Filmy Joyo: Karachi to Kashmir

Achar Pakoras at Haripur

At times you plan. You plan for days for a perfect vacation. But despite of all the preparation the trip turns out to be super boring. The trip that you enjoy the most is spontaneous. It’s when you have a strong lust to travel unknown places. It’s exciting when you have like minded people in your group, it’s more fun when you change plans right there and then.

After a couple of hectic months randomly me and my friends decided to go on a trip. We booked tickets to Islamabad and decided to go further up north by first taking a car then an open jeep. Instead of taking the shorter route we opt for the longer one.

View from the top. Mansehra

Crossing Taxila, Haripur, Abbotabad, Mansehra and finally stopping at Balakot we set out in the jeep for Kashmir.

Majestic views greeted our eyes as soon as we entered Azad Kashmir. Entire Neelum Valley is lush scenery with gigantic mountains, narrow road, and crystal clear blue Neelum River. Temperature started to drop as we climbed further up north and the road got much trickier. Our first stop was Kutton and then night stay over at Athmuqam.

Neelam River

I would let the pictures do justice to the beauty of that place.

Sharda Azad Kashmir

Attmuqam, Azad Kashmir

We found these herds of goats literally EVERY WHERE there.

Night view from my hotel in Azad Kashmir

The only thing that I was not able to capture with my camera was the time of night when I could see millions of stars strewn across the sky. That was magical. Absolutely breathe taking.

Going back to Muzaffarabad

Next Day we went further up north till Sharda and enjoyed near the river. I dipped my feet in freezing cold water of Neelum River.

It was time to go back south and our first stop was at Muzaffarabad. We booked a hotel there and it turned out to be pretty decent. Had food at a restaurant and chai at a local dhabba. In morning saw the famous bridge on Jehlum River. From Muzaffarabad we ditched our open jeep and hired a Suzuki APV.

Waterfall at Khohala

Going to Murree we stopped over at Khohala. We got off near a waterfall and tea there.

Patriyata, Murree

Our first destination in Murree was Patriyata. We took chair lifts and then cable car rides and later at night went to the hotel. Had dinner and cold coffee at Mall Road. Shopping at Mall Road is really good if you want to buy shawls and sweaters.

Next day at Murree we went to Kashmir Road, climbed hills there and took the mock train ride.

Our next stop was in Islamabad where we covered Heritage Museum, Shakar Parriyan, Damn-e-Koh and Monal Resturant. We also checked out Burnout restaurant. In morning we had yummy desi brunch at Peshawar Morr.

All in all the trip was long hours in the jeep, great food and brilliant conversations.