With the peak of summer in Pakistan, the arrival of domestic and foreign people continues to the tourist places of the country.
Due to severe and prolonged heat, most people go to the upper and northern regions for sightseeing. From Swat, Kaghan, Naran to Gilgit-Baltistan, the beautiful valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan are among the favorite places for tourists to visit and stay.
But sometimes your trip can turn into a hassle contrary to expectations and one of the reasons for this can be due to lack of proper planning.
According to the NDMA, heavy rains and landslides in the upper parts of the country could cause roadblocks and pose risks to commuters.
You can make your trip memorable by planning a few things before you get into trouble. We have tried to find out what you need to keep in mind before starting your journey.
Beware of inexperienced tour operators
Mehwish Fakhar is a journalist. This time he went to Skardu to spend Eid holidays. For this he took the services of a private tour company that takes tourists on a package.
According to Mehwish, the company has shown very unprofessional behavior contrary to its claims.
Mehwish was traveling alone without family in this group. She was assured by the company that as a female passenger, she would not suffer any kind of inconvenience, but according to Mehwish, she reneged on the promise.
She says that ‘I also felt insecure throughout this journey and I was restless.’
According to Mehwish’s experience, even the staff of the travel tour company did not take notice of the complaints and the trip to the beautiful areas was made crisp by the misbehavior of the tour company. “Not only in the beginning, but also while allotting the rooms, there was disorder. In the reviews of the travel company on my return, I wrote about my reservations that the trip with them was a disaster for me.
Samiullah, who has been taking tourists to the charming places of Pakistan for the past 12 years, says that ‘during the Eid days, we have seen that many fake or fake travel agencies take groups due to which people face problems.’
“People book tours with them without getting information, and without checking whether the company is registered or not, and then they face problems.” The most important thing in traveling is to get complete information first and then start the journey.
Make advance hotel bookings and get help from locals for directions
Samiullah says that generally, as soon as the heat is high in the plains and central regions, people flee to the north and the rush increases. People make the mistake of ‘going without complete knowledge of the area and getting stuck’.
He said that in recent days, it was seen that after Eid, the rush towards Naran increased and people got stuck on the roads. After Eid, people went to Naran and those who left immediately did not find hotels and thus many people had to spend the night on the road and return.
“First arrange your hotel so you don’t have to spend the night on the road.”
Citing the example of Naran, he says that sometimes fuel is not available there, which causes problems.
Google Maps works on main roads, but in valleys it can tell you to go the wrong way. So the help of local people has to be taken.
If you are not familiar with this location, go ahead by asking.
Do not leave home without checking the weather forecast
As you pass through the southern and central parts of the country and enter the highlands, the change in weather is pleasant. But if you don’t have enough information, this weather can turn your fun into a hassle.
First check the weather and if possible ask the locals about the situation.
“Wherever you go on a trip, at least check the weather of the area because the biggest thing that affects tourism is the rains,” says Samiullah.
Landslides occur after rains due to which the road remains closed for two to three days. If the same situation happens in Skardu, it may remain closed for six to seven days.
Samiullah recalls that we were in Gilgit with a Malaysian group and we were supposed to go to Skardu the next morning when it rained in the night and that road was closed for seven days. Those who were here stayed here and those who were in Skardu were stuck there for a week.
Avoid ‘seasonal drivers’
It is also important to always take professional drivers when you arrange a vehicle for the trip.
Samiullah says, ‘Last year in July and August when the rush increased, people hired wagons from the bus stand due to ignorance, as a result of which a vehicle fell in Jaglot, there were also incidents of vehicles falling in Babusar and Piso. .’
Because those drivers were on these roads for the first time and had no experience and awareness of driving in hilly areas. As a result, somewhere eight and somewhere 10 people lost their lives. So the car should also be taken by the one who can accompany the journey there.
If it rains during the journey, you have to be careful. Rains make travel difficult and slow. So you should always choose an experienced driver.
Socks, grippy shoes and weatherproof jackets
Mehwish Fakhar says it is most important to know the local weather first for those traveling long distances from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad or any remote area to Skardu.
“We had a family with children with us and they didn’t have an extra pair of warm socks, which caused their little ones to catch a fever,” she says. Now, if the children are sick, you cannot enjoy your trip and in the case of traveling in a group, the trip cannot be stopped much.
Mehwish said in the light of his experiences that the following things should be kept in mind while packing your travel bag.
Warm clothes
- In mountainous areas, the weather changes suddenly, so it is very important to keep warm clothes, especially jackets that can protect against strong winds and harsh weather.
- Jackets should be able to protect against rain and wind
- Keep extra pairs of socks to keep feet warm
Anti-slip shoes
“It is not easy to walk without grip shoes while traveling in hilly areas as normal sneakers or shoes slip and there is a fear of getting injured,” Mehwish said.
Sunblock and umbrella to protect from the sun
- You should have clothes that fully cover your arms and legs, the intensity of the sun can cause sunburn
- Sunblock must be worn during the trip
- Carry a hat or umbrella to cover your face and face
Spaghol ors to keep stomach system healthy
- Carry all your medications
- If you are eating a variety of foods while traveling, you may get an upset stomach, so carry stomach medicine or at least fiber or sponge.
Eat fruits and healthy things throughout the day and drink plenty of water
“Islamabad and Chalas are hot, so Baby’s head is freezing.”
When you head to the highlands during the holidays in June and July, when you reach Islamabad and travel further, in June and July it is still warm up to Mansehra, but the temperature starts to drop from Kalam and beyond.
According to Mehwish, tourists are also cheated by these weather changes and the slightest carelessness affects their health.
The weather is fine and pleasant up to Kaghan Naran, then at BabuSar there is sudden rain and sometimes snow. Thus the temperature approaches the freezing point.
The heat is obtained by crossing Babu Sir Top where the temperature exceeds 40 degrees. Passing through different seasons you reach Skardu. The temperature in Skardu is pleasant if there are no clouds.
“When the weather gets better or colder due to the coming of clouds, people generally get confused that when it is not cold in Naran and it is very hot in Chilas, people do not pay attention to clothes.”
“It gets hot again from Chilas to Jaglot, then the weather starts to improve on the Skardu road.”
Sometimes there is no need for a sweater in Skardu, then suddenly the clouds come and the weather becomes cold.
30 to 50 percent increase in rainfall expected: NDMA alert
The Department of Meteorology has warned in the ongoing alert regarding monsoon rains that more than normal rains are expected in most areas of the country this year.
According to the agency, due to the increase in temperature in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, there is a fear of increasing the water level in the rivers due to the melting of snow and its flow.
In a conversation with BBC, Dr. Tayyab of NDMA, Pakistan’s natural disaster management agency, said, “This year, there is a possibility of 30 to 40 percent more rain than normal during the monsoon in Pakistan, most of which is in the northern part of the country.” And Central Punjab, Potohar Region, Kirthar, Mount Sulaiman and almost all parts of Sindh will be affected by more than normal rains.
According to NDMA, 50% of normal rains in Balochistan and more than 40% in Sindh have been predicted.
“In the middle of July, there will be more intensity in the series of rains and this series will go till August.”
Other places including Swat, Chitral, Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu, Naran, Kaghan and Shogran are famous for their natural beauty and attract a large number of tourists.
However, this year, while the heat has broken historical records, the monsoon rains are likely to be more than normal.
Due to rains and landslides in tourist places, the tourists have been urged to take extreme caution and there is a special need to be aware of the weather situation in this regard.
NDMA’s Dr. Tayyab Shah told BBC that ‘This year’s monsoon rains are expected to affect many popular tourist destinations in Pakistan, including Swat, Chitral, Gilgit-Baltistan and the northern regions. Among them, the places along the Karakoram Highway are particularly sensitive.
Heavy rains and landslides can create roadblocks, posing risks to commuters.
Officials have issued warnings and advised tourists to stay updated on weather conditions and travel advisories. Ensuring safety measures and preparedness can help minimize potential disruptions due to monsoon rains.
