Its time to unveil the great Naran Valley of Pakistan. There are many cities around the world that are considered to be so beautiful that they will make the visitor think twice about leaving. These are called mystical, fairytale like and astounding cities. However, there is a city in the Kaghan valley of Pakistan that is called Naran Valley, and this city can be described in only one word, and that word is magical. There are no other words required to describe this heavenly city which has such natural beauty as to rival any other city in the world.
One of the majestic attractions of the valley is the Kunhar River which originates from the Lulusar Lake almost 48 km upstream from the Naran Valley. The river flows through the area and presents beautiful sights of the flowing waters over the rocky surfaces. Quality trout can be hunted here and this allows tourists to spend good time fishing at the River Kunhar and enjoying the delicious trout that is local to this area.
Naran Valley’s Geography
The city is located in the Mansehra District which is a district of the northern province of Khyber Pakhtun Khwah in Pakistan. The nearest city is also Mansehra which is located almost 119 kilometers away from the Naran city. The elevation of Naran itself is almost 8202 feet above the sea level, making it an ideal location for vegetation and forests to grow and for snow to fall.
Best Time to Visit Naran Valley
There are two kinds of people who want to visit Naran. There are the people who want to visit it to see the large amounts of snow that has been accumulated in the roads and around the city. For such people, the city should be visited in the late part of winter so that they can see the best kind of snow that has gathered. However, these people must take care that some roads may be blocked due to landslides. So make sure that the roads are open before going into the city for a trip during the winter.
The second type of people is the ones who want to travel from the city to the various lakes and other types of tourist hotspots. These people must visit the city during the months of the summer so that they can easily trek or hike to other parts of the Kaghan valley and so that all the vegetation has come into full view and the snow has melted away.
Trekking Guidance at Naran Valley
The best way to trek to other places from the city of Narran is to take a guide with the trip. However, for reaching the city of Naran, the simplest way is to take a jeep or another personal vehicle from the city of Mansehra.
When travelling to other places from the city, the hikers and trekkers should keep in view that many treks and hikes will take up to around 8 days, and others will be very short and can be completed within just one day, so care should be taken about the time when planning the trek.
Equipment And Kit
When visiting the city of Narran, two things must be kept in mind. The first thing is that if a person or a trip wants to stay at the city and then ventures out during the day time to the nearby places and returns to the city for staying at night only personal items are required as they will be staying in hotels for the night.
Secondly, for those who are going on casual hikes or treks and will only be staying out for a day or two, camping equipment and some warm clothes are required and must not be forgotten.
Thirdly, for those who are going on complete hikes and complete tours, the full gear of hiking professionals will be required as without that it will be hard for the group members to complete the treks. This will include all the gear for camping, cooking, and travelling including the survival equipment.
Precautions and Survival Tips at Naran Valley Trekking
There are certain things that must be kept in mind when traveling to an area such as this.
- Always make sure that the trip has been discussed will all the members and they are ready to embark on the journey.
- Make sure the accommodation has been confirmed at least 12 hours before going on the trip
- Make sure that all the equipment is with the group or has already been received at the spot if it has been sent ahead.
- Make sure all the equipment is ready for the tour and there are no damaged pieces in the set
- Always make sure that no member of the group engages in any in civil or illegal activity while on the trek.
Naran Valley Nature Reserves
The entire area of the Naran valley comes under the Kaghan Valley and, therefore, the area has a lot of diversity in flora and fauna that is home to this valley. The best way you can be able to see the diversity of this area is to come here in the summer season. During the summer times, the conifer and deciduous forests will be in full display of their lush green leaves that are so green that they can look like black. There will be various local flowers and remedial herbs growing in shrubs bushes as well as wild berries and fruits that are commonly found in the area. There are trees of apricots and apples as well as peaches.
The fauna of the area includes many wild animals such as snow leopards – which are now becoming extinct – marmots, weasels, and squirrels. Quality trout fish is also available in the River Kunhar that flows through the valley. There are many species of birds that come to the area while on their migratory routes or only for the summer season. Also there are resident birds of prey that can be seen hunting in this area as well. These include the hawks and the falcons.
