Winter Tourism in North Pakistan

What you can do and See in the winter in Gilgit-Baltistan?

Gilgit-Baltistan is rich in evergreen tourism destinations in all four seasons of the year. thousand of nature lovers move to North Pakistan in the summer season from the beginning of spring blossom to the end of autumn color. But it stays calm during the whole winter instead of having a mass of opportunities to enjoy the diverse natural beauty. Snowsports, skiing, ice sports, and nearby adventures. to show this unique tourism event a team of five walkers initiated a tourism walk from Skardu to Gilgit of 270 km distance that gave a great idea to all those nature lovers to involve in tourism promotion.

Winter Tourism Promotion walk to Ghizer to the west of Gilgit

Passing the idea of the team of Skardu an 18 members team of Gilgit decided to have a walk to the Khalti Lake winter tourism Festival. It went like this and successfully completed the walk in two and a half.

First-day highlight Day Highlights

The team kicks off from the Yad-e-Gar-e-Shohada Chinar Bagh Gilgit on 27th January 2021 at 8:30 a.m. The honorable Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad see off the team it was a great encouragement for each member.

The team members were all energetic except two professionals +45 of the Directors of Hindukush Karakoram Tours and Treks the first and only tour agency from Ghizer. Traveling 41 km on the first day ended at Japoke Bridge. All the team members were very tired of the long walk without proper exercise, however, the morale of the team members was high due to the love and encouragement received from the locals. 

Second Day Highlights

The journey started from Japoke Bridge the next day and ended at Haton Bridge that evening. It was an interesting day for the team because in every kilometer the local communities of the Punial Region were waiting in the honor of the winter tourism promotion walk team receiving with Dessi Bans and clapping to encourage the team along with dry fruits tea and other local dishes. Their appreciation sign that the people of Ghizer are all fond of tourism activities but there a lack of awareness and facilities for such activities to the people involved in tourism during the winter. In Singul Village hundreds of people received the team warmly and then all the way every village had the same response to this walk. Before entering Gahkuch a team of Boy Scouts from Ghizer, other institutions, and the business community received the team and then Special Communication Organization honored the team at their center with high tea musical program. 

Third-day Highlights

On the third day, as usual, the team members got up at 6:30 a.m and all of them were at the breakfast table at 7:00 a.m. The team members had breakfast before eight o'clock and left for their destination.

The third day's walk began at Hatton Bridge. Traditionally, the team members took a picture while standing next to the signboard of Hatton village so that the record would remain. The speed was still about six kilometers per hour. Senior members Murad and Amin kept urging the youths to walk slowly and for a long time but the youths never listened to them and the caravan moved on their pace as usual. Crossin the villages the community members appreciated the team as previous days that were all encouraging and hope for good winter tourism in the near future.

Welcoming of the local communities on the way

On the way, we passed Heim and Hopper and reached Samal. A community team of Small Village and elders greeted the team on the bridge. Humiliated with traditional pratha (shi rack), traditional roti (shepak), needles, boiled and fried eggs it was a freezing morning with the wind so they sat in a cave-like place in front of the Sumall bridge ate and drank to their heart's content. Then say goodbye to the elders and move on. Along the way, shopkeepers greeted the team members and offered chewing gum and sweets. In the village of Raushan, tea was arranged by the community in the Jamaat Khana. The elders of the village greeted the team at the entrance of the Jamaat Khana. The Boy Scouts saluted and were greeted with a variety of sweet and savory gifts along with tea.

The next reception was given by the local Boy Scouts and the community at Hawkis Village. Where team members treated fresh and dried fruits.

The next stop was Gopis where the team members were initially garlanded by Junaid Hotel and humiliated for tea. The team was received by Gilgit-Baltistan Sports Director Hussain Ali near the historic Gopis Fort.

Then Blossom Inn had arranged a fantastic lunch with warm welcoming reception by the manager Sardar.

From there, the team asked for leave and continued on. The day was getting darker and darker. When Gopis crossed the Nala bridge and reached the bazaar, the vendors of DJ School Market greeted the team with music and enthusiastic slogans. Humiliated with sweets and tea. Team members also performed a traditional dance. Thus the team continued to walk and reached the place called Ziarat and the walk ended. Thus, on the third day, the team covered a distance of more than thirty kilometers in nine to ten hours. From there, the team proceeded to the house of Khan Akbar Khan, a well-known politician and public servant of Gopis. Khan Akbar Khan had arranged the best dinner and stay. The team members were busy with music, country songs, and gossip till late at night. Thus the third day came to a happy end.

The nighttime temperatures at Gopis, Gendroot, and Khalti were minus 9 and minus 12 degrees Celsius, but the daytime sunshine did reduce the cold a bit, but in the morning the breeze was accompanied by warm gloves, hats, mufflers, and warmth. It was not possible without a mask.

At seven o'clock in the morning, as usual, all the team members got up and after breakfast left Khan Akbar Khan's house at eight o'clock. It was the fourth and final day so the team members looked cheerful and happy. The journey was shorter than the last three days and the team members were eager to reach their destination. Before departure, the team offered Fateha at the mausoleum of renowned singer Muzaffar Ali Begana Shaheed and started their fourth-day walk from there. Far from Ziarat, Khan Akbar Khan walked with the team to Chartoe (Fairys' Hill) to show solidarity.

When arrived some of our mothers and sisters offered our team Ashpri is a common and ancient tradition of almost all areas of Gilgit-Baltistan. Ashpuri (desi ghee on top of traditional bread) is offered on every happy occasion.

Now the team was pinched very close to their destination. Fida Hussain, Secretary Information and Rescue, near Khalti PTDC, got out of his vehicle to show solidarity with the team and joined the walk with our team.

Near PTDC, hundreds of locals, local volunteers, boy scouts, girl guides, and others greeted the team with garlands. The desi band continued to lead the team and from there the team reached the venue in the form of a procession with ladies and gentlemen. At the gate of the venue, the local volunteer women then presented Ashpri and welcomed the team. Along the way, people danced to the tunes of a local band. Thousands of people standing on the side of the road waved and greeted the team warmly. The scenes of this historic reception were spectacular. Upon entering the venue, thousands of ladies and gentlemen stood up and greeted the team warmly and enthusiastically. Reaching Khalti on foot from Gilgit for 128 km was certainly no less than a feat, so the locals were generously praising the team's courage and enthusiasm.

Khalti Lake Tourism Festival Event

The team was taken to the middle of the venue where the team members performed a traditional dance. From there, the team members walked from the top of the frozen Khalti Lake to the middle. The team met with ice hockey, ice football, and skating racing teams.

From there, the team members came and sat on the stage. Meanwhile, Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Minister Raja Nasir had also reached there. Raja Nasir first garlanded the team, then presented a bouquet of flowers and later presented a shield and a certificate That received by the team leader. Meanwhile, the Tourism Minister appreciated the mission of the team.

Meanwhile, the Skardu team led by renowned Baltistan journalist Qasim Butt entered the venue. Minister for Tourism and our leader welcomed the Baltistan team. Later, the Minister also gave shields and certificates to the Baltistan team and appreciated their walk from Baltistan to Gilgit.

Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister was the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the Winter Sports Festival Khalti. After his arrival, the game of ice hockey Played. In ice hockey, there was a competition between Hunza Ibex and Hunza Leopard, in which the Hunza Ibex team took the lead.

After the closing of the ceremony, the team leader and members of Ghazar Winter Tourism had a brief meeting with the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan. The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of the team and invited the team to present its recommendations on which the government would work.

On their return from Khalti, the team attended a lunch hosted by Blossom Inn Gopis. The team members then left for their respective homes. Thus, the four-day historical and extremely important journey came to an interesting and memorable end, the memories of which will live on forever.

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