Northern parts of K-P see winter tourism boom

Domestic tourists throng Nathiagali, Dongagali, Ayubia, Bagnotar and Thandyani

NATHIAGALI:

Winter tourism is flourishing in upper areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), where the scenic Galiyat, Kaghan, Kalam and Malam Jabba attract tourists, adventure sports and snowfall lovers in droves.

Nathiagali, a scenic hilly station of Galiyat, has witnessed an influx of tourists, snowfall and trout fish lovers over the weekend as they arrived from all over Pakistan, especially from Punjab and K-P.

Following the Met Office's snowfall forecast for the weekend, the domestic tourists along with families thronged to Nathiagali, Dongagali, Ayubia, Bagnotar and Thandyani, where they enjoyed light to moderate snowfall with erratic rainfalls over the snow-clad mountains.

The snow-topped mountain peaks of Mukshpuri and Miranjani near Nathiagali are one of the main attractions for tourists and snowfall enthusiasts.

Ayubia-Nathiagali, Donga Gali-Ayubia and Mukshpuri Top are the most frequented sites where local guides and horse riders are seen moving around to make a quick buck.

“Nathiagali is my favourite winter hill station due to its diverse features, easy accessibility, pollution-free cool weather and trout fish amid snowfall,” said Zeeshan Khan, a tourist from the Nowshera district while talking to APP on Sunday. “No hill station carries more natural and mountainous beauty in the world than Nathiagali.”

Narrating his previous experience, he added, "Three years ago, when I came to Galiyat for snowfall, I used car tyre chains for travelling. This time, my journey was comfortable due to effective snow clearance operations by the Galiyat Development Authority and district administration.”

He maintained that high charges by private hotels could negatively impact the total intake of tourists at the scenic sites of Nathiagali, Ayubia, Dongali, Harnoi, Bagnotar and Thandiani.

However, one can hope for a solution for the accommodation problem following the government’s decision to construct a state-of-the-art five-star hotel at Nathiagali with an estimated cost of $25 million.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2022.