it had suffered frequent assaults and sieges – including one by the British in 1841. During British rule the town became an important junction on the Sind-Peshin railway where the Harnai line and the Quetta loop line meet,
near the entrance of the Bolan Pass, 88 m southeast of Quetta. According to the 1901 census of India the population of Sibi was 4551. In 1903 the Victoria Memorial Hall was built from public funds, a piped water supply to the town was provided by military funds from the river Nari at a cost of Rs.115,000.

Transport

Sibi is on the western edge of Pakistan and is well connected with the country by a wide
network of roads, railways and airways.

Railways

Sibi Railway Station is junction railway station. The railway track was lined in 1890s during the British era to link Sibi with rest of the country. The routes are Sibi from linked with Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Multan, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Rohri, Sukkur, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Kot Adu, Gujrat, Jacobabad, Gujranwala, Khanewal, Nawabshah, Attock, Jhelum, and Nowshera.

Roads

Sibi is well connected by roads to the rest of the country. Sibi is connecting with Quetta, Karachi, Jacobabad, Sukkur and Hyderabad route.

Golden fish in the lake comes swimming right up to the edge of the lake. There is a lakeside restaurant with picnic tables shaded by pine trees. At one end, the irrigation dam rises out of the depths like battlements of a fort.

The turquoise waters of the lake provide a rich contrast to the sandy brown of the hills in the background. You can hire a boat and paddle on the lake and round the island in the middle.

Getting there is no problem, as there is a daily bus service. Private taxis can also be hired.The transport can be hired through the PTDC Tourist Information Centre, Muslim Hotel, Jinnah Road Quetta.Hanna Lake is very attractive for holidaymakers, and is crowded with hikers and campers in holidays.

Urak Valley

From the Hanna Lake is a lovely 7mile drive to another favourite picnic spot, the environs of Urak Tangi The road is lined on either side with wild roses and fruits orchards. Cherries, apricots, grapes apples and peaches of many varieties are grown in this valley.

Kachura Lakes & Shangrila Lake

Hanna lakes in winterKachura Lakes are two of the lakes in Skardu (nearly 2500 m or 8,200 feet); the Upper Kachura Lake and Lower Kachura Lake. Shangrila Lake or Lower Kachura Lake is a part of the Shangrila resort located at a drive of about 20 minutes from Skardu (nearly 2500 m or 8,200 feet) town. It is a popular tourist destination.


Shangrila was established in 1983 with the opening of the first Resort Hotel in Skardu, also known as “HEAVEN ON EARTH” because of its spectacular beauty. It encircles the heart shaped “Kachura Lake” and is surrou-nded by fruit laden orchards and flower filled gardens. Due to its natural beauty, the first impression of Shangrila is of a Fairyland.

Shangrila Resort Hotel was founded by the late Brig.(Retd) Muhammad Aslam Khan, the first commander of the Northern Scouts who liberated the Northern areas in 1948.

Shangrila was named after a book titled “LOST HORIZON” by James Hilton. In the book, the author narrates a fictious tale in which an aeroplane crash landed near a riverbed, in the early 1920′s. The surviving passengers came across some Buddhist monks from a nearby temple and sought their help. They were taken to a beautiful lamasery filled with a variety of fruits and flowers. The idyllic place was called Shangrila,a Chinese word meaning ” HEAVEN ON EARTH.


A vacation spent at Shangrila Resort is a once in a lifetime experience that one would want to relive again and again.

Namal Lake

Namal Lake is a beautiful lake located in one corner of the Namal valley in Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan. This lake was created Namal Dam was constructed in 1913. The hill torrents and rains fill the Namal Lake round the year.

Namal Lake spread over 5.5 sq km, in Namal valley. There are mountains on its western and southern sides. On the other two sides are agricultural areas.

Namal Lake is an ideal abode for the migratory birds in winter season when thousands of waterfowls, including Russian ducks and Siberian cranes, land in the lake water.

Rama Lake

Rama Lake one of the most picturesque spots, near Astore in Northern Areas, Pakistan. It is on the top of the beautiful Astore Valley, covered with oak trees and greenery.

On the way to Rama Lake, from Astore Valley, there are three small lakes called Sarot in the local Shina language.There are more than 50 small beautiful villages in Astore. Some of which are Chilm, Bubin, Gorikot, Eid Ghah, Fina, Bulen, Chongra and Pari Shing. Chilm is the most beautiful village among all the villages of Astore, because it is the starting point of Deosai, the world’s second highest plane.

Apart from being a beautiful destination, the Alpine Forest around it imparts a pleasant atmosphere. The area has many Trekkers/Hikers routes and some of them are ideal for Jeep Safaris.

PTDC newly constructed Motel at Rama Lake is a welcome addition as an important tourist resort.

Satpara Thso Lake

Satpara Thso Lakeor Sadpara Lake is the main lake in Skardu Valley which supplies water for the town of Skardu. Satpara Lake one of the largest fresh water lakes of the country

In 2002 the Government of Pakistan decided to build a dam on the Satpara Lake

It is one of the most picturesque lakes in Pakistan. By and large, the lake offers opportunity for trout fishing, boating and rowing.
PTDC?s newly built Motel and furnished is ideally located overlooking at Satpara lake. The Motel is 9 kilometers from Skardu, capital city of Baltistan and takes about 20 minutes by Jeep.

History

The Makran region surrounding Gwadar was occupied by an ancient Bronze age people which settled in the few oases. It later became the Gedrosia region of the Achaemenid Persian empire. It is believed to have been conquered by the founder of the Persian empire, Cyrus the Great. The capital of the satrapy of Gedrosia was Pura, which is thought to have been located near the modern Bampûr, in Iranian Balochistan. During the homeward march of Alexander the Great, his admiral, Nearchus, led a fleet along the modern-day Makran coast and recorded that the area was dry, mountainous, and inhabited by the Ichthyophagoi (or “fish eaters”), an Greek rendering of the ancient Persian phrase “Mahi khoran” (which has itself become the modern word “Makran”). [4] After the collapse of Alexander’s empire the area was ruled by Seleucus Nicator, one of Alexander’s generals. The region then came under “local rule” around about 303 BC.


The region remained on the sidelines of history for a millennium, until the Arab-Muslim army of Muhammad bin Qasim captured the town of Gwadar in AD 711 and over the intervening (and nearly equivalent) amount of time the area was contested by various powers, including the Mughals (from the east) and the Safavids (from the west). Portuguese explorers captured and sacked Gwadar in the late 16th Century and this was then followed by almost two centuries of local rule by the various Balochi tribes. In 1783, the Khan of Kalat granted suzeranity over Gwadar to Taimur Sultan, the defeated ruler of Muscat. [5] When the Sultan subsequently retook Muscat, he was to continue his rule in Gwadar by appointing a wali (or “governor”). This wali was then ordered to subjugate the nearby coastal town of Chah Bahar (in modern-day Iran), which … The Gwadari fort was built during Omani rule, whilst telegraph lines were later extended into the town courtesy of HRM of the British.

In 1958, the Gwadar enclave was transferred to Pakistan. It was then made part of the Balochistan province In 2002, the Gwadar Port project (of building a large, deep-sea port) was begun in the town. The government of Pakistan intends to develop the entire area in order to reduce its reliance in shipping on the port of Karachi. In addition to expanding port facilities, the Project aims to build industrial complexes in the area and to connect the town via a modern highway to the rest of Pakistan. By the end of 2004 the first phase had been completed.

Culture

Gwadar’s location and history have given it a unique blend of cultures. The Arabic influence upon Gwadar is strong as a consequence of the Omani era and the close proximity of other Arab-majority regions. The legacy of the Omani slave trade is observed in the population by the presence of residents which can trace their descent from the African slaves who were trafficked through the town (en route to destinations in the Muslim Far East. The area also has a remarkable religious diversity, being home to not only Sunni muslims, but also to groups of Christians, Hindus, Parsis, and various minor Islamic sects such as the Qadianis. Among the more important of the religious sects is the Zikri sect, a faith which approximately one-half of Gwadaris profess.

Transport

Gwadar is located on the Gulf of Oman close to the entrance of the Persian Gulf, about 460 kilometres west of Karachi. In 1993, Pakistan started feasibility studies for the development of a major deepwater seaport at Gwadar. The port project commenced on 22 March 2002 with the first phase completed in December 2005.

The construction of the port has spurred other major infrastructure projects in the area. This includes the 700 km Makran Coastal Highway which is now complete. The road links Karachi with several ports along the coast including Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar and will be extended to the Iranian border in the future. The highway has reduced travel time to Karachi from 48 hours to only 7 hours. Other road projects include the Gwadar-Quetta-Chaman road which is due for completion in 2006 and a roadlink to the town of Khuzdar in eastern Balochistan. There are also plans for a terminal for passenger ships.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan has earmarked 3000 acres (12 km²) of land for Gwadar International Airport which will be built 26 km away to the northeast of the existing airport towards Pasni and is likely to cost between $200-250 million. The new airport will be given international status and operate under the open sky policy. In the meantime there are plans to improve facilities at the existing airport.

Port Operations

Port of Singapore was scheduled to take over management of Gwadar Port by the end of January 2007. Port of Singapore was the highest bidder for the Gwadar port after DP World backed out of the bidding process. Originally, the chairman of Dubai Ports World, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who met President Pervez Musharraf on May 5th 2006, expressed a strong hope for management of facilities at the strategic Gwadar deep sea port and development of infrastructure in the southern port city and elsewhere in Pakistan. But a decision was taken not to bid, after India’s National Security Council voiced concerns about DP World’s ventures in India, alongside its plans in Pakistan, and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem assured the Indians their pull-out was well considered and India need not have any security concerns. The port is now compeed with that of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

The city is the provisional and district headquarters and is an important marketing and communications centre between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Situated at an elevation of 1676–1900 meters above sea level in north-western Pakistan, Quetta is also known as the fruit basket of Pakistan

History

Early history

It is unknown when Quetta was first inhabited, but most likely it was settled during the 6th century. The region remained part of the Sassanid Persian Empire and was later annexed by the Rashidun Caliphate during the 7th century Islamic conquest. It remained part of the Umayyad and Abassid Empires. However the first detailed mention of Quetta was in the 11th century when it was captured by Mahmud of Ghazni on one of his invasions of the subcontinent. In 1543 the Mughal emperor Humayun rested here on his retreat to Persia, leaving his one-year-old son Akbar until he returned two years later. The Mughals ruled Quetta until 1556, when the Persians took it, only to be retaken by Akbar in 1595.

During British era

In 1828 the first westerner to visit Quetta described it as a mud-walled fort surrounded by 300 mud houses. Although occupied briefly by the British during the First Afghan War in 1839, it was not until 1876 that Quetta came under permanent British control and Robert Sandeman was made political agent in Baluchistan. Since Partition the population of Quetta has increased dramatically. Because of its military base and trading activities, and the introduction of commercial fruit farming, Quetta District can now support about half a million people.

Early Settlers

Very little is known about the human settlement in the district. However, it is certain that the Afghans and Brahuis are recent immigrants. The Pashtuns appear to have entered the district from the north east, emigrating from their home round the Takht-i-Sulaman. Kasi’s (A branch of Afghan) are said to have migrated from their home around the Takht-i-Sulaman about eight centuries ago. They made their first settlement at Samli, a village near Quetta city. The Brahuis are an offshoot from the Kalat territory and their presence in the district dates back to the eighteenth century. Until 1947 Quetta was a small town. People used to call it small London. But rapid population growth in terms of rural – urban migration, and influx of Indian refugees increased the population at Quetta. Influx of Afghan refugees during the 1980s helped the slums to grow. New settlement in the form of housing schemes emerged at Satellite Town, Jinnah Town, Samungli Town, Model Town and Shahbaz Town. In Kachi Abadies, slums also begun to develop. The process of settlement continues. Now Quetta has turned into an over-populated city.

Earthquake (1935)

Quetta, before the devastating earthquake of 7.1 magnitude on 31 May 1935, was a bright and bustling city with multi-storey buildings. Those couple minutes of the earthquake seemed like hours to the people of Quetta. It was almost completely destroyed in this earthquake and was virtually razed to the ground in the small hours of the morning of that fateful day, when about 40,000 people perished. Today, houses are generally single storey and quake proof, built with bricks and reinforced concrete. The structure is generally of lighter material. Incidentally, the bricks of Quetta have a yellowish tinge unlike the red variety of Sindh and the Punjab.

Geography and climate

Quetta city is comprised of a valley and is a natural fort, surrounded as it is by imposing hills on all sides. The encircling hills have the resounding names of Chiltan, Takatoo, Murdar and Zarghun. surrounded by three different mountain ranges. It is north west of Karachi and south west of Islamabad.

Quetta has minimum winter temperatures ranging well below freezing point and as low as -18˚C, while maximum winter temperatures seldom crosses 25˚C. Snowfall was a common feature in months of December – February till early nineties but after that snowfall has become rare in winters due to drought that was severe during 1999–2001. Summer maximum and minimum temperature hover around 42˚C and 12˚C (53˚F) respectively. Unlike to the rest of the country, Quetta does not have a fertile rainy season during monsoon time. In general Quetta has a dry climate. It receives rainfall during the winter season from December – March. Bibi Nani is nearby.

Demography

According to the 1998 census Quetta was the ninth biggest city of Pakistan with a population of 565,137 ( however according to non-governmental census the population of Quetta along with Afghan immigrants is over 1,500,000). The city in general is dominated by a Pashtun majority, a Balochi and Hazara minority with an eclectic smattering of smaller groups. However the city is also a home to millions of Afghan immigrants. The Pushto, Balochi, Persian (Hazaragi dialect), Brahui, Sindhi, Punjabi and Urdu languages are spoken in large parts of Quetta, giving the city a very multicultural feel.

Quetta was the outskirts of Kandahar until it was captured by the British in Second Afghan war. Most of the Balochis settled in Quetta after 1970 when a new province by the name of Balochistan was created after One Unit system was abolished in Pakistan. Quetta was made the capital city of Balochistan.

Culture

Beside millions of Afghan immigrants, the local inhabitants are mainly Pashtuns. Others include Baloch, Brahuis, Hazaras and large number of populations of Punjabis,Hindko, Mohajirs and Sindhis. During the summer season main bazaars are full of people from all over Pakistan. The merchants are mainly Pushtun people. Quetta is a multi-Cultural city. The Hazaras mostly live in Mari- Abad, and out skirt of Quetta called hazara town(Brouri). Most Hazaras have migrated from Afghanistan in 1980′s and 1990′s during the time of instability. It is one of the hot spots of Hazara migrants especially from Hazaras of Ghazni. Quetta tribesmen are known for their friendliness and hospitality. Making visitors comfortable is an integral part of their local traditions. The tribes include Kakar Bazai, Ghilzai Tareen, Mandokhel, Sherani, Looni, Kasi and Achakzai. The main bazaar on Jinnah Road is full of Pashtun traders, many of them wearing turbans. Hazara traders sitting in their shops, Baloch hawkers with red embroidered caps, and full-skirted nomad women carrying bundles of imported cloth for sale. During the summer season main bazaars are full of people from all over Pakistan. Quetta is a multi-Cultural city.

Sports

Quetta has many higher education institutions. The prestigious military Command and Staff College, which was founded by the British, recently celebrated its hundredth anniversary. University of Balochistan was established in 1974. The Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences is also located in Quetta.

Balochistan Institute of Technology
DAR-E-ARQAM School Of Islam & Modern Sciences
Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences
Command and Staff College
Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University
University of Balochistan
Model Public School & college
Tameer-i-Nau public college
Government College of Technology Balochistan
Army public school and college

Transport

Quetta is on the western edge of Pakistan and is well connected with the country by a wide network of roads, railways and airways.

Air Transport

At an altitude of 1605 meters above sea level, Quetta Airport is the fourth highest airport of Pakistan. Pakistan International Airlines, Shaheen Air International and Airblue all have regular flights between Quetta and other major cities of Pakistan including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar. Pakistan International Airlines has a direct flight between Dubai and Quetta

Road and Railways

Quetta railway station is one of the highest railway station of Pakistan, at the height of 1676 meter above sea level. The railway track was lined in 1890s during the British era to link Quetta with rest of the country. The extensive network of Pakistan Railways connects Quetta to Karachi in south, by a 863 km (536 miles) track, Lahore in northeast (1,170 km or 727 miles) and Peshawar further northeast (1587 km or 986 miles). A metalled road is also present along the railroad that connects Quetta to Karachi via Sibi, Jacobabad and Rohri. A track from the Irani city of Zahedan links to Quetta via Taftan, but the train service were temporarily disabled in 2006 due to unrest in Balochistan.
Quetta Railway StationRecently the new project has been proposed for constructing a railway track that will link Gawadar to China, this will also link Gawadar with Quetta via Kalat. Even though the linear distance from Quetta to Lahore is merely 700 km, there is no direct railroad track on this route because of the Sulaiman Range that lies in the east of Quetta. So all northeast-bound trains for Punjab or NWFP must go 350+ km south up to Rohri, Sindh (near Sukkur) first, before continuing north to Punjab and/or NWFP.

Tourist Attractions

Quetta is a major tourist attraction for tourists from abroad. It is advertised as a thrilling location, full of adventure and enjoyment. Some prominent bazaars of Quetta are located on the roads Shahrah-e-Iqbal (the Kandahari Bazaar) and Shahrah-e-Liaquat (the Liaquat and Suraj Gang Bazaar, Alamdar road (little Tokyo). Here, tourists can find colourful handicrafts, particularly Balochi mirror work and Pashtun embroidery which is admired all over the world. The Pashtun workers are prominently expert in making fine Afghan carpets, with their pleasing and intricate designs, fur coats, jackets, waist-coats, sandals and other creations of traditional Pashtun skills. local handicrafts, specially green marble products, mirror work and embroidered jackets, shirts, and hand bags, pillow covers, bed sheets, dry fruits, etc. Balochi carpets are made by the nomadic tribes of this area. They are generally not nearly as fine or expensive as the Persian city products, or even the Turkoman tribal rugs from further North, but they are generally better than Afghan carpets and more authentic than the bad copies of Turkoman and Persian designs that the cites of Pakistan produce. They definitely have a charm of their own. They range from relatively crude rugs that can, with some bargaining, be had at very reasonable prices to quite fine and valuable pieces. Many are small enough to be fairly portable. For those interested in local cuisine, there are many sumptuous dishes to feast upon. The “Sajji” (leg of lamb), Hazaragi Aash, Mantho is said to be very good by locals. The Pathan tribesmen of the valley also enjoy “Landhi” (whole lamb), and Khadi Kebab. “Landhi” is a whole lamb which is dried in shade and kept for the winters. “Kebab” shops are very popular, the best being Lal Kabab, Tabaq, Cafe Farah and Cafe Baldia. They serve Pakistani and Continental food, while Cafe China specializes in Chinese cuisine. Some of the finest mutton in the country is raised around Quetta. It has a delicious smell which can be sampled in the “Pulao” that most of the eating houses offer. Small and clean hotels in Alamdar road provide real comfort for tourists in peaceful environments.

The province is the largest in Iran, with an area of 181,600 km² and a population of 4.1 million. The counties of the province are Iran Shahr, Chabahar, Khash, Zabol, Zahedan, Saravan, and Nik Shahr.

The region is also home to Iran’s Balochi Sunni minority.

Geography and culture

The province comprises two sections, Sistan in the north and Baluchestan in the south. The combined Sistan & Baluchestan province today accounts for one of the driest regions of Iran with a slight increase in rainfall from east to west, and an obvious rise in humidity in the coastal regions. The province is subject to seasonal winds from different directions, the most important of which are, the 120-day wind of Sistan known as Levar, the Qousse wind, the seventh (Gav-kosh) wind, the Nambi or south wind, the Hooshak wind, the humid and seasonal winds of the Indian Ocean, the North or (Gurich) wind and the western (Gard) wind.
Gahl’eh Naseri, Iranshahr.In the south and west of Sistān and Balūchestān, the people are mostly Balōchi and speak the Baluchi language. The name Balūchestān means “Land of the Balōchi” in Persian language. Similarly, the Persian language name Sistān comes from the Old Persian Sakastāna, meaning “Land of the Sakas”.

The inhabitants of the province of Sistan Va Baluchestan continue to embrace their own norms and traditions, and the region has the potential to become one of the sight-seeing areas of Iran. The two most important tribes of the province are the Brahui and Baluch tribes. Their means of livelihood, life-style, mode of dwelling, customs, traditions, and tribal paths all form a cultural background worth seeing.

Many scholars, orators, and literary personalities have sprung up from this part of Iran, amongst which are the reputed Farrokhi Sistani, Ya’qub bin Laith as-Saffar and Rostam. Ayatollah Sistani is also from Sistān; though he currently resides in Najaf, Iraq.

History

In the epigraphs of Bistoon and Persepolis, Sistan is mentioned as one of the eastern territories of Darius the Great. The name Sistan, as mentioned above, is derived from Saka (also sometimes Saga, or Sagastan), one of the Aryan tribes that had taken control over this area in the year 128 BCE. During the Arsacid Dynasty (248 BC to 224 CE), the province became the seat of Suren-Pahlav Clan. From the Sassanid period till the early Islamic period, Sistan flourished considerably.

During the reign of Ardashir I of Persia, Sistan came under the jurisdiction of the Sassanids, and in 644CE, the Arab Muslims gained control as the Persian empire was in its final moments of collapsing.

The famous Persian hero Ya’qub bin Laith as-Saffar, whose descendants dominated this area for many centuries, later became governor of this province. Dynasties such as the Saffarids, Samanids, Qaznavids, and Seljuqids, all ruled over this territory for periods as well. But the region witnessed particularly heavy damage during the Mongol assault.

In 1508 CE, Shah Ismail I of the Safavid dynasty conquered Sistan, and during the reign of Nadir Shah due to internal discrepancies, the region underwent turmoil onmce more.

The ancient name of Baluchestan was Moka and through the passage of time it changed to Mokran / Makran, which is now the southern sector of Baluchestan. This territory came to be known as Baluchestan from the time that the Baluch tribes settled here. According to the relics discovered in the hillocks of Baluchestan, the history of this region dates back to the 3000 BCE.

During the reign of the second caliph of Islam, this territory was conquered by the Arabs and an Arab commander was assigned as governor. In 916 CE, Baluchestan was liberated by the Daylamids and thereafter the Seljuqids, when it became a part of Kerman.

Hanna Lake a delightful picnic spot near Quetta city in Pakistan and is one of the main attractions in the city. The lake is located a little short of the place where the Urak Valley begins and 10 km from Quetta. The greenish-blue waters of the lake provide a rich contrast to the sandy brown of the hills in the background.

Golden fish in the lake comes swimming right up to the edge of the lake. There is a lakeside restaurant with picnic tables shaded by pine trees. At one end, the irrigation dam rises out of the depths like battlements of a fort.

The turquoise waters of the lake provide a rich contrast to the sandy brown of the hills in the background. You can hire a boat and paddle on the lake and round the island in the middle.

Getting there is no problem, as there is a daily bus service. Private taxis can also be hired.The transport can be hired through the PTDC Tourist Information Centre, Muslim Hotel, Jinnah Road Quetta.Hanna Lake is very attractive for holidaymakers, and is crowded with hikers and campers in holidays.

Urak Valley

From the Hanna Lake is a lovely 7mile drive to another favourite picnic spot, the environs of Urak Tangi The road is lined on either side with wild roses and fruits orchards. Cherries, apricots, grapes apples and peaches of many varieties are grown in this valley.

Kachura Lakes & Shangrila Lake

Kachura Lakes are two of the lakes in Skardu (nearly 2500 m or 8,200 feet); the Upper Kachura Lake and Lower Kachura Lake. Shangrila Lake or Lower Kachura Lake is a part of the Shangrila resort located at a drive of about 20 minutes from Skardu (nearly 2500 m or 8,200 feet) town. It is a popular tourist destination.

Shangrila was established in 1983 with the opening of the first Resort Hotel in Skardu, also known as “HEAVEN ON EARTH” because of its spectacular beauty. It encircles the heart shaped “Kachura Lake” and is surrou-nded by fruit laden orchards and flower filled gardens. Due to its natural beauty, the first impression of Shangrila is of a Fairyland.

Shangrila Resort Hotel was founded by the late Brig.(Retd) Muhammad Aslam Khan, the first commander of the Northern Scouts who liberated the Northern areas in 1948.

Shangrila was named after a book titled “LOST HORIZON” by James Hilton. In the book, the author narrates a fictious tale in which an aeroplane crash landed near a riverbed, in the early 1920′s. The surviving passengers came across some Buddhist monks from a nearby temple and sought their help. They were taken to a beautiful lamasery filled with a variety of fruits and flowers. The idyllic place was called Shangrila,a Chinese word meaning ” HEAVEN ON EARTH.

A vacation spent at Shangrila Resort is a once in a lifetime experience that one would want to relive again and again.

Namal Lake

Namal Lake is a beautiful lake located in one corner of the Namal valley in Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan. This lake was created Namal Dam was constructed in 1913. The hill torrents and rains fill the Namal Lake round the year.

Namal Lake spread over 5.5 sq km, in Namal valley. There are mountains on its western and southern sides. On the other two sides are agricultural areas.

Namal Lake is an ideal abode for the migratory birds in winter season when thousands of waterfowls, including Russian ducks and Siberian cranes, land in the lake water.

Rama Lake

Rama Lake one of the most picturesque spots, near Astore in Northern Areas, Pakistan. It is on the top of the beautiful Astore Valley, covered with oak trees and greenery.

On the way to Rama Lake, from Astore Valley, there are three small lakes called Sarot in the local Shina language.There are more than 50 small beautiful villages in Astore. Some of which are Chilm, Bubin, Gorikot, Eid Ghah, Fina, Bulen, Chongra and Pari Shing. Chilm is the most beautiful village among all the villages of Astore, because it is the starting point of Deosai, the world’s second highest plane.

Apart from being a beautiful destination, the Alpine Forest around it imparts a pleasant atmosphere. The area has many Trekkers/Hikers routes and some of them are ideal for Jeep Safaris.

PTDC newly constructed Motel at Rama Lake is a welcome addition as an important tourist resort.

Satpara Thso Lake

Satpara Thso Lakeor Sadpara Lake is the main lake in Skardu Valley which supplies water for the town of Skardu. Satpara Lake one of the largest fresh water lakes of the country

In 2002 the Government of Pakistan decided to build a dam on the Satpara Lake

It is one of the most picturesque lakes in Pakistan. By and large, the lake offers opportunity for trout fishing, boating and rowing.

PTDC?s newly built Motel and furnished is ideally located overlooking at Satpara lake. The Motel is 9 kilometers from Skardu, capital city of Baltistan and takes about 20 minutes by Jeep.