Hill stations continue to enchant tourists

Visitors make most of long weekend by enjoying last of snow season before ice melts away

KAGHAN:

Amid laughter, excitement and softly falling snow, 10-year-old Anaya Bibi could hardly contain her joy as she experienced snowfall in the picturesque Kaghan Valley for the first time — a dream she had carried since childhood.

A grade five student of a private school in Peshawar, Anaya arrived in picturesque Kaghan with her grandfather just as snowfall, which began early Thursday morning, blanketed the valley in shimmering white. Dressed in a black overcoat, woollen cap and holding an umbrella in her right hand, Anaya stood mesmerised by the scene unfolding before her against the snow-covered Malika Parbat hills.

The magic of the moment was made complete when she grabbed a freshly grilled trout fish and enjoyed warm winter treat at Kaghan Bazaar amid the cold breeze emanating from Malika Parbat mountains covered by snow.

"Watching snowfall in Kaghan Valley was my childhood dream, and today my Baba Jan made it come true," Anaya said with a broad smile, adjusting her black spectacles as snowflakes landed softly around her. She said that snowfall in Kaghan was heavier than other tourist destinations of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that grilled trout fish and chappli kabab "warm hearts as well as bodies" in such a mesmerising weather.

Kaghan's charm extends far beyond its breathtaking scenery. During winter, the valley transforms into a haven for food lovers, where sizzling chappli kababs and golden-fried trout become an inseparable part of the snowfall experience. On Thursday, eateries across Mansehra district especially in Naran and Kaghan were bustling with tourists following rainy weather forecasts issued by the Met Office.

As rain and snow sprinkled over Kaghan, Naran and the famed Saiful Malook Lake, the aroma of spices and frying fish filled the crisp mountain air in these breathtaking regions of Pakistan. "After Kaghan, we plan to visit Saiful Malook Lake once the weather improves," Anaya said, adding that Pakistan's beautiful northern areas should be showcased on digital media to promote adventure tourism and attract foreign investment.

Like Anaya, tourists and locals wandered through busy marketplaces, drawn toward food stalls proudly serving the River Kunhar's freshest catch. Trout especially the prized rainbow and brown varieties has become the cornerstone of winter cuisine in these valleys. Alongside local species such as Mushka, Raho, Simon, Pomfret, Mahseer and even lobsters, trout plays a vital role in both local culture and the economy.

"During winter, we receive a steady supply of trout from private fish farms across Kaghan and Naran valleys to meet the rising demand," said Sajid Ali, a veteran fish vendor with over 15 years of experience in Mansehra. "For many visitors, the taste of trout is deeply tied to their memories."